The Japan Times - Japan's Arc hopes take a hit with poor draw, Minnie Hauk gets plum stall

Croix du Nord was drawn 17 of the 18 runners with Byzantine Dream in stall 15.

The least fancied of the Japanese trio, Alohi Alii, will break from four at Longchamp racecourse as they seek to end over 50 years of Japan trying to crack the Arc conundrum.

Eighteen of the last 23 winners were drawn eight or lower.

Joint-favourite Minnie Hauk fared well, drawn one, right on the inside rail from where another outstanding filly Zarkava, owned by the late Aga Khan, won in 2008.

Minnie Hauk will be hoping to go on and win after her connections paid 120,000 euros ($141,000) to supplement her for the five-million-euro race.

Zarkava's jockey Christophe Soumillon rides Aidan O'Brien's triple Oaks (Epsom/Irish/Yorkshire) winning star, who is bidding to give the Irish training great his third win in the race.

Minnie Hauk's co-favourite and last year's runner-up Aventure will break from stall 12, a less favourable draw than in 2024.

O'Brien is enjoying yet another trophy-laden season but so is French counterpart Francis Graffard, and he saddles three runners as he seeks to win the Arc for the first time.

His main fancy is Prix de Diane winner Gezora, who will be ridden by leading English jockey Tom Marquand.

Owned by 78-year-old American Peter Brant, Gezora has been drawn alongside Aventure, who beat her last time out in the Prix Vermeille, in stall 13.

Daryz, who is owned by Aga Khan Studs and was second to Croix du Nord in last month's Group Three Prix du Prince d'Orange, will be Minnie Hauk's neighbour in stall two.

Graffard's third entrant Quisisana, who qualified automatically for the Arc on account of winning the Prix Jean Romanet in Deauville in August, has been drawn in seven.

Andrew Balding is also yet to taste success in the Arc, unlike his father Ian who trained the legendary Mill Reef to victory in 1971, but he saddles England's best hope in Kalpana.

Kalpana was favourite for the Arc until she suffered a surprise defeat in last month's September Stakes to veteran Giavellotto, who also runs on Sunday.

Kalpana, owned by last year's winning owners Juddmonte, has been drawn in 10 and six-year-old Giavellotto is in five.

Y.Watanabe--JT