Daryz Steps Down in Trip to Take Ispahan in Commanding Style

Daryz underscored his class with a powerful victory in the Prix Aga Khan IV at ParisLongchamp on Thursday evening, the Arc winner handling the drop to 1,850 metres with the same authority he showed over longer trips last season. The Group 1, renamed this year in honour of the late His Highness the Aga Khan who passed away in February, carried added emotional weight for the Aga Khan Studs team as their champion delivered under the family colours.

British raider Qilin Queen set the pace from the start, maintaining a strong tempo throughout. Leffard, trained in Pau, tracked in second while Daryz sat third under restraint. Turning for home, Leffard moved first to challenge under Cristian Demuro, briefly taking the lead. But Mickaël Barzalona had Daryz positioned wide and ready. Once given the cue to quicken, the four-year-old lengthened decisively to put the race beyond doubt, pulling clear of Leffard who held on for second. Wertheimer & Frère's Sosie edged Qilin Queen for third in the final strides.

The winning time was 1'54''43, with margins of three and a half lengths, four lengths, and a head.

Versatility on Display

The performance marked Daryz's third Group 1 in succession, following the Arc over 2,400 metres last October and the Prix Ganay over 2,100 metres earlier this season. Princess Zahra Aga Khan noted the unusual nature of the campaign. "Going from an Arc de Triomphe over 2,400 metres to the Ganay over 2,100 metres and now the Ispahan over 1,850 metres as a four-year-old is something quite unusual," she said, adding that trainer Francis-Henri Graffard had confidence in the horse's ability to show his speed over the shorter trip.

She acknowledged the day's significance beyond the result itself. "The race now bears my father's name. He contributed enormously to French, European and Irish racing, as well as to breeding. It is a tremendous honour to see that recognition today."

Calculated Risk Pays Off

Graffard explained the tactical thinking behind shortening Daryz in distance. "Races over 2,400 metres are demanding, especially for a horse who can sustain his acceleration for so long," he said. "I have always preferred shortening him in trip rather than continuing exclusively over longer distances." He noted that aside from the Arc, Daryz has mostly raced around 2,000 metres, and he never doubted the horse's ability to handle the pace over 1,850 or 2,000 metres.

The trainer emphasised that protecting the horse's long-term prospects remains central to the planning. "What is certain, however, is that we cannot ask this of him all year long. At some stage he will need a break, probably during the summer, especially if the spring campaign continues as planned."

Nemone Routh, French racing manager for Aga Khan Studs, highlighted Daryz's maturing temperament. "In the Ganay, the first time racing among horses again, he was a little keener. Today he was very relaxed, and when Mickaël asked him to quicken, he did it effortlessly," she said, noting the horse's ability to handle any ground conditions.

Royal Ascot Next, Arc Defence to Follow

Daryz will now head to England for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. Following that, he is expected to take a summer break before returning in the Qatar Prix Foy on September 6, with the main goal remaining an attempt at back-to-back Arc victories on October 4.

Barzalona, who has now partnered Daryz to three consecutive Group 1 wins, described the ride as straightforward. "At the 300-metre mark, I simply asked him to concentrate because I could see his shadow appearing," he said, reflecting on a performance that reinforced the horse's standing as one of Europe's elite middle-distance performers.