Daryz is set to defend his title in the 2026 edition of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s most prestigious race, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing at 3:05 p.m. The French‑trained colt is chasing a rare achievement: becoming the first male horse since Alleged in 1978 to win the Arc in consecutive years. If he succeeds, Daryz will join an elite group of champions and etch his name permanently into the history books. The three‑year‑old, owned by Francis‑Henri Graffard, has already shown that he belongs at the very top of the sport.
After a brilliant victory in the Prix Ganay, he followed up with an equally impressive win in the Prix Aga Khan IV, confirming his dominance over the best middle‑distance horses in France. A trip to Royal Ascot in June for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes did not go as planned; Daryz finished third and was later found to have a minor blood issue.
The problem was quickly addressed, and the horse returned to full fitness after a brief spell. His next start was the Prix Foy, where he faced Bay City Roller, the reigning Coronation Cup winner.
Despite being described by his trainer as only about 75 % fit, Daryz made light work of the older rival and won comfortably. The performance convinced his connections that the colt is ready for the ultimate test.
Drawn in stall five for the Arc, Daryz goes into the race as a short‑priced favourite, and his team is confident he can handle any challenge the field may present. Among the other contenders, Kalpana is looking for redemption after a seventh‑place finish in the same race last year. The filly, trained by Juddmonte, hopes to emulate the success of Bluestocking, who captured the prize two years ago.
Kalpana has added two Group 1 victories to her résumé this season and appears well‑suited to the Longchamp turf. Starting from stall six and under the experienced guidance of jockey Colin Keane, she could be a serious threat. Maltese Cross, a three‑year‑old trained by William Haggas, is another intriguing prospect.
The son of Sea The Stars finished second in the Derby, then claimed the Grand Prix de Paris and the Great Voltigeur Stakes. A win in the Arc would give Haggas his first triumph in the race. However, a draw in stall eleven may compromise his chances, as the wide position could force the horse to cover extra ground.
Aidan O'Brien will have three Classic winners in the field. Ryan Moore has chosen to ride Irish Derby victor Benvenuto Cellini, leaving Diamond Necklace, who has drawn the notoriously difficult stall sixteen, to another rider. The previous year’s runner‑up, Minnie Hauk, completes O'Brien’s trio and will be partnered with William Buick, who will be eager to improve on last year’s second‑place finish.
The race will also feature a strong contingent of fillies and mares. Aventure, a proven Group 1 performer, leads a nine‑horse field in the Prix de l’Opéra Longines. Christophe Ferland’s star mare has contested the Arc twice, finishing second and eleventh, and this year she returns to race exclusively against her own sex.
Her record against fillies and mares is impressive – eight wins from twelve starts, including two Group 1s – and she will start from a favorable stall. Another experienced mare, Calandagan, bounced back after a defeat by Daryz in the Prix Ganay by winning the Prix Corrida.
Though she was outclassed by Samangan in the Grand Prix de Saint‑Cloud, she later captured the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville, beating the unbeaten Diamond Necklace. Her form suggests she could be a factor in the Arc, especially if the pace suits her. Among the younger horses, Pink Panthera, a three‑year‑old filly, has shown promise at the highest level, narrowly missing out in both the Prix de Diane and the Prix Vermeille.
Three‑year‑olds have a strong recent record in the Arc, winning eight of the last ten runnings, so she could be the best of the rest. Precise, the Irish‑trained winner of the 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes, has been heavily tested this season. This will be her first attempt at the Arc distance, and Ryan Moore will be aboard. Her versatility and proven class make her a genuine outsider.
The day will also showcase a clash between Samangan and Thesecretadversary in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de la Forêt over seven furlongs. Thesecretadversary edged Samangan in the Prix Jean Prat after a win in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but Samangan later turned the tables in the Prix Jacques le Marois, finishing a respectable three lengths behind Rayif, another Graffard‑trained colt. Both horses have demonstrated the speed and stamina required for a high‑calibre sprint, and their meeting adds extra intrigue to an already stacked card. True Love, a classic winner of the Newmarket 1000 Guineas, has not won since that triumph in May but has remained consistent, placing in several Group 1 events.
Christopher Head hopes she can rediscover her best form, while Marvelman will represent Andrew Balding’s colours. The program also includes several other high‑profile contests: the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, the G1 Prix Jean‑Luc Lagardère, the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye, and the G1 Arabian World Cup at Longchamp, as well as the G3 Summer Stakes and the G1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, where Rebecca Menzies and Fully Subscribed will be looking to secure important prep wins ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. Racing fans can stay up‑to‑date with the latest news, interviews and features by following Sky Sports Racing on their mobile devices, ensuring they never miss a moment of the action as the world’s best horses and jockeys converge on Paris for one of the most anticipated events on the global racing calendar.