Sea The Stars, Zarkava and Dancing Brave - Matt Chapman's Top 10 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes

We're on the verge of another classic Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which means we get to go down memory lane and look back at some of the greatest renewals of the race! From Sea The Stars to Zarkava to Dancing Brave, there've been a host of legends created in the ParisLongchamp spectacular, and Matt Chapman has chosen his top 10 runnings of the race.
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[@kevinhughes2440]

Remember dancing brave took my breath away pure class.

[@attheraces]

Sensational...

[@peggypapczun2906]

So sorry Dancing Brave died so young. Was it grass sickness like Dubai Millenium?

[@artfuldodger2623]

Dancing Brave. 8 group 1 winners in a line a furlong out and he flew past them seriously impressive turn of foot in a very very deep field.

[@kevinharrison5009]

Artful dodger. Very poor in breeders cup , couldn't believe how bad he ran there.

[@artfuldodger2623]

@@kevinharrison5009 Indeed but breathtaking at Longchamp against a top top class field.

[@kevinharrison5009]

@@artfuldodger2623 . True that dodger my friend..That 6 thousand trip to the U.S. didnt come off. Imagine an American horse running around Epsom. No,never.

[@elgransenor1472]

That Arc and the 1984 Two Thousand Guineas are the two greatest races I’ve ever seen

[@Newworldman66]

@@kevinharrison5009 Pretty much all of the European horses flopped at the 86 Breeders Cup after receiving sub optimal treatment whilst over there. As I recall, the only European winner was the French horse Last Tycoon, who arrived at the last minute, rather than being stabled over there prior to the meeting.

[@thebrasenose]

A lot of people are emotionally attached to Sea The Stars, but the really great Arc performances of the past 50 years are unquestionably Dancing Brave #1 and Peintre Celebre #2.

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Yep Peintre Celebres very underrated and rarely mentioned. STS...DB & Peintre the 3 best winners.

[@mallafets]

PC was not as good as it looked on the sectional times. The DB sectionals were something else esp from 4 out and the last 2.

[@Newworldman66]

STS was being closed down in the final furlong by plodders, some of which had to go up in trip to win future races. Beating a horse like La Boum by around 5 lengths clearly shows that the 2009 Arc renewal wasn't up to much. STS was merely a good horse in a poor year.

[@mallafets]

Agree. E.g. Fame And Glory and Youmzain are slow boats.

[@julie-annquayle3877]

😂😂😂😂😂​@@Newworldman66

[@angelomatta2791]

❤️Dancing Brave♥️.. The best ever

[@cristianobitoku2887]

The arc 2009 with sea the stars is impressive. We can see Aidan O'Brien's tactic with two pacemakers to destabilize Sea the stars, but he didn't fall into the trap.

[@rodneymckee8431]

M kinane always said it didn't matter about the pacemakers due to the speed and stanima he had if anything the pacemakers helped sea the stars even more. For me the greatest horse I've ever seen imo

[@markhiggins8315]

Didn't matter, never did. Sea The Stars was just that good. An un matched combination of speed and stamina combined with a phenominal turn of foot.

[@mrgirthy2111]

Aiden tried it in the coral eclipse as well. Didnt work that day either

[@bryanhuggins1299]

Coolmore tried to ruin all his races, and many others too! They ruined so many races over the years, and Horses careers too!!! Think Nijinsky, who they ruined, and George Washington, who they killed! I just had to say it, but they didn't get Sea The Stars. Thank God!

[@stevenelief6784]

Sea The Stars won in 2008. Details are important.

[@invinciblefrankel]

Peintre Celebre’s brilliant turn of foot accelerated twice to race away from Helissio who won the Arc previous yr in Sakhee’s style. Also Lammtarra, an unbeaten champion with a heart of lion, never won by a large margin but did enough to win the derby, King George & the Arc in one yr. What an achievement!

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Yep Lamtarra one of my favourites, he would have given them all a race.

[@mallafets]

Horses do not accelerate twice. The PC sectionals were nothing special. It just looked good visually.

[@StephenSmall-sf5um]

Would of beat dancing brave his double acceleration was freakish

[@franmcnamara4191]

Wrong commentary Matt on Sea the Stars win ...the fantastic ...." needs to be a champion .....is a champion !" is part of the legend....amazing ride by Mick Kinnane .

[@Mardyfella]

So true. “He is a champion, I reckon.” And DB’s is the wrong commentary too: “And here comes Dancing Brave firing down the centre of the track…”

[@milish1964]

Sea The Stars and Dancing Brave can't separate them.

