Ryan Moore comes nicely clear on the promising Constitution River

Constitution River unlucky with the draw in French Derby

Horse Racing

Thu May 28, 2026 · 37 min ago

Constitution River will have to overcome a draw in 15 after 16 were declared for the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on Sunday.

The will he, won't he saga is over but while the good news for supporters of the Dee Stakes winner was given with one hand, it was taken away with the other when the draw was unveiled with Paddy Power and Sky Bet reacting by pushing Constiution River out to 2/1 from 6/4.

New Bay was the last Jockey Club winner from a double figure draw in 2015 and Constitution River has only one outside him while stablemates Hawk Mountain and Montreal have drawn 11 and 8. They will be ridden by Ryan Moore, Christophe Soumillon and Wayne Lordan respectively.

Poulains second and third - Komorebi and Hankelow - are drawn in 7 and 1 with the latter, trained by Karl Burke well berthed to adopt a front-running slot as is the supplemented Oxagon [John and Thady Gosden) in 3.

The only other runner currently priced in single figures is the unbeaten Aga Khan Studs owned Daryzan but he, too, is drawn in double figures having been allotted stall 10.

Speaking before the draw was known, trainer Francis Graffard said of the once-raced colt: "It is a bold gamble, because it is never easy to take on this kind of competition with very little experience. Daryzan should have made his debut earlier in the season, but I went through a period when my horses were a little under the weather, and that delayed his debut. So the fact that he has run only once is also down to circumstances.

https://ads.skybet.com/redirect.aspx?pid=17678472&lpid=16&bid=1487

"Daryzan really matured all at once after his debut race. There is only one Prix du Jockey Club each year: he has the pedigree to take part in this kind of race, so we are taking our chance.

"We are fortunate to train in Chantilly, so we were able to take him to the racecourse for a gallop over the track. And this winter, he often went to the all-weather track at the racecourse to do canters. Travelling in the horsebox and seeing the racecourse helped him progress mentally. Last year, he was still very babyish mentally; he could start sweating quickly and get a little worked up.

"He behaved very well at Saint-Cloud on his debut. And since the race, mentally, he has really taken a big step forward. He is much calmer, and his morning rider has told us that too. So, of course, on Sunday there will be crowds and the race conditions will be a little different, but we will focus on keeping him in his own bubble so that he is very professional on the day!"

It is no surprise that Graffard nominated O'Brien's runners as the key opposition, adding: "Aidan O’Brien is incredible in terms of his results and the way he prepares his horses. He is generally the one to beat at these major events.

"On Sunday, the situation is different because Daryzan has run only once. We are basing our decision on his pedigree, on what he has shown us, and on his talent. Whereas Aidan O’Brien’s horses are much more battle-hardened than he is. But I do like it when he comes to see me after the race to congratulate me! I would still like to stress the importance of the number of runners and the draw we will have."

You can now use your Betfair and Paddy Power accounts to login

Mickael Barzalona will ride Daryzan ahead of Dolmalan [stall 6, jockey Clement Lecoeuvre] and trainer Mikel Delzangles - who also runs Alam [16], said: "Dolmalan comes into the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club unbeaten.

"He made his debut quite late at two, and I was a little surprised that he won, because he was still immature. He won again on his seasonal reappearance in early April. We were expecting that, because the horse had been working well and he confirmed his good morning gallops.

"He then ran in the Prix de Suresnes, a Listed race which came a little over three weeks later. It is a good prep race for the Jockey Club. He had to overcome a race with no pace, coming from behind. He was able to quicken well to win. He is an easy horse to train, one who is progressing, is very straightforward, and should find the 2,100-metre distance ideal. Since his last run, he has continued to progress and strengthen."

Criquette Head won the Prix du Jockey Club as a trainer with Bering in 1986 and Pearled Majesty will attempt to provide her with a rare double in winning it as an owner and she is looking forward to the experience.

"Mauricio [Delcher Sanchez, trainer] knows this horse perfectly," she said. "He is the one who shaped him and brought him to this level. The colt was not easy at first, he was somewhat immature, and Mauricio has done a fantastic job with him.

"I am delighted that he is training him and also delighted to have found a horse capable of running in such a race. When you buy a yearling or a foal, you never know how far they will go. So to find yourself at the start of a Jockey Club is already something fantastic.

"Personally, I have never liked looking for excuses. When I was a trainer, neither the draw nor the ground ever frightened me. If a horse is good enough, he can win under any conditions. I won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from stall number 22, so I have never believed in excuses. I also believe jockeys should be allowed to ride horses according to their own instincts. They are the ones on the horse’s back and the best placed to feel what needs to be done during the race."

https://www.sportinglife.com/login

Delcher Sanchez is delighted with Pearled Majesty's form going into what is an acid test for the colt, adding: "We have always thought highly of Pearled Majesty.

"Last year, he showed us very promising things in the mornings, but he was still very immature in his behaviour. He was not always focused and needed time to mature. That is also why we ran him at two years old: to give him racing experience without asking too much of him in training. His first two races already showed his quality and, this year, from two to three years old, he has really stepped up. He has gained physical and mental maturity.

"Since his comeback, he has continued to improve. His latest victory was a genuine confirmation race against already serious opposition. Today, he arrives at his peak: he is doing very well, in top form, and has enough experience. All the lights are green. Now we are entering the major European races and he will have to confirm at this level, but we are very proud of him. As we cannot have Christophe Soumillon, Pearled Majesty will be ridden by Cristian Demuro. We are very happy to have him. He is a jockey I know very well, someone very pleasant and already highly experienced in these types of races.

"I believe horses should be allowed to gallop in their natural action. I do not like to restrain them. This horse has a huge stride, he likes to move forward and that has to be respected. Last time, he took the lead because there was not much pace, but he is not a horse who absolutely needs to be in front. What matters is that he can gallop freely and in his own rhythm. Whether he is in front or behind will depend on how the race unfolds. I am never afraid to let a horse do what comes naturally to him."

Latest odds for the Qatar Prix Du Jockey Club (Chantilly, Sunday)

Paddy Power: 2 Constitution River, 4 Daryzan, 5 Hawk Mountain, 13-2 Komorebi, 14 Oxagon, 16 Dolmalan, Montreal, 20 Alam, Gostam, Hankelow, 25 A Boy Named Susie, 33 Pearled Majesty, 50 Campacite, 66 Segall, 100 Canadian, Gusto

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org

Like what you've read?