Andy Newton
Diamond Necklace is set to take on ten rivals in Sunday’s Prix de Diane at Chantilly as Aidan O’Brien bids to complete a French Classic double.
The unbeaten three-year-old filly heads an 11-runner field for the Chantilly Group One, with the Ballydoyle trainer returning to France with his Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) winner following her impressive success at Longchamp last month.
Run over 2,100 metres (1m 2½f), the Prix de Diane is due off at 3:05pm local time and offers a prize fund of €1 million. Restricted to three-year-old fillies, it remains one of the most prestigious horse racing contests in the French calendar.
Diamond Necklace has been installed as the red-hot 8/11 favorite for Sunday’s Prix de Diane. With the William Haggas-trained Lilt next best at 11/2 and the English 1000 Guineas runner-up Evolutionist 8/1.
O’Brien Expects Diamond Necklace to Cope With Extra Distance
Speaking to France Galop, O’Brien revealed he has been delighted with Diamond Necklace since her French Guineas victory and said a return to Chantilly had always been the plan if everything went smoothly after Longchamp.
The trainer also expressed confidence that the step up in trip will suit the daughter of St Mark’s Basilica.
Having raced exclusively over a mile so far, Sunday’s contest will see her tackle the furthest distance of her career.
O’Brien’s only previous Prix de Diane success came in 2021 with Joan Of Arc, while last year’s renewal was won by Francis-Henri Graffard’s Gezora.
Aidan O’Brien’s Previous Prix de Diane Runners
- 2006 – Queen Cleopatra (3rd) – K. Fallon
- 2008 – Kitty Matcham (Unplaced) – S. Heffernan
- 2012 – Up (7th) – R. L. Moore
- 2012 – Kissed (Unplaced) – J. O’Brien
- 2016 – Coolmore (5th) – S. Heffernan
- 2016 – Ballydoyle (6th) – R. L. Moore
- 2017 – Rhododendron (Pulled Up) – R. L. Moore
- 2018 – Happily (4th) – R. L. Moore
- 2020 – Peaceful (3rd) – S. Heffernan
- 2021 – Joan Of Arc (1st) – I. Mendizabal
- 2022 – Toy (12th) – R. L. Moore
- 2023 – Never Ending Story (2nd) – R. L. Moore
- 2023 – Caroline Street (10th) – D. B. McGonagle
- 2025 – Bedtime Story (2nd) – R. L. Moore
- 2025 – Merrily (12th) – W. M. Lordan
WATCH: Joan Of Arc winning the 2021 Prix de Diane
Aidan O’Brien Spoke to France Galop
“We’ll probably run two fillies, Diamond Necklace and one of the others. It could be Moments Of Joy, we’re thinking of running.
“With Diamond Necklace, since she won the French Guineas, everything has gone well. I’ve been very happy with her. The plan was always, if everything went well in the Guineas, to come back here. Everything has been very good since her last victory. I think she’s even better on better ground.
“Obviously, she won nicely the last time and it’s her second run of the year. We were delighted. So if she did that again, we’d be over the moon. Everything has gone well and we’ve been very happy with her since. We always thought a mile and a quarter shouldn’t be a problem for her.” Aidan O’Brien told France Galop
Moments Of Joy Provides Ballydoyle Prix de Diane Back Up
Diamond Necklace is not O’Brien’s only possible runner in the race.
As the top Irish handler is also sending Moments Of Joy as a likely Diane contender following her fourth-place finish in the Musidora Stakes at York.
While Diamond Necklace remains Ballydoyle’s main hope on Sunday, Moments Of Joy adds further strength to the team.
However, standing in their way is a strong British challenge led by Lilt and Evolutionist.
Moments Of Joy was last seen finishing fourth behind Legacy Link in the Dante Stakes at York last month. Plus the runner-up in that race Felicitas is also expected to make the trip to Chantilly for British trainer Ed Walker.
William Haggas’s Lilt caught the eye when landing a Listed contest at York on just her second career start, with Tom Marquand expected to take the ride once again.
Evolutionist, meanwhile, arrives after finishing second to O’Brien’s Royal Ascot winner True Love in last month’s 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket (watch below).
Her trainer Karl Burke said.
“I was pretty disillusioned with racing over here [in Britain].
“We thought about putting Spigot Lodge on the market, and we went and viewed property in France. I did the modules at the same time as Francis Graffard and I got to know him a little at that time. But it was not to be and, as it turned out, it was probably the right decision to stay.”
O’Brien has already enjoyed French Classic success this season with Constitution River in the Prix du Jockey Club.
And now Diamond Necklace now gives him the opportunity to add the French fillies’ Classic to an already impressive campaign.
The Irish trainer will be hoping to take this, before turning his attention to the five-day Royal Ascot meeting next week – a fixture Aidan O’Brien has fired in a record 96 winners over the years.
Prix de Diane Runners, Draw, Jockeys and Betting Odds
- Evolutionist, Shane Foley (drawn 5) – 8/1
- Moments Of Joy, Wayne Lordan (8) – 25/1
- Habibi, Cristian Demuro (2) – 66/1
- Evita, Christophe Soumillon (9) – 50/1
- Pink Panthera, Tony Piccone (6) – 33/1
- Esna, James Doyle (11) – 14/1
- Inis Mor, Oisin Murphy (4) – 20/1
- Diamond Necklace, Ryan Moore (3) – 8/11
- Felicitas, Kieran Shoemark (7) – 9/1
- Green Spirit, Maxime Guyon (1) – 14/1
- Lilt, Tom Marquand (10) -11/2
Note: Odds are just a guide and subject to change
