Daryz Bids for Historic Arc Double as Europe's Best Descend on Longchamp

Europe's greatest middle-distance race returns on Sunday as 16 runners line up for the €5 million Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, with defending champion Daryz attempting to achieve a feat no male horse has managed for almost half a century.

Francis-Henri Graffard's four-year-old is the clear favourite after an almost faultless preparation and will attempt to become the first male horse since Alleged in 1977 and 1978 to win consecutive Arcs. Standing in his way is a powerful international field featuring King George winner Kalpan, outstanding three-year-old Maltese Cross, Aidan O'Brien's Classic-winning filly Diamond Necklace and last year's runner-up Minnie Hauk.

There is also Japanese interest through Meisho Tabaru and Admire Terra, while British and Irish trainers are responsible for many of the leading contenders. With the ground currently expected to be relatively quick by Arc standards, Sunday's race could provide a very different test from some of the attritional renewals Longchamp has produced in recent years.

Daryz Returns to Defend His Crown

Everything has gone almost perfectly for Daryz (Francis-Henri Graffard; Mickael Barzalona) this season. The Aga Khan-owned colt gave Graffard a memorable first Arc victory when defeating Minnie Hauk (Aidan O'Brien; William Buick) at Longchamp 12 months ago and has returned at four looking every bit as formidable.

His final preparation came in the Prix Foy over the Arc course and distance last month, where he travelled strongly before comfortably passing Bay City Roller (George Scott; Oisin Murphy) and winning by a length and a half. It was exactly the sort of performance connections would have wanted four weeks before the main event and confirmed his position at the head of the market at around 7-4.

Daryz also has something many of his principal rivals do not - proven ability to handle the particular demands of Longchamp. He has the tactical speed to secure a position, stays the mile and a half and has already demonstrated that he can cope with the pressure of Europe's biggest race. A second victory would put him into exceptional company and make him the first male dual winner since Alleged 48 years ago.

Maltese Cross Leads the Three-Year-Old Challenge

If there is one horse capable of developing into the new star of Europe's middle-distance division, it may be Maltese Cross (William Haggas; Tom Marquand).
His only defeat this season came when second to Christmas Day in the Derby on soft ground at Epsom. Since then he has won the Grand Prix de Paris and Great Voltigeur, establishing himself among the best of his generation and prompting connections to miss the St Leger in favour of keeping him at a mile and a half.

That decision brings him to Longchamp fresh, while the three-year-old weight allowance means he carries just 8st 13lb compared with Daryz's 9st 5lb. The forecast ground is another positive: Maltese Cross has produced his best performances on a sound surface and is around 4-1 second favourite.

The question is whether he is ready to defeat an established Arc champion. His profile suggests he might be. Unlike Daryz, we may not yet have seen the limit of his ability.

Kalpana Returns with a Stronger Hand

Kalpana (Andrew Balding; Colin Keane) returns to Longchamp after things went badly wrong for her in last year's Arc, when a wide draw made her task considerably more difficult. Twelve months later she arrives as a stronger and more accomplished mare.

Her defining performance this season came in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, where she defeated Calandagan, before following up in the Yorkshire Oaks. That form puts her firmly among Europe's leading middle-distance horses and she is around 7-1 in the market.

At five, Kalpana has to concede weight to the three-year-olds, including Maltese Cross and Diamond Necklace, but she brings experience and proven top-level ability. A more favourable draw than last year could make an enormous difference to her prospects.

Diamond Necklace Gets Her Biggest Test

Aidan O'Brien's strongest chance could come from Diamond Necklace (Aidan O'Brien; Christophe Soumillion), who receives the valuable three-year-old filly allowance and carries just 8st 9lb.

Her season has already been exceptional. She won the French 1,000 Guineas and Prix de Diane before defeating older fillies and mares in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, extending her unbeaten record to six. That run finally ended at Deauville in August when Aventure defeated her in the Prix Jean Romanet, but that was her first loss and came on testing ground.

The major unknown is the distance and she has been handed the widest stall. Diamond Necklace has done her best work over a mile and a quarter and has never raced over the Arc's mile and a half. If she stays, the combination of her class and 8st 9lb racing weight makes her extremely dangerous.

O'Brien also saddles Benvenuto Cellini (Aidan O'Brien; Ryan Moore) and Minnie Hauk. The latter deserves particular respect because she came within a head of winning this race last year, although her 2026 campaign has been less consistent. She was second to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and third in the Yorkshire Oaks, but also finished well behind Kalpana in the King George.

Bay City Roller and Thundering On Add British and Irish Depth

One of the more interesting bigger-priced contenders is Bay City Roller (George Scott; Oisin Murphy), who has enjoyed an excellent season. He won the Coronation Cup at Epsom and then chased home Daryz in the Prix Foy, finishing a length and a half behind the defending champion over Sunday's course and distance. That gives him valuable Longchamp experience and makes him difficult to dismiss despite his double-figure price.

Thundering On (Joseph O'Brien; Pierre-Charles Boudot) gives Joseph O'Brien another major international runner and receives the same 8st 9lb weight as Diamond Necklace. Varandir (Francis-Henri Graffard; Clement Lecoeuvre), one of two runners for Graffard, arrives after winning the Prix Niel and offers the home trainer another serious three-year-old contender alongside his defending champion.

The British challenge also includes Saddadd (Roger Varian; Ray Dawson) and the supplemented Friendly Soul (John & Thady Gosden; James Doyle). Friendly Soul earned her place with an impressive Prix Vermeille victory over the course and distance, persuading connections to take advantage of a free supplementary entry and take their chance.

Japan Tries Again

No Arc preview is complete without the Japanese challenge. Winning the race has become one of the great unfulfilled ambitions of Japanese racing despite a succession of outstanding horses travelling to Paris.

This year's challenge is headed by Meisho Tabaru (Mamoru Ishibashi; Yutaka Take), who brings a rating of 133 into the race, alongside Admire Terra (Yasuo Tomomichi; Cristian Demuro). The difficulty for the Japanese runners has often been adapting to Longchamp and the particular tactical demands of the Arc rather than simply lacking ability, and Sunday's potentially quicker ground should at least provide conditions closer to those they encounter at home.

Meisho Tabaru in particular brings a different dimension to the race because of his natural pace. How aggressively the Japanese runner is ridden could have a significant influence on the shape of the entire contest.

The Verdict

Daryz is the horse they all have to beat. He is the defending champion, arrives after an ideal preparation in the Prix Foy and has already proved that he possesses exactly the combination of speed, stamina and tactical versatility required at Longchamp.

But Maltese Cross represents a serious threat. His Derby second has been followed by victories in the Grand Prix de Paris and Great Voltigeur, the forecast ground should suit and the weight-for-age allowance gives him a significant advantage over Daryz and Kalpana.

Kalpana brings outstanding older-horse form after her King George and Yorkshire Oaks victories, while Diamond Necklace is perhaps the most intriguing runner of all. If Aidan O'Brien's filly stays a mile and a half, carrying just 8st 9lb after already winning four Group 1 races makes her a formidable opponent.
The draw may yet change the picture, but before the stalls are allocated, the defending champion remains the standard they all have to reach.