Mickael Barzalona

The Aga Khan Studs operation had not celebrated success in Saint-Cloud's G2 Prix Eugene Adam since Dariyan (Shamardal) saluted in 2015, but rectified matters after the hithero unbeaten Daryz (Sea The Stars) defeated five rivals in Sunday's renewal of the 10-furlong contest. "We have high expectations of him and we are very pleased with the result of the race," said trainer Francis Graffard. "We really like him, today was an interesting test and he performed again. There was very little pace in the race and it became very tactical, so...

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....

Bringing yet more success to the Francis-Henri Graffard stable in 2025, White Birch Farm's Gezora emulated the 2006 Prix Saint-Alary success of her dam Germance at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Sent off at 6-1 for the former Group 1 contest, now a level below carrying the sponsors' "Auguste Rodin Coolmore" title, last year's G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner was anchored behind the leading pair early by Mickael Barzalona. Showing the sharpest acceleration of the quartet in the straight, the daughter of Almanzor who had been third behind Mandanaba and Flaming Stone...

Francis Graffard's stable continues its plunder of French stakes contests and the hitherto unbeaten Midak (Footstepsinthesand) made his mark for the yard with a pillar-to-post victory in Friday's G3 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud. The 13-5 second choice, successful in staying contests at Lyon La Soie and Chantilly, asserted for early control after a level break in this black-type debut and held sway throughout. Shaken up when threatened with 500 metres remaining, he was ridden clear approaching the final furlong and kept on relentlessly in the closing stages to easily account...

Plans are taking shape for a new global jockeys' league, which would see 12 world-renowned riders compete against each other multiple times a year, across prestigious racecourses located in each of the major racing jurisdictions. It is hoped that the project will get off the ground in 2026, provided commercial partners to help fund the competition can be found in the interim. Co-founded by former Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson and Lachlan Fitt, who served as chief financial officer of Entain Australia from 2018 until earlier this year, the idea...

Francis Graffard trainee Vadinska (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) delivered an impressive debut performance in Thursday's Prix Fourire at Saint-Cloud and earned a TDN Rising Star badge after registering a 10-length success in the one-mile debutantes' heat. The January-foaled bay, who lined up as the 4-5 favourite here, broke from the outside stall and tracked the leading duo from a position three lengths off the tempo through the initial fractions. Inching closer rounding the home turn, she cruised to the front on the bridle in early straight and lengthened clear in style...

Rounding off a spectacular black-type four-timer on ParisLongchamp's Sunday card including all the group-race Classic trials, Mickael Barzalona steered the Wertheimers' Uther (GB) (Camelot {GB}) to a straightforward success in the G3 Prix Noailles. Settled with one behind early, the 5-1 shot who was runner-up in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Francois Mathet last month powered to the front 300 metres from the finish en route to a 1 3/4-length success from the operation's other runner and 19-10 favourite Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}). "He was fit, but will progress from here as he's...

Entering Sunday's G3 Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp with her reputation still sky-high, The Aga Khan's Studs' Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) duly emerged with it intact ahead of what could be a big Classic campaign. Remaining calm as she was re-shod before the start, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained grandaughter of Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) travelled strongly but sensibly on the wing off the moderate pace. Taken into contention with a 10.57 penultimate split, Mickael Barzalona was able to pull the trigger with her momentum at its greatest approaching the furlong pole...

It was tight between the unexposed pair Ridari (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) and Sahlan (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at the end of Sunday's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at ParisLongchamp, but where it counted the photo showed the former on top to kick off a notable double for The Aga Khan's Studs. Last seen breaking his maiden over this mile trip on Chantilly's Polytrack in November, the Mikel Delzangles-trained 7-1 shot was squeezed exiting the stalls in this trial for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and ended up in last with...

Keeping it simple on the 6-5 favourite Mandanaba (Fr) (Ghaiyyath (Ire), Mickael Barzalona allowed the exciting Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred to roll from the front and capture Sunday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp. Sufficiently impressive on her debut at Chantilly in November to earn TDN Rising Star status, Princess Zahra Aga Khan's daughter of her triple Group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}) was in dominant mood throughout. Despite the game effort of Juddmonte's Listed Prix la Camargo winner Flaming Stone (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the first stakes...

Francis-Henri Graffard can do no wrong at present and his irresistible run continued into the early Classic trials as Tajlina (GB) (Kingman {GB}) struck in Saturday's G3 Prix Penelope. A seven-length winner at Chantilly in mid-October before flopping in the Listed Prix Isonomy later that month, the Al Asayl homebred was slowly away for Mickael Barzalona after rearing in the stalls ahead of the 10 1/2-furlong Saint-Cloud prep. Staying on strongly in the style of her high-class dam Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the 9-5 favourite asserted inside the final furlong...

Sporting the Aga Khan silks so synonymous with the French Classics, the G1 Prix de Diane entry Cankoura (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}--Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) came home alone on her 3-year-old bow at Chantilly on Monday to offer an early shot across the bows ahead of the 2025 renewal of that 10 1/2-furlong feature. Kept to the Polytrack surface and 9 1/2-furlong trip over which she had opened her account here in December, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained grey sauntered around the bends of the track which will host the Classic...