Bluestocking emerged victorious in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, benefiting from a superb ride by Rossa Ryan and an advantageous draw. She was a well-backed winner, with an industry SP of 11-2 in the UK, having been priced at double figures overnight. However, she is unlikely to be hailed as one of the greatest Arc winners in recent history, as this year’s race was not one of those classic Arcs. The 16-strong field was closely matched in terms of ratings and recent form, with the world’s top-rated turf horse, City Of Troy, en route to next month’s Breeders’ Cup. Additionally, three of the season’s top middle-distance horses, including the King George winner, Goliath, were barred from competing due to the gelding ban.
The absence of so many top contenders for a 12-furlong European championship event should, at first glance, raise concerns for France Galop, the governing body of French racing. This prestigious race and event has faced a series of setbacks in recent years, including the problematic re-opening of Longchamp in 2018 after a three-year redevelopment. The new, post-modernist replacement for the track’s twin 1960s grandstands struggled to accommodate a 35,000-strong crowd. Just three years later, only 15,000 spectators attended the 100th Arc, despite a plea from France Galop executives urging British and Irish racegoers to revive their annual pilgrimage to the Bois de Boulogne. At that time, it appeared that the French authorities had spent €140m (£117m) on Longchamp, only to see a 70% drop in attendance on its biggest day.
A walk around the track on Sunday suggested that, whether by luck, judgement, or a combination of both, the Arc has finally moved forward. The 22,300 attendance, a slight decrease from 2023, likely due to a drizzly start to the day, could be viewed as either a 49% increase from 2021 or a 59% decrease from 2015. However, the raw numbers are less significant than the atmosphere and experience. The good news for Longchamp and its biggest day is that the absence of an outstanding champion or two in the main event did not seem to matter to the attendees. The enclosures were lively and bustling, yet still navigable. The wait for a baguette was about five minutes, and for a pint of beer, even less.
Compared to the immense scale, intensity, and crowd of events like the Cheltenham Festival or the Grand National at Aintree, Longchamp on Sunday felt civilized. The course has taken to heart the lessons of 2018 in terms of keeping its patrons fed and hydrated, and the weekend’s fans are gradually returning. The day and location matter as much as the big race itself. Of course, it would have been a more compelling, enlightening championship race if some of the best middle-distance horses of the season had been able to participate. Goliath had easily beaten Bluestocking by two-and-a-quarter lengths in the King George at Ascot in July and would have been a strong favorite to do so again on Sunday. Whether this would have attracted even a few hundred extra racegoers is another matter. The Arc holds an almost mystical significance for generations of racing fans, particularly in Britain and Ireland, and it is about much more than the horses that compete in any given year, or even backing the winner. For its most ardent fans, it is all about being there, and after a few rocky years, it is an experience that once again deserves a place on every racegoer’s bucket list.
