QPAT - Trainer Aidan O’Brien: “The intention is to run three horses in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe”

Aidan O’Brien is considering running three horses in the 2026 edition of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: the 4-year-old Minnie Hauk and the 3-year-olds Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini.

A run in the Prix de l’Opéra Longines is also still under consideration for Diamond Necklace, although this option is not the preferred one at this stage.

The world’s most successful trainer, the Irishman has a long history with the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Before the 2026 edition, the Ballydoyle trainer had saddled 58 runners in the race since his first representative, Genghis Khan, in 1999. He has two victories to his name: Dylan Thomas in 2007 and Found in 2016. In total, nine of his horses have finished on the podium in the Arc.

The 2016 edition remains one of the great highlights in the recent history of the race: at Chantilly (where the Arc was staged while work was being carried out at ParisLongchamp), Aidan O’Brien completed a clean sweep with Found, Highland Reel and Order of St George, becoming the first man to train the first three home in the same edition of the Arc!

In 2025, Minnie Hauk once again put Ballydoyle on the podium, finishing second behind Daryz. She was a 3-year-old at the time. This year, at the age of four, she is one of the three representatives being considered by her trainer.

After six consecutive victories – including the Prix de Diane Longines and the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches – Diamond Necklace went into the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville this summer as an unbeaten filly… before being beaten by the French-trained Aventure.

On Sunday 4 October at ParisLongchamp, she will tackle 2,400 metres for the first time if she takes her chance in the Arc. Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini, meanwhile, comes into the race after finishing fifth in the Qatar Prix Niel.

A close second in the 2025 Arc, Minnie Hauk has been prepared with the 2026 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as her end-of-season target. Troubled by foot issues during the year, she has not been pushed to reach peak form too early, and her connections intend to step up her preparation as the Arc approaches.

As the organiser of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, France Galop invited journalists to a press conference with Aidan O’Brien.

Here are the main statements made by Aidan O’Brien:

On his three potential runners in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

“The intention is to run all three [Minnie Hauk, Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini, Ed.]. Obviously, Diamond also has the option of running in the fillies’ race on the same day [the Prix de l’Opéra, Ed.], but at the moment we are looking at running all three.”

On Diamond Necklace and her participation in the Arc

“Obviously, it is a race over 2,400 metres and she has never run over that far before. I think we are going to wait and see what the ground is like. Obviously, we would like good ground as she will be running over 2,400 metres for the first time. So we are going to wait until closer to the weekend before making a final decision. It is also possible that Precise could run in the Prix de l’Opéra.”

On Diamond Necklace’s defeat at Deauville

“It is quite possible that she ran again a little too quickly after Goodwood. The ground was also a little softer than we thought it was going to be and Christophe [Ferland, Ed.] had his filly [Aventure, winner of the Romanet ahead of Diamond Necklace, Ed.] in very good form. It is also possible that I had not been hard enough on her in training. I was looking for a race that could bridge the gap between Goodwood and Arc weekend. And we did not want to run over 2,400 metres in a trial. We wanted to stay over 2,000 metres. That is why she did not run in the Vermeille. So perhaps it was a combination of several things.”

On Diamond Necklace’s ability to stay 2,400 metres

“Obviously, we cannot be certain that Diamond will stay 2,400 metres. But fillies of this type have done it over the years. We also had one eye on America and we did not want to stretch her. Sometimes, when you run over 2,400 metres for the first time, it can be a very hard race, even if the horse wins and stays the distance. If we go to the Arc, we still will not know whether she stays the distance until she does it. But there is a chance that she will stay. When a filly of this quality stays 2,400 metres, she can be very, very good.”

On Benvenuto Cellini and his trial in the Prix Niel

“In the Prix Niel, we had a pacemaker and the field did not follow him. So it turned into a slowly run trial [Benvenuto Cellini finished fifth in the Prix Niel, Ed.]. He needs 2,400 metres run at an even pace. We think that probably explains part of his performance. I do not think he needs everything to go perfectly to produce his best. He is versatile. He is a horse with a big stride and a lovely action who stays 2,400 metres very well. When a horse stays the distance very well, ideally you want an even pace, a good gallop. That is what we saw in the King George. He ran a very big race and still finished very well. So I think an Arc run at an even pace would suit him very well.”

On Benvenuto Cellini’s long season

“Benvenuto Cellini is a tough horse. Diamond Necklace was also prepared for the Classics, like him. Obviously, it is difficult for a 3-year-old when you prepare him early for the Classics and then he has to continue his season throughout the year. But he is a tough horse and everything has gone well with him. At the time he was beaten, we felt that all the horses in the yard were going through a little infection. That now seems to be behind us and the horses are running much better.”

On Minnie Hauk’s preparation

“The only thing that has been a little difficult this year has been some issues with her feet. But we were very happy with her the last time and, so far, everything is going according to plan. As you said, the Arc has always been the target. She probably has never reached her best level before the end of this year. We did not have the best version of her before the end of the season. But Arc weekend has always been the target and the plan has always been for her not to reach peak form before then. And we were very happy with her last run. She has gone off track a few times this year, but we are happy that we have managed to get her back on track. Obviously, last year she won her three Group 1s on the way to the Arc. But that was against 3-year-olds and those races perhaps were not as competitive as the ones she has contested this year.”

On the ground and the jockeys

“We would like good ground for all three horses. That would suit them all. As for the jockeys, it will depend on Ryan Moore’s choice.”