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journalism → support → readers
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we → click → commission
It’s Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend at ParisLongchamp racecourse in France with the headline race, more commonly known amongst UK punters as “the Arc”, taking place on Sunday, October 4th.
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race → ’ → Sunday
The prize money of over £5m and prestige of the festival and main race attract international entries.
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money → attract → entries
This year also sees the inaugural edition of the Festival of Nations.
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year → see → Nations
The Standard’s gambling experts have put together a betting guide for the Arc, highlighting the best odds from betting sites, running down the leading contenders to win the prestigious race, while dishing out some strategy tips for betting enthusiasts.
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experts → put → enthusiasts
The betting odds on the Arc make for intriguing reading with last year’s winner, Daryz, priced up as a warm favourite to repeat his success.
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winner → make → success
In 2025, he was ridden to victory by jockey Mickael Barzalona in a time of 2:29.17.
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he → ride → 2:29.17
The Francis-Henri Graffard trained bay colt is owned by Aga Khan Stud SC and has unsurprisingly been installed as favourite in the Arc betting.
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colt → train → betting
Already a three-time winner at Longchamp this season, his sole defeat came in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
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defeat → come → Ascot
Maltese Cross is a progressive three-year-old and a Grade 1 winner via victory in the Grand Prix de Paris, though the bay colt hasn’t run since winning the Great Voltigeur - an extended break of almost two months.
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colt → run → months
He is a top-level French-bred, English-trained champion racehorse trained by William Haggas and owned by George Waud.
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He → breed → Waud
Kalpana is now five but still an active British thoroughbred racehorse known for winning the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes.
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Kalpana → know → Stakes
This high-performing mare has several career major victories under her belt.
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mare → perform → belt
Thundering On stood up to her name with a runaway Group 2 victory at the Curragh last month.
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On → stand → Curragh
The solid record of fillies and mares at recent Arc meetings is a big talking point, with them having won ten of the last 18 editions of the Arc de Triomphe.
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them → win → Triomphe
Thundering On has a more than solid chance of victory this weekend.
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On → have → victory
The British Group 1-winning thoroughbred racehorse was foaled in 2023 and is widely known for her come-from-behind victory in the Epsom Oaks on June 5, 2026.
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racehorse → win → June
Diamond Necklace
Star filly Diamond Necklace relinquished her unbeaten record in August and only two of the last nine Arc race winners were beaten in their final warm-up.
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winners → relinquish → up
Diamond Necklace is trained by Aidan O'Brien, one of three runners from Ballydoyle.
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Necklace → train → Ballydoyle
Notable wins include the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2025 and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2026.
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wins → include → 2026
Varandir
Varandir could become the 13th horse to go back-to-back in the Prix Niel and the Arc.
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Varandir → become → Niel
He is a French thoroughbred racehorse bred in 2023.
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He → breed → 2023
He is owned and raced by the Aga Khan Studs and part of the notable Aga Khan family line.
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He → own → line
Varandir debuted by winning at ParisLongchamp in April 2026 and has gone on to establish himself as a prominent middle-distance three-year-old on French turf.
Each way terms for Arc de Triomphe betting
All bookies are offering 1/5 the starting odds on each-way bets.
4 places
BOYLE Sports, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair
3 places
Bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes, BetVictor, Spreadex, Unibet, Betfred, PricedUp, Betway, Coral
Tips for betting on the Arc
Odds movement: Big races attract big money, both from recreational punters and big hitters.
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races → debut → punters
This influx of money can move the Arc betting odds drastically and not always in the correct direction.
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influx → move → direction
It can pay to watch the odds move on betting apps and desktop sites ahead of the race and spot certain trends and patterns.
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odds → pay → trends
For example, often the favourite will drift closer to race time and there might be some value to bet it then.
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favourite → drift → it
On the flip side, the value on a longer odds horse might disappear in the blink of an eye if they are backed significantly when some extra information comes out.
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information → disappear → eye
For example, 20 of the last 23 winners of the Arc have run between 21 and 29 days prior to the race, so these horses will be primed for their peak.
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horses → run → peak
Check to see which stall the runners have been drawn in as that can have a major bearing on the race outcome.
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that → check → outcome
The majority of Arc winners (17 of the last 24) have started the race in stalls one to six.
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majority → start → stalls
The track shape for the Arc at ParisLongchamp racecourse is right-handed, flat, and set on natural grass turf, featuring the famous Longchamp hill that tests the stamina of competing thoroughbreds.
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that → set → thoroughbreds
Look for horses that can stay the pace and have high endurance.
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that → look → endurance
Four and five-year-old horses have won six of the last eight renewals of the l’Arc de Triomphe but three-year-olds have won the race in 60% of the last 30 editions.
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olds → win → editions
With the odds moving due to the weight of money, prices differ at competing betting sites.
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prices → move → sites
History of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and previous winners
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, “the Arc” in short, is also known as Europe's richest flat race with over £5m up for grabs.
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5 → know → grabs
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe dates back to 1920 and is the centrepiece of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend held at ParisLongchamp at the start of October in Paris, France.
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Triomphe → date → Paris
The premier two-day international horse racing festival hosts the world’s most talented racehorses paired with top international jockeys.
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festival → host → jockeys
The race meeting takes place each year in the autumn, typically on the first weekend in October.
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meeting → take → October
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
