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Amid a stunning performance of stamina and breeding, Daryz caught the strongly fancied Minnie Hauk in the final strides of the 104th Arc de Triomphe on Sunday. The victory came in the iconic green and red colors previously worn by the late owner, who passed away in February. He is bred for such races,” stated his owner’s daughter after the race. From both parents, sire and dam are top-level winners at the distance, making him born to handle the mile-and-a-half and I think it showed today.”

A Remarkable Ascent for Daryz

Sunday’s race was just the seventh race of the colt’s career, all in his three-year-old campaign, and his first over 2,400 meters. He becomes the latest victor of the Arc for the thoroughbred stable founded in 1921, a sequence dating back to 1948, and also the first triumph in the green and red colors since an unbeaten mare’s success in 2008.

This is a great experience and today was exactly what we planned to do,” said Francis-Henri Graffard. Daryz was very tough to catch up with Minnie Hauk. To win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe today in this silks is simply unbelievable. Before, it was just a dream, but today it has become reality to me.”

Main Contributors in the Triumph

Rider Barzalona, who famously taking the Derby as a 19-year-old in 2011, emerged from the pack to run down Aidan O’Brien’s filly by a head. It marked a first Arc success for both the jockey and Francis-Henri Graffard, capping an outstanding year for the latter. Earlier in July, the trainer also took the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes with another horse, which got prevented from competing on Sunday.

Among very few setbacks for the yard in the campaign was the colt’s disappointing performance during summer against Ombudsman. But, Graffard feels that experience helped toughen the horse for this race. “When I was arranging to run there, I told Princess Zahra, ‘we are not victorious, but it’s necessary to toughen him up for the autumn,’” Graffard stated. “And I think, the defeat at York helped us to succeed on Sunday because my horse was, for the first time, fully focused and mature.”

Rider’s Thoughts and Future for the Runner-Up

The winning jockey expressed great satisfaction that his extended quest for an Arc winner is over. We always rated him,” Barzalona said. “When we went to that August race it was a messy contest, but he came back much improved. In his mind and in condition, he has improved a lot and on Sunday he was composed. He travelled very well, he accelerated strongly. Everything combined in this race to secure victory.”

Minnie Hauk, unbeaten in her four races this season, performed to her usual standard and finished well ahead of the third-placed runner. It is every chance that she will stay in training next season, with another attempt to Longchamp at the top of her agenda.

Christophe Soumillon, who also piloted a past winner to victory in the same colours, for a moment seemed to have made a winning run heading into the last stretch. No reasons,” Soumillon said. “When I felt Barzalona approaching in the last 200 meters, I saved a bit in reserve for the end and we went together, but Daryz has a powerful finish and thrives on the track conditions. If you take him in the race, she would have been among the most impressive Arc-winning female horses, but that’s racing.”

What’s Next and Closing Thoughts

Currently no plans so far for Daryz, but the final word on the this year’s race undoubtedly belongs to the breeder, the latest representative of her family to welcome back an Arc winner. It represents the ultimate achievement for a owner-breeder,” she declared. My father was constantly so thrilled to win an Arc de Triomphe, and now I know what it felt like.”