Daryz is set to defend his Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe title in the 2026 edition of Europe’s most prestigious race, with the event being broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing at 3:05 p.m. The colt’s connections are hoping to achieve a rare feat: becoming the first horse since Alleged in 1978 to win the Arc in consecutive years. Francis‑Henri Graffard’s bay colt has already shown the class required to pull off such a historic double.
After a brilliant win in the Prix Ganay, Daryz followed it up with an equally impressive performance in the Prix Aga Khan IV. A trip to Royal Ascot in June for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes did not go as planned – the horse finished third and was later found to have a minor blood issue, prompting a short spell. Following the break, Daryz returned in the Prix Foy and made short work of the previous Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller, who will be one of his opponents again today. Graffard noted that the colt was only about 75 percent fit, yet he still looked dominant, underscoring his resilience and talent.
Drawn from stall five, Daryz is the short‑priced favourite, and his trainer and jockey are confident that the horse will handle any challenge that comes his way. Also featuring in the field is Kalpana, who finished seventh in the same race last year. Her connections are eager for redemption as she returns to Longchamp, hoping to emulate Juddmonte’s Bluestocking, the filly who captured the Arc two years ago. The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner has added two Group 1 victories to her résumé this season and appears to be in peak condition.
Starting from stall six, she seems well‑placed, and with veteran rider Colin Keane aboard for another year, she could be a serious threat. Maltese Cross, trained by William Haggas, is another contender with a compelling story. The three‑year‑old, a son of Sea The Stars, is looking for his first Arc win and his second Group 1 triumph overall.
After a runner‑up finish in the Derby, he captured the Grand Prix de Paris and then the Great Voltigeur Stakes. However, his chances have been slightly compromised by an unfavorable draw in stall eleven, which could force him to race wide in the early stages. Aidan O’Brien will have three classic winners representing his stable in the race.
Ryan Moore has opted to ride Irish Derby victor Benvenuto Cellini, leaving Diamond Necklace – who draws the notoriously difficult stall sixteen – to another rider. The 2025 runner‑up Minnie Hauk completes the O’Brien contingent and will be partnered with William Buick, both aiming to improve on last year’s second‑place finish. The programme also includes Aventure, who will lead a nine‑horse field in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opéra Longines. Christophe Ferland’s mare has contested the Arc twice before, finishing second and eleventh, and this year she returns to a race restricted to fillies and mares – a division where she boasts eight wins from twelve starts, including two Group 1s.
Another seasoned campaigner, Calandagan, bounced back after being beaten by Daryz in the Prix Ganay, later defeating Sunly in the Prix Corrida. Though she was outclassed by Calandagan in the Grand Prix de Saint‑Cloud, she rebounded spectacularly by winning the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville, where she beat the unbeaten Diamond Necklace. Among the younger horses, three‑year‑old Pink Panthera appears to be the most promising outsider. She has narrowly missed victory on two occasions at Group 1 level this season – first in the Prix de Diane and then most recently in the Prix Vermeille – showing that she can compete with the very best.
Historically, three‑year‑olds have excelled in the Arc, winning eight of the last ten runnings, so her pedigree and form make her a genuine contender. Precise, the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes winner, has been heavily campaigned this year and will be taking the race over the Arc distance for the first time.
Ryan Moore will be aboard, adding another top‑class jockey to the mix. The race card also features a showdown between Samangan and Thesecretadversary in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de la Forêt over seven furlongs. Thesecretadversary bested Samangan in the Prix Jean Prat after a victory in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and later finished a close third to Rayif in the Prix Jacques le Marois.
Samangan, a son of St Mark’s Basilica, responded by winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest, securing his first Group 1 triumph. True Love, a classic winner of the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas, has not won since that victory in May but has remained competitive, placing in three Group 1 races. Christopher Head hopes she can rediscover her best form, while Marvelman will represent trainer Andrew Balding. The card also lists several other top‑class contests slated for the day, including the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp, the G1 Prix Jean‑Luc Lagardère, the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye, the G1 Arabian World Cup, the G3 Summer Stakes at Keeneland, and the G1 Spinster Stakes, which serves as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
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