San Francisco Frontiers - Daryz's hopes of repeat Arc win boosted by draw

Daryz will face 15 rivals on Sunday, at Longchamp racecourse, seeking not only the cachet of joining some of the equine legends of the sport as Arc winners but also a cheque of 2.8 million euros ($3.1 million) to the victor.

"I do not like things I cannot control," said Daryz's trainer Francis Graffard of the draw.

"However, we were spoiled tonight."

Daryz will have a familiar face beside him in stall four, stablemate Varandir.

"Both have a good draw, so I am relieved," said Graffard.

Such is the allure of the Arc -- which faces increased competition from other lucrative races around the world -- it has still attracted high-class runners from Germany, Ireland, England and Japan.

Daryz, though, is a clear favourite to become the first back-to-back winner since Enable in 2017/18.

He would also be the first colt (male) to win successive Arc's since Irish star Alleged nearly half a century ago.

Daryz's jockey Mickael Barzalona was delighted with the draw.

"Five is a pretty good draw, especially when you look at how the good horses are spread out," said the 35-year-old Frenchman.

"I'm pretty confident."

Daryz will face stiff competition as to who passes the winning post, with their head in front, in a race contested over 2400 metres on an undulating course.

- 'I am pleased' -

Last year's runner-up Minnie Hauk returns -- one of three runners from record breaking Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's stable -- and has been drawn in stall 10.

She, though, has lacked the sparkle of last year and it is her younger stablemate Diamond Necklace who has suffered just one defeat in seven races, that would appear O'Brien's strongest hope to give him a third win in the race.

However, she will have to do it the hard way having been drawn on the wide outside in stall 16 -- O'Brien's third runner Benvenuto Cellini is right on the inside in the more favoured stall one.

O'Brien's son and fellow trainer Joseph has had a fabulous season and his Epsom Oaks winner Thundering On got a good draw in three.

The two horses most fancied to upset Daryz's coronation are English raiders, Kalpana and Maltese Cross, who were both well drawn in six and 11, respectively.

Maltese Cross, whose trainer William Haggas's Sea of Class finished second to Enable in 2018, has huge confidence behind him, having won at Longchamp in July.

He will certainly have raucous support as amongst the thousands of English racing fans on course there will be 100 members of a syndicate that the horse's owner, film producer George Waud, has paid for to come.

Waud is chairman of the syndicate.

Adding to the international feel will be numerous Japanese racing fans, with others watching from a fan zone back in Japan.

The draw, though, offered little room for optimism that Sunday will at last see a Japanese winner of the race they dream of winning.

Meisho Tabaru and Admire Terra were drawn in stalls 13 and 12, respectively.

The more favoured of the two, Meisho Tabaru, will be veteran jockey Yutaka Take's 12th ride in the Arc.

"I have had better results in the Arc with outside draws so I am pleased," said Take.

"Expectation from Japan is huge as we have never won but hopefully it is this year."

P.Thomas--SFF