Francis‑Henri Graffard has confirmed that Daryz will head straight to Royal Ascot after the four‑year‑old delivered a flawless start to his 2024 campaign by winning the Prix Ganay at Longchamp in Paris. The offspring of the legendary Sea The Stars, Daryz burst onto the scene last season, capturing his first four starts and quickly being tipped as a future superstar. Though his form dipped in the Juddmonte International at York and he was beaten in his next home‑soil outing, the colt rebounded spectacularly in October, producing a thrilling victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe that cemented his status among the elite.
In the recent 10‑furlong Group One at Longchamp, Daryz entered as the hot favourite and lived up to expectations. From the moment the gates opened he travelled with authority, covering the distance powerfully.
Jockey Mickael Barzalona soon found his rhythm, and when he asked the horse to accelerate, Daryz responded instantly, shifting gears and pulling clear to claim a decisive win. Bright Picture, who had been ridden patiently throughout, finished a respectable second, while the Group One‑winning mare Aventure took third place. Nemone Routh, the manager for the Aga Khan Studs—owners of Daryz—in France, spoke to the Press Association after the race, expressing the stable’s delight. "We are thrilled with his performance in his seasonal debut; it was exactly the kind of impressive display we hoped for," she said.
Routh added that the team has always believed Daryz possesses the qualities of a true champion and expects further improvement as the season progresses. "He is a very special horse, which is why we kept him in training.
We wanted to prove that his Arc triumph was not a one‑off performance," she explained. The victory also prompted a sharp cut in the betting odds.
Coral reduced Daryz’s price from 10‑1 to 5‑1, reflecting the confidence of punters that he could defend his Arc title later in the autumn. However, the connections have a clear roadmap for the coming months, with the Prix Aga Khan IV—formerly known as the Prix d'Ispahan—identified as the next key target. That race, run over nine and a half furlongs, will serve as a stepping‑stone toward the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Routh elaborated on the plan, noting that the team intends to drop the distance even further for the Aga Khan event.
"The Prix Aga Khan IV is a shorter, sharper test than the Ganay, and Daryz thrives on a fast pace. He loves to stretch his stride and can handle any tempo his jockey sets," she said. She expressed confidence that the colt will handle the reduction in trip without any issue, describing the race as an ideal preparation for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, which falls at the perfect point in the calendar to fine‑tune his form. The strategic outline for the first half of the year, according to Routh, is straightforward: the Ganay, followed by the Prix Aga Khan IV, and then the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot.
While the long‑term plan for the latter half of the season remains under discussion, the team is satisfied with the direction they have set. "Our aim is to keep him progressing, to give him the right races at the right times, and to ensure he arrives at Ascot in peak condition," Routh concluded. Fans and racing enthusiasts can stay up‑to‑date with the latest developments, interviews, and feature stories by following Sky Sports Racing and other dedicated racing outlets. The excitement surrounding Daryz continues to build, and his connections are eager to see how the colt will perform on the world stage at Royal Ascot, a meeting that could further solidify his reputation as one of the premier middle‑distance horses of his generation.