[2] Darlan's dam Darbela had some success as a racehorse, winning four races and finishing second at Grade II level over hurdles.
[9] According to Greg Wood, writing in The Guardian, the winning margin was "no measure of Darlan's superiority... as Geraghty was motionless on the winner as Ruby Walsh rode furiously on Jump City without making any impression".
[10] In February, Darlan was matched against more experienced rivals in the Betfair Hurdle, a handicap race in which he carried a weight of 150 pounds and started at odds of 12/1 in a field of twenty runners.
He was ridden by McCoy and was made the 7/1 second favourite in the nineteen runner field, behind the Dermot Weld-trained Galileo's Choice, a Group race winner on the flat.
He took second place from Trifolium in the final strides, but was unable to catch the Donald McCain-trained Cinders and Ashes, who won by one and a quarter lengths.
[14] After a break of more than eight months, Darlan returned in the Grade I Christmas Hurdle in the Boxing Day meeting at Kempton Park.
Darlan took the lead from Punjabi approaching the second last hurdle and accelerated clear of the field to win by four and a half lengths from Raya Star.
"[16] Bookmakers responded by making Darlan the 4/1 favourite for the Champion Hurdle, ahead of Hurricane Fly and Rock On Ruby.
[17] On 4 February 2013, a date which Marcus Armytage writing in The Daily Telegraph was to describe as "a black day for racing",[18] Darlan faced the 2012 Champion Hurdler Rock On Ruby, as well as Countrywide Flame, in the 32Red Hurdle at Doncaster Racecourse.
He fell heavily at the obstacle, sending McCoy bouncing over the turf "like a rag doll":[19] Darlan had sustained a broken neck and died on the spot.