Prix du Jockey Club: Odds, runners & draw

William Dobbie Published: 29 May 26 20:15

The Prix du Jockey Club - known more commonly as the French Derby in the UK - takes place on Sunday at Chantilly.

Aidan O'Brien ended his enduring quest to win the race back in 2021 with St Mark's Basilica and he didn't have to wait too long to double his tally when Ryan Moore expertly rallied Camille Pissarro to glory in last year's renewal.

The Master of Ballydoyle yet again holds a strong hand in the race but hopes of back-to-back successes were dealt a slight blow when, the choice of Moore, Constitution River (7/4) got a horror draw of stall 15.

Hawk Mountain (11/2) received a more palatable draw in 11 for the O'Brien yard and he has the advantage of being ridden by four-time winner of the race Christophe Soumillon.

Montreal (14/1) appears to be the O'Brien third string on paper but is by no means a forlorn hope for Wayne Lordan who is bidding to land a hat-trick of Classic successes at this early stage of the campaign.

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Outside of the Ballydoyle trio, the UK and Ireland have a fairly decent chance of taking this prize back over the channel, sending over a further three runners.

Donnacha O'Brien saddles A Boy Named Susie (40/1) as the only remaining contender for Ireland while Britain will be represented by a brace of hopefuls. Oxagon (12/1) recently supplemented by the John & Thady Gosden team will be joined on the ferry over by Karl Burke's Hankelow (16/1), who was last seen finishing third in the French 2000 Guineas.

For the home team, it should come as no surprise to learn that Francis-Henri Graffard is supplying the main hope with Darzyan (7/2).

Carrying the colours of the late Aga Khan IV, he is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Vadeni, Dalakhani and Mouktar who won this under the same ownership in the past.