Japan has spent decades trying to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. This year, its challenge includes a rider who already knows how to win it.

Cristian Demuro will partner Admire Terra in the Group 1 contest over 2400m at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, October 4. The Italian jockey has won the Arc twice, aboard Sottsass in 2020 and Ace Impact in 2023, and took his first ride on the Japanese contender during a racecourse gallop on Tuesday.

Admire Terra covered around a mile in the workout and quickened along the home straight. Demuro was pleased with how the five-year-old balanced himself around ParisLongchamp, an encouraging first look at a course that can be demanding for visiting horses. A gallop cannot settle the question of how he will perform in the Arc, but it gave horse and rider a chance to learn about each other before race day.

Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, Admire Terra brings proven stamina to France. The son of Rey de Oro won the Group 2 Hanshin Daishoten over 3000m in March and finished a close third in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3200m in May. His most recent run, a ninth in the Sapporo Kinen over 2000m in August, leaves him with form to improve upon. The Arc’s longer trip may offer a better test of his strengths.

Demuro’s booking gives the Japanese team valuable local experience. He is the reigning French champion jockey and has handled two very different Arc winners: Sottsass prevailed on testing ground, while Ace Impact produced a powerful late run in 2023. His knowledge of ParisLongchamp could matter as much as Tuesday’s positive workout once the draw, pace and ground come into play.

Japan has come agonisingly close before. El Condor Pasa finished second in 1999, Nakayama Festa repeated that placing in 2010, and Orfevre was runner-up in both 2012 and 2013. Those four near misses have kept the country’s pursuit of the Arc alive, even as its horses have won major races across the rest of the world.

Admire Terra is not Japan’s only hope this year. Meisho Tabaru also galloped at ParisLongchamp on Tuesday and is set to be ridden by Yutaka Take. The pair give Japan two contrasting chances, with Admire Terra’s stamina and Demuro’s course knowledge at the heart of one campaign.

There is still much to prove against Europe’s leading middle-distance horses. Yet Admire Terra has now seen the track, his rider likes how he handled it, and the team can turn its attention to the final stages of preparation. For Japan, the aim remains the same: to turn years of near misses into a first Arc victory. By Scott Bailey

Bay City Roller remains on course for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but trainer George Scott is prepared to switch to the Champion Stakes at Ascot if conditions at ParisLongchamp do not suit.

The four-year-old has established himself among Europe’s leading middle-distance horses. A Group 1 winner in Germany last year, he added the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June with a decisive performance on soft ground. He was last seen finishing second to defending Arc champion Daryz in the Prix Foy.

Scott’s first choice is a return to Paris for the Arc on October 4, where Bay City Roller could meet Daryz again. The decision will rest on the weather. Scott wants ground softened by rain and is reluctant to run if the course needs watering.

A move to the Champion Stakes on October 17 would give Bay City Roller another major autumn target, with the Breeders’ Cup also under consideration. Scott has left open the possibility of running at both ParisLongchamp and Ascot if conditions allow, pointing to the horse’s ability to handle a busy campaign last season.

Bay City Roller could lead a sizeable Scott team at the Arc meeting. Caballo De Mar is being aimed at the Prix du Cadran, while Wimbledon Hawkeye is set for the Prix Dollar. Ridari has the Prix Daniel Wildenstein and Prix Dollar among his options.

Commander’s Intent and Command The Stars could contest handicaps across the two days. Rain would also bring the Prix de l’Abbaye into play for Poatan and the Prix de la Forêt for Forty Years On, although Ascot may prove the more suitable destination for both.

For Bay City Roller, the priority is clear: Scott is ready for another crack at Daryz, provided Paris delivers the ground his horse needs. By Scott Bailey

Ombudsman could return to Ascot for the Group 1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (2000m) on Saturday, October 17, with a trip to the United States also under consideration before the season is out.

The Godolphin-owned five-year-old has been one of the standout middle-distance performers of 2026. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he won the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March before producing a four-length victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. He sits second in the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on 131, behind Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising on 135.

His most recent run was less convincing. Sent off the 5/6 favourite to defend his Juddmonte International Stakes title at York, Ombudsman finished fourth behind Item. His connections felt the rain-affected ground worked against him, making conditions the key factor in choosing his next race.

Ascot is back in the picture after John Gosden reported that Ombudsman is in good form. If the ground remains suitable, the Champion Stakes would give him another chance to show his best over 2000m. It could also set up a rematch with Calandagan, who finished ahead of him in last year’s race, although both horses’ participation will depend on conditions.

The Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on October 31 is another option. That would take Ombudsman up to 2400m for his first start in the United States. With only two weeks between the Ascot and Keeneland meetings, the Gosdens will have to weigh up whether to target both races or head straight to America if autumn rain rules out Ascot.

For now, the weather holds the answer. A suitable surface could bring Ombudsman back before British racing fans on Champions Day; a wet October could send him across the Atlantic for his next start. By Scott Bailey

Race Coast and 4Racing have announced a series of changes aimed at creating greater consistency across South African racing, with the new measures taking effect from 1 November 2026.

The reforms include the standardisation of race conditions, elimination procedures, race cancellation criteria and stakes reductions for smaller fields. Supplementary entries will also be introduced in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape for minor races.

Another key change will see saddle-cloth numbers aligned with barrier positions across all racing centres. Runners will therefore be carded according to their draws rather than by weight or alphabetical order, making racecards easier to follow for both local and international audiences.

The operators said the changes are designed to simplify racing procedures, encourage movement of horses between regions and create a more consistent national racing product.

The announcement also comes alongside increased stakes investment. Race Coast has lifted its combined Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal stakes commitment to R270 million, up 20% year-on-year, while 4Racing has announced an additional R22 million for the Eastern Cape and Highveld regions.

The changes mark a significant step towards greater cooperation and alignment within South African racing.