[@tonymcgrath700]

Sea the Stars (2009)is my No'1, incredible performance from looking beat 3 out to having the race wrapped up with over a furlong to go. No'2 Mill Reef (1971)(beating the brilliant French filly Pistol Packer) No'3 Sea Bird (1965) No'4 Alleged (1977) No'5 Vaguely Noble (1968)

[@peterlacey5892]

M.

[@peterlacey5892]

Mmm L

[@peterlacey5892]

M..

[@djbillybopdjbillybop2817]

Some great Horse there I rode work for the great Vincent O'Brien when Lads were sick or Hurt It was just a pleasure.

[@kevinharrison5009]

tony mcgrath. Sea the stars was still an improving horse when he was retired. Just think what he could have achieved as a 4 year old.?

[@anotherblonde]

Fantastic ! Golden Horn was my fav

[@user-wm7mp2fl1p]

Dancing Brave was hailed a Rolls Royce ride by Pat Eddery need more to be said about him Pat just put Dancing Brave as the best of the best horse he ever rode though he had a weakness for Golden Fleece also

[@StephenSmall-sf5um]

Wrong eddery stated golden fleece was the best he ever rode

[@waynequincy5695]

Love Matt

[@KennethPoole-y7z]

Mill Reef, 1971, won Derby, King George and Arc in same season.

[@martinmoloney4079]

Sea the stars number 1 no doubt

[@shanecopner7827]

Dancing brave

[@stevemartin7798]

all magnificent winners, I just feel Sea the stars would have got up in every one of these races, will never know for sure, he just seemed to be able to get there whenever he wanted to without really ever exerting himself.

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Spot on sir. He would have.

[@Newworldman66]

Cobblers. STS could only ever cover 2 furlongs in 23 seconds which would have seen him swallowed up in the 86 Arc. STS was merely a good horse in a poor year. None of the collateral form from STS's races has any value, none of it.

[@julie-annquayle3877]

​@Newworld.man66 but he beat Frankels time in what was probably the Worst 2000 Guineas of the last thirty years,and they say Frankel is the best ever,🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@keithswain3623]

See the stars ran and won group ones all year looked beat met trouble line at his cool brilliant best

[@michaelboyle7668]

Sea the stars easily number 1.

[@GBeret83]

For me it's tough to rank one above another because so many great horses have won this race. I will say however that Soumillon aboard Zarkava and particularly Mick Kinane aboard Sea The Stars both did a great piece of riding to win their respective Arc's. It took a special horse to overcome the traffic problems both of them met with and still fly home to win. That said, while Soumillon's ride on Zarkava would be among my top rides in the Arc, he also gets one of the top "egg all over face" nods for choking on Orfevre in 2012 losing the race to Solemia.

[@Newworldman66]

STS was drawn towards the inside and essentially went the shortest way round. Kinane was more fortunate than skilful in that gaps appeared as he needed them and STS had sufficient tactical speed to go through them. At no point in the race did Kinane have to stop riding STS. At the 2F pole Kinane felt it necessary to throw the kitchen sink at STS and the horse responded covering the penultimate furlong in about 11 seconds. However, despite Kinane riding STS right to the finish line, he could only cover the final furlong in a rather pedestrian 12 seconds, which is why he was being closed down by a group of plodders towards the finish. STS pulling a bit early on was the only genuine negative and that was relatively short-lived.

[@deckie48]

Find it hard to imagine a top 10 without Peintre Celebre or Suave Dancer who were both exceptional in the way they dispatched their rivals when winning the Arc

[@shanecopner7827]

Dancing brave the greatest horse in my life

[@malarktaful]

I was nine years old when Sassafras scarred me for life.

[@JiveTurkey1407]

Top five: Dancing Brave Montjeu Lammtarra Sea The Stars Sinndar

[@attheraces]

Five legends of the Arc!

[@jasonfox4857]

Imagine those five turning into the straight in an Arc....no doubt The Brave would be at the back waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and then!!!!

[@kevinbarry1517]

Sea the stars was the king of om ⭐🌟👌👌👍

[@rodneymckee8431]

The greatest

[@davidkinanekennedy3832]

thebest

[@harpalchauhan428]

Any horse that wins a arc is a great horse in his own right that year lets not forget that please.

[@salahboughazi964]

Zarkava is just the best ! No need of the woods just with the arms she won vs goldikiva easily she was amazing

[@Newworldman66]

Shame that she didn't stay in training to win the 2009 Arc. She wouldn't have had STS to beat, as he'd have been hiding in the Champion Stakes, as New Approach did in 2008.

