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Five things we learnt on Arc weekend at Longchamp

Last Updated: Mon 5 Oct 2026

Alex Scott highlights five key talking points from Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp, plus has a French-trained filly for your notebook.

Daryz parades in front of the crowds after a hugely popular second Arc victory. (Pic: focusonracing.com)

The fillies look smarter than the colts

Before this weekend’s action, four of the top six in Timeform’s juvenile classification were fillies.

Top-rated Sun Goddess has won three Group Ones, often finishing ahead of the Joseph O’Brien trained colt Folsom Blues. And although that son of Blue Point ran admirably in second in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, he was beaten by Amusingly, who became the first filly to win the seven-furlong contest in nine years.

It was a bold decision to supplement her for the race as opposed to taking in the Prix Marcel Boussac against her own sex earlier on the card, but Francis Graffard clearly felt she didn’t quite stay a mile last time and his faith was rewarded as Colin Keane rode a patient race, with his mount showing a smart turn of foot to win by a length and a quarter over the smooth-travelling runner-up.

Sun Goddess’s form was further boosted in Sunday’s opener, with Moyglare runner-up Green Empress seeing off Data to win the Prix Marcel Boussac by a head.

But keep an eye on third-placed Queen Of The Day who was stepping up in trip. She was ridden prominently from her inside draw and hit the front in the straight, but this sprint finish didn’t suit her.

The closing 400m sectional of 22.6 seconds was almost on a par with the Abbaye over three furlongs shorter and she will be of interest in a race where there is a stronger test of stamina next year, and with more cut in the ground too. The Prix de Diane is a realistic target.

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The stars are aligned for Jack Nicholls

Five of the first seven home in the Prix de l’Abbaye were also fillies, but the main story from that race was 20-year-old apprentice Jack Nicholls, still 23 winners away from riding out his claim, winning his first Group One on his first ride at the top-level aboard the progressive Miss Yechance. On the same filly, he had previously won on his first ride in a Group race at Newbury last month.

Owned by a Libyan Racing Club, the three-year-old was supplemented by her connections at a cost of €25,200. It took just 55.8 seconds for her to recoup just shy of €200,000.

Jack’s family is steeped in sprint racing, and Prix de l'Abbaye history. His father Adrian had his first ride in a Group race in the Abbaye and his grandfather, the sprint king, David “Dandy” Nicholls, saddled July Cup hero Continent to win the race 24 years ago.

With 42 winners in Britain this season, Nicholls is a jockey going places. Given not only his riding ability, but the yard he is based with and his ability to do minimum weights, more big race success surely awaits.

Miss Yechance’s victory was also a welcome winner for Karl Burke and his team who sadly lost star mare Fallen Angel the previous day.

The draw is less important than we think

Daryz was confidently ridden like the best horse in the race despite an unpromising in-running position. (Pic: focusonracing.com)

It was unsatisfactory that the stall positions for Europe’s richest race were unveiled well after they had actually been allocated. Nevertheless, plenty of column inches were dedicated to the draw ceremony and the negative impact of a wide draw in the Arc.

It was easy to see why given the first three home 12 months ago were drawn in the three lowest stalls, but it was still a surprise to see Ryan Moore switch from fancied filly Diamond Necklace after she was given stall 16.

And as this year’s race turned out, the draw really didn’t matter. Favourite Daryz, despite being drawn in five, was given a hugely confident ride by Mickael Barzalona, and after less than half a mile, found himself significantly behind Bay City Roller, and was further back than Diamond Necklace, too.

The winner was also three-wide turning into the false straight, but tracked Aidan O’Brien’s filly before showing his trademark turn of foot on ideal ground conditions. It is hard to envisage a different result no matter where they were drawn.

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Daryz is an outstanding champion

Daryz looks on after the final win of his career. (Pic: Liesl King - focusonracing.com)

Sadly for racing fans, that looks to have been Daryz’s fourth and final Group One win, and the son of Sea The Stars is set to begin his next chapter as a stallion where he is sure to be heavily supported by his owner-breeders. The first colt to retain his Arc crown since Alleged 48 years ago, he also gave a record-extending ninth win in the race for the Aga Khan family after wins in 1948, 1952, 1959, 1982, 2000, 2003 and 2008.

Aside from his two blips in Britain, he retires with nine wins in France, his sole defeat a short-head second behind Croix Du Nord in his Arc prep last year.

He has shown extreme versatility, too, showing stamina to see off Minnie Hauk in last year’s Arc on softer ground, then stepping back in trip to win the Prix Ganay on rattling fast ground, and then having the speed to step back in trip again and easily win the Prix d’Ispahan over 1m1f.

On plans going forward, Princess Zahra Aga Khan commented: “Daryz has proved himself and I think that, as a breeder, I would rather see him safely at home preparing for his future career as a stallion than racing again next year.”

Racing Manager Nemoune Routh added: “Yesterday, before the race, the Princess was very keen for him to retire to stud next year. Obviously, we all need to discuss it again together this week, but we are breeders, and the aim is to retire stallions to stud and, at four, to retire mares to the breeding shed. It was already a challenge to keep Daryz in training this year, and I think we have handled that rather well.”

A lack of French-trained success

A delighted George Scott in the winners' enclosure after Caballo De Mar's Prix du Cadran success. (Pic: Liesl King - focusonracing.com)

Despite a hugely popular home winner of the feature, Nighttime’s narrow defeat at the hands of True Love in the Prix de la Foret meant that Francis-Henri Graffard was the only Frenchman to train a Group winner at this year’s Arc meeting, courtesy of Daryz and Amusingly. The only other Stakes winner trained in France was Jabracadabra, who won the opening Prix Chaduenay on Saturday for Amy Murphy.

The Champion Trainer continues to go from strength to strength, but is this dip in success for France at their flagship meeting a concern for the wider pool of French trainers? The home nation were clearly unlucky to some extent, with Zaydann, Sunly, Data and Space Waltz all finishing second, and there were several other promising performances in defeat in the two-year-old races in particular.

The Aga Khan Stud’s second runner in the Arc, Varandir, was another French-trained horse out of luck. The three-year-old did not enjoy a smooth trip and could be one for next year.

A huge congratulations must also go to George Scott, who saddled both Wimbledon Hawkeye and Caballo De Mar to victory. Four of the Newmarket handler’s five runners at the meeting were placed, including Bay City Roller’s fine effort in second in the Arc.

The victory of Caballo De Mar was particularly phenomenal, as his star stayer rallied to see off 1-6 favourite Scandinavia in the Prix du Cadran. That took his record to three Group One wins from three starts at Longchamp, so don’t rule out more Victorious Forever success at the track in 12 months’ time.

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