Constitution River Heads Ballydoyle's Three-Pronged Attack on the Prix du Jockey Club

Hawk Mountain and Montreal will join the Coolmore runner in Sunday’s French Classic at Chantilly, where a powerful Aga Khan team awaits

Aidan O'Brien has trimmed his contingent for Sunday's Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (G1) from eight runners to three, with Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) set to spearhead Ballydoyle's challenge in the €1.5-million French Classic, one of the cornerstone events of the country's 3-year-old program.

Winner of the Futurity Stakes (G2) and most recently successful in the Dee Stakes (L), the colt drew the difficult post 15 in a field of 16 for the traditional 2100-meter contest at Chantilly.

He will be joined by stablemates Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett), who drew gate 11, and Montreal (Sea The Stars), set to break from post 8.

“During his final race at two he suffered a small crack,” O'Brien explained. “It wasn't serious, but we felt he needed time, which is why he didn't race between August and May. He's never run around a right-handed turn before, which presents another challenge. And stall 15 doesn't help at a tactical track like Chantilly. Had he drawn inside he might have risked getting boxed in; now the tactical situation will be different and Ryan will have a lot of quick decisions to make during the race.”

The other Irish challenge will come from A Boy Named Susie (Starspangledbanner), runner-up in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud (G1) and trained by Donnacha O'Brien, one of Aidan's sons. Racing in the colors of Ana O'Brien, the colt will break from post 13.

The Aga Khan Studs will field two major contenders.

The unbeaten Dolmalan (Zarak), trained by Mikel Delzangles, will be accompanied by Daryzan (Zarak), from the yard of Francis-Henri Graffard and a half-brother to champion Daryz (Sea The Stars).

They have drawn posts 6 and 10, respectively.

Daryzan will also have the services of Mickael Barzalona, who elected to ride him instead of Dolmalan.

“He has the same quality as his brother, that characteristic turn of foot,” said Nemone Routh. “It's a bold move to run in a Group 1 on only his second start, but we believe he has the necessary quality. Obviously, he lacks experience, but we have confidence in him. Mickael had the choice between Dolmalan and Daryzan, and he chose Daryzan.”

Britain's hopes rest with Hankelow (Night Of Thunder), third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) for Karl Burke, and Oxagon (Frankel), supplemented on Wednesday by Prince Faisal at a cost of €72,000.

They will break from stalls 1 and 3.

Four-time Prix du Jockey Club-winning trainer André Fabre will saddle Komorebi (Pinatubo), runner-up in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, and the promising Segall (Sottsass). They drew posts 7 and 12, respectively.

Germany will be represented by a single runner, Gostam (Saxon Warrior), the unbeaten leader of his generation at home with three victories from three starts, including three group wins. He drew post 5.

The only late withdrawals were Peace Of Japan (Japan) and Ballydoyle's other two sons of Wootton Bassett, Dorsetand Endorsement.

With several unbeaten runners, rapidly emerging talents, and the presence of Daryz's half-brother, the 2026 edition of the Prix du Jockey Club is shaping up as one of the most compelling generational clashes of the European season.