Can Ace Impact Revive Arc Fortunes of French 3YOs?

It is 17 years since a home-trained 3-year-old colt lifted Europe's ultimate all-aged prize, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), but there is an infectious confidence surrounding the unbeaten Ace Impact (IRE), a feeling that has spread far beyond the closed circle of Jean-Claude Rouget and his team and which has ensured he is unchallenged at the head of the Arc market. If there has been one middle-distance performance in Europe to delight the dreamers then it was surely Ace Impact's surge to glory in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) in June, when Cristian Demuro pulled his mount out from the back of the field turning in and mercilessly hunted down Big Rock (FR). The question that raises its hand is whether a horse that can win so impressively over an extended mile and a quarter at Chantilly can sustain that brilliance over Longchamp's far greater test of stamina. "You can't be certain he will get the trip but the way he finishes his races, and the fact that his sire stayed, I'm optimistic on that score," said Rouget, an Arc winner with Sottsass (FR) in 2020. Hukum Showing 'More Boot' This Year The late great Hamdan Al Maktoum achieved many things in the sport, but Arc success is something that eluded him before he sadly died in 2021. His Shadwell organization has been scaled back, but they continue to revel in top-flight joy and Hukum provided a highlight when he landed a stirring King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) in July. He hails from the finest Shadwell family and his younger brother Baaeed (GB) was champion of Europe last year. "Winning It would be massive no matter what, but to win it for Shadwell would add extra gloss and it would really repay all the faith Sheikh Hamdan and his family have shown in me," said Hukum's trainer Owen Burrows. Thought better than ever this term, Hukum, the mount of Jim Crowley, is bidding to become the first 6-year-old to win the Arc and he will have to do that from a wide draw in stall 14. Westover 'Much More Mature This Year' Think Arc and you might think of the pink, white and green livery of the Juddmonte operation, whose supremo Khalid Abdullah died two years ago. In the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover (GB), the Juddmonte operation, which also produced the mighty Frankel (GB), have a fine chance of a seventh success. He won the Irish Derby last year before finishing sixth in the Arc, but is an improved model this time round. "He's in good nick," Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said. "He had a hard race when he was second in the King George last time and we won't know whether that's left a mark until he runs again, but his preparation has been smooth and the trainer and jockey [Rob Hornby] are very happy with him. "He's a much more mature horse mentally and physically this year, which was always what we hoped would happen. He takes everything in his stride and has been to France this year when he won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud where he set a new track record." Can Continuous Complete Famous Double? The stats are stacked against Continuous (JPN)as no St Leger (G1) winner has managed to win the Arc in the same season. Nine have tried this century and nine have failed, five of them trained by Aidan O'Brien. Yet there seems to be a different aura around Continuous. He has come from nowhere to be the sole Ballydoyle representative in Europe's most prestigious prize and the manner in which he won the oldest Classic at Doncaster 15 days ago suggests it would be foolish to write him off. He is on a roll and confidence could not be higher. O'Brien said: "Everything has gone well since Doncaster, although he hasn't done a lot. A few half-speeds. Anything he has done we have been happy with and everybody seems to be delighted with him. "We might have preferred it if it was four weeks rather than two between the two races, but he's a hardy horse and he doesn't look a tired horse either. He didn't lose much weight at Doncaster, only a couple of kilos, and he's put that all back on. He's taken the race very well." Stamina is the trump card of Continuous and the faster they go, the more dangerous he will be. O'Brien doesn't anticipate it turning into a sprint and feels his colt is quite flexible. O'Brien trained the first three home in the Arc of 2016, when Found (IRE) led home stablemates Highland Reel (IRE) and Order Of St George (IRE), and he also won it in 2007 with Dylan Thomas (IRE). Fifteen are set to contest the 2,400-meter (about 1 1/2 miles) event at Longchamp Racecourse.