PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE 1920-48 Fitzgerald Seth-Smith

Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe 1920 - 1948
By Arthur Fitzgerald and Michael Seth-Smith

Published by J Allen 1980
Excellent condition with dust cover, black and white illustrations

The Societe d'Encouragement founded the Prix de Triomphe in 1920, primarily since the Prix du Conseil Municipal, an allowance race, did not provide a true comparison of the relative merits of the best European thoroughbreds, and secondly to commemorate France's victory over Germany in 1918.
The history of this weight for age classic will be written in two volumes, covering the years 1920 to 1948, and 1949 to the present day respectively. This first volume begins with the eclipse of Mr Edmond Blanc's domination of French racing; the dual winner Ksar (1921/1922) was the stables last great champion.  It traces the Arc de Triomphe's gradual growth in international prestige, and the emergence and eventual total supremacy of Marcel Boussac's stable in France.
Between 1936 and 1946 the textile magnate won the Arc five times with the peerless filly Corrida, twice, Djebel; Ardan and Caracalla.  The five foreign winners included the English colt Comrade (1920), the Italian champion Ortello (1929) and the Aga Khan's Migoli (1948).