Won by some of the top middle-distance horses in Europe, the Group 1 Prix Ganay (2100m) is often seen as the 'season opener' in France.

It signals the true start of the Group One flat season and is often a good early pointer to races like the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The likes of Waldgiest and Sottsass have done the Ganay/Arc double in recent years and this year will see the reigning Arc winner Daryz resume for his four-year-old season, no doubt with hopes to win the Arc for the second time later this year.

In the famous colours of the Aga Khan, Daryz had been the victim of some slowly run races, hinting that he was a lot better than a fairly basic Group 2 winner on paper might read, and that proved true in the Arc de Triomphe.

The pace was strong and fast there and Daryz went to a new level, beating three-year-old filly Minnie Hauk for Aidan O'Brien with that pair gapping the rest, which included last year's Prix Ganay winner Sosie, a Hong Kong Vase winner in Giavalatto, and Japanese Derby champion Croix Du Nord.

Anything like that sort of form will just turn up and win the Prix Ganay on Sunday but racing isn't that simple, and we've only really seen one big performance from Daryz, who was vulnerable in the slowly run Arc lead up races.

There are a few horses likely to come here with a run under the belt. Last year's winner Sosie won't run, opting to head to Hong Kong for a crack at Romantic Warrior, but Andre Fabre's stablemate Bright Picture likely will.

He's had two runs already this year, winning the Prix Exbury at Saint Cloud first up on very heavy ground, proving that was no fluke on firmer going to win the Prix D'Harcourt over 2000m at Longchamp over Leffard and Cualficar.

Leffard is already a Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris (2400m) winner, who had battled on for eighth in the Arc de Triomphe last year.

Cualficar, another Fabre trained horse, struggled in the Arc but had beaten Leffard prior in the Prix Neil, run on Sunday.

The French markets have hinted that Cualficar is the better of those and he does have a bit more early speed than shown first up in the Prix D'Harcourt – if they want to use that speed to try and turn this into a dash home, he might be the biggest danger to Daryz.

Photo: Focus on Racing