[@martinwilliamdavies7977]

Poor Zoumzain. Always the bridesmaid. Same with Ardross. Dancing Brave is the best by far. Pat had A clock in him like Cauthen or Gary Stevens and The Shoe blessed with good hands like Swinburn and Lester. He knew his ride be it A mediocre handicaper at Folkestone or in A classic(We Don't mention El Gran senor). The Genius of the late great Pat Eddery. Perfect timing, be it Dancing Brave, Pebbles, Sheikh Albadou, Tolemeo,Zafonic, Celeric or his last great ride on Landing Light in the Cesarewitch. Patrick James Eddery did the job.

[@sahattsupwattana4658]

Yes I agreed

[@jimreynolds2399]

I remember Sakhee - a really tough horse. I was at Belmont Park when he was pipped by the American Horse of The Year, Tiznow. It was probably the best race I've witnessed in person and the American announcer's commentary still rings in my ear. It was a photo-finish - absolutely tearing it up at the finish. They were going at it back & forth - two very tough animals wanting to win. Sakhee raced as a 4-y-o but he wasn't the same. For me StS is the best - even better than Dancing Brave. For me it would be StS, DB, Sakhee.

[@Newworldman66]

STS finished 5 lengths in front of La Boum in the 2009 Arc. Clearly not the best.

[@jimreynolds2399]

@@Newworldman66 He never won any of his races by big margins because he idled in front. He knew every horse he passed was beaten and wouldn't try to pass him again.

[@leeelnaugh1652]

See the stars was never asked the serious question so Mick kinane knew

[@cornet959]

You go and buy a horse that could beat Fame And Glory or Rip Van Winkle or Mastercraftsman. All these so called know all who say Sea The Stars only did enough. Doing enough is winning by a neck or a head. No other horse ever did what Sea The Stars did. He won the 2,000 G, The Derby, L'Arc, in the one year. Sea The Stars, Best Horse I Ever Seen and Galileo's half brother.

[@kevinharrison5009]

No.1 arc winner. Peintre Celebre.

[@harpalchauhan428]

Another forgotten horse like hellissio

[@kevinharrison5009]

@@harpalchauhan428 . Yes Peintre I believe, still holds the record time for his arc victory.

[@StephenSmall-sf5um]

Can't argue with that one

[@jonnybeeston]

Sea The Stars 3 year old season was truly special, the only reason he is not held in the highest esteem is that Frankel followed soon after but in later years for the amount of races, grade ones and trips he won over he will be truly recognised, in his Prime STS only ever did enough and Kinane was for sure the best man to make it all work out. Both are the like of which we were just blessed to see and their breeding has proved it since.

[@cornet959]

I agree with your first part But saying Sea The Stars just "did enough". He won by 1.5L, 1.5L, 2.5L, 2L. More than enough in the Top Flat races. Just doing enough in a Flat race is winning by a neck or head. It's not National Hunt races your watching. He rang every month for 6 months. Do you know how much of an effort it takes out of a horse to win even a small race. Sea The Stars did what no other race horse ever did. He won the 2,000 G, The Derby, L'Arc, in the one year. Sea The Seas one of the greats. And he got it from his mother Urban Sea an L'Arc winner and her U.S.A. bred father Miswachi by Mr. Prospector. Urban Sea also bred Galileo by Sadlers Wells. So only for Urban Sea, Coolmore (Magnier) Ballydoyle (A.P. O Brien) would not have been half as successful. Remember Sea The Stars has sired The Derby winner Hazard. Dancing Brave never sired a Derby winner. And Shergar only sired 10 foals which were useless.

[@jonnybeeston]

@@cornet959 you may have misinterpreted what I meant. Sea the stars only did enough as he would idle in front and was usually in his comfort zone when winning or when he got in front. He didn't over exert himself as much as a younger Frankel would.

[@Newworldman66]

@@cornet959 Perhaps you should look up the 1993 Derby winner and see who the sire was.

[@mabbrey]

never gets old rip pat/ dancing

[@kevinharrison5009]

martin mac. R.I.P. Pat Eddery, an unorthodox but brilliant jockey. Second to none, especially around ascot.

[@bramolini4835]

Agree with the No 1 .

[@drofheim]

If STS is 3rd shouldn't Zarkava be closer than 8?

[@figlinful]

Hey sackee was beaten by sinndar in the derby a year earlier and I think by giants causeway in the eclipse.it was an impressive win but he wasn't as good as sinndar, giants causeway or sea the stars.

