PARIS (AP) — Daryz secured his second consecutive victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, winning by 1 1/4 lengths in Europe’s most prestigious flat race on Sunday. The favorite, trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, finished ahead of Bay City Roller in second place and Diamond Necklace in third, with Friendly Soul coming fourth.
The winner’s purse was approximately $3.2 million.
At four years old, Daryz became the first colt in nearly five decades to win the race back-to-back, matching the achievement of Vincent O’Brien’s Alleged in 1977 and 1978. This marks only the ninth time a horse has won the Arc twice and the first back-to-back winner since Enable’s consecutive victories in 2017 and 2018.
“He’s a champion,” Graffard told Sky Sports. “I’m usually cautious about being confident because these races are incredibly challenging, but I believed that if everything went smoothly during the race, he would be very difficult to beat because he truly is a champion.”
Daryz’s win also gave the Aga Khan family a record ninth triumph in the Arc. However, Graffard suggested the horse might not pursue a third consecutive victory. “I don’t think he needs to prove anything more,” he said.
See AP’s complete horse racing coverage here.
Fan Take: Daryz’s rare consecutive wins highlight an extraordinary level of consistency and excellence, thrilling horse racing enthusiasts worldwide. His success not only honors historic champions but could inspire new interest and elevate the prestige of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in years to come.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
