By Sean Cronin
In-form conditioner Francis Graffard continued on a winning roll at Saint-Cloud Tuesday afternoon and saddled Aga Khan Studs homebred Narissa (Siyouni) to become her sire's 15th TDN Rising Star after she delivered a stunning performance in the seven-furlong Prix Allee d'Amour. Siyouni, himself a Rising Star, boasts a roll of honour which also includes last month's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zarigana.
The 3-5 favourite, askew from the gates and careering left at the break, tracked the leaders in fourth before surging forward into a handy third approaching halfway. Looming large hard on the bridle in early straight, she eased ahead passing the quarter-mile marker and quickened clear in highly encouraging fashion inside the final furlong to easily outclass Vanina Runway (Zelzal) by an impressive eight-length margin.
“This filly has quality, she had been working well in the mornings and I was expecting something nice on this debut,” admitted Graffard. “So, to sum it up, it is not a surprise and I think she has some future.”
Another nice type for the @AgaKhanStuds! 👀
Narissa makes the perfect start to her racing career at Saint-Cloud, streaking clear to win impressively! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/4U809p9RXG
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 3, 2025
Narissa is the lone reported foal thrown by a winning daughter of dual Group 3-winning G1 Nassau Stakes second and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Narniyn (Dubawi). Narniyn, in turn, is a half-sister to the dam of the dual Group 3-winning G1 St Leger and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud runner-up Arrest (Frankel), Group 3-winning G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup placegetter Dinozzo (Lilbourne Lad), Sunday's G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Detain (Wootton Bassett) and the stakes-placed Spring Loaded (Zebedee).
2nd-Saint-Cloud, €30,000, Mdn, 6-3, unraced 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:29.54, gd.
NARISSA (IRE), f, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Narmeen (Fr), by Le Havre (Ire)
2nd Dam: Narniyn (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Narmina (Ire), by Alhaarth (Ire)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €15,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Mickael Barzalona.
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