Zarigana

High-class filly Zarigana, who was awarded this year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards' room after suffering interference from the first past the post, Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation), has been retired from racing. Speaking from Hong Kong, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard told Sky Sports Racing, "She [Zarigana] is retired now. She has been a complicated filly and she has been very frustrating this season. I think she was so talented, but difficult and tricky. She could have won four Group 1s and only managed to win one in the stewards'...

With France's Royal Ascot week having failed to lift off so far, all eyes will be on their darling Zarigana (Siyouni) to provide the rescue in Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes. As a granddaughter of Zarkava with a Classic under her belt, there should be very little for her to prove but the Aga Khan Studs representative has been edged out of both her big tests in photo finishes. Awarded a G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches that she may or may not have won had she not suffered interference, she could...

Sprinkled among the 42 entries for the Aug. 17 G1 Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois are a trio from Japan for the first time. Sunday's G1 Yasuda Kinen hero Jantar Mantar (Palace Malice) anchors that trio, with fellow Group 1 winner Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) signed on, as well as longshot Go To First (Rulership). Hailing from the stable of the sponsor is G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zarigana (Siyouni), Zabiari (Wootton Bassett), and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains fifth Ridari (Churchill). The late Aga Khan IV...

Charlie Fellowes confirmed to The Sun on Monday that connections of Shes Perfect, first past the post in yesterday's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, plan to appeal her subsequent demotion by the stewards. The daughter of Sioux Nation sparked jubilant scenes at ParisLongchamp when holding off Zarigana by a nose in Sunday's Classic, but that elation soon turned to despair for Fellowes and the almost 60 syndicate owners in attendance when the outcome of the stewards' enquiry was announced. Speaking to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast on Monday, before later confirming his...

PARIS, France -- "Where's Charlie?" The reaction of Francis Graffard, looking for Charlie Fellowes to commiserate before celebrating his own good fortune in being awarded the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, spoke volumes. Not only for the decency of the winning trainer but for the extreme awkwardness surrounding the prolonged stewards' enquiry and ultimate outcome. One man's gain, another's pain. In the case of the demoted Shes Perfect it was not, however, just one man's pain. Almost 60 syndicate owners had joined manager Basher Watts on the pilgrimage to Longchamp in...

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 16:25, EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €650,000, 3yo, c, 8fT Field: Ridari (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), Sahlan (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Selenien (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Misunderstood (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Dos Mukasan (Fr) (Golden Horde {Ire}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Reach The Sky (Fr) (Calyx {GB}), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Heybetli (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), Zarraf (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Luther (GB) (Frankel {GB}), TIpinso (Fr) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Houquetot (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Hotazhell...

Connections of the runners in Sunday's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches will be able to breathe a sigh of relief when they look around the ParisLongchamp paddock and discover that the Godolphin blue is nowhere to be seen. Their domination of the early-season Classics, on both sides of the Atlantic, had to end somewhere, though it may not be in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains which precedes the fillies' equivalent. The red-hot combination that is Charlie Appleby and William Buick will be represented there by last year's G2 Vintage Stakes winner...

Saturday, Lingfield, post time: 15:35, WILLIAM HILL CHARTWELL FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £90,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT Field: Great Generation (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Fair Angellica (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Spiritual (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Cathedral (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). TDN Verdict: Cathedral takes on her elders, getting a significant weight-for-age advantage which could give her the edge despite her inexperience. Second in the G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket in October, she had two of this season's...

It is nearly 20 years since Speciosa (Ire) became the first Classic winner to emanate from the breeze-up sales. The man who sold her, Willie Browne, had been plying his trade in that sector since 1978, and, as the breeze-ups close in on their 50th anniversary, it is good to see that the Mocklershill maestro is still very much at the top of his game.  In fact, last week's Craven Sale at Tattersalls was a good one for the founding fathers of the breeze-up game. There was Browne turning €70,000...

It's going to get a little confusing this year with all these painters coming to the fore. Even more confusingly, Henri Matisse (Ire) and Camille Pissarro (Ire) are both by Wootton Bassett (GB) out of mares by Pivotal (GB), and, unsuprisingly, they are no ordinary mares.  Immortal Verse (Ire), the dual Group 1 winner bought for 4.7 million gns as a five-year-old, had already produced the Group 1 and Group 2 winners Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and Statuette (Justify) before Henri Matisse came along and, from a hard-working and high-scoring juvenile campaign...

Rising Stars accounted for a tally of 20 European Group 1 heats during the course of 2024, with City Of Troy