Aventure breaks Diamond Necklace's unbeaten record in Prix Jean et Louis Romanet

Aidan O'Brien's St Mark's Basilica filly was a perfect three from three as a juvenile and had matched that tally earlier in her three-year-old campaign, all three 2026 victories coming at the highest level including an impressive performance in last month's Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

Ridden by Ryan Moore again on her return to France, having been successful twice at Longchamp as well as in Chantilly's Prix de Diane in mid-June, Diamond Necklace was the 2/9 favourite but had to settle for second behind five-year-old mare Aventure after not picking up as expected in the home straight.

Christophe Ferland's Aventure, winner of the Prix Vermeille last September and runner-up in Bluestocking's Arc de Triomphe in 2024, settled well midway back on the inside for jockey Maxime Guyon and, after squeezing between rivals with a furlong and a half to run, she darted for the far side rail and skipped a length clear of the pack.

Further out on the course Diamond Necklace was trying desperately to respond alongside the Charlie Johnston-trained Timeforshowcasing, but she couldn't quicken on the testing surface and was a couple of lengths adrift at the line.

The winner was clipped to 20/1 (from 66s) by Paddy Power to go one better than two years ago in this season's Arc.

Ferland told Sky Sports Racing: "Wow, it's magic. I'm very pleased. She won very well. She had to fight against the best horses, especially the one. I don't to say it's frustrating to be beaten all the time but to see her winning again is very, very pleasant.

"She's a really great filly and the distance is perfect now for her, she's got speed now. We will stick on this distance in the Prix de l'Opera and probably the Breeders' Cup (Filly & Mare Turf). They (owners, the Wertheimer brothers) like to have runners over there (in America)."

“She ran well, but the winner was better than her today,” O’Brien told the Racing Post in regards to runner-up Diamond Necklace. “We were very happy with her going into the race and the ground was not a concern.

“We'll take her home now and see how she comes out of the race."

Johnston said of eventual third Timeforshowcasing: "I'm absolutely over the moon. She's danced plenty of dances this year and been well travelled. I'll be honest, I thought we were quite likely biting off a bit more than we could chew coming in against the best fillies in Europe, but once again she's stepped up to a new level.

“If you look at her form on ground good or slower this year, it's a Listed win, a Group 2 win and placed in two Group 1s. The ground is clearly key to her and I think she'll maybe be getting a little bit more respect going forward, but she really is a top-class filly in her own right.

“I think having been placed in two Group 1s over a mile and a quarter, there's evidence to suggest this is her best trip. I think the Opera will certainly be the end-of-season target. She could possibly go via the Blandford (at the Curragh).”

Paddy Power Arc de Triomphe odds: 7/2 Daryz, 6/1 Kalpana, 8/1 Maltese Cross, 12/1 Thundering On, 14/1 Item, Diamond Necklace, Estrange, Constitution River, 16/1 Bay City Roller, Benvenuto Cellini, 20/1 Aventure, 25s bar.

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