 Tim Carroll 's Bio | |
|---|---|
| Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following. | |
ParisLongchamp Racecourse – Track Analysis (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day):
ParisLongchamp, where holds more than half of the G1 races contested in France, is an interlaced right-handed track with five different combinations, including three circular tracks, large (2750m), medium (2500m), small (2150m), a straight course (1000m), and there is also a chute which begins at the furthest point away from the stands on the right hand side, this is known as the 'new track' (1400m). The chute joins the large circular main course before taking in both the false and main straight. The track does go up and down with the highest point (back of the course on the right-hand side) – the "Boulogne" section, where horses indeed "disappear" briefly from the grandstand into the woods – being nearly 30 metres above the lowest point (bottom of the course right-hand side).
All three circular courses join the main straight, with two winning posts in use, depending on the race distance. The straight-course dissects the large and medium circular tracks before joining the back straight of the small circular track in the centre of the course. They run the straight races right to left as viewed, the same as they do at Sha Tin over 1000m.
This year, six turf races from Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day will be simulcast to Hong Kong.
For the 1000m Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp, it is on the straight course. Barrier with the smallest number is nearest to the grandstand rail. All the action happens closest to the grandstand rail and low to middle draws are preferred. The straight track reasonably is flat and the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is usually won by horses that can race handy to the speed.
The 1400m Prix de la Foret is on the new track. The start is from a chute at the top far right side of the course known as the new track. They run downhill before joining the large round course, where they start to turn right. They then bottom out before taking in both the false and home straight, which sees a slight but testing uphill run to the finish. There is no notable barrier bias, however, the straight has a slight incline all the way to the finish and horses ridden aggressively usually find it difficult to hold off the finishers.
The 1300m and the 1400m start has exactly the same characteristics as they share the same starting point, however, for the 1300m Class 1 Handicap, they run to the first and not the second winning post over 1300m. Thus horses can be ridden more aggressively, but sensibly, and still see out the race strongly.
The 2000m Prix de l'Opera, Class 1 Handicap and the feature race 2400m Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe are on the large circular course. The 2000m start is from the far side of the course opposite the main grandstand on the large round course. On leaving the barriers they have a straight, but uphill run for nearly 600m before arriving at the highest point of the track near the 1400m chute (new track) whilst turning onto the sweeping home bend. This leads onto the false straight then onto the home straight for the uphill run home. There is no barrier bias, although the last two winners are the only two to have won from a gate higher than 7 in the last ten years.
The start of the 2400m G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is from the left-hand side of the track. They jump from a short spur just off the small course and cross that track twice before entering a lengthy back straight, which leads onto a large sweeping bend, then follow the same route as 2000m. The nature of the track layout lends itself to horses who are ridden to conserve energy and delivered with patience. The Prix de l'Arc Triomphe is considered by many as the world's premier race, and draws decent numbers. The race is usually run at a true tempo. The last ten renewals has seen an average field size of 16.3, and during that time the average winning barrier has been 7.3. The race is usually run at a true tempo, and with a long straight run from the starting gates, you would be forgiven for thinking barriers would be of little consequence. However, since the turn of the century there have been twenty renewals at ParisLongchamp, and only five winners have come from double figure gates, and even more telling, thirteen winners in that time have jumped from gate 6 or lower.
Last year's Prix de l'Arc Triomphe was run on Heavy ground and saw a field of fourteen go to post. On leaving the stalls, it was BROOME, ALENQUER, ADAYAR, and CHRONO GENESIS, who chartered a wide course looking for better ground, which took up the running, whilst the favourite, HURRICANE LANE sat midfield along with TARNAWA and TORQUATOR TASSO. As they went around the first bend it was ADAYAR who led, with little change in behind. Both TARNAWA and HURRICANE LANE grabbed ADAYAR 120m out but no sooner had they got to the front than the German raider, TORQUATOR TASSO grabbed both to go on to record a three-quarter of a length victory, in what was one of the biggest upsets in the races history. TARNAWA held off HURRICANE LANE for the minors, in a time that was 8.02 slower than standard.
The weather forecast suggests there will be some light rain, mixed with sunny days in the week leading up to Arc weekend, with a chance of light rain on race day itself. The last ten renewals has seen everything from good to heavy ground, but if the forecast are correct, there is a strong possibility that there will be good in the description, albeit on the soft side.
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