The Arc Meeting in october in Paris Longchamp always means racing at the highest level, and usually in warm weather as well. 2007 was no let-down, warm and sunny and with no japanese on hand we had a weekend to remember, ever more so after old favourite Toylsome brougth the house down with his runaway win of the Gr. I Prix de la Foret. He paid 100-1 with the english bookmakers, and did beat another old fav in Welsh Emperor in grand style, leaving us all a bit richer!
Coastal Path after winning the Gr. II Prix Chaudenay
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The Prix de la Foret is the only remaining Gr. I race on saturdays card and featured a really high-class field this year with the likes of Red Evie, Tariq, Dutch Art, Jeremy, Vital Euqine and Welsh Emperor all at hand. Germany was represented by old favourite Toylsome (see his entry in the German Star-Section), who previously won 10 Listed Races on his homesoil and acted as a pacemaker for the mighty Manduro this season as well. Largely unconsidered, we had high hopes but would not have dared to dream what happend:
Paul Harley and Stephane Pasquier share a light moment before the race:
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Dutch Art is gleaming in the sunlight
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Ballydoyle is represented by US Ranger
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But the race was only about one horse, and there was not a moments doubt about the winner: Toylsome jumped out, ran on and never saw another horse. At the young age of 8, he is a Gr. I winner now and will be a sire in Germany from 2008:
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No other horse in sight - note the shadow of his nearest rival on the screen:
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Glorious return
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Anna Pavlova after her fine win in the Prix Royallieu (Gr.II)
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Second Day, and old favourite Benbaun about to do the biz in the Prix de la Abbaye, his first Gr. I victory at the tender age of 6:
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Celebrating, courtesy of Toylsome:
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Kingsgait Native, the first 2-year-old in ages to win the Nunthorpe at York, goes out to try the (impossible) double to add the Prix de´la Abbaye:
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Old favourite Patavellian
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Rio de la Plata is the most impressice winner of the Grand Criterium
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The marvelous Oaks-winner Light Shift ran no sort of race in the Opera:
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Gutsy globetrotter Satwa Queen did - note the smile on Thierry Thulliez´ face:
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Arc contenders: this is german challenger Saddex, who finished a honourable 6th:
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Eventual runner-up Youmzain is led out:
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The Arc-Finish: Dylan Thomas has set sail for home, with Youmzain closing. Baron von Ullmans (Toylsome)colours are carried by Getaway into a honourable 4th position:
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A jubilant Kieran Fallon, who saw his career in ashes from the very next day onwards. With the racefixing trial against him collapsing, it was yet another french drug-ban that put his career on hold for 18 month; this might well have been his final big race-riding success.
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