Daryz (Sea The Stars) became the first colt since Alleged in 1977 and 1978 to win successive runnings of the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, winning at Longchamp on Sunday by a length and a quarter.
The Aga Khan Studs homebred is just the ninth horse to win Europe's richest flat race twice. Only the mares Treve and Enable had managed it since Alleged.
Sent out the 13-8 favourite in a field of 16, the four-year-old did it the hard way. Mickael Barzalona settled towards the rear off a moderate tempo.
At around the half-way mark Barzalona shifted to the outside, getting his mount on to the back of Aidan O’Brien’s filly Diamond Necklace who kicked strongly a furlong and a half out, looming on a brave Bay City Roller who had gone forward from his wide gate.
SUPERSTAR! ?? Daryz becomes the first colt to retain the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe since 1978! ?? @GraffardRacing @AgaKhanStuds https://t.co/ajsw5jYqBO
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 4, 2026
Her run petered however and Daryz took control, going on to score a dominant victory with Bay City Roller holding second from Diamond Necklace.
The margin was a contrast to 2025, when Daryz needed the photo to claim his first Arc, and his two wins have come on very different ground.
He has also added two further Group 1 wins this season before Sunday in the Prix Ganay and Prix Aga Khan IV
, admitted he had felt the weight of training the favourite.
"He's a good horse, he's a champion," trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said.
"It was a really tough race, it didn't go as we expected but he showed his talent and that made the difference in the end.
"The pace was not strong, it was a rough race and nothing went to plan, but the horse deserved to win again and he's proved all season he is the best one. I'm delighted."
Sunday's win was almost certainly Daryz's last, with owner-breeder Princess Zahra Aga Khan all but confirming he will now retire to stud.
"You get to the point where you're taking a risk every time you run the horse," she said.
"His mother improved with age, but would we want him to train on for another year? I'm not sure. I think he has other things to do."
Daryz is an Aga Khan blueblood being a half-brother to Group I winner Dariyan, Group II winner Davamani and stakes-winners Darkaniya, Dariyza and Darabad, from Group I winning blue hen Daryakana
A Group 1 winner over 1800m as well as a dual Arc winner over 2400m, he heads to the breeding barn as a top-tier stallion prospect for the Aga Khan Studs.
The result takes the Aga Khan family's record tally in the race to nine. Aga Khan III won it in 1948 and 1952, his son Aly Khan in 1959, and Aga Khan IV in 1982, 2000, 2003 and 2008, before Daryz added 2025 and 2026 for the studs now led by Princess Zahra.
