Francis‑Henri Graffard has announced that his champion colt Daryz will now aim for a spot at Royal Ascot, following the horse’s flawless start to the new campaign with a commanding victory in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp in Paris. The decision comes after Daryz, a son of the legendary Sea The Stars, displayed the kind of turn‑of‑speed and stamina that suggested he could be a genuine superstar in the making. Last season, the four‑year‑old impressed the racing world by winning his first four starts, a streak that immediately marked him as a future star. However, his form dipped in the Juddmonte International at York, where he finished well behind the winner, and he was again beaten on his next outing on home soil.
Those setbacks could have been a sign of limitation, but Daryz responded in spectacular fashion by capturing the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, a performance that cemented his reputation as a top‑class middle‑distance performer. In the recent Prix Ganay, Daryz entered as one of the hot favourites to continue his resurgence over the ten‑furlong (approximately 2,000‑meter) Group One test.
From the start, he travelled powerfully, staying close to the pace and displaying a smooth, efficient stride. The key moment arrived when Mickael Barzalona, his regular jockey, chose the perfect moment to ask for acceleration. The request was answered instantly; Daryz surged forward, shifted into a higher gear, and pulled away to secure a decisive win. His victory was a clear statement that the Arc champion was still improving and ready for the next challenge.
Bright Picture, ridden with patience, held on to claim second place, while the Group One‑winning mare Aventure rounded out the placings in third. Their performances underscored the high quality of the field, making Daryz’s win all the more impressive. Nemone Routh, manager for the Aga Khan Studs—Daryz’s owners in France—spoke to the Press Association after the race.
She said, "We’re obviously very happy with that for his seasonal debut – he was suitably impressive. We always hoped this was as good as he is and he will probably come on for that race – he’s still got a bit more improvement to come I think this year. He’s a very special horse and that’s why we kept him in training as we wanted to prove to everyone his win in the Arc wasn’t a flash in the pan.
We have always held him in high regard and I think today he’s proved he is a proper Group One horse." The win also prompted a dramatic shift in the betting market. Coral cut Daryz’s odds from 10‑1 down to 5‑1, reflecting the growing confidence that he could defend his Arc title later in the autumn. Yet Graffard and his team have a broader plan that includes several top‑level targets before the big end‑of‑year race. The next major test is likely to be the Prix Aga Khan IV (formerly the Prix d’Ispahan), scheduled for next month.
This race, run over nine and a half furlongs, will serve as a stepping‑stone toward the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot in June. Routh explained the strategic thinking behind the upcoming campaign: "I think we’re going to drop him back even further (in trip) now as he’s going to go for the Prix Aga Khan IV, which is over nine and a half furlongs, so it’s even a bit sharper than today.
We would not have any fear of that as he’s a horse who loves a fast pace in a race – he’s actually at his happiest when he can stride out and anyone that rides him says he gives you a feeling that he can follow any pace." She added that the shorter distance would not only suit his natural speed but also act as an ideal preparation for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, which is run over a mile and two‑furlongs (approximately 2,000 metres) at the historic Royal Ascot meeting. "We hope he’ll be fine dropping back even further and it’s just a very good prep as it falls at the right time for getting him to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
The idea that we had in our minds was the Ganay today, the Prix Aga Khan IV and then the Prince of Wales’s at Ascot. We haven’t quite figured out what we’re doing for the second half of the year, but that’s the plan for the first half of the year," Routh concluded. The strategic layout of Daryz’s campaign reflects a careful balance between maintaining his peak form and testing his versatility across slightly different distances. By targeting a shorter race in the immediate future, his connections aim to sharpen his turn‑of‑foot while preserving the stamina that saw him dominate over ten furlongs in the Ganay and over 2,400 metres in the Arc.
This approach also allows the training team to gauge his recovery and adaptability, key factors when planning a run in the highly competitive Prince of Wales’s Stakes, a race that often features the best middle‑distance horses from across Europe. If Daryz continues to thrive, his presence at Royal Ascot could add another chapter to the storied history of Aga Khan‑bred horses excelling on the British stage.
The Aga Khan Studs have a long tradition of producing world‑class stayers and middle‑distance runners, and Daryz’s recent performances suggest he could join the ranks of past champions such as Dalakhani, Zarkava and the legendary Sea The Stars himself. Beyond the immediate racing calendar, Daryz’s success also carries implications for his future breeding prospects. As a son of Sea The Stars, his pedigree already combines speed and stamina, and a continued string of Group One victories would significantly enhance his value as a stallion.
Owners and breeders alike will be watching his Ascot run closely, not only for the prestige of a win but also for the potential to cement his reputation as a sire of future champions. In summary, Daryz’s flawless start to the season, capped by his dominant performance in the Prix Ganay, has set the stage for an ambitious campaign that looks to culminate at Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes. With a clear plan laid out by his trainer, jockey and the Aga Khan Studs’ management, the colt is poised to test his speed, versatility and resilience against the best in Europe.
Whether he can replicate his Arc glory on the Ascot turf remains to be seen, but all signs point to a horse that is still on an upward trajectory, eager to prove that his previous triumphs were no mere flash but the foundation of a lasting legacy.