By Tom Frary
Sporting the Aga Khan silks so synonymous with the French Classics, the G1 Prix de Diane entry Cankoura (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}–Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) came home alone on her 3-year-old bow at Chantilly on Monday to offer an early shot across the bows ahead of the 2025 renewal of that 10 1/2-furlong feature.
Kept to the Polytrack surface and 9 1/2-furlong trip over which she had opened her account here in December, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained grey sauntered around the bends of the track which will host the Classic in June with Mickael Barzalona happy to wait to act in the four-runner Prix de la Pistole conditions event.
Arriving at the fore approaching the two-furlong pole, the 2-5 favourite surged clear for an emphatic nine-length success in a time considerably faster than the opening handicap on the card. The modest maiden Big Surprise (Fr) (Chachnak {Fr}) followed her home, with the race's blue-blooded big-stable representatives Vegetale (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Yoga Master (GB) (Persian King {Ire}) perhaps running below expectations.
Her win initiated a treble for The Aga Khan homebreds and Graffard on the card, with the filly and colt Kerkila (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Zalari (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) taking the divisions of the 6 1/2-furlong maiden, the latter by six lengths.
The winner is a half-sister to last year's G3 Prix de la Grotte scorer Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), who ultimately failed to build on that deeply promising success and was eighth in the 2024 Diane. Her strong-staying dam Candarliya captured the G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil, the Prix de Royallieu when it was formerly a group 2, and the G3 Prix Minerve and was runner-up to Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the 2015 G1 Prix Vermeille. Also responsible for the dual stakes-placed Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), her yearling is a full-brother to that runner.
Smart performance at Chantilly!
Cankoura is out of a dual Group Two winner and doubles her tally with an easy success for @GraffardRacing and Mickael Barzalona!🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/EcpqJLUnSd
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 24, 2025
2nd-Chantilly, €35,000, Cond, 3-24, 3yo, f, 9 1/2f (AWT), 1:55.84, st.
CANKOURA (FR) (f, 3, Persian King {Ire}-Candarliya {Fr} {MGSW & G1SP-Fr, $534,189}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €34,000. O-Suc H H Aga Khan; B-Haras de S.A. Aga Khan SCEA (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard.
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