Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Tips: Adayar Profile
Steve Chambers profiles the Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar, who was an epic winner of the Derby earlier in the season, and the Godolphin raider is a leading contender for Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday afternoon at Longchamp...
Adayar
- Age: 3
- Races: 6
- Wins: 3
- Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- Jockey: William Buick
- Owner: Godolphin
- Notable Race Wins: The Cazoo Derby (2021), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2021)
Career Record
Twice-raced as a juvenile, Adayar broke his maiden tag at the second time of asking, and the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Frankel produced a fine display on his second start as he sauntered to a nine length maiden success at Nottingham last October.
Sent to Sandown's Group 3 Classic Trial on his seasonal reappearance, Adayar was relatively unfancied at 8/1, but he produced a promising display as he chased home the classy Alenquer to suggest that Pattern company would be his level. However, he was sent off a warm order for the Lingfield Derby Trial next time out, but failed to deliver the goods in soft ground, as he was beaten by Third Realm.
The Appleby team kept the faith in their exciting three-year-old, and opted to send him to Epsom Downs for the Cazoo Derby. A giant leap into Group 1 company handed him his toughest test, but having been around a 40/1 chance in the morning of the race, he was duly backed all the way down to 16/1, and he produced a phenomenal display under a masterful ride from Adam Kirby. Cruising turning into the straight, Kirby took the brave man's route down the inside, and once the gap came he ignited the classy colt and Adayar scooted clear to beat Mojo Star by over four lengths, in one of the finest Derby performances of recent times.
Appleby then elected to send Adayar to Ascot for the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as the Godolphin raider attempted to become the first horse in 20 years to do the Derby/King George double, and he duly accomplished that feat with another exquisite display. Locking horns with two classy older horses in the shape of Mishriff and Love, Adayar made the most of his weight advantage over his elders and produced another scorching display to beat the former of that aforementioned duo by over a length. John & Thady Gosden's Mishriff boosted the form when going on to win the Juddmonte International Stakes at York next time out, so all the form suggests Adayar is a major contender for Arc glory, as he bids for a third Group 1 win on the bounce.
Positives
Proven Group 1 form: Charlie Appleby's superstar will fly the three-year-old Godolphin flag alongside stablemate Hurricane Lane, but he has already shown he can produce the goods on the biggest stage of all, and heading to Longchamp on the back of two Group 1 wins, Adayar has proven Group 1 form.
Weight advantage: Four of the last ten Arc winners have been aged three, and the Classic generation get a valuable weight pull from their older rivals, and Adayar will benefit from that allowance this weekend. Having beaten older horses in the King George, Adayar has already shown he can brush aside his elders with aplomb, and he will be eager to do the same at Longchamp.
Negatives
Ground: He may have won the Derby in good-to-soft ground, but the underfoot conditions at Longchamp on Sunday could be significantly softer with rain currently forecast for the weekend. He won his Nottingham maiden in soft ground, which is a positive, but Longchamp can get extremely testing when the rain hits the track, so it's certainly a question mark on whether he can perform to such a high level like his Derby and King George wins on heavy going.
How will Adayar fare in the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
There's so much to like about Adayar's chance in the Arc, as the imperious Derby winner showed that Classic success wasn't a one-off as he bound to glory in the King George. With his stamina assured having excelled over one-mile-and-a-half there's very few negatives about Adayar's chance, as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Sea The Stars, Workforce and Golden Horn by bagging the Derby/Arc double. Entitled to be at the head of the betting, Adayar has to be on the shortlist, and it's hard to see him not going very close.
Verdict: Leading contender