Reigning Arc Champ Daryz Lost His Last UK Trip, and The World Is Watching if He Can Shake It Off

Alright, Seattle, buckle up! You know we live for the high stakes, the big moments, and honestly, the drama of sports. And even if it's happening across the pond in Berkshire, England, this week at Royal Ascot, there's enough juice to get any fan pumped. We're talking about a five-day meet kicking off Tuesday, June 16, that's loaded with the world's best turf horses, jaw-dropping purses totaling a ridiculous $13.5 million, and what might just be the absolute race of the year in all of Europe. Seriously, the King of England himself is showing up, and everyone from the Emerald City to the UK is buzzing about these matchups!

The Queen Anne Stakes is Gonna Be ELECTRIC

The whole thing blasts off with a bang on Tuesday morning with the Queen Anne Stakes at 9:30 a.m. ET. Get this: two horses ranked in the world's top eight are going head-to-head! We've got Notable Speech, our reigning Breeders' Cup Mile winner, tied for fifth in the world, going against his stablemate, Opera Ballo, who's tied for eighth. Notable Speech shook off a tough loss at Keeneland earlier this year and snagged a Group 1 victory at Newbury in his last outing. That race was a straight mile, just like the Queen Anne, so he's dialed in.

But don't sleep on Opera Ballo. This beast, also trained by Charles Appleby, has ripped off three straight wins and a ridiculous seven wins in nine career starts. He even clocks a better Timeform rating at 132 compared to Notable Speech's 130. Talk about a battle of the stable! And here's the wild card: jockey William Buick, who usually rides BOTH these superstars, is hopping aboard Notable Speech for this one. English bookmakers have Notable Speech as the 2-1 favorite in this nine-horse field, with Opera Ballo right behind him at 7-2. This is going to be a pure showdown!

Prince of Wales's Stakes: The Ultimate Test

But if you thought Tuesday was wild, wait until Wednesday for the Prince of Wales's Stakes. This is the one that could be the "race of the year in Europe," folks! We're talking an eight-horse field featuring not one, not two, but THREE horses ranked in the top 11 worldwide. You've got Daryz, tied for second globally and our reigning Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe champion. Then there's Ombudsman, the defending champion in this race, tied for fifth. And don't forget Almaqam, tied for 11th. Oh, and Minnie Hauk, a three-time Group 1 winner, who came in second to Daryz in the Arc last year, isn't even in that top three list. Wild!

Now, Daryz, trained by Francis Henri Graffard, has been on an absolute tear since winning the Arc last October, racking up two more Group 1 wins in France. He's only lost twice in nine career starts. But here's the kicker, the stat that has everyone talking: one of those rare losses happened when he shipped to the United Kingdom for the Juddmonte International Stakes. He finished last of six that day! And guess who won that race? Ombudsman, who absolutely dominated a world-class field by 3½ lengths. Ombudsman has been red-hot since, winning two of his three starts, including both this year. This is Daryz's chance to prove that UK trip was a fluke, and for Ombudsman to solidify his reigning champ status. Who's gonna own the track?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.