Past Irish winners of Arc: Sea The Stars was 'perfection in equine form'

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is Europe's premier middle distance contest and one of the most sought after prizes in racing.

One of the sporting highlights of the autumn, the race at Longchamp on the outskirts of Paris is a sporting institution.

Seven Irish-trained horses have won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and we are taking a look at them.

Ballymoss (1958)

The first Irish-trained winner was Ballymoss for the great Vincent O'Brien.

A winner of the Irish Derby in 1957, he landed his second Classic in the St Leger at Doncaster and continued his winning spree in the big races as a four-year-old, winning the Coronation Cup at Epsom, Eclipse Stakes at Sandown and then the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

The rain-softened ground was thought to be against him, and Australian jockey Scobie Breasley was hard at work on Ballymoss in the early stages of the race, but they ultimately won by two lengths in good style.

Levmoss (1969)

Owner/trainer Seamus McGrath produced one of the great Arc shocks when Levmoss scored in 1969 having gone off at odds of 52/1.

Another Aussie pilot, Bill Williamson, had won the race 12 months previous on Vaguely Noble, but even he wouldn't have dared to dream of a repeat.

Williamson somehow got Levmoss to hold out by three-quarters of a length over the onrushing English mare Park Top, with favourite Prince Regent behind in fifth in a renewal where six countries had runners.

Alleged (1977 & 1978)

For Vincent O'Brien's second and third Arc wins, he teamed up with the great Lester Piggott and Alleged to win the race twice (only two have managed it since).

Alleged was given a masterful ride by Piggott in 1977, going to the front and producing a waiting run in order to fully maximise his superior turn of foot late on.

A year later and after missing the Eclipse at Sandown and the King George at Ascot due to being stricken with a virus, Alleged produced his best run.

He won the Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp in his prep but was not able to dictate in the Arc. Piggott delayed his challenge until the final furlong and, despite facing the softest conditions in his career, secured victory by two lengths.

Sinndar (2000)

By the turn of the century, no Irish horse in more than two decades had won the Arc. That was to change as Sinndar, winner of the Derbys at Epsom and the Curragh earlier that season and the Prix Niel at Longchamp in his prep, scored for legendary trainer John Oxx under Johnny Murtagh.

Five previous winners of the English and Irish Derbys had tried and failed in the Arc in the same season but Sinndar was up to the task, going to the front early in the home straight and repelling the challengers as they arrived.

Connections felt there was 'nothing left to prove' after Longchamp and he was retired soon after.

Dylan Thomas (2007)

To date, the mighty Aidan O'Brien has 'only' won the Arc twice. The first of those came in 2007 as Kieren Fallon brought Dylan Thomas home to win, though not without controversy.

Dylan Thomas had won the Prix Ganay at Longchamp and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot that summer before becoming the first two-time winner of the Irish Champion Stakes.

In the Arc, Dylan Thomas veered sharply to the right halfway up the home straight and Fallon had to survive a half-hour stewards' enquiry that looked into interference caused before the result became official.

Sea The Stars (2009)

A second Arc success for John Oxx, this time with the majestic Sea The Stars under Mick Kinane.

Winner of the 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes already that season, Sea The Stars was a giant but some observers pondered his stamina going to Paris.

There was no call for concern as Kinane moved off the running rail with a furlong to go and Sea The Stars picked up as frontrunners Set Sail and Grand Ducal folded.

Youmzain was second-best but there was no doubting the winner as commentator Jim McGrath labelled him: "Perfection in equine form — a horse of a lifetime."

Found (2016)

The most recent Arc winner for Aidan O'Brien, Found scored at Chantilly during the renovations at Longchamp.

Found, second to Almanzor in the Irish and English Champion Stakes either side of this win, was produced by Ryan Moore to win and the outcome was all the more incredible as her Ballydoyle-based stablemates Highland Reel and Order Of St George made it a one-two-three for Aidan O'Brien — an historic feat.