Francis-Henri Graffard

It is 16 years since The Aga Khan enjoyed the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-G1 Prix de Diane double with Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and there was a genuine sense at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that he has a live prospect for a repeat. While the afternoon's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}--Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) can not yet be placed in the same bracket as that former luminary, the manner of her re-entry suggests that she is going to be one of the season's leading lights...

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) finished 3-4-of-a-length behind Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Francois Mathet last month and exacted revenge on that rival in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The Aga Khan's homebred gelding was out twice as a 2-year-old, following up an Aug. 12 debut third at Deauville with a facile 10-length tally at Chantilly in October. Calandagan tucked in at the tail of the field after breaking from the outside stall and was urged closer once into...

The 2021 Australasian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) has passed away due to foaling complications, announced Chris Waller via X on Sunday evening. The 11-time Group 1 winner tallied the 2021 G1 Melbourne Cup to a venerable career and had been sent to France to race for conditioner Francis-Henri Graffard. After four winless outings in the Northern Hemisphere in 2022, including appearances in the G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet, G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, and her final jump in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies &...

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Darkaniya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}--Daryakana {Fr}, by Selkirk), who ran fifth in last month's G1 Prix Jean-Romanet, added to a first black-type win in July's Listed Prix de la Pepiniere and doubled a her stakes tally with victory in Saturday's G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden. The 9-5 favourite lobbed along in seventh passing the judge first time and bounded forward to stalk the leaders in fourth along the backstraight. Inching into second rounding the home turn, she was shaken to to seize control appoaching the final...

Francis Graffard trainee Melo Melo (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}--You Look So Good {GB}, by Excellent Art {GB}) had raced exclusively in stakes company in each of her six latest starts, bagging a career best in ParisLongchamp's Listed Prix Gold River in May when last seen, and continued on a rapid upward trajectory with a game success in Saturday's G2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville. The 47-10 chance employed patient tactics and tracked the leaders in a midfield sixth through halfway in this staging post for the G1 Prix de Royallieu on...

'TDN Rising Star' Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) encountered G1 Prix Morny contender Ramatuelle (Justify) when hitting the board in June's G3 Prix du Bois at Chantilly and backed up a win in last month's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles at Vichy with an impressive performance and a career high in Saturday's G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville. The 22-5 chance was steadied to race at the tail of the field and found a comfortable rhythm tracking all seven rivals through the early fractions. Making smooth headway...

Adding more gravitas, if any were needed, to her compatriot Ramatuelle (Justify) who had handed her a comprehensive beating in the G3 Prix du Bois, Haras d'Etreham and Craig Bernick's TDN Rising Star Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) found her level on Wednesday evening when winning Vichy's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles. Beaten 6 3/4 lengths by that hugely-talented Christopher Head trainee in the six-furlong test at Chantilly last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained half-sister to the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire)...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's insights features the unveiling of Hantano (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), son of MG1SW Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). 13.35 Chantilly, Debutantes, €50,000, 2yo, c/g, 5 1/2fT HANTANO (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a fascinating runner in this intriguing and valuable juvenile opener to the Prix du Jockey Club fixture,...

Craig Bernick and Haras d'Etreham's hitherto untested 2-year-old filly Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never--Sparrow {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) was hammered down to 5-2 favouritism at the tills for Thursday's €30,000 Prix des Closeaux at Chantilly and returned home with a 'TDN Rising Star' badge after making all for an impressive success in the straight six-furlong newcomers' test. Breaking smartly to seize an immediate lead, she was in command throughout and kept on powerfully under pressure inside the final quarter-mile to easily outclass Freville (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}) by 3...

Al Asayl France's homebred 2020 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hazel Lavery {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}), returning off an Oct. 15 seventh when making his fourth start in the Ascot benchmark last time, registered a hat-trick in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Altipan with a comfortable win in Thursday's latest edition of the one-mile test. It was the 8-year-old gelding's sixth success in eight outings over the track's course and distance. Settling into a smooth rhythm racing at the tail of the eight-runner field into the...

A pair of three-year-old colts bred and raced by His Highness the Aga Khan are off to Australia after accounting for two of the three top prices during Monday's horses-in-training section of the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville. Catalogued as lot 344, the gelding Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was the owner of current stakes form, having recently finished runner-up in the Listed Prix Vulcain (2500m) at Deauville for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. A three-time winner from his six lifetime starts overall, including conditions events over 10 furlongs at ParisLongchamp in June...

Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a latest runner-up in the Oct. 19 Listed Prix Vulcain for the Aga Khan and Francis-Henri Graffard, was knocked down to Nicolas Lefevre's Equos Racing on the phone with Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer for €600,000 during Monday's horses-in-training session of the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville. The 3-year-old gelding is a winner of three of his six lifetime appearances. "I bought it with my former boss, Louis Le Metayer, for one of his Australian clients," commented Lefevre. "It's been four years since we bought together,...