Key events
The Prix de l’Abbaye favourite Asfoora’s passport has just arrived in an Uber. If it hadn’t got to the track in time, having been left at the stables by mistake, she would not have been able to run. That was not ideal!
Drama! 😶
For a brief moment, Asfoora’s participation looked in doubt but we have had confirmation that her passport has arrived… By Uber! 😅 pic.twitter.com/Ow0clz0Eiy
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2025
Prix de l’Abbaye (1.50pm) betting
Greg Wood
Prix de l’Abbaye (1.50pm) preview
A single-figure stall is something of a prerequisite in this Group One sprint, and the draw gods have been kind to Henry Dwyer’s splendid mare, Asfoora, as she attempts to become the first Australian-trained winner in France. The Nunthorpe winner will leave stall three, while one of the big local hopes, recent course-and-distance winner Monteille, has also drawn well in one. The home team has a famously poor record in this contest, however, with just four wins so far this century, and Frost At Dawn (stall four) andMgheera (in five) are just two among several British-trained runners with a big chance. Mhgeera, meanwhile, also has form with plenty of cut in the ground, and gives Ed Walker a serious chance to follow up last year’s win in this race with Makarova.
SELECTION: MGHEERA
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.15pm) result
1 Puerto Rico 3-1
2 Nighttime 5-1
3 Rayif 7-4 fav
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.15pm)
And they’re off … Puerto Rico leads A Bit Of Spirit in the early stages … they turn for home with Rayif trying to make a challenge … Puerto Rico has kicked clear with Nighttime behind in second and holds them all with ease. The winner was never in serious trouble and that’s a double already for Aidan O’Brien.
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.15pm) betting
Greg Wood
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.15pm) preview
Rather like the opening race on the card, the juvenile colts’ Group One pits the pick of the French juveniles against a big runner from the Aidan O’Brien yard, as the unbeaten Rayif (Francis-Henri Graffard) and Nighttime (Christopher Head) take on Ballydoyle’s Puerto Rico. Rayif took the Group Three Prix Francois Boutin last time out, while Nighttime, with a 3-from-4 career record, is also a Group Three winner, having taken the Prix Prix La Rochetteover today’s course and distance in early September. Puerto Rico has been busier than both, and got off the mark only in his most recent outing, in the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. He was a big price for an O’Brien-trained runner there and one of the market leaders completely failed to show his best form, but he is a solid 9-2 second-favourite with the bookmakers all the same. A Bit Of Spirit, the Solario Stakes winner in a four-way photo, is also well worth his place in the field, as too is Charlie Appleby’s Time To Turn, a Listed winner at Ascot back in July.
SELECTION: RAYIF
Prix Marcel Boussac (12.40pm) result
1 Diamond Necklace 11/10 fav
2 Green Spirit 9/4
3 Narissa 10/1
Prix Marcel Boussac (12.40pm)
And they’re off … Venosa takes the lead early on … from Green Spirit … Diamond Necklace is in a good position on the turn for home … Green Spirit goes for home … with Diamond Necklace coming fast and she gets there close home to win for Aidan O’Brien and jockey Christophe Soumillon.
Greg Wood
Prix Marcel Boussac (12.40pm) preview
After a four-year run from 2018 when the Boussac winner failed to register a subsequent win of any kind, France’s most prestigious event for juvenile fillies has picked up a little recently Blue Rose Cen (2022) and Opera Singer (2023) both recording Group One wins at three and Zarigana, who was edged out by a 100-1 stable companion 12 months after trading at 1-100 in running, took the French 1,000 Guineas in May. Green Spirit, unbeaten in four starts including the Prix D’Aumale at this track last time out, leads the home challenge today and also tops the Timeform ratings, but Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Necklace is also unbeaten , after two starts , and should give her plenty to think about. She won a Listed race on Ireland’s Champions Weekend in September and a victory for the daughter of St Mark’s Basilica would also be a big moment for her sire , a Group One winner from his first crop of juveniles. Between them, the top two in the betting take out around 70pc of the market, but there a few more runners that deserve some consideration. Ozone is also unbeaten in two, albeit at relatively minor tracks, most recently winning a Listed race at Lyon, while Karl Burke’s Aylin took the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last time and her stable could hardly be in better form.
SELECTION: DIAMOND NECKLACE
Good morning, bonjour and welcome to Arc day 2025 with six, count them all, six Group One top-level races to feast on. The build-up has been dominated by talk about the weather as usual and while it may not be bottomless ground out there it’s going to be demanding and you will need to have genuine stayers on your side today.
If you’re following this on the box while keeping up with our updates from me here in Guardian Towers in London and our racing correspondent Greg Wood in Paris the coverage will be on all day on Sky Sports Racing and on ITV from 2.15pm.
Christophe Soumillon is riding the well-fancied Minnie Hauk in the absence of injured Aidan O’Brien No 1 jockey Ryan Moore and he’s already been talking to Matt Chapman on Sky … he says he will ride it like Frankie Dettori! (still much-missed plying his trade in the USA)
Preamble
Tony will be here shortly for all the buildup to the big race (3.05pm BST).