Sunday 4th October, 2026 Two Arcs and out for Daryz as retirement beckons

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Daryz appears unlikely to race again after joining an elite band of dual Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners with a historic success at sun-soaked ParisLongchamp.

A narrow winner of Europe’s premier middle-distance contest over Minnie Hauk 12 months ago, the son of 2009 Arc hero Sea The Stars became just the ninth horse in history to repeat the dose.

A few doubters emerged after he was beaten into third place in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, but with a dominant display in the Prix Foy four weeks ago restoring any lost confidence, the four-year-old carried the hopes of a nation on his back as he met with a formidable raiding party in Europe’s most prestigious middle-distance contest.

All the big guns were in the mix rounding the final bend, but there was a sense of inevitability about the result when Mickael Barzalona produced Daryz down the outside of the field – and just as Francis-Henri Graffard predicted, his lightning acceleration proved too much for the opposition to handle.

“It was beautiful to witness such a great straight and a great champion, winning with all his power and showing the world how good this horse is,” said the trainer, whose stable star was becoming the first colt to go back-to-back in the Arc since Vincent O’Brien’s Alleged in 1977 and 1978.

“It was a big challenge as the odds were against us as a four-year-old colt and I have to thank Princess Zahra (owner) for allowing me to try it for the horse, because we always believed he was a true champion and last year he was really coming to his best when he won the Arc. It was a big decision to make and I had to put a lot of pressure on Princess Zahra to make it possible.

“There was a lot of pressure, but during the race when I saw him moving with ease on the outside I knew he was going to accelerate really strongly and he did.”

Princess Zahra leads the Aga Khan team and her late father the Aga Khan IV, who died in February of last year, was at the forefront of her mind following the latest big-race success for the famous green and red silks.

“Last year I was really caught up in the moment because I was still suffering loss. This year I just know that he’d be so proud to see a homebred do that twice in a row,” she said.

“Mickael knows the horse very well, he comes to the gallops almost every morning, which is a real positive for an owner-breeder.”

No horse has ever won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe three times, but it seems there will be no hat-trick bid for Daryz, who is clearly a hugely valuable stallion prospect.

“Look, we’re breeders right, and you get to the point where you’re taking a risk every time you run the horse,” Princess Zahra added.

“His mother (Daryakana) improved with age, that’s true, but would we want him to train on for another year? I’m not sure – I think he has other things to do.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 True Love ensures Aidan O’Brien gets in on Group One act

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Aidan O’Brien had to wait until the final Group One of Arc weekend to strike but his old faithful True Love came up trumps in the Qatar Prix de la Foret.

Tough as teak as a juvenile when she had seven runs highlighted with a win in the Cheveley Park, she emerged this spring better than ever, winning the 1000 Guineas.

Placed in three further Group Ones after that, she had appeared on the downgrade having been out of the places in her last two races, but back down at seven furlongs she showed her tenacity to see off Christopher Head’s Nighttime in a photo finish.

O’Brien’s Puerto Rico ran his best race of the season back in third.

Sunday 4th October, 2026 George Scott so proud of gallant Arc effort from Bay City Roller

By Press Association Sport Reporters

After a double on Saturday George Scott probably felt he had used up all his good fortune in France, but he was left beaming with pride – if a little deflated – after Bay City Roller came within a length and a quarter of winning Europe’s biggest race.

History will show he chased home the first colt for the best part of half a century to win the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe back-to-back in Daryz, but from stall 15 Newmarket-based Scott was in awe at the performance of his horse and also jockey Oisin Murphy.

Yet to finish out of the first two this season, a drop back to 10 furlongs at Ascot on Qatar British Champions Day now beckons.

“I could see Daryz coming, but it was an incredible run,” said Scott. “What an amazing racehorse he is and what an amazing ride. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s got all the talent and ability to go with it.

“We came up second-best to an outstanding racehorse and congratulations to the connections. Francis (Graffard) is just a gentleman, he always comes and has a talk when I’m here, asks how I’m getting on and anything he can do to help. So congratulations to him, but we’re proud of our horse, what a machine he is.

“It’s an amazing run and he’s an amazing horse, we’ll go to the Champion Stakes and hopefully we get a little bit of rain. Second in the Arc, but we need to go one better.

