The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, widely regarded as Europe’s premier middle-distance contest, is set to be open to geldings for the first time from next year.
Staged on the first Sunday in October, the ParisLongchamp showpiece attracts some of the best horses from around the world, but the decision to bar geldings from the race has been the subject of much debate for several years.
High-profile recent examples of top-class geldings who may have otherwise run in the race include Francis-Henri Graffard's pair of Goliath and Calandagan, with the latter ending last year as the world's highest rated racehorse after winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the King George and the Champion Stakes at Ascot and becoming the first overseas runner in 20 years to lift the Japan Cup.
With the entries for this year's Arc closed, there will no immediate change to the race conditions - but according to a report by French online racing daily Jour de Galop, France Galop board members have voted to remove the restrictions from 2027, meaning the European Pattern Committee just need to agree to the change for it to be ratified.
In theory, Calandagan could therefore belatedly get his shot at Arc glory as a six-year-old for owners Aga Khan Studs, who despite his ineligibility, won last year's Arc anyway with the brilliant colt Daryz.
"As the owners of Calandagan, obviously it was a bit frustrating that the big race he would go for in France wasn't open to him. But as it turned out, we won the race with Daryz and it meant Calandagan went to international targets, so in a global sense it wasn't something that impacted us too much," said Nemone Routh, French racing manager and director for the Aga Khan Studs.
"The 2027 Arc is a long way off and he has shown he doesn't really like testing ground. If he's still in great form and happy and he's thriving, obviously it would have to come into consideration, but it is a long way away."
