1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Last updated
1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Location Longchamp Racecourse
DateOctober 7, 1973 (1973-10-07)
Winning horse Rheingold
  1972
1974  

The 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a horse race held at Longchamp on Sunday 7 October 1973. It was the 52nd running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Contents

The winner was Henry Zeisel's Rheingold, an Irish-bred four-year-old colt trained in England by Barry Hills and ridden by Lester Piggott. Rheingold's owner, trainer and jockey were winning the race for the first time. Piggott went on to win two more Arcs on Alleged in 1977 and 1978.

Rheingold was the fifth British-trained horse to win the race after Comrade, Parth, Migoli and Mill Reef.

The contenders

The leading French contender for the race was the American-bred three-year-old filly Allez France, the winner of the Critérium des Pouliches, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix de Diane, Prix d'Ispahan and Prix Vermeille. and Prix Ganay. The other French runners included Tennyson, the winner of the Grand Prix de Paris, Dahlia (Prix Saint-Alary, Irish Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes), Lady Berry (Prix de Pomone) and San San the winner of the race in 1972. A five horse British entry was headed by the four-year-old colt Rheingold who had finished runner-up in the 1972 Epsom Derby but produced his best performances in France, winning the Prix Ganay and two runnings of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The other British challengers were the Yorkshire Oaks winner Attica Meli, the Irish St Leger winner Parnell, the Great Voltigeur Stakes winner Buoy and the improving four-year-old handicapper Firefright. and the Prix de Diane and also included the Eclipse Stakes winner Coup de Feu and the dual Goodwood Cup winner Proverb. Ireland was represented by the four-year-olds Bonne Noel (Ebor Handicap) and Miss Therese and the three-year-olds Ragapan (runner-up in the Irish Derby), Star Appeal and Hurry Harriet. The only challenger from outside Europe was the Argentinian four-year-old Unicornus. Allez France was made the 1.75/1 favourite ahead of Tennyson (5.75/1), Rheingold (7.7/1), Dahlia (8/1) and Lady Berry (8.75/1). [1]

The race

The outsiders Direct Flight and Authi disputed the early lead ahead of Unicornus, Bonne Noel, Miss Therese, Hard To Beat, Rheingold, Buoy, Balompie and Allez France. On the turn into the straight, Authi held the advantage from Direct Flight, Rheingold and Hard To Beat, with Balompie and Buoy well-placed on the outside and Allez France making progress along the inside rail. Early in the straight, Piggott sent Rheingold into the lead and the British-trained quickly accelerated at least three lengths clear of his rivals. Allez France moved into second place and was the only horse to offer a serious challenge to the leader, but Rheingold stayed on strongly to beat the filly by two and a half lengths. Hard To Beat was four lengths back in third, two lengths ahead of Card King, with Lady Berry, Sang Bleu and Balompie the next to finish. [1]

Race details

Full result

Pos.Marg.HorseAgeJockeyTrainer (Country)
1 Rheingold 4 Lester Piggott Barry Hills (GB)
2 Allez France 3 Yves Saint-Martin Albert Klimscha (FR)
34Hard To Beat4Gerard ThiboeufRobert Carver (FR)
42 Card King 5 Gianfranco Dettori Edouard Bartholomew (FR)
5nkLady Berry3Maurice DepalmasGeoffroy Watson (FR)
6shdSang Bleu4J Taillard(FR)
7¾Balompie3 Jean Cruguet Angel Penna Sr. (FR)
82 Buoy 3 Joe Mercer Dick Hern (GB)
9hd Lassalle 4 Jimmy Lindley Robert Carver (FR)
10nkTennyson3 Alfred Gibert Peter Head (FR)
111Ragapan3 Tony Murray Kevin Prendergast (IRE)
121 San San 3 Sandy Barclay Angel Penna Sr. (FR)
132 Star Appeal 3Peter AlafiJohn Oxx Sr. (IRE)
143Novius4Jean-Claude DesaintFreddie Palmer (FR)
15hdPrimette4Gerard Rivases(FR)
16nk Dahlia 3 Bill Pyers Maurice Zilber (FR)
171Firefright4 Paul Cook Bill Marshall (GB)
18nk Parnell 5 Willie Carson Bernard van Cutsem (GB)
192 Hurry Harriet 3 Angel Cordero Paddy Mullins (IRE)
20Authi3 Freddy Head Alec Head (FR)
21Mister Sic Top6R Litt(FR)
22 Attica Meli 4 Geoff Lewis Noel Murless (GB)
23Direct Flight4 Maurice Philipperon (FR)
24El Famoso3E Belmonte(FR)
25Bonne Noel4 Bill Williamson Paddy Prendergast (IRE)
26Unicornus4Georges Doleuze(ARG)
27Miss Therese4 Edward Hide (IRE)

Winner's details

Further details of the winner, Rheingold

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References

  1. 1 2 Timeform staff (1974). Racehorses of 1973. Timeform.
  2. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN   9781901570151.