The entente cordiale is strong - but Arc weekend may be losing out to Champions Day
To the British, Longchamp on Arc weekend is not too far removed from what Cheltenham is to the Irish come the festival.
As thousands upon thousands of fans once again look forward to their annual pilgrimage to Paris, French racing is enjoying a period of renaissance and the entente cordiale has seldom seemed so cordial. Both those developments should be celebrated.
It is only just over a year since Liz Truss – then campaigning to become Conservative leader – questioned whether French president Emmanuel Macron was Britain's "friend or foe". It was a ridiculous and offensive comment, both to Macron and the nation he leads. A much more accurate representation of the truth was seen in the King and Queen's state visit to France where the monarch made obvious his love of the country and repeated cries of "Vive le Roi!" followed him on public appearances.
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- To race or not to race? Corach Rambler's connections confronted a tough question and found the right answer
- Racing leaders face huge decisions - but could any amount of money justify relinquishing control of the crown jewels?
- The Jockey Club knows how it is perceived and wants to change - but that change must happen faster
- The numbers that tell a powerful story about British prize-money - and they might come as a surprise
- The Grand National has changed for the better - and how anyone can moan about Saturday’s race is beyond me