His Highness 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....

Undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) foaled a Siyouni (Fr) colt at Sheshoon Stud in Ireland on Apr. 16, The Aga Khan Studs announced on Wednesday. The bay is the 12th progeny of the remarkable mare and a full-brother to listed winner Zaykava (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). According to Pat Downes, who manages The Aga Khan Studs in Ireland, the colt is "an attractive, correct colt with plenty of quality. He has a lot of presence." A winner of two French filly Classics and another two...

Godolphin has been named the leading owner in France for 2020 by France Galop. Their 77-strong French string, trained primarily by Andrew Fabre and Alex Pantall ran 281 times with 60 wins. They earned $2,235,078, just $1,707 more than White Birch Farm at €2,233,371. Godolphin's British string's French successes of over €600,000 are not included in these totals. Peter Brant's White Birch Farm celebrated a win in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) last season. Third on the list is His Highness The...

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...

The winning Ebendi (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), offered through the first ever timed Goffs online platform, brought €165,000 from trainer Joseph O'Brien on Tuesday. A 3-year-old gelding out of Ebalista (Ire) (Selkirk), Ebendi is out of a winning daughter of G1 Irish Oaks heroine Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Ebiyza (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), among others. Originally catalogued for the Goffs Autumn Horses in Training Sale, the Dermot Weld trainee was withdrawn after being cast in his box. "Following the success of...

The G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the long-term goal for His Highness The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal). The GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine was undefeated in four starts as a 4-year-old, and, in a rare move, will remain in training at five. She opened her season with a win in the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork in August, before taking the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille in September and the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc Day last month. She made a stunning late run to...

Trainer Dermot Weld, widely regarded as the pioneer of traveling horses, has accomplished most everything there is to accomplish in this business, winning the 1990 GI Belmont S. with Go and Go (Ire) (Be My Guest) and the G1 Melbourne Cup twice with Vintage Crop (Ire) (Rousillon, 1993) and Media Puzzle in 2002, to name just a few of his considerable achievements. The latter was a son of Theatrical (Ire), trained by Weld for Bert and Diana Firestone to a runner-up effort in the 1985 G1 Irish Derby before finishing...

MG1SW Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) is in good form heading toward a start in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland on Nov. 7. The 4-year-old filly who races in the colours of His Highness The Aga Khan is cross entered in both the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf and the GI Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf. Christophe Soumillon has the ride. The chestnut has won all three starts this year beginning in the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork on Aug. 8. She later added the Sept. 13 G1 Qatar Prix...

Having won the G1 Prix Vermeille on a quick surface over ParisLongchamp's 12 furlongs last time Sept. 13, The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) had to deal with the other extreme and a drop back to 10 furlongs on Sunday but proved up to the task in the G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines. Held up towards the rear early by a confident Christophe Soumillon, the 3-1 shot was brought with her customary withering run down the outer to deny Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) in the final strides...

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...

Fresh from victory in last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage going one mile at Deauville, His Highness The Aga Khan's Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) was in no mood to relinquish his perfect record and dominated all seven rivals in Monday lunchtime's G3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly. He had debuted with a June 12 seven-furlong tally at Toulouse and doubled up over the same trip in a July 15 conditions heat at Mont-de-Marsan in his penultimate start. Breaking well to lead after the initial strides of...

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. Tuesday's Insights features a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of a MG1SW. 2.25 Deauville, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT His Highness The Aga Khan's ERDANA (FR) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is the first foal produced by Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a former Jean-Claude Rouget incumbent whose...