- Unbeaten Diamond Necklace to take on ten in Prix de Diane
- O’Brien looking for second Prix de Diane success
- Moments Of Joy expected to join Diamond Necklace
Diamond Necklace is set to face ten rivals in Sunday’s Prix de Diane at Chantilly as Aidan O’Brien chases a French Classic double.
Diamond Necklace heads Prix de Diane field as O’Brien eyes rare French Classic double
The 3yold Diamond Necklace will carry Aidan O’Brien’s latest French Classic push into Sunday’s Prix de Diane at Chantilly, with the unbeaten filly now at the centre of an 11-runner field.
The unbeaten O’Brien filly is among the 11 declared runners for the Chantilly Classic as the Ballydoyle handler plans to return to France with the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) winner (watch below).
Sunday’s Group One Prix de Diane is run over 1m 2 1/2f and set to be run at 3:05pm local time.
O’Brien keeps faith in Diamond Necklace
The Prix de Diane is run over 2,100 metres (1m 2 1/2f) and is restricted to three-year-old fillies – with the Group One carrying EUR1 million in prize money.
O’Brien told France Galop that Diamond Necklace had pleased him since winning the French Guineas and that the Diane had always been the plan if everything went well at Longchamp.
He also said the extra distance should not be a problem – stepping up from 1m and this will be the furthest the daughter of St Mark’s Basilica has gone in her career.
To date, Aidan O’Brien’s only win in the Prix de Diane came in 2021 with Joan Of Arc – with last year’s prize won by the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Gezora.
Aidan O’Brien’s Runners in the Prix de Diane
- 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
O’Brien told 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 went 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, obviously, we’d be over the moon. But everything has went well and we’ve been very happy with her since. And we always thought a mile and a quarter shouldn’t be a problem to her.
Moments Of Joy gives Ballydoyle support
Diamond Necklace is not O’Brien’s only runner in the race.
As France Galop also highlighted Moments Of Joy as a possible Diane runner after her fourth in the Musidora Stakes at York.
Diamond Necklace is the Ballydoyle Sunday focal point, but Moments Of Joy adds depth, and the opposition to Diamond Necklace includes a serious British challenge headed by Lilt and Evolutionist.
Moments Of Joy was last seen running 4th in the Dante Stakes to Legacy Link last month.
The William Haggas-trained Lilt impressed many when winning a Listed race at York last time on only her second career run. Tom Marquand is expected to head over for the ride.
While Evolutionist was last seen running second to O’Brien’s Royal Ascot winner True Love at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas last month (watch below).
O’Brien has already won the Prix du Jockey Club with Constitution River this season, and Diamond Necklace now gives him a chance to add the French fillies’ Classic.
