By Tom Frary
After making sure that Ballydoyle's 1-2 favourite Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) delivered in Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly, Ryan Moore become the first jockey in history to win every English, Irish and French Classic.
This was far from straightforward, with the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine pushed all the way to the line by the 35-1 outsider Pink Panthera (Chachnak), who nearly stole it for France under Tony Piccone, but Moore was in his usual unflinching mood to hold on by a short neck. Inis Mor (Galiway) was two lengths away in third.
For all that this represented a highly significant landmark for the jockey supreme, he was typically humble and quick to deflect while giving an insight into the mentality that made all this possible. “I'm very lucky that I ride for Aidan and Coolmore and they produce these horses and buy these horses,” he said. “I'm delighted to win this and that she won, now I just need to go out and do it again next week.”
Emulating the achievement of her sire in completing a French Classic double, Diamond Necklace also joins Allez France, Zarkava, Divine Proportions and Blue Rose Cen in winning the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d'Essai and this. Helped by the demanding pace set by stablemate Moments Of Joy (Justify), she was asked to stretch approaching two out and looked unhappy on the prevailing fast ground for a brief period as the early trailer Pink Panthera swooped on her outer.
The shock runner-up's surge from rear meant that she finished fastest over the last three furlongs, but Diamond Necklace with her extra big-race experience was able to dig in and take control inside the final 100 metres and earn this the hard way. The winning time of 2:03.778 just missed the 2:03.77 race record of Treve in 2013, when Diamond Necklace's half-sister Chicquita was second.
Aidan O'Brien, who was collecting a seventh Classic in 2026, was overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath. “I'm lost for words! She's an incredible filly, very natural, very nimble and quick and gets the mile and a quarter,” he said. “She's just very easy and very natural.”
“Ryan gave her an unbelievable ride–she's never run on ground that quick, but he said it was no problem,” the Ballydoyle handler added. “It was an evenly-run race and she does quicken very well, but when she gets there she doesn't do much. We know that she handles soft ground, she's a great traveller and all class, so the sky's the limit.”
There is always talk of the Arc after a French middle-distance Classic and O'Brien was not ruling it out. “It's possible she could return for an Arc trial before,” he said. “No matter what distance she works over at home, she comes there easily and then waits. We feel there is a good chance she'll stay 2,400 metres, but you'll have to be patient with her. She's always been so similar to St Mark's Basilica, even from the first day and he didn't want further than ten furlongs so maybe she'll be the same. We won't rush her anyway–everything is coming naturally to her at the moment and we're in no hurry.”
Ryan Moore added, “She has an exceptional mind and I always felt she was going to win. I'm still getting to know her–this was only the second time I have ridden her, but she is such a straightforward filly that I feel she only ever does what is necessary. She oozes class throughout a race in everything she does. She is a top-class filly who travels strongly, quickens easily, understands what is asked of her and responds immediately.”
Like the Prix du Jockey Club hero Constitution River bred in France, Diamond Necklace was watched by Ecurie des Monceaux's Henri Bozo who said, “It is a particularly emotional moment, with this first victory in the Prix de Diane as breeders. We had secured several placings over the years, but had never won it so this success holds a very special meaning for us and is the result of many years of hard work.”
“This victory is the culmination of many years dedicated to this maternal family, which we developed alongside Lady O'Reilly who was deeply attached to this bloodline,” he added. “Today, our thoughts are especially with her, as well as with Patricia Boutin, who is following us from the United States. Beyond the sporting achievement, this success is a reward for the commitment, passion and perseverance of our entire breeding team.”
For Pink Panthera's trainer Patrice Cottier, the result was a major boost. “It's incredible what she achieved today,” he said. “She has improved with every race and this kind of ground is exactly what she wants. If the ground is much softer, she's really not comfortable. She was beaten by a filly with much more experience, so it's a wonderful performance.”
Nicolas De Watrigant, representing the runner-up's co-owner Alain Jathiere, added, “I think we all believed in her. She has been managed exceptionally well by her team–we avoided tough battles in the trials and instead ran her against the colts in the Derby du Midi and she put up a remarkable display in Bordeaux. She covered the final 100 metres there in 10.47 seconds, reaching a top speed of 71 km/h so we felt that if she recovered well the Diane would be a realistic target.”
