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Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in pedigree and overseas international racing. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Horse Racing – Results’, ‘Simulcast Preview'’ and Simulcast oversea races.

ParisLongchamp Racecourse – Track Analysis (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day):

By the picturesque bank of the Seine, the re-branded ParisLongchamp Racecourse – a landmark as far as International Racing is concerned – has long been associated as the home of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. With a 1000m chute streaking right through the middle of a vast 2750m turf oval, this course is immense between the rails, and features long stretches to card big fields.

For the championship race of the European season – the 2400m Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – starters will embark upon their quest for supremacy with a stout 1000m uphill gallop on the backside; though many a typical route does prompt a slow early pace, outside-drawn runners do find it extra-challenging in fields of 10 or more. Then, after their rolling downhill through a sweeping but swift right-hander that goes about 500m, runners will meet the “false stretch” – a 400m elbow while actually still bearing ever so slightly on their right leads – before laying it all down through that grueling 530m cavalry charge towards the finish.

In the 2019 edition of this premier event contested on soft turf, prohibitive favourite ENABLE, who hounded the leaders in perfect striking position, took command with about 300m to go, and looked to be a cinch to seal the deal, when one silent assassin by the name of WALDGEIST, racing so listlessly towards the back-marker for most of the contention, streaked home like a ball of fire from nowhere in all of a sudden, and denied the European Empress her historical bid in winning this top prize for the third time, while SOTTSASS, tracked ENABLE throughout, but was clearly out-gamed by the pair in front, and only held on for third.

For the rest of the night’s undercard, except for an abbreviated 600m run on the backside, the 2000m Prix de l'Opera for fillies and mares does trace primarily the same trip as the main feature. Meanwhile, starters for the Prix de la Foret, the Grand Handicap des Flyers and the Prix du Centenaire will break from a separate 1400m chute at the top right-hand corner of this venue, and runners drawing high numbers will have their work cut out for them. Back on the 1000m chute, where the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp will be staged, race dynamics do vary from one cavalry charge to the next; that said, closers that knife the pack from way off the pace do perform better on average.

With continued precipitation teasing the Paris area through Sunday, as per the latest local forecasts, a potentially soft strip would make it further tricky on the final race selections. If the turf can hold off moisture, forwardly-placed runners would still dominate; otherwise, closers that love some give in the herbage are much preferred.

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