Daryz Pays Tribute to His Owner-Breeder His Highness the Aga Khan

Champion Daryz, winner of the 2025 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October, added another Group 1 victory — the highest level in horse racing — to his résumé on Thursday evening at ParisLongchamp, with a commanding success in the Prix Aga Khan IV (formerly Prix d’Ispahan), now renamed in tribute to Daryz’s owner-breeder, His Highness the Aga Khan, who passed away in February 2025.

After the start, British raider Qilin Queen took up the running and ensured a strong pace throughout. Leffard, trained in Pau, tracked the leader, while Daryz settled comfortably in third under restraint.

Turning into the home straight, Leffard was the first to challenge Qilin Queen, taking the lead under Cristian Demuro. At the same moment, Mickaël Barzalona angled Daryz to the outside and effortlessly moved upsides without yet asking for his full effort. Once his jockey gave him the signal to quicken, the race was already over. Daryz lengthened beautifully to pull clear of the game Leffard, who held second.

Mickaël Barzalona’s patient handling — taking his time to balance the horse rather than asking him abruptly — allowed Daryz to cope perfectly with the drop in distance, from 2,400 metres in the Arc to 1,850 metres on Thursday evening, having already stepped down to 2,100 metres in the Prix Ganay.

For third place, Wertheimer & Frère representative Sosie narrowly denied the brave front-running Qilin Queen in the final strides.

The Aga Khan family’s champion will now prepare for his major British target, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr.1) at Royal Ascot on June 17. He is then expected to enjoy a summer break before returning in the Qatar Prix Foy on September 6, ahead of his main objective of the season: attempting back-to-back victories in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 4. 

Official Result

PRIX AGA KHAN IV (PRIX D’ISPAHAN)

1st DARYZ (Mickaël Barzalona)

2nd  LEFFARD (Christian Demuro)

3rd SOSIE (Maxime Guyon)

Time: 1’54’’43. Margins:  3 1/2 – 4 - Head. 

Reactions

Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Aga Khan Studs, owner of Daryz (1st), Chantilly (60)

“We have to appreciate what we are trying to achieve with him. Going from an Arc de Triomphe over 2,400 metres to the Ganay over 2,100 metres and now the Ispahan over 1,850 metres as a four-year-old is something quite unusual. It is a gamble, but Francis had confidence in the horse and in his ability to show his speed.

This day also carried a very special emotional dimension. The race now bears my father’s name. He contributed enormously to French, European and Irish racing, as well as to breeding. It is a tremendous honour to see that recognition today. And having a horse like Daryz competing in the race obviously made the moment even more special.”

Francis-Henri Graffard, trainer of Daryz (1st), Chantilly (60)

“It was naturally a relief to win today. Given the comeback performance he had produced, he almost wasn’t allowed to lose. This race was clearly part of the programme we had imagined for him. If he repeated what he had shown previously, he was supposed to confirm it here. Situations like this always bring extra pressure, similar to what we experienced with Calandagan in Dubai earlier this year.

The idea has never been to think only about his future as a stallion. Races over 2,400 metres are demanding, especially for a horse who can sustain his acceleration for so long. I have always preferred shortening him in trip rather than continuing exclusively over longer distances. Apart from the Arc, he has mostly raced around 2,000 metres, and I never doubted his ability to cope with the pace over 1,850 or 2,000 metres.

What matters today is that the public was able to see his turn of foot, the same acceleration he displayed in the Arc and then in the Ganay. That is what makes him a special horse. Most importantly, he has handled the transition from three to four very well. A tremendous amount of work is done every morning by the entire team to keep him focused on his job.

What is certain, however, is that we cannot ask this of him all year long. At some stage he will need a break, probably during the summer, especially if the spring campaign continues as planned. We also know he enjoys the autumn and could again be extremely effective at that time of year. So we will need to be sensible in order to bring him back fresh afterwards.”

Nemone Routh, French racing manager for Aga Khan Studs, owner of Daryz (1st), Chantilly (60)

“He does it very easily. Mickaël told us he was even very straightforward to ride today. In the Ganay, the first time racing among horses again, he was a little keener. Today he was very relaxed, and when Mickaël asked him to quicken, he did it effortlessly.

It was his first time over this distance, but he is a horse who can follow any pace. We were never worried about the trip because we know he has speed and acceleration. He is really maturing now and settling better in his races, which is important for the future because we are heading to England for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on the Wednesday of Royal Ascot.

He needs to stay mentally relaxed and easy to handle because he will face real battles for the rest of the season. As for the ground, he handles everything — fast ground, softer conditions — honestly, it does not bother him.”

Mickaël Barzalona, jockey of Daryz (1st), Chantilly (60)

“He is the kind of horse every jockey dreams of riding. He is a force of nature with an enormous engine. We were completely free in the way we wanted to ride him. We did not really expect anyone to make the pace, although we thought the British filly would go forward. But we had agreed that I would take the lead if necessary. That shows how much confidence we had in our horse.

Today he wins over this distance with great ease. At the 300-metre mark, I simply asked him to concentrate because I could see his shadow appearing. Especially as he had made two mistakes on the way to the start. Otherwise, he did it extremely easily. He simply does what we ask him to do.

He had already shown us that in last year’s Arc. He is a top-class Thoroughbred. Today’s victory is very encouraging for the future. I hope he can continue proving that he is the best horse on the track. It is a huge privilege to win a race that bears the name of His Highness the Aga Khan.”

Jean-René Dubosc, assistant to trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Leffard (2nd), Pau (64)

“It’s perfect, we are very happy. Leffard was beaten by an extraterrestrial. The jockey is delighted, the owners are very satisfied, and that is what matters most. The horse ran his race, so there is nothing to complain about. For the future, we will discuss plans with the entourage. He could head to the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but we still need to speak with the owners.”

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Wertheimer & Frère, owner of Sosie (3rd), Chantilly (60)

“The pace was very strong today, perhaps even a bit too strong. He struggled to keep up at first, but once he found his rhythm again, he produced a very pleasing finish. We should also remember that this was not the same level of opposition as last year. This time we were facing genuine Group 1 horses.

In that context, his performance remains interesting, and this race will clearly benefit him moving forward. He is also coming back from a trip to Hong Kong, so he needed to regain his rhythm. He still has a whole season ahead of him and will probably return to 2,400 metres in the medium term.”