Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (French pronunciation: [aʁk də tʁijɔ̃f də letwal], Triumphal Arch of the Star) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. It should not be confused with a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

The Arc de Triomphe is the linchpin of the Axe historique (historic axis) – a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which runs from the courtyard of the Louvre to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806 and its iconographic program pits heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments with triumphant patriotic messages.

1974 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The 1974 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a horse race held at Longchamp on Sunday 6 October 1974. It was the 53rd running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The winner was Daniel Wildenstein's Allez France, an American-bred four-year-old filly trained in France by Angel Penna, Sr. and ridden by Yves Saint-Martin. Saint-Martin had previously won the race on Sassafras in 1970 whilst Penna had trained San San to win in 1972. Allez France was the first of Wildenstein's four winners of the race.

The contenders

In French racing, horses in the same ownership are usually "coupled" and treated as a single entry for betting purposes. The favourite for the race was the four-year-old filly Allez France, second in the race in 1973 and winner of numerous major prizes including the Criterium des Pouliches, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix de Diane, Prix d'Ispahan, Prix Vermeille and Prix Ganay. Allez France was coupled in the betting with Daniel Wildenstein's three-year-old filly Paulista, a four length winner of the Prix Vermeille on her previous start. Ten days before the race, Allez France's regular jockey Yves Saint-Martin sustained a serious leg injury and looked likely to be replaced by Lester Piggott, but announced himself fit to ride after undergoing pain-killing injections. Nelson Bunker Hunt was represented by the Missisipian, winner of the Grand Criterium and Prix Niel and by the stayer Busiris. The other French contenders included the Grand Prix de Paris winners Sagaro and Tennyson as well as Kamaraan, On My Way, Margouillat (Prix Dollar) and Comtesse de Loir, winner of the Prix Saint-Alary. A three horse British entry was headed by Highclere who had won the 1000 Guineas and the Prix de Diane and also included the Eclipse Stakes winner Coup de Feu and the dual Goodwood Cup winner Proverb. Allez France/Paulista headed the betting at odds of 1/2, with Mississipian/Busiris on 6.5/1 and Sagaro (coupled with his pacemaker Valdo) at 9.25/1,