[@williamallan7915]

Sea Bird was always number one

[@kevinharrison5009]

william allan. The immortal Sea Bird. Definitely one of the greatest ever.

[@peggypapczun2906]

I loved Sea--Bird and remember his win so well. He was a very underrated stallion.

[@kevinharrison5009]

william allan. Yes william, he was incredible. If Sea Bird had raced even Secretariat at Epsom, he would have beaten him.

[@peggypapczun2906]

I loved Sea -Bird and was so sorry he had to return to Europe. Didn't he die only a couple of years later? Sea-Bird could have clobbered Secretariat.

[@kevinharrison5009]

@@peggypapczun2906 . You could bet he would have beaten Secretariat on the Epsom downs course. On a flat galloping track, it would have possibly been a different story.

[@2icelollys1goat]

How much more enthusiastic can this guy sound

[@angelocalabrese5487]

Only one horse is the greatest arc winner and that is sea bird

[@user-wm7mp2fl1p]

Dancing Brave came way back to win the Prix De L'Arc pulling up what a horse certainly needs to be Numero uno on the list

[@cornet959]

Sea The Stars is the first horse to win the 2,000 G, The Derby, L'Arc, in the one year. That huge achievement might never be equalled again.

[@chriswhite6610]

If it had,nt of been for Starkey would have been equalled in 86 😂😇

[@JonJonJonJonJonJonJonJon]

1 Sea the stars 2 Sea bird 3 Zarkava 4 Dancing brave 5 Treve 1st 6 Lammtara 7 Montjeu 8 Sinndar 9 Golden horn 10 Found 11 Enables 3rd ( this Sunday )

[@kevinharrison5009]

Jon jon. Never forget Suave Dancer, he was electric. That's not a bad list though.

[@rodneymckee8431]

Good list would put hurricane run in instead of found and no for enable on Sunday

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Not a bad list or choice of order, but 1 horse missing that should be top6...Peintre celebre

[@ajvindiesel8517]

I liked zarkava but she didn't beat much.

[@JonJonJonJonJonJonJonJon]

@@ajvindiesel8517 she ate goldikova for breakfast. Look what she did.

[@k27-z5y]

Golden Horn for me probably due to it being my first arc but he was mighty impressive

[@marquettegloves9907]

100% agree. Golden Horn was a star. He's number 1, Sea the Stars number 2.

[@Newworldman66]

GH was a good horse but he's not at the top table.

[@mabbrey]

trieve should be there somewhere

[@mrgirthy2111]

With the sea the stars arc (2009) i prefer the aussie jim mcgraph commentary

[@lyndseychadwick7503]

What about alleged

[@peggypapczun2906]

Alleged, absolutely. He was a top colt, top sire too.

[@user-wm7mp2fl1p]

It is a pity Dancing Brave lost the Derby in 1986 but it was due to jockey error for had Pat Eddery rode him the rest will have been history

[@NiesQue]

Montjeu was seriously underrated and his battle with El Condor Pasa (considered the best Japanese horse of the 20th century) up the straight was brilliant. Just not in form the following year. Sea Bird II will always be king of the arc though

[@kevinhughes2440]

I'll be screaming at the telly trying to push Enable all the way to the line. Persian King looks a good EW bet.

[@StuartSimms-gj5ui]

Zarkava lammtarra got no credit for winning arcs .dont think shes produced 1out standing horse can anyone say what happened to lammtara totally dissappeard like his racing colours

[@rodneymckee8431]

Sea the stars zarkava and hurricane run my top 3

[@kevinharrison5009]

Rodney Mckee. Zarkava is immortal, what a performance that Arc day.

[@rodneymckee8431]

@@kevinharrison5009 she certainly was go down as 1 of the best arc winners such a shame we didn't get to see more of her and sea the stars. He for me is the greatest horse I have ever seen in my time watching racing has never got the credit he deserved

[@harpalchauhan428]

It will always be sakhee for me

[@attheraces]

An incredible performance!

[@manafalmola318]

Sea the stars was the greatest

[@SumoCumLoudly]

Zarkava best filly since Oh So Sharp

[@slickwillywize]

dancing brave then peintre celebre

[@jakubwidlarz]

This Sunday might be the fillies' equivalent of Grundy v Bustino.

[@jakubwidlarz]

And it's gone.

[@kevinharrison5009]

Jakub Wildarz. Stradivarius wins this arc, Peslier aboard and soft ground.

