The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe draw has been made, and it was a tale of two very different evenings among the market leaders. Defending champion Daryz was handed a plum berth in stall five, while the ante-post plunge horse Diamond Necklace was dealt the widest draw of all in 16.
The draw ceremony took place in Paris on Thursday evening, after all 16 horses stood their ground at the final declaration stage earlier that morning. The €5 million showpiece is run over 1m4f at ParisLongchamp on Sunday 4 October.
Daryz drawn in stall five for Arc defence
Connections of Daryz could hardly have asked for a much better introduction to their title defence. Francis-Henri Graffard’s four-year-old will break from stall five as he bids to become the first colt since Alleged in 1977 and 1978 to win back-to-back Arcs, and only the ninth horse in history to win the race twice. Enable was the last to do so, in 2017 and 2018.
Recent winners have tended to come from between stalls two and seven, so the son of Sea The Stars is right in the sweet spot. His Aga Khan Studs stablemate, Prix Niel winner Varandir, is drawn alongside him in four. Graffard admitted beforehand that “I do not like things I cannot control”, but added, “we were spoiled tonight”. Jockey Mickael Barzalona was similarly upbeat: “Five is a pretty good draw, especially when you look at how the good horses are spread out. I’m pretty confident.”
The market agreed. Daryz remains a firm favourite across the board.
Diamond Necklace widest of all in stall 16
It was a different story for Diamond Necklace. Aidan O’Brien’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane heroine has been beaten just once in seven starts, but she will have to do it the hard way from the car park in stall 16.
Ballydoyle held back on naming its jockeys until after the draw, and for once that approach looked fully justified. Ryan Moore sided with Benvenuto Cellini, which leaves Christophe Soumillon to renew his partnership with the filly. A two-time Arc winner aboard Dalakhani and Zarkava, Soumillon will need all of that experience from out wide.
The bookmakers wasted no time, with double-figure prices returning Diamond Necklace to a similar market position to before the recent gamble.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe draw: the rest of the field
Among the other leading fancies, King George heroine Kalpana did well to land stall six, right next door to Daryz, ensuring she is now a clear second favourite to cap a memorable season in Paris. Joseph O’Brien’s Oaks winner Thundering On has a seemingly ideal berth in three, and the Gosdens’ Prix Vermeille winner Friendly Soul is the right side of the fence in seven.
Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini is on the rail in stall one, which has not produced an Arc winner since Zarkava in 2008. Last year’s runner-up Minnie Hauk, the third of the O’Brien trio, goes from 10 under William Buick.
Grand Prix de Paris winner Maltese Cross, owned by George Waud, will have to overcome the recent hoodoo of stall 11, while Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller has it all to do from 15 for Oisin Murphy. Japan’s long wait for a first Arc winner looks set to go on, with Admire Terra and Meisho Tabaru drawn out in 12 and 13 respectively. Veteran Yutaka Take, who rides Meisho Tabaru in what will be his 12th Arc, was undeterred: “I have had better results in the Arc with outside draws so I am pleased.”
2026 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe full draw
- Benvenuto Cellini – Ryan Moore
- Chestnut Rocket – Marvin Grandin
- Thundering On – Pierre-Charles Boudot
- Varandir – Clement Lecoeuvre
- Daryz – Mickael Barzalona
- Kalpana – Colin Keane
- Friendly Soul – James Doyle
- Bright Light – Benjamin Marie
- Saddadd – Ray Dawson
- Minnie Hauk – William Buick
- Maltese Cross – Tom Marquand
- Admire Terra – Cristian Demuro
- Meisho Tabaru – Yutaka Take
- Arrow Eagle – Ioritz Mendizabal
- Bay City Roller – Oisin Murphy
- Diamond Necklace – Christophe Soumillon