Hot favourite Daryz lived up to expectations in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

On home soil Daryz (Sea The Stars) lived up to expectations and repeated last year’s win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr.1). Daryz is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and had Mickael Barzalona in the saddle, as always.

It was Daryz’s fourth win of the season from five starts, and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr.1) during Royal Ascot week was the only time he was beaten – there by Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and Minnie Hauk (Frankel). Daryz still holds an entry for the Champion Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot on Saturday 17 October.

The surprise package Bay City Roller (New Bay) led for a long way up the straight, but once Daryz came through on the outside there was no doubt, and he won by a good length from Bay City Roller, who just held the filly Diamond Necklace (St Mark’s Basilica) by a neck. The winning time was 2:27.11.

The last two prizes also went to fillies and mares: Friendly Soul (Kingman) and Kalpana (Study Of Man).

Both Diamond Necklace and Kalpana are entered for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot on Saturday 17 October. Thundering On (Frankel) and Minnie Hauk (Frankel) are entered as well – they finished eighth and tenth in the Prix de l’Arc. There Kalpana will try to become the first horse to win the race three times.

Barzalona is no stranger to Danish racing fans: he was aboard Great Wish when the Danish-owned chestnut won the Dubai Sprint (L) at Meydan on 30 January. The Frenchman also rode him when he won the Prix de Meautry (Gr.3) at Deauville by five lengths in August.