In Paris, at the Longchamp racecourse, on 4 October 2026, four-year-old Daryz, ridden by Mickaël Barzalona and trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, repeated his triumph in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He is the first colt since 1978 to defend the title, and the ninth horse in history to achieve such a double.
The victory over Bay City Roller and Diamond Necklace looks not merely like the outcome of a race, but like confirmation of a rare combination of talent, preparation and the willingness of the owners — Aga Khan Studs — to take a risk and keep the champion in training for a fourth year instead of retiring him early to stud.
In a world where prize money and breeding fees push horses toward a quick exit from competition, the decision to keep Daryz in training looks almost like a challenge to the economics of racing. Graffard and his team have proven that exceptional horses are capable of withstanding a repeat start at the highest level even under changing conditions and fierce competition.
Barzalona noted that winning such a race twice speaks to Daryz’s exceptional nature: the pace was not strong, the race turned out rough, but the horse’s sheer class decided the outcome. This is not a fluke of form but a systemic superiority, confirmed also in the prep Prix Foy.
For the Aga Khan family, this is already the ninth victory in the Arc, the fifth in the twenty-first century. Daryz has taken his place in the pantheon of legends alongside Alleged and Enable, showing that true champions do not yield to market pressure and are capable of rewriting the record books for decades.
Now the question is not only whether Daryz will repeat his success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but also how often in the future owners will be willing to go against short-term economic logic for the sake of long-lasting sporting glory.
