Appleby points to lack of pace after Godolphin stars come unstuck in ground

Charlie Appleby was philosophical after his two-pronged challenge for the 100th Arc finished with Hurricane Lane being beaten a short head for second and Adayar three lengths back in fourth.

Importantly, he expects to have both back to continue their racing careers in 2022.

"Discussions will be had but I hope so because they are two horses who have a lot of scope," said Appleby. "I know it sounds mad because they've both won a Classic, but I genuinely think they will be two outstanding three-year-olds who will progress into lovely four-year-olds."

3.05 Longchamp Sunday: Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe full result

Adayar initially took a lead from Yutaka Take on Broome but by the time the field had emerged from behind the Petit Bois, the Derby and King George hero had taken matters into his own hands.

"We knew there wasn't going to be a strong pace in those conditions," said Appleby. "Nobody wanted to go forward and William said unfortunately Adayar jumped well and he had to pop him on the front end as he never really had any cover.

"Adayar pricked his ears but he didn't like that ground. It was a brave performance but his class came through and he tried to pick up on the ground. He can be slightly versatile next year as he could drop back to a mile and two furlongs."

James Doyle was able to find a pitch on the rail from his inside draw on Hurricane Lane but Appleby felt scrimmaging might not have helped his cause when the leaders slowed the pace.

"Hurricane Lane was slightly shuffled back because of the pace on a horse we knew was going to see out the trip well but James has given him every opportunity and at one stage it looked like he might get there in time. It was a gruelling race but I'm delighted with how they ran and they're exciting horses for next season."

Snowfall tracked Torquator Tasso into the straight and looked to have every chance but the triple Oaks heroine was unable to pick up.

"The winner's not bad, you know," said Ryan Moore. "He'd been all right in Germany and probably seriously underestimated. Snowfall ran well. I'm a bit disappointed but she hasn't run a bad race."

Aidan O'Brien, who will assess how Snowfall comes out of the Arc before looking at a possible trip to the Breeders' Cup, felt she may not have acted on the holding surface.

"It might have been a bit too deep for her," he said. "Turning in it looked like she was going to come there but it was tough going out there. We'll go home and see how she is before deciding whether we go again.

He added: "Broome ran well and just kept going. The ground was maybe a bit tough for him."

'If we hadn't had so much rain we'd have won' – Weld rues Tarnawa near-miss

For Japan it was once again a case of what might have been, as Chrono Genesis finished an honourable seventh after being given a positive ride by Oisin Murphy, who stayed in the middle of the track from his wide draw and gradually worked across to join the leading trio.

Trainer Takashi Saito said: "She travelled calmly and took up a good position. I thought she would show a nice turn of foot when she turned into the home straight. However, she emptied at the end because of the heavy ground."

Fellow Japanese challenger and Prix Foy winner Deep Bond had been one of the expected front-runners but Mickael Barzalona was never better than two-thirds of the way back and virtually walked over the line.

"The ground was the heaviest he has experienced and he was not able to take the ideal position," said trainer Ryuji Okubo. "I was worried he might have been injured but he's fine. We will take him home and prepare him for the next race."

Mojo Star never left the rail after breaking well from stall one but could only stay on at one pace in tenth.

"They didn't go mad, which probably didn't suit me but on that ground, we couldn't," said jockey Rossa Ryan. "I travelled super into the straight. This lad over a mile and a half just seems to always lack half a gear, but you don't want to light him up and make too much use of him. I think he's gonna be a top horse at two miles next year."

Read more on the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe:

Torquator Tasso stuns big-name rivals to spring shock success for Germany in Arc

'If the winner wasn't 80-1 we'd be saying it was the best Arc for decades'

How the 2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe unfolded on testing ground at Longchamp

2021 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe result: where your horse finished

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