[@johninspain5602]

Obviously all wonderful horses, nothing ordinary wins the Arc but I think Matt has a short memory. Mill Reef, Ribot and Sea Bird would have beaten plenty of those and in the case of Sea Bird, probably all of them. Just my opinion.

[@rodneymckee8431]

I suspect he is to yough to remember them 3

[@markhiggins8315]

I think the only one on this list that I would put alongside the three greats you mentined(Ribot, Sea Bird ii and Mill Reef would be Sea The Stars.

[@johnoconnell1752]

Seabird was the greatest.

[@davidkinanekennedy3832]

1st sea the stars

[@slide_drexler]

The best Arc of all time was Frankel's! He led wire to wire en route to a 15 length victory. And he was given a rating of 190 by Timeform to boot!

[@slide_drexler]

@@PML3232 its called Sarcasm, son.

[@slide_drexler]

@@PML3232 not as ancient as you boomer.😂

[@slide_drexler]

@@PML3232 you have a nice repertoire of great-grand dad jokes. Dont forget to put your full set of dentures in a glass of water before going to bed. 😂

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Golden horn beat a past it Treve and nothing else in that field. Cannot put him in a top 10 arc winners coz of that

[@deanblake4843]

Sea The Stars the best Arc winner I saw (im 25 years old). Zarkava probably the best filly. Thought she was better than Treve and Enable. I think the latter was just well placed by Gosden - she was very good but not a world beater for me. STS probably the best horse I ever seen along with Frankel - STS achieved more though (Guineas, Derby and Arc in same season yikes). Those two were effortlessly good. Shame we don't have anything of their level in this current day. Liked Golden Horn too, top horse - still a level below STS and Frankel though.

[@signoresantinoburnett1169]

Seabird, Lammtarra, Sea The Stars, Dancing Brave, Zarkava. Best runner ups - Youmzain and Nijinsky.

[@petecarter2618]

I think Matt Chapman has obviously overlooked anything prior to 1985 probably because he was in short pants!! Where are Sea Bird, Ribot, Mill Reef, Alleged and Pientre Celebre? Some of his choices are nowhere near as good as the above!! Not impressed with some of his selections!

[@kevinmunday5782]

1Seabird 2 ribot 3 peint celebre 4 sea the stars 5 dancing brave 6 mill reef 7 Hellisio 8 Enable 9 Vaguely Noble 10 Sakhee.... imho

[@NatSci9]

Lammtara ?

[@jasonfox4857]

What a horse...he,s Derby win was breathtaking.

[@seadrifter8975]

Sagace 84 seriously good arc winner that year

[@jaksababarovic2161]

See the star was by far the best of tham lot!

[@chatscindy6602]

No Peintre Célèbre? 🤔 Was in a different league to proven top-notchers Swain, Pilsudski et al when he won the Arc.

[@26Tackle.reviews]

would the greatest ever horse! Frankel have won the Arc i wonder !

[@kepnjem]

Nup! He would never have got the trip. That's why he was never a Derby entry.

[@anotherblonde]

@@chinering23 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaXcYXp5rcd3iNU

[@jasonfox4857]

Didnt get 1m 4f so no he cnt be the best ever and obv he wouldnt of won an arc...specially Dancing Braves Arc!

[@elgransenor1472]

What idiots say he didn’t get the distance? He was never tested at the distance which is different Did you see how he was going at the end of 2100 at York? On a good surface he would have won the Arc

[@jasonfox4857]

@@elgransenor1472 his trainer Henry Cecil says he didnt get the distance or he would of ran him in the Derby, King George, Irish Derby and Arc De Triomphe...PROPER TOUGH GROUP ONE 1M4F RACES....had he ran in any of those races he wouldnt of retired unbeaten and Henry Cecil knew it and so did everyone else.

[@julie-annquayle3877]

S T S didn't go to America after the Arc,D B fid and was destroyed.

[@thomaslusk5518]

Peintre Celebre...

[@JonJonJonJonJonJonJonJon]

Ian Bartlett sounds bored calling half of these ffs then he got abuse after his sleep inducing call on sea the stars he goes over board the next year with workforce. Goes ultrasonic. Very average caller.

[@lxmxly_0665]

Danedream?

[@ajvindiesel8517]

Sakhee beat nowt....sorry

[@nigelchurch3037]

TYPICAL of Matt to only have STS 3rd get a grip man your just WRONG

[@Newworldman66]

3rd is very flattering for STS. Finished 5 lengths in front of La Boum, so doesn't really belong in the top 10.