“I’m not surprised he ran so well on that (good) ground, everyone seems to want to pigeonhole him as a mudlark, but he’s clearly not, I just think the ground is an aid to him.

“I think he stays in training so we’ll come back here next year.”

Ryan Moore apparently overlooked Diamond Necklace in favour of Benvenuto Cellini (ninth) after she was drawn in stall 16, but the dual French Classic winner fared much the best of the Ballydoyle trio, just a neck away from second.

“She ran a good race. We all knew she was a good filly,” said Aidan O’Brien. “You couldn’t say she didn’t stay a mile and a half, could you.

“Ryan missed it (the break) a little bit and said he maybe (Benvenuto Cellini) needs a stronger pace, William (Buick, on Minnie Hauk, 10th) said the same, he was trapped in and didn’t think the pace was strong.

“The Breeders’ Cup will be possible for Diamond Necklace, but the winner is a great horse.”

Friendly Soul was a late addition to the field but proved well up to the task in finishing fourth for John and Thady Gosden.

“She’s run a huge race, she picked up great in the straight and stayed on through the line,” said Thady Gosden.

“It was probably the best performance of her career as she was up against the best mile-and-a-half horses in Europe.

“We’ll see how she comes out of it, but in the (Breeders’ Cup) Filly & Mare Turf they will go a stride and a half quicker. She stays a mile and a half, but over a mile and a quarter they go that bit quicker so we’ll see. George (Strawbridge, owner) is from the US so it has to be under consideration.”

Andrew Balding said of the King George winner Kalpana, another place back in fifth, two better than last year: “She was fifth and she ran a bit better than last year but it wasn’t good enough today. She’s run a good race.

“I think we’ll have a look at Champions Day depending on how she comes out of it.”

Hollywood film producer and owner George Waud felt the William Haggas-trained Maltese Cross possibly lost his chance before the race even began.

He said: “We came sixth. The draw is so important and he’s normally such a level-headed horse, but he broke the parade and took off so it wasn’t a great start mentally.

“He seemed to have calmed down before he went in the stalls and Tom (Marquand) did an amazing job to get the position he did, but all that before the race and the effort to get across probably took it out of him.

“We’ve got a very nice invitation from Japan, but I think Maltese Cross has done enough – we’ll give him a holiday and see him next season.”

He added: “I was excited when Tom put him in a position where he could possibly win it, but then I could see he was spent. That was a difficult moment because you want your horse to turn the rockets on and charge, like he’s shown us before, but he’d spent too much trying to get into position.

“We’re not disappointed at all. We’re small owners and we had a conversation about two months ago about whether we went for the St Leger or the Arc – and I was like, ‘what are we talking about, this is unbelievable’.

“We came, we did our best and we’ll see you next year.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Miss Scott and Soumillon shine with Opera performance

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Christophe Soumillon showed once again there are few better jockeys on the big occasion when he partnered Miss Scott to victory in the Prix de l’Opera Longines.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the three-year-old was the least exposed runner in the field and was arriving on the back of an easy Group Three win in Ireland.

Riding his second Group One winner of the afternoon having teamed up with Joseph O’Brien to win the Prix Marcel Boussac on Green Empress in the same green and white stripes of The Thoroughbred Racing Corporation Ltd, he got first run on Ryan Moore on Precise and it proved pivotal.

Thady Gosden said: “She’s a progressive filly, it was her first time in at the real deep end here after winning a Group Three at the Curragh last time out with Christophe on board.

“The plan was to come here and give it a good go. Obviously Aventure is a top-class filly and we were a little bit scared of her coming into the race.

“We were thinking we might step her up to a mile and a half next year. We’ll see how she comes out of the race, but we might put her away for next year.

“She’s only a three-year-old filly and it’s quite late in the year. The only target left for her is the Breeders’ Cup, which might be a little bit much too soon.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Daryz does Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe double in brilliant fashion

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Daryz became the first colt for almost 50 years to win Europe’s most prestigious race, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, in successive seasons with a brilliant victory at ParisLongchamp.

