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In a stunning performance of endurance and pedigree, Daryz overtook the strongly fancied the favorite filly in the closing moments of the historic Arc de Triomphe on Sunday. This win came in the iconic green and red colors once worn by his late breeder, who passed away in February. He is born for such races,” stated a family member after the race. From both parents, sire and dam were top-level winners over this trip, so he was destined to get 2,400m and I think he proved it on Sunday.”

A Remarkable Rise for the Young Colt

The contest marked just the seventh start of Daryz’s career, all during his three-year-old season, and his first at a mile-and-a-half. He is the seventh victor of the Arc for the thoroughbred stable established nearly a century ago, a sequence that stretches back to 1948, and also the first winner in the green and red colors since a perfect mare’s victory in 2008.

This is a great feeling and today was precisely what we planned to do,” said the trainer. “My horse was very tough to close with the filly. Winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe now in this silks is just crazy. In the past, it was just a dream, but now it has become reality for us.”

Main Contributors in the Victory

Rider Barzalona, known for won the Derby as a teenager over a decade ago, emerged from behind to run down the Irish trainer’s female horse by a head. It marked a first Arc win for both the jockey and trainer, capping an excellent season for the trainer. Earlier this summer, Graffard also won the prestigious Ascot race with a different runner, which got prevented from lining up on Sunday.

Among very few setbacks for the stable in the campaign was Daryz’s below-par performance during summer behind another rival. However, the trainer believes that experience contributed to strengthen the colt for this race. “When I was planning to run at York, I said Princess Zahra, ‘we won’t victorious, but it’s necessary to build his resilience for later in the year,’” Graffard explained. In my view, the loss in that race helped us to succeed today because my horse was, for the first time, fully focused and mature.”

Rider’s Reflections and Future for the Second Place

Barzalona expressed immense satisfaction that his long quest for an Arc winner is over. We always believed in him,” Barzalona remarked. “When we went to that August race it was a messy race, but he returned much improved. Mentally and in condition, he has improved a lot and today he was composed. He moved very well, he accelerated strongly. All factors came together in this race to secure victory.”

The favorite filly, unbeaten in her four starts this year, ran up to her best and finished well ahead of the third-placed runner. There is every chance that the filly may continue racing next season, with a return to the Paris track as a main goal of her plans.

The jockey on the favorite, previously rode a past winner to success in the same colours, for a moment seemed to have executed a decisive move entering the final furlong. No reasons,” he said. “When I felt Barzalona coming in the final furlong, I saved a bit in reserve for the end and we went side by side, but his horse has a strong dash and thrives on the ground. Without him in the race, she would have been among the most impressive Arc-winning fillies, but that is horse racing.”

Future Plans and Final Words

There are no definite arrangements as yet for Sunday’s winner, but the final word on the this year’s race certainly belongs to the owner, the latest representative of her family to celebrate an Arc winner. It represents the pinnacle for a owner-breeder,” Princess Zahra declared. My father was always so over the moon to win an Arc de Triomphe, and now I understand what it felt like.”