Alain de Royer-Dupre

Champion And Breeders' Cup Winner Daylami Euthanised At 29

Champion Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}--Daltawa {Ire}, by Miswaki), a winner of seven Group 1 races worldwide, has been euthanised due to the infirmities of old age, the Aga Khan Studs announced on Wednesday. He was two weeks shy of his official 29th birthday on Apr. 20. Racing for first his breeder, His Highness The Aga Khan, and later on in the blue silks of Godolphin, the 1994 foal was second in the 1996 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud at two and grabbed a Classic laurel in the G1 Poule d'Essai des...

[ Read More ]
Alain De Royer-Dupre Awarded French Legion Of Honour

Retired French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has been elevated to the rank of Knight in the French Legion of Honour. The award is the highest distinction for French citizens, and is comprised of the following ranks in order of increasing distinction: knight, officer, commander, grand officer, and grand cross. Royer-Dupre, who retired from training at the end of 2021, will be presented with the award in a subsequent ceremony. De Royer-Dupre told Jour de Galop, "It's good that the racing world is recognised. Certainly, as far as I am concerned,...

[ Read More ]
A Century of Excellence, Part III

Our concluding part of the series reflecting on one hundred years of the Aga Khan Studs begins in the 1980s with the rise of the legendary Shergar and incorporates some of the most celebrated horses of the modern era, as well as a special anniversary for HH the Aga Khan IV. The text is reproduced by kind permission from the Aga Khan Studs' centenary brochure, written by Emma Berry and John Berry.   Shergar's birth came in the year that HH the Aga Khan IV decided to renew his family...

[ Read More ]
A Man Of His Time

When the gates open for the G1 Hong Kong Vase on Sunday, Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) will be bidding to round off her trainer Alain de Royer Dupré's 49-year career with a 94th Group 1 win. Now pause. And read that sentence again.  Forty-nine years. Ninety-three Group 1 victories. Almost two per season. And a mind-boggling total of 320 wins at group level.  Royer Dupré's retirement from the training ranks brings the curtain down on a whole chapter of French and international racing history. It is quite fitting that his final...

[ Read More ]
A Perfect Swan Song

   Europe's penultimate group 1 prize takes place on Sunday and the 2021 running of ParisLongchamp's Prix Royal-Oak carries extra significance as the last of its kind to include the name Alain de Royer-Dupre. Soon set for an honourable retirement from the field he has mastered for so long, the doyen of Aiglemont has one more shot at the big time with last year's runner-up Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Seemingly prepped perfectly for her return tilt, The Aga Khan homebred has no Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) to deal...

[ Read More ]
Graffard to Take Over Aiglemont For HH The Aga Khan

Following the retirement of Alain de Royer-Dupre at the end of 2021, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard will take over the training of the horses based at His Highness The Aga Khan's private training centre at Aiglemont. Situated in Gouvieux, Aiglemont is currently home to 80-90 Aga Khan-bred horses. Past champions bearing the green with red epaulettes trained at Aiglemont include Zarkava (Ire), Dalakhani (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr). Graffard, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start, spent four years at the Darley Racing Office before becoming an assistant to Alain de Royer-Dupre....

[ Read More ]
Distorted Humor's Ebaiyra On Top at Saint-Cloud

His Highness The Aga Khan's 4-year-old filly Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) made light of a seven-month absence to collar Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by a neck in the May 2 G3 Prix Allez France Longines at ParisLongchamp on seasonal return and doubled up on that rival in Wednesday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Her sophomore campaign highlight reel also includes victories in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix de Royaumont, as well as a sixth-place effort in last year's G1 Prix de Diane, and she claimed a fourth...

[ Read More ]
Invincible Spirit Filly A New Rising Star

Parislongchamp's Prix de la Michodiere for unraced fillies was the last race on the card on Thursday and it could be that the mile contest staged in gloom unearthed a future luminary as The Aga Khan's Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status. Awkwardly away from the stalls, the second foal out of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) was keen early tracking the tepid tempo set by the Niarchos Family's La Fiamma (War Front). Green throughout, the imposing bay was able to...

[ Read More ]
Dalakhani Dies At 21

The Aga Khan's Dalakhani (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), the Champion Three-Year-Old and Horse of the Year in 2003, died on Friday in retirement at Haras d'Ouilly at the age of 21.  Expertly trained by Alain de Royer Dupre, the half-brother to Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {GB}) sailed through his three starts at two, breaking his maiden at Deauville in August before graduating swiftly to group company and wins in the G3 Prix des Chenes and G1 Criterium International. But it was his 3-year-old season which would set him apart, and in nine...

[ Read More ]
Valia Dominates Opening Contest Of Arc Weekend

Never a factor when eighth in last month's G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp, His Highness The Aga Khan's Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) returned to the Bois de Boulogne track for Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay and disposed of five rivals with ease to kick off a bumper weekend of stakes festivities. The homebred bay, who debuted with a 12-furlong success at Clairefontaine in June, bagged the July 23 Listed Prix de Thiberville before losing her perfect record when second in Deauville's Aug. 16 G3 Prix Minerve in her...

[ Read More ]
Daughter of Zarkava Prevails in Compiegne Debut

His Highness The Aga Khan's hitherto unraced Zaykava (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a daughter of unbeaten MG1SW European Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), was the main focus of attention for Wednesday's Prix du Cochet, a 10-furlong heat for newcomers, on a low-key card at Compiegne and duly obliged as the well-backed 7-5 favourite. 5th-Compiegne, €20,000, Mdn, 7-1, unraced 3yo, 10fT, 2:11.10, sf. ZAYKAVA (FR) (f, 3, Siyouni {Fr}--Zarkava {Ire} {Horse of the Year-Eur, Ch. 3yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Fr & MG1SW-Fr, $4,793,989}, by Zamindar) was the main focus of attention for this low-key...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.