Daryz returns to action in Prix Aga Khan IV at Longchamp

Thursday’s three Group races at Longchamp are headlined by the top-class Prix Aga Khan IV (18:33), formerly the Prix d’Ispanhan, and last year’s winner Sosie takes on Daryz in a rematch from the 2025 Arc de Triomphe.

The Francis Graffard-trained Daryz, who confirmed his well-being with a striking success in the Prix Ganay on his reappearance last month, came out on top in the Arc but he was in receipt of 6lb from the year-older Sosie in the autumn and now meets Andre Fabre's reliable campaigner on level terms for the first time.

Sosie has been on his travels since the Arc, showing improved form to get up late in the Hong Kong Vase in mid-December before returning to the Far East with a creditable third behind local legend Romantic Warrior and Japan’s rising star Masquerade Ball in the FWD QEII Cup.

Like Daryz, Sosie already has a handful of course wins to his name but needed every bit of the 1m1f55yds in getting up to beat Sardinian Warrior in last year’s d’Ispahan and Daryz is a better colt than that rival - with a brilliant turn of foot to boot.

It will be disappointing if Daryz, already clear 9/2 favourite to retain his crown in this year's Arc de Triomphe, cannot kick on from his pretty sensational seasonal reappearance and set up a potentially superb summer clash against Minnie Hauk and Ombudsman in next month’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Leffard, Divine Chrisnat and Ed Walker’s Qilin Queen appear to have a huge task on their hands in the big one but Walker and jockey Kieran Shoemark also travel with Noble Champion for the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal (17:58) and he might be the one to trouble the classy Lazzat if able to resume anywhere near his Jersey Stakes-winning form of last summer.

Noble Champion had excuses for his low-key final run of 2025 (lost his action) in the Lennox at Goodwood, and it will be interesting to see if Shoemark opts for front-running tactics in this small-field affair as that can be an advantageous ploy around here, as seen in this event last year with Topgear making just about every yard of the running.

Later on, there are Group 1 honours up for grabs for the stayers over 1m7f110y in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, and there is no shortage of British and Irish representation.

Joseph O’Brien’s six-year-old Al Riffa arguably leads the charge but he’s backed up by Caballo De Mar (George Scott, Oisin Murphy), Fairy Glen (Simon & Ed Crisford, Christophe Soumillon), Santorini Star (William Haggas and Tom Marquand) and Consent for Sir Mark Prescott and Luke Morris.

Content's jockey told Sky Sports Racing: "She's a really exciting filly and I had a sit on her last week and she seems in super order. She's a really exciting filly for the year going forwards. As much as it looks a tough, tight race, I'd be hopeful she'll be in the mix.

"She's a filly with a great mind so it will enable her to get the trip."

Consent beat Santorini Star in the Prix Royallieu (1m6f) last October but that was another three-year-old in receipt of the weight allowance and Haggas’ mare is entitled to plenty of respect this time on the back of a winning return to action in Newmarket’s Betfred Jockey Club Stakes over a mile and a half (replay below).

That showed her fine versatility in terms of distance, although whether she’s going to be quite as effective on the forecast ‘very soft’ ground back in France remains to be seen.

Cadran winner Caballo De Mer is proven in the conditions and looked close to a return to winning ways when short-headed by Sweet William in the Sagaro Stakes earlier this month, while Fairy Glen had the beating of Caballo De Mer in the Dubai Gold Cup when last sighted in March.

It’s a fascinating contest in which the final word may go to the progressive course and distance winner Asmarani, on what could be a very productive evening for the in-form Graffard and this horse’s connections whose name is carried by the feature race.

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