---
title: "Constitution River lands French Derby as O’Brien fills first three at Chantilly"
canonical: "https://readhorseracing.com/2026/05/31/constitution-river-french-derby-prix-du-jockey-club/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Andy Newton"
section: "News"
published: "2026-05-31T18:33:12Z"
modified: "2026-05-31T18:33:12Z"
---

# Constitution River lands French Derby as O’Brien fills first three at Chantilly

- Constitution River lands French Derby despite nightmare wide draw
- Aiden O’Brien trained 1-2-3 in 2026 French Derby
- Constitution River wins the French Derby in 2m 3.52s

**The Aidan O’Brien-trained Constitution River won the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, leading home stablemates Hawk Mountain and Montreal in a Ballydoyle sweep of the first three places.**

Plus overcame a nightmare wide draw in gate 15 to make the win even more remarkable.

## **Constitution River lands French Derby as O’Brien fills first three at Chantilly**

Constitution River justified Aidan O’Brien’s decision to send him to France by winning the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, where Ballydoyle supplied the first three home in the French Derby.

Ryan Moore rode Constitution River, who broke from stall 15, in the 16-runner Classic for three-year-olds.

The colt moved into contention in the straight and kept on through the final stages to beat stablemate Hawk Mountain by three-quarters of a length.

With another O’Brien runner, Montreal, a head away in third.

Sporting Life recorded the race as a 1m2f96y Group 1 on turf, with all 16 runners completing and a winning time of 2m 3.52s.

Constitution River raced wide early before joining the main group, making headway more than two furlongs out and leading narrowly over a furlong from home.

With the first three pulling 1 3/4 lengths clear of the 4th A Boy Named Susie.

### **WATCH: Constitution River and Ryan Moore winning the French Derby at Chantilly**

[CONSTITUTION RIVER WINS THE QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB! 🏆🇫🇷 (embedded)](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/CeyJm7dV_PE?feature=oembed)

### **A Ballydoyle Classic sweep**

The French Derby result gives O’Brien a major Classic success one week before the Derby at Epsom, and it came through the exact team that had shaped much of the pre-race discussion.

Constitution River had been routed to Chantilly rather than Epsom. With Hawk Mountain and Montreal also representing Ballydoyle in the French Classic.

Hawk Mountain, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, raced prominently and challenged over a furlong out before keeping on for second.

Montreal, ridden by Wayne Lordan, led and increased the tempo before rallying after being headed, holding third by a head from A Boy Named Susie.

That made the race not only a win for Constitution River, but a broad statement from O’Brien’s three-year-old middle-distance team.

The first three were all trained at Ballydoyle, with the home challenge headed by Daryzan finishing seventh after making late ground from the rear.

> *“He’s a big horse so I’d say we’ll probably take our time with him,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “I think he won’t be rushed in the middle of the summer, I wouldn’t be surprised if we give him a bit of time before his next run.*
>
> *“It was a tough race today and I’d say it was an evenly run race today and those horses battled up the straight and so I’d say they had tough races. We’ll discuss it but I imagine the Lads will take their time with him and he could come back in the autumn.”*

#### **French Derby Result 2026**

**🥇Constitution River 12/5 fav**\
**🥈Hawk Mountain 66/10**\
**🥉Montreal 36/1**

### **Wide draw overcome**

Constitution River’s draw had been one of the central practical questions before the race.

Starting from stall 15 in a 16-runner field, he could have been forced into a difficult early position, but Moore was able to bring him into the main pack and build into the race.

The [Racing Post’s in-running French Derby](https://www.racingpost.com/results/204/chantilly/2026-05-31/921867) notes described the winner as racing wide early, then switching right and joining the main group after two furlongs.

From there, he was close enough to respond when the race developed and strong enough to maintain his advantage in the final 110 yards.

For a colt whose route to Chantilly was chosen instead of the longer Epsom test.

With the performance confirmed his effectiveness around the French Derby trip and added a top-level European Classic to his record.

Constitution River become the first horse since New Bay (2015). Who won from gate 13, to win the French Derby from such a wide starting berth.

### **Ryan Moore Praises Constitution River’s French Derby Win**

> *“He’s done something which you don’t normally do, and that’s cover ground,” said Ryan Moore. “Usually on the round track here the fence is always an advantage. He had obstacles to overcome and you wouldn’t ideally do what I did.*
>
> *“It was the best card to play today and it’s only a horse with that talent that could overcome that.”*
>
> *Moore added: “Today was probably the first time in his whole life he came off the bridle. We went a good gallop and I think every horse had his chance. We were the first three but the fourth and fifth came from near-on last so it felt a well-run race where everything had its opportunity, and the best three horses came clear.*
>
> *“He’s the sort of horse who could do whatever you ask him to do. He could drop back to a mile and I think he’d get a mile and a half if you needed him to. He could do it but he has plenty of speed. You have to have speed to put yourself in that sort of position from that gate. He just does everything right, he’s an uncomplicated horse.”*

### **Aidan O’Brien Eying More Derby Success at Epsom**

O’Brien will be looking for more Derby success at Epsom on Saturday as his Benvenuto Cellini and Pierre Bonnard head the [Derby betting odds](https://readhorseracing.com/2026/05/31/epsom-derby-betting-odds/) market.

As the Ballydoyle handler looks for an incredible twelfth success in the English Classic

### **French Derby – The key facts**

- Race: Qatar Prix du Jockey Club
- Grade: Group 1
- Course: Chantilly, France
- Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026
- Distance: about 1m2f
- Winner: Constitution River
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Second: Hawk Mountain
- Third: Montreal
- Field size: 16 runners
- Winning margin: three-quarters of a length
- Winning time: 2m 3.52s