Not since the Vincent O’Brien-trained Alleged and Lester Piggott in 1977 and 1978 has a colt managed to defend his title, but once Mickael Barzalona pulled the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Daryz out to make his run the result looked inevitable.

The Prix Foy proved the key form guide, as Daryz beat George Scott’s Bay City Roller in that trial and those two filled the same positions again in the main event, with Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Necklace running a fine race in third from stall 16.

Barzalona said: “To win this kind of race twice proves that Daryz is an exceptional horse.

“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.”

Graffard said: “He’s a good horse, he’s a champion. I said that before, it’s rare I’m confident before a race as it is so hard in a race like this, but I knew things were going right and he’d be very hard to beat.

“I was confident. but I was putting so much pressure on myself before the race and you can make yourself look a fool so it is easier not to speak and not say anything.

“But I think for the sport we have to be transparent and I was confident and his rider was confident so we had to say it.

“Mickael rode a beautiful race again. It’s so beautiful for the sport, I’m lucky to have horses like that.”

He added: “It is different when you are favourite and you are the one to beat. There was pressure, you can’t deny it, but it’s good and it’s why I show emotion. It’s great for the owners (Aga Khan Studs), it’s such a wonderful breeding operation.

“We kept losing position early, we were too far back but we were lucky Daryz has good acceleration. Without any trouble I knew he’d run a big race. I’m lucky to train a horse like this and I hope I get plenty more!

“I don’t think he has to prove anything else.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Karl Burke hit hard by death of brilliant mare Fallen Angel

By Nick Robson, Press Association

Karl Burke spoke of the “unbelievable memories” he has of Fallen Angel following the fatal injury to the multiple Group One heroine at ParisLongchamp on Saturday.

Running in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, the Wathnan Racing-owned five-year-old was still in contention when she went wrong around two furlongs from home. She was pulled up sharply by James Doyle, but her injuries were such that she could not be saved.

A Group One winner at two, three – including the Irish 1,000 Guineas – and four, she will leave a big hole at Burke’s Spigot Lodge yard in North Yorkshire.

“That was horrible what happened yesterday, no horse deserves that and one as good as her certainly doesn’t,” Burke told the Press Association on Sunday. “She had given us some unbelievable memories over the last three years, winning five Group Ones.

“We’ve won a Group One today (Miss Yechance) and that incredibly is the swings and roundabouts of racing, but it is very hard to get used to it, you never really do.

“It’s very tough on everyone at the yard and she’ll be very hard to replace.”

Ralph Beckett’s Spirit Tango also sadly suffered a fatal injury in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Sunday.

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Jack Nicholls records famous Group One win with Miss Yechance

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Jack Nicholls upheld family tradition in winning a first Group One aboard the supplemented Miss Yechance in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines at ParisLongchamp.

The grandson of David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls – who won this race in 2002 with Continent and was renowned as a master trainer of sprinters – and son of Adrian, former jockey now trainer, Nicholls has taken his chance with both hands in what has been a breakthrough season.

Riding in his first top-level contest, Nicholls, 20, found himself up alongside Ryan Moore on Mission Central inside the final furlong but timed it all to perfection for a famous success aboard the Karl Burke-trained filly. Shiri flashed home to claim second ahead of Mission Central.

Nicholls said: “I’ve never had a feeling like that, there’s no words to describe it really.

“I can’t take much credit, she does everything herself and I’m just the lucky lad that gets to sit on top of her. I just try to keep her as happy as I can and she does the rest for me.

“I didn’t think I would get a chance in a Group One and I’ll be forever grateful to the owners and Karl for putting their trust in me and to let me ride her.”

Of the family connection to the race, he said: “The name Nicholls is only known for sprinters really. My grandad was probably one of the best sprint trainers that ever lived and my dad won two Group Ones, so it would probably be a bit weird if I wasn’t riding in sprint races.

“Continent was very special horse to the family, we had him in the field in retirement. I would have taken any Group One, but if I could have picked one it probably would have been the Abbaye.

“My dad is the best dad in the world. I went to see him the other day and he said it would be the fastest 55 seconds of my life and the weirdest as well.”

The win was also a huge fillip for the Burke yard, who lost stable star Fallen Angel on Saturday.

Nicholls added: “It’s great for the yard as obviously they had a bad day yesterday with Fallen Angel. She might have been looking down and helped us in that last 50 yards. It’s very special.”

Burke was not on course, but he told the Press Association from Newmarket sales where he was inspecting prospective new incomings: “She’d been on a big upward curve and she’s carried that on today.

“To be fair the owners were behind putting Jack on her the first time as he could claim off her in a handicap, as she’s only a pony. They were then happy to leave him on for Newbury and again today.

“The idea was to get as close to the rail as possible and I was cursing a little bit that he hadn’t been able to squeeze Ryan out, but I suppose that is hard to do! She is very fast.

“The plan is for her to go back to Dubai, whether that changes I don’t know, the Breeders’ Cup has to come into it now but that’s a discussion for later, I’m obviously very happy.

“She’s only small and bounces off quick ground, she’s got tiny feet so I wouldn’t have thought she’d want deep ground at all.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Amusingly laughs at Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere rivals

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Amusingly oozed class in beating the colts to land the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.

Francis-Henri Graffard surprised many when switching his Juddmonte-owned filly from the Prix Marcel Boussac against her own sex, but the decision was well and truly vindicated.

Colin Keane dropped his mount out last in the early stages and she tracked the odds-on favourite Folsom Blues, with both travelling ominously well.

Joseph O’Brien’s National Stakes winner had no answer to the finishing burst of Amusingly, though, and the daughter of No Nay Never pulled away to win in tremendous fashion.

Graffard said: “She beat the filly that finished second in the Marcel Boussac (Data) very easily, so I was hoping I didn’t make a mistake.

“She shows a lot of speed this filly, so I said to Barry Mahon (Juddmonte racing manager) she’s more of a Commonwealth Cup filly than a Guineas filly for next year.

“I’ve no idea if she’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup, I need to speak to the team.

“Today is a big win so I just want to enjoy that and winter well and we have a lovely filly for next year, but what she has done today is wonderful.”

The Lagardere at seven furlongs was a furlong shorter than the Bousaac, and Keane said: “I think the decision to run in this race rather than the Boussac was a bit of a combination of everyone, it just looked like the last day over a mile she failed to see out the final half-furlong.

“She’s a filly with a lot of class and lot of pace, she did a lot on the bridle before being run out of it close home (last time) so that was in the decision to bring her back to seven, albeit we were taking on the colts.

“She relaxed a lot better today, she wasn’t as fresh and gassy and did everything right in the first half of the race, when she did that part we thought she’d run a good race and she showed how well she can quicken.”

He added: “Time will tell if she’s a Guineas filly, she does have a lot of pace but I don’t see why she won’t get a mile.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Green Empress rules in Prix Marcel Boussac

By Ashley Iveson, Press Association

Green Empress provided Joseph O’Brien with another big-race success when narrowly holding off Data to win the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp.

Never out of the first two in her career, she was paying the ultimate compliment to the brilliant Sun Goddess, who to date has been the only filly to beat her – on no less than three occasions.

Ridden confidently by Christophe Soumillon, Green Empress hit the front with half a furlong to run and looked set to win comfortably before Christoper Head’s Data made her pull out all the stops close home.

O’Brien said: “It’s really special for us to have a Group One winner on this day and she has been progressive – she’s only ever been beaten by Sun Goddess all year.

“She has a super pedigree, being by Saxon Warrior out of a Sea The Stars mare. We see her as a miler that might go 10 furlongs at some stage.

“We’ll see how she comes out of today and discuss with the owners whether she’ll go to America (Breeders’ Cup) or whether we wait for next year.”

The success was the latest Group One triumph in a stellar year for O’Brien, who added: “We’re very lucky to have the support of some great people and a wide variety of owners.

“For us it’s about performing and executing at big meetings. It’s fantastic to have a big winner on Arc day.”

Sunday 4th October, 2026 Great can repeat at Pontefract

By Gideon Brooks, Press Association

Great came with a fantastic rattle to pounce late on his last visit to Pontefract in August and he looks a smart bet to repeat the feat off a 2lb higher mark in the Autism In Racing Handicap.

