San Francisco Frontiers - Impressive Daryz keeps Arc double dream alive

Daryz, who completed a hat-trick of wins on the day for trainer Francis Graffard, jockey Mickael Barzalona and owners Aga Khan Studs, will have a far tougher challenge back at Longchamp in a month's time.

He had little trouble in winning on Sunday, breezing past English runner Bay City Roller, with Barzalona not required to use the whip in guiding him home.

Daryz impressed the bookmakers, who made him an even hotter favourite to be the first two-time winner since Enable (2017/18) on October 4.

"Very positive run that," said Graffard. "He had the strength both physically and mentally today. The day he got beaten at Ascot in June he was not himself.

"That was an excellent prep race but in the Arc you need luck as there are normally a lot of runners."

Graffard, Barzalona and the Aga Khan Studs might as well have booked a permanent spot in the winner's enclosure, as Varandir won the preceding Prix Niel.

The big disappointment was Aidan O'Brien's Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini, who finished a distant fifth.

Varandir is entered in the Arc and could still take part despite Daryz's presence.

"He is in the Arc, why not?" said Nemone Routh, director and French racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs.

"We were just talking in the elevator and we obviously need to speak to Princess Zahra (Aga Khan) to see what she'd like to do."

- 'Sporting decision' -

Just as Varandir's participation remains up in the air, so does that of the winner of the other Arc trial.

Friendly Soul missed all of last season but she showed her old spark in winning the Group One Prix Vermeille, at the same track where she recorded her last success in October 2024 in the Prix de l'Opera.

James Doyle had enough of a lead to hold off the fast-finishing French duo of Pink Panthera and Sunly, who had lost a lot of ground when she pecked coming out of the stalls.

The winner, trained by father and son team John and Thady Gosden, and the runner-up could meet again at Longchamp, either in the Arc or the Opera.

"It's a hugely sporting decision from her owner George Strawbridge, to keep her in training again at this age (five years old)," said Thady Gosden.

"Of course, the last time she was here she won the Prix de l'Opera. In similar style too, she likes to do things her own way."

Graffard had won the other Group One on the card, the Prix Moulin, which is not an Arc trial, as Erdenali eased to victory ahead of English raider Ten Bob Tony.

For O'Brien it was another disappointment as race favourite Gstaad finished a distant third -- the first time in his career he had failed to make the first two.

For Graffard it was his eighth Group One victory of the campaign.

"Very happy, he is a good horse and his time is a new race record," said Graffard.

"One never knows what mood he will turn up in on the gallops but on the racecourse he always has the right mentality."

K.Hernandez--SFF