Danedream won Europe’s most prestigious horse race, the 2400m Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, at Longchamp on Sunday to give Germany only a second win in the race in a record time of 2min 24.49sec.
The three-year-old filly had only been supplemented by trainer Peter Schiergen on Thursday but made light of that and her odds of 20/1 to finish five lengths clear under Andrasch Starke and emulate wide outsider Star Appeal’s win in 1975.
Peintre Celebre had held the race record since 1997 of 2min 24.60.
Shareta – whose stablemate and favourite Sarafina never threatened and finished seventh – was second at 66/1 while another filly, last year’s Epsom and Irish Oaks winner Snow Fairy, was a fast finishing third at 14/1.
“I don’t believe it, she’s the best horse I’ve ever trained,” said Danedream’s trainer Peter Schiergen.
“She is a small filly with a big, big heart and there’s no better race to win.
“This is a really big day for German racing.”
Starke said: “I was just dreaming in the last two furlongs, that was a great performance.”
Former Australian champion So You Think was given every chance with two of his stablemates Treasure Beach and St Nicholas Abbey hitting the front to set the pace.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien was not willing to give an immediate appraisal of the eight-time Group One winner’s performance immediately afterwards.
“I will have to look at the replay of the race but if the owners are willing I would like to set him towards the Breeders Cup,” he said.
So You Think’s jockey Seamus Heffernan said it had been a tough race to judge.
“I wasn’t in a great position coming into the straight, but if there was one thing I might wish to do over again it would be to have got into a better spot in the early part of the race.”
Of the other fancied runners seven-time winning Arc trainer Andre Fabre’s Meandre never looked likely to add to that tally as he was pulling from the off and finished seventh.
Highly-fancied and well backed Japanese runner Hiruno D’Amour was prominent but stumbled coming into the straight and was then baulked leaving him with no chance and leaving Japan still without a win on the race they dream about winning.
AAP TURF
