Arctic Tern (horse)

Arctic Tern began his racing career at Deauville Racecourse in August when he was beaten a head by No Turning in a race for previously unraced horses over 1200 metres. In a maiden race over 1400 metres at Chantilly Racecourse the colt took the lead and looked likely to win but swerved badly across the course (possibly due to his visual impairment) in the last 200 metres and was beaten half a length by Actopan. He won on his third attempt when winning a maiden race over 1300 metres at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse by four lengths. On his final appearance of the year Arctic Tern was moved up in class and distance to contest the Prix Thomas Bryon over 1550 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. Ridden by Maurice Philipperon, he started at odds of 6.1/1 in a field which included Comeram (runner-up in the Grand Critérium), the Aga Khan's colt Kaysaan and the future Epsom Derby winner Empery. Restrained in the early stages by Philipperon, he moved up in the straight to take the lead 200 metres from the finish and won by two lengths from Comeram, with Empery one and a half lengths back in third.[4]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Arctic Tern contested the Prix de Fontainebleau over 1600 metres at Longchamp on 4 April and won by three quarters of a length from Roan Star. He failed to win in eight subsequent races, but produced several good performances in defeat. He finished fifth when favourite for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and then ran second to Youth in the Prix Lupin, beaten three quarters of a length, with Empery Roan Star and Manado among the unplaced runners. On 6 June Arctic Tern was moved up in distance for the Prix du Jockey Club over 2400 metres at Chantilly Racecourse and finished ninth of the eighteen runners behind Youth. The colt started favourite for the Prix Eugène Adam on 18 July but finished fifth behind Crow. In autumn he finished second to Youth in the Prix Niel, twelfth behind Ivanjica in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and fifth to On My Way in the Prix du Conseil de Paris. On his final appearance of the season, Arctic Tern started 9/4 favourite for the Prix Perth on 13 November but finished fifth behind the British-trained colt Dominion.[3]

On his debut as a four-year-old Arctic Tern finished third behind Kasteel and Full of Hope in the Prix d'Harcourt over 2000 metres at Longchamp on 11 April. At the same course three weeks later the colt started 5/1 second favourite for the Group One Prix Ganay over 2100 metres. His rivals included the Crow, who started favourite, Vitiges, Exceller, Full of Hope, Trepan and Sarah Siddons as well as Infra Green (winner of the race in the previous year) and the Prix Vermeille winner Lagunette. Arctic Tern accelerated halfway up the straight showing what Timeform described as "fine finishing speed" to win by half length from Exceller, with Infra Green a neck away in third. The colt started favourite for the Prix Dollar on 29 May but was beaten three quarters of a length by Trepan. In July Arctic Tern was sent overseas for the first time to contest the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse. He was unco-operative before the start, becoming highly unsettled in the paddock and having to be mounted after being led onto the racecourse. He started poorly and raced at the rear of the field before making progress in the straight but never looked likely to win, finishing a distant third behind Artaius and Lucky Wednesday.[5]

After a two and a half month break, Arctic Tern returned in the Prix Foy over 2400 metres at Longchamp in September. He started favourite but finished fourth of the six runners behind Malacate. In October, the colt again attempted to win the Arc de Triomphe, this time equipped with blinkers for the first time, but finished twenty-fifth of the twenty-six runners behind Alleged. He returned to England later that month for the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse. In contrast to his previous visit to the United Kingdom he was perfectly behaved and looked the likely winners when he took a clear advantage inside the last quarter mile. He weakened in the closing stages, however, and eventually finished fourth behind Flying Water, Relkino and North Stoke. On his final appearance, Arctic Tern was sent to the United States to contest the inaugural Turf Classic at Aqueduct Racetrack in November but made no impact, finishing unplaced behind Johnny D.[5]