Aidan O'Brien
Aidan O'Brien had already trained winners of this race: St Mark's Basilica (2020) and City Of Troy (2023). With this win, the stable moved to 21 Group 1 wins this season, one win behind leader Chris Waller in the 2026 trainers' table.
Aidan O'Brien had already trained winners of this race: St Mark's Basilica (2020) and City Of Troy (2023). With this win, the stable moved to 21 Group 1 wins this season, one win behind leader Chris Waller in the 2026 trainers' table.
With this win, Ryan Moore closed to within two wins of leader James McDonald in the 2026 jockeys' table. The jockey had come close here before: Wembley was second in 2020 and Expanded was second in 2024.
Darkness Falls is the second winner out of You'resobeautiful (No Nay Never), who won in Ireland and was third in the Listed Polonia Stakes. He is a half-brother to the winner The Flying Seagull (Kodiac). You'resobeautiful is a half-sister to The Fist Of God (Sadler's Wells), Listed-placed on the Flat and a Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed over hurdles, and to Tigris River (Montjeu), a winner over hurdles who was also placed at Group 3 level.
Second dam Hula Angel (Woodman) won the Gr.1 Irish 1,000 Guineas and has seven winners, led by The Fist Of God and Tigris River. Her daughter Promise Me (Montjeu) is the dam of the stayer Coltrane (Mastercraftsman), winner of the Gr.2 Lonsdale Cup, the Gr.2 Doncaster Cup and twice the Gr.3 Sagaro Stakes, and placed in the Gr.1 Gold Cup, the Gr.1 Goodwood Cup and twice in the Gr.1 Prix du Cadran.
Third dam Jode (Danzig) won in Britain and in the US and produced eight winners, among them Schedule (Brian's Time), a stakes winner in the US and dam of Elusive Temper, a dual winner in the US and Listed-placed. Her other produce includes the Listed-placed Seeking An Angel (Seeking The Gold) and the dam of All That Jazz (Tanino Gimlet), a dual Group 3 winner in Japan.
This is the family of Spend A Buck (Buckaroo), Horse of the Year in the US, a champion, winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, a multiple Grade 1 winner and a sire, and of the sire Ice Box (Pulpit), winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby and second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
You'resobeautiful has a yearling colt and a colt foal, both by Camelot and so full brothers to Darkness Falls.
| Year | Winner | Trainer / Jockey | Owner / Breeder | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | GewanNight Of Thunder × Grey Mystere | Andrew BaldingJames Doyle | Zhang YueshengOverbury Stallions Ltd & Dukes Stud | ||
| 2024 | Shadow Of LightLope De Vega × Winters Moon | Charlie ApplebyWilliam Buick | GodolphinGodolphin | ||
| 2023 | City Of TroyJustify × Together Forever | Aidan O'BrienRyan Moore | Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick SmithOrpendale/Chelston/Wynatt | ||
| 2022 | ChaldeanFrankel × Suelita | Andrew BaldingFrankie Dettori | JuddmonteWhitsbury Manor Stud | ||
| 2021 | Native TrailOasis Dream × Needleleaf | Charlie ApplebyWilliam Buick | GodolphinLe Haras D'Haspel | ||
| 2020 | St Mark's BasilicaSiyouni × Cabaret | Aidan O'BrienFrankie Dettori | Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael TaborRobert Scarborough |