“Her main weakness is that she lacks early speed and that's what cost her the race,” he added. “She has a huge heart. I could definitely see her over 2,400 metres in the Prix Vermeille, why not? We'll discuss it further with Mr Jathiere, Mr Dubois and Patrice Cottier, but she is a fast-ground filly so Arc conditions would probably not suit her. We also have her sister at stud for Mr Jathiere–it's a tremendous family–the family of Peintre Celebre and I'm so pleased for Mr Jathiere. He invests enormously in the sport and deserves success.”
David Menuisier said of Inis Mor, who was closest to the fast early pace, “She enjoyed a perfect trip, but Oisin [Murphy] feels that with a little rain she might have gone even closer. Everything went her way. We were worried about the pace, but she really showed how good she is and we are very proud of her.”
“We now need to decide whether she remains around 2,000 metres or steps up to 2,400 metres,” he added. “She will stay at Group 1 level. We've always believed she was capable of competing at the highest level and she confirmed that today. Obviously she won't run in all of them, but options include the Nassau Stakes, the Prix Jean Romanet, the Yorkshire Oaks or the Prix Vermeille.”
DIAMOND NECKLACE SHINES BRIGHTEST IN THE PRIX DE DIANE LONGINES! 💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/zWvBKLdzld
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 14, 2026
Pedigree Notes
Diamond Necklace's dam Prudenzia (Dansili) has a total of six Stakes performers under her auspices at present, with Galileo's globe-trotting MacKinnon Stakes heroine Magic Wand and Montjeu's aforementioned Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita joined by Philomene (Dubawi) who like Chicquita was also runner-up in this Classic. Chicquita is in turn responsible for three Stakes performers including Dubawi's Curragh Cup winner Emily Dickinson and American Pharoah's American Oaks runner-up and Irish Oaks third Nicest.
The Listed-winning Prudenzia is a daughter of Fittocks Stud's Platonic (Zafonic) and therefore a half to the Group 3-winning Pacifique (Montjeu), who is the second dam of Night Of Thunder's dual Group-placed three-year-old filly Skydance and Dubawi's Prix Niel third Parachutiste. This illustrious dynasty includes the Debutante Stakes winner and Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Vespertilio, also by Night Of Thunder, and this stable's Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Alexandrova (Sadler's Wells).
Prudenzia's record at the Arqana Sales is outstanding, with Chicquita selling for €600,000 as a yearling, her Galileo progeny Gulliver's Travels, Sinnamary, Truth and Magic Wand as well as Philomene and Invincible Spirit's Craven's Legend all selling for six-figure sums. Another Galileo, Je Ne Regretterien, was a €950,000 purchase at the August Sale and Muhaarar's smart stayer Enemy was €420,000.
After Diamond Necklace had sold for €1.7million at the prestigious Normandy auction in 2024, Prudenzia's filly Marylebone by Vespertilio and Skydance's sire Night Of Thunder sold to Amo Racing last August for a sale-topping €3million.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE DIANE LONGINES-G1, €1,000,000, Chantilly, 6-14, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:03.78, gd.
1–DIAMOND NECKLACE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by St Mark's Basilica (Fr)
1st Dam: Prudenzia (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Platonic (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Puce (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
TDN Rising Star. (€1,700,000 Ylg '24 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Westerberg; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Skymarc Farm Inc; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €571,400. Lifetime Record: SW-Ire, 5-5-0-0, €1,192,430. *1/2 to Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1SW-Aus, GSW & MG1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, MG1SP-Fr, MGISP-US, G1SP-HK; Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng & Fr; Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Fr; Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), MGSP-KSA & GSP-Eng; and Je Ne Regretterien (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), GSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pink Panthera (Fr), 126, f, 3, Chachnak (Fr)–Peinture Rose, by Storm Cat. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Alain Jathiere & Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois; B-Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois; T-Patrice Cottier. €228,600.
3–Inis Mor (Fr), 126, f, 3, Galiway (GB)–Mellow (Fr), by Deep Impact (Jpn). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€72,000 Ylg '24 ARQDOY). O-Quantum Leap Racing XI; B-Al Shaqab Racing; T-David Menuisier. €114,300.
Margins: SNK, 2, 1. Odds: 0.50, 34.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Habibi (Fr), Evita (Fr), Lilt (GB), Felicitas (GB), Evolutionist (Ire), Green Spirit, Moments Of Joy, Esna (Ire).
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