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, home to more than half of all G1 races contested in France each season, is an interlaced clockwise venue that features five different configurations, including three circuits: large (2750m), medium (2500m) and small (2150m). Together with a 1000m straight course, there is also the ‘new track’ to cater for 1400m contests, a chute that begins at the furthest point away from the stands on the right hand side, and 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, eight turf races from Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Day will be simulcasted to Hong Kong.

For the 1000m G1 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.

Both 1400m G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Prix de la Foret are 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 – and bear in mind, the second finish line is in play, therefore implicating a long stretch run. There is no notable barrier bias; however, the straight has a slight incline all the way to the finish, and horses ridden aggressively often 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.

For 1600m G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, start is situated approximately halfway down the back straight on the Grande (large) course, and runners have a relatively short run to a sweeping bend that heads downhill, where they then bottom out before taking in both the false and home straight, which has a slight but testing uphill run to the finish. Over 1600m there is a barrier bias to horses that are drawn low in larger fields. This is predominately due to the short run to the first bend.

The 2000m G1 Prix de l’Opera, Class 1 Handicap and the feature race 2400m G1 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 have seen an average field size of 16.4, and during that time the average winning barrier has been 7.1. 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.

Last year’s Prix de l’Arc Triomphe was run on Very Soft ground and saw a field of twenty go to post. On leaving the stalls, it was the Japanese challenger, TITLEHOLDER who took up the running, from BROOME on his outside, with both AL HAKEEM and another Japanese runner, DEEP BOND, directly in behind the leader pair. As they passed the 500m mark and hit the cut away, the leading pair looked to be struggling, and it was ALPINISTA who challenged on the inside, with rider Luke Morris yet to play his hand, however, AL HAKEEM was also up for the challenge, as VADENI joined in from midfield, and TORQUATOR TASSO loomed large down the outside despite having being planted wide the entire race. But it was ALPINISTA that stayed on best to win by half a length, from VALDENI in second, with the very game TORQUATOR TASSO a neck back in third.

The weather forecast suggests there will be some light rain in the three days leading up to race day. If the forecast is correct, there is a strong possibility that there will be good in the description, albeit on the soft side.

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