The Aga Khan's Studs

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...

6th-Navan, €25,000, Mdn, 4-26, 3yo, 10f 20yT, 2:12.85, sf. REYENZI (FR) (c, 3, Saxon Warrior {Jpn}--Reynira {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), an encouraging second on debut over seven furlongs at Naas in September, raced in mid-division early with the pace stronger than in the preceding Group 3. Coming on strong approaching the two-furlong pole, the 6-1 shot soon had control and stayed on powerfully to score by five lengths from Vorfreude (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}). "I thought he might just need a run. He worked very nicely during the...

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...

The Aga Khan's Studs' Tarima (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was a warm order for Leopardstown's opener on Sunday and the half-sister to Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) read the script to open her account. Sent off the 4-7 favourite, the Dermot Weld-trained newcomer delivered a flourish from rear under Chris Hayes to take command inside the final furlong and register a 1 3/4-length success from Noli Timere (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). "Chris hadn't planned to sit quite so far back on her, but she just got turned...

Two-time French Champion stallion Siyouni (Fr) and his studmate Zarak (Fr) will both be offered on Southern Hemisphere time in 2023, The Aga Khan Studs' Georges Rimaud confirmed to the TDN AusNZ on Thursday. Siyouni, who will be available for around 20 Southern Hemisphere covers, will stand for €60,000. He is the sire of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Paddington (GB) and of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Tahiyra (Ire) this season. In Australia, his G1 Northerly S. heroine Amelia's Jewel (Aus) has been representing him with distinction....

Champion Kalanisi (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}--Kalamba {Ire}, by Green Dancer) passed away earlier this week at the Flood family's Boardsmill Stud, the stud announced on Friday. He was 27. Bred by His Highness the Aga Khan's Studs in Ireland and trained by first Luca Cumani and then Sir Michael Stoute, he was crowned the 2000 American Champion Grass Horse after a season which saw him take the G2 Queen Anne S., run second in the G1 Eclipse S. and G1 International S. both to Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat), before returning to...

Aga Khan Studs' sire Zarak (Fr) continued to prove popular at the sales, as Tom Goff's Blandford Bloodstock shelled out 350,000gns on behalf of Chasemore Farm for a 1/50th share (lot 63) in the rising sire star to top the Tattersalls Online January Sale on Thursday. The son of Arc heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) has gone from strength to strength with his progeny in the past few years. Among his many stakes winners are group winners Purplepay (Fr), Sirjan (Ger), Baiykara (Fr), Lavello (Ire), and Lizaid (Ger), while La Parisienne...

Delivered by fate to coincide with the centennial year of The Aga Khan's Studs, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) descended on Sandown on Saturday to mark the occasion by providing his owner-breeder with a landmark first G1 Coral-Eclipse S. success. In the kind of tight finale that could comfortably have been predicted given the highly-competitive nature of this year's renewal, the Prix du Jockey Club hero held a fast-diminishing neck margin over the arguably unlucky Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), with the race's other 3-year-old Native Trail (GB)...