Longchamp results produced a remarkable headline at ParisLongchamp as Daryz won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for a second straight season. It is the first time a colt has achieved that feat since 1977 and 1978, when Alleged completed back-to-back Arc victories for Vincent O’Brien and Lester Piggott.
The significance of that alone makes this one of the standout results in European racing. The Arc has often gone to the best middle-distance horses of the autumn, but to defend the race successfully after so long takes Daryz into rare company.
A repeat Arc winner in rare company
Mickael Barzalona, who rode Daryz, said the horse had to be “a remarkable horse” to win this kind of race twice. He added that the race is always tough, noted that it did not go to plan, but said Daryz still deserved to win.
That is the key point in assessing these Longchamp results. The 13-8 favourite was able to produce when it mattered most, even in a race that did not unfold perfectly, and that is usually the mark of a proper champion.
Francis-Henri Graffard was just as emphatic. He described Daryz as a champion and said it is so hard a race to win. He added that he had put too much pressure on himself, but stressed that the horse was really well and that his rider was confident.
He also praised the ride, saying Barzalona “rode a beautiful race”. That matters because the Arc is often decided by timing, patience and the ability to handle pressure over the final stages. Daryz had those qualities on the day.
What the Arc result says about the race
There was also a wider historical layer to these Longchamp results. The Arc has been won by a three-year-old in 10 of the last 12 runnings, which only adds to the scale of Daryz’s repeat success. Against that backdrop, any horse winning successive renewals stands out even more.
Aventure finished second behind Bluestocking in the Arc in 2024, but Daryz’s victory was the main story at ParisLongchamp. In a race that rarely repeats the same script, he did enough to make the result feel decisive.
Elsewhere at ParisLongchamp, Jack Nicholls landed the Prix de l’Abbaye aboard Miss Yechance for a first Group One success. Nicholls said he had never had a feeling like it and added that there were no words to describe it.
That gave the card another notable winner, but the headline Longchamp results belonged to Daryz. A second straight Arc victory is unusual enough on its own; doing it after nearly 50 years makes it even more striking.
