Daryz surpasses Field Of Gold and Ombudsman to top European rankings

Daryz's victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp has been rated as the best performance in Europe this season by the experts at Timeform.

In inflicting a first defeat this season on Minnie Hauk, with the pair well clear of the remainder, Daryz achieved a Timeform rating of 131 (from 122p), passing the benchmark of 130 for top-class form.

Timeform's European rankings had previously been headed by Ombudsman and Field Of Gold on 130. Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising remains Timeform's highest-rated horse in the world on 135.

It's also notable that Daryz has been rated as the best Arc winner since Waldgeist earned a figure of 132 when denying Enable a hat-trick in 2019. Minnie Hauk, who finished five and a half lengths ahead of third-placed Sosie, improved her Timeform rating to 127 (from 124p) and is rated higher than the last two female winners of the race. For comparison, last year's winner, Bluestocking, achieved a rating of 123, while Alpinista was rated 126 in 2022.

Timeform handicapper Rory King said: "This was a wide-open Arc on paper but, although it was lacking a standout performer, it's hard to argue with the strength in depth of the field given 12 of the 17 runners had been successful in a Group 1, and three of them had won classics this year.

"Daryz was actually one of the handful who hadn't won at the highest level, but, in pulling clear with Minnie Hauk at the end of a well-run race, he showed much-improved form. Indeed, the form is worth rating as the best running of the race since Waldgeist prevented Enable's treble in 2019.

"It's no surprise at all from his pedigree that Daryz was suited by this first taste of a mile and a half, and perhaps he could dominate the European middle-distance division if kept in training at four, although his year-older stablemate Calandagan (129) - who couldn't run in the Arc having been gelded - will have something to say about that."

Timeform’s highest-rated horses in Europe:

131 Daryz

130p Field Of Gold

130 Ombudsman

129 Calandagan

129 Delacroix

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Feature Photo Credit: JTW Equine Images / Alamy Live News