QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE - French-trained Daryz makes history

QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE WEEKEND

QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE

French-trained Daryz makes history

French-trained Daryz, prepared at Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, achieved a remarkable feat by winning the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the second consecutive year. You have to go back to Alleged, in 1977 and 1978, to find the last male horse to complete the double in the race. Since then, only the champion mares Trêve and Enable had managed to win two consecutive editions of the Arc.

On Sunday at ParisLongchamp, Daryz was held up for a long time towards the rear of the field before being switched out in the straight by his jockey Mickaël Barzalona. Sent wide, he still had plenty of ground to make up on the British-trained Bay City Roller, whose jockey, Oisin Murphy, had very cleverly overcome his wide draw – stall 15 – by going straight forward on the outside of the field before moving across once he had reached a prominent position. But Daryz possesses an exceptional turn of foot. Three hundred metres from the finish, he first got the better of the Irish-trained Diamond Necklace, who had also been disadvantaged by her draw in stall 16… but, rather like Bay City Roller, Diamond Necklace’s jockey, Christophe Soumillon, managed to compensate for that poor starting position by gradually improving his place through the race.

Daryz then challenged Bay City Roller and quickly asserted his superiority.

With nine victories in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Aga Khan family has extended its own record in the race. It won in 1948 and 1952 with H.H. Aga Khan III, in 1959 with Ali Khan, son of Aga Khan III, then in 1982, 2000, 2003 and 2008 with H.H. Aga Khan IV, son of Ali Khan. The Aga Khan Studs, led by Princess Zahra Aga Khan, daughter of H.H. Aga Khan IV, added two further victories to that record in 2025 and 2026 thanks to Daryz.

The official result

QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE

1st DARYZ (M. Barzalona)

2nd BAY CITY ROLLER (O. Murphy)

3rd DIAMOND NECKLACE (C. Soumillon)

4th FRIENDLY SOUL (J.-W. Doyle)

5th KALPANA (C. Keane)

Time: 2’27’’11. Margins: 1 1/4 – NECK – SHORT NECK – 2.

Quotes from connections 

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

“Already last year, I realised just how incredible this race is. There is so much emotion when the horses turn into the straight. This year, we came into the race with a completely different status and it is true that there was a certain amount of pressure. I felt a lot of weight on my shoulders when the horses were going into the stalls. It is really difficult: our job is to get the horses to their peak on the big day, but a race is still subject to the uncertainties that can decide your fate. And everything went very well.

But then, in a race, there is always an element of chance that decides the outcome. And everything went very well. When I saw that my horse had a good lead, that he was able to accelerate in the straight, I started to become more and more confident. And after that… he is simply an immense champion. It was magnificent to watch. I hope that everyone who follows racing around the world appreciated that moment, because it was magnificent to see a champion like him win a race like that.

I am fortunate to have a job that creates emotion. We experience it fully and my whole family is here. I am so happy for the Aga Khan family and for their breeding operation. It is a remarkable breeding operation.”

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

“It is always very emotional on Arc day. It is difficult not to be swept up by the emotion, by the atmosphere, by the crowd reacting to the horses. Last year was difficult with the loss of my father. He would have been so proud of our victory last year… And this year again, I think he would have been proud. At the top of the hill, I have to say that I was a little worried. But I have become used to Mickaël’s riding style and I know that he knows his horse. He rides out in the mornings, he knows his horses very well and therefore knows what resources his horse has. I think we are right to trust him.

Daryz has proved himself and I think that, as a breeder, I would rather see him safely at home preparing for his future career as a stallion than racing again next year.”

Nemone Routh, racing manager of the Aga Khan Studs, owner of Daryz (1st)

“Last year, I exploded with joy after the race. This time, I was really stressed because this year we were the favourites and, honestly, we just could not see ourselves getting beaten, otherwise we would have been extremely disappointed... During the race, it was not that easy: he found himself quite a long way back, they did not go very fast and he needed to get out. Miraculously, he managed to get to the outside and found a way through with Diamond Necklace. The moment he was able to fully express himself, I knew we were going to see the real Daryz and that we were going to win! He really is incredible...

Yesterday, before the race, the Princess was very keen for him to retire to stud next year. Obviously, we all need to discuss it again together this week, but we are breeders, and the aim is to retire stallions to stud and, at four, to retire mares to the breeding shed. It was already a challenge to keep Daryz in training this year, and I think we have handled that rather well.”

George Scott, trainer of Bay City Roller (2nd), England

“He produced an incredible performance, a huge run. Was I nervous seeing Bay City Roller in front? Not really. Did part of me think he could hold on? No, because I could see the others coming back at him. But what a performance! What an extraordinary ride and what an exceptional racehorse! He gives absolutely everything. He has an enormous amount of heart, but also all the quality and talent to go with it. Everyone seems to want to label him as a soft-ground horse, but that is clearly not the case. I actually think this ground helps him. He should probably stay in training and come back here next year.”

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Diamond Necklace (3rd), Benvenuto Cellini (9th) and Minnie Hauk (10th), Ireland

“Diamond Necklace ran well. We have known for a long time that she is a good filly and she produced a very strong performance. I don’t think you can say that she failed to stay the distance.

Ryan [Moore] got a little trapped on Benvenuto Cellini. He simply said that perhaps they needed a stronger pace.

William [Buick] said the same about Minnie Hauk: he found himself boxed in and felt that the pace really had not been strong enough for her.”

Thady Gosden, co-trainer of Friendly Soul (4th), England

“We had walked the track to see where we needed to come and the race unfolded as we had expected. Friendly Soul ran very well. Looking ahead, she could go for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (Group 1) at Keeneland. Her owner-breeder is American, so it is an objective that makes sense. She stays 2,400 metres, but she is also very effective over 2,000 metres.”

Andrew Balding, trainer of Kalpana (5th), England

“Kalpana found herself a little further off the pace than expected and had to find her way through in the open stretch. She nevertheless ran a solid race and finished quite well. I think her latest win in the Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) took a little more out of her than we had imagined, but I thought this was a fairly good run. She is heading for the British Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) and can finish her career with another good performance.”