The four-year-old was sent by Sam England to Carlisle and Beverley on his next two starts and failed to trouble the judge, but he showed he remains in good form at Newcastle last time.

Bumped leaving the stalls, he was left with plenty of ground to make up when the leaders quickened on the artificial surface, but was swallowing the deficit late in a manner which suggests he will appreciate the extra furlong.

The ground should be just about perfect and if he can get out of the stalls in decent shape, he could post a third win of a decent campaign.

Santo does not look tested with a mark of 62 on her first effort in a handicap in the Origin Amenity Solutions Nursery Handicap at Yarmouth.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s two-year-olds have been going really well and the A’Ali filly has shown promise in a couple of starts, notably at Newbury when a two and a quarter lengths third and last time at Windsor when just five lengths back despite starting at 50-1.

She carries top weight here but the standard below does not look threatening and she could be ready to put her experience in better races to good effect here.

Rogue Allegiance found himself out on a wing with no cover at Newmarket last time and after a near three furlong battle for his head with Harry Davies was eventually allowed to go forward.

The result was as predictable as it was tame with the four-year-old James Owen-trained gelding hitting the front then dropping through the field like a stone in the last furlong, eventually finishing last.

If Davies can get a bit of cover from the start in the Moulton Racing Club Handicap, he could get back on the roll which, prior to his free-running Newmarket show, saw him win two, here over seven furlongs and over a mile on Kempton’s all-weather.

Action has found his own three-year-old career sacrificed at the altar of others with Aidan O’Brien using him for pace-making duties in his last five outings in Group One races.

The danger of such a campaign is that it could leave mental scars but he looks to have been found an opportunity to get his head in front in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Navigation Stakes at Killarney.

Even as pacemaker and a heavily eased one once his duties were done Action was good enough to finish just 14 lengths behind Kalpana in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Going back further he was second to Item in the Dante Stakes at York and those two pieces of form are far better than anything the field can bring to the table.

Two To Tango won a handicap off the same mark of 104 at Stratford in April and, after a few below par performances, showed he was poised to strike again at Fontwell last time.

Dropped back in trip there, Emma Lavelle’s eight-year-old gelding looked ready to play a part in the finish only to hit two out and lose momentum just as the front two were quickening away.

With a clearer round of jumping over a longer trip here at Stratford he can win the Jodie Standing’s Point-to-Point Recruits Handicap Chase.

SELECTIONS:

FAIRYHOUSE: 1.55 River Moy, 2.30 State Pension, 3.05 Classy Cc, 3.40 La Muleta, 4.15 Its Time For A Run, 4.50 Dinoland, 5.25 Las Brisas Boy

KEMPTON: 4.10 Spartan, 4.45 Berkshire Boom, 5.15 Pursuit Of Love, 5.45 Sea Brave, 6.15 Sparksmith, 6.45 French Affair, 7.15 Kondratiev Wave, 7.45 Creciente, 8.15 Super Hit.

KILLARNEY: 1.00 Darivan, 1.35 Gliondar, 2.10 Cladach, 2.45 Nibras Rainbow, 3.20 Action, 3.55 Together Now, 4.30 Shambata, 5.05 Blue Nasturtium.

PONTEFRACT: 1.30 Narrjoo, 2.05 Floral Maid, 2.40 GREAT (NAP), 3.15 The Good Biscuit, 3.50 Brighton Boy, 4.21 Galba, 4.56 Noble Grace, 5.33 Dragon Spin.

STRATFORD: 1.41 No More Bolero, 2.16 Arcturus Flame, 2.51 God Of Fire, 3.26 Two To Tango, 4.00 Expert Analysis, 4.35 Turbogeist.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 4.26 Lion Of God, 5.00 Dreams Galore, 5.30 Iron Dome, 6.00 Hoosier, 6.30 Torbados, 7.00 Faeberon, 7.30 Hauteluce, 8.00 Caraway, 8.30 Grow Old With Me.

YARMOUTH: 1.15 Arnaz, 1.50 Awwjaan, 2.25 Zhuri, 3.00 Santo, 3.35 Certainty, 4.10 Mythical Guest, 4.40 Rogue Allegiance.

DOUBLE: Great and Rogue Allegiance.