Daryz Wins Second Straight Arc as Retirement Talk Begins
Daryz has won the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two years in a row. The four-year-old struck again at Longchamp on 4 October 2026, holding off Bay City Roller to take Europe’s most famous flat race.
It is rare territory. Daryz became the first colt in 48 years to win the Arc in successive seasons, according to France Galop. The last colt to retain the crown before him was Alleged. The Arc is a Group 1, the top level of racing, run at Longchamp in Paris.
Daryz is trained at Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard and was ridden by M. Barzalona in this year’s race. Bay City Roller finished second at Longchamp, as reported in live coverage from The Guardian. He did not run at two. That is late to start for a top horse.
His rise has been fast. Daryz won the 2025 Arc as a three-year-old, beating Minnie Hauk, who finished runner-up that year. He is a son of Sea The Stars and was bred by Aga Khan IV, Aga Khan Studs records. His second Arc came 17 years after his sire’s triumph. Before this second attempt, he had eight wins from 11 races.
What happens next is uncertain. Owner Princess Zahra Aga Khan spoke about his future at the post-race press conference, as reported by The Guardian. “We’re breeders,” she said. She questioned training on for another year and added: “I think he has other things to do.” The words point towards retirement to stud.
For fans, this means every appearance from here matters. A third Arc win would be unprecedented. No horse has won the race three times.
The family story adds weight. Princess Zahra Aga Khan is the fourth generation of her family to own an Arc winner and the first to own a dual winner, with nine Arc winners in the family’s silks. Daryz is the seventh Arc winner for the Aga Khan racing and breeding operation, an operation founded by the third Aga Khan in 1921. Aga Khan Studs currently has five stallions on its roster.
From an unraced two-year-old to a double Arc winner. That is the arc of Daryz’s career so far. Whether he races on or goes to the breeding sheds, his name is now with the greats of Longchamp.
