Croix Du Nord adds to strong Arc hand for Japan

Japan strengthened its hand for next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as Croix Du Nord narrowly denied Daryz in the Prix du Prince d’Orange at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

Japanese raiders have suffered more than their fair share of heartbreak in Europe’s premier middle-distance contest over the years, with the likes of El Condor Pasa, Deep Impact and Orfevre all coming close without managing to claim victory.

However, Byzantine Dream and Alohi Alii both look likely contenders having won the Prix Foy and Prix Guillaume d’Ornano respectively on French soil in recent weeks and now Croix Du Nord has thrown his hat into the ring, with the big day just three weeks away.

Making his first appearance since winning the Japanese Derby in early June, the son of Kitasan Black was a hot favourite to strike Group Three gold and was produced to lead inside the final two furlongs.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s Daryz, unbeaten in four previous starts in France before disappointing in the Juddmonte International at York, came at the Japanese challenger fast and late as the post loomed, but Croix Du Nord had his head in front where it mattered. Nahraan was close-up in third for John and Thady Gosden.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 8-1 from 11 for the Arc, with Daryz halved in prize to 20-1. Coral, meanwhile, offer 3-1 for there to be a Japanese winner of the race for the first time.

“Japan’s quest to win the Arc is well established now, and after Croix Du Nord joined his compatriots Byzantine Dream and Alohi Alii in winning his big race prep run, we’re just 3-1 that the long wait for a famous victory ends next month,” said Coral’s David Stevens.