Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: Who are the jockeys to watch? Europe’s richest race takes place this weekend and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe looks like a wide-open race this year. There’s more than £4,000,000 in prize money on offer for the 1m4f Group 1 event and it’s a race that every trainer in the world would want to win. We could have up to 17 runners, which gives us a lot to ponder. It’s a very difficult race to win, due to its competitive nature, and it’s a truly international affair, with runners from France, Britain, Ireland and Japan all set to take part. Some jockeys have been there and done it before, while others are set to get particularly choice rides. With that in mind, we’ve picked out four jockeys who are well worth keeping an eye on, including two-time winner Christophe Soumillon. Tom Marquand Marquand is inarguably one of Britain’s finest jockeys and is trusted by many big names in Britain and Ireland, including William Haggas and Aidan O’Brien. He has picked up an excellent ride in the big race and will be on board Prix de Diane winner Gezora. She returned after a break at Longchamp last month and connections were happy with her second-place finish behind Aventure. Her trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, is convinced that the three-year-old will improve for that run and if she does, a bold showing could be on the cards. Christophe Soumillon One of the most experienced and well-respected riders on the planet, Soumillon has won this race twice before and he will be on board ante-post favourite Minnie Hauk. Ryan Moore’s injury has led to a link up with Aidan O’Brien, which is dangerous for their rivals. Minnie Hauk has gone from strength to strength this season, improving with every run. The daughter of Frankel completed the Oaks hat-trick at York in August and with the amount of talent she possesses, a big run could well be on the cards. Maxime Guyon Guyon is probably the best French jockey of his generation never to have won the Arc but he has an excellent opportunity to rectify that this year. As the retained rider for owners Wertheimer & Frere, he presumably had the choice of Aventure or Sosie and has gone for the former. Christophe Ferland’s filly finished second to Bluestocking in 2024 and warmed up for this with a Group 1 success in the Prix Vermeille and is understandably prominent in the market. She’s likely to be in the mix once again and is definitely one to watch. Yuichi Kitamura Japan is emerging as a serious force in international racing, especially in the middle-distance division. It seems like only a matter of time before we get a Japanese-trained winner of the Arc and perhaps Croix Du Nord can do it. Takashi Saito’s three-year-old won the Japanese Derby in June and showed his ability to handle the track when winning a Group 3 at Longchamp at the expense of Daryz last month. There should be more to come and it would be unwise to rule him out.
