By Tom Frary
Francis Graffard targeted Thursday's debutantes event at Chantilly with two potentially smart fillies and it was The Aga Khan Studs representative Edaja (Siyouni) who enjoyed the stable bragging rights.
Sent off the 12-5 favourite for the mile contest on Polytrack, the daughter of the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational winner and G2 Prix de Malleret and G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris runner-up Edisa (Kitten's Joy) was restrained early in mid-division by Clement Lecoeuvre.
Reeling in stablemate Morgana Gold (Too Darn Hot) with 50 metres remaining, the homebred asserted to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
“She still has things to learn, she's a bit green but she has the whole year ahead of her,” her rider said. “I think she will mature and that she has a lot of room for improvement.”
The winner is the second foal out of the dam, a daughter of the G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Ebiyza (Rock Of Gibraltar) and a half to Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) who captured the G2 Prix Corrida and G2 Prix de Pomone and was placed in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Hong Kong Vase and Prix Jean Romanet.
Descended from the Irish Oaks heroine Ebadiyla (Sadler's Wells) from the family of the Gold Cup-winning pair Estimate (Monsun) and Enzeli (Kahyasi), she also has a yearling colt by Zarak.
Smart debut at Chantilly! 👀
Edaja could be a filly with a nice future after coming home strongly to score at the first time of asking for @GraffardRacing and @AgaKhanStuds… 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/WDhmoyrZNj
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 12, 2026
4th-Chantilly, €24,700, Debutantes, 2-12, 3yo, f, 8f (AWT), 1:39.40, st.
EDAJA (FR) (f, 3, Siyouni {Fr}–Edisa {SW & MGSP-Fr, SW-US, $691,143}, by Kitten's Joy) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €12,350. O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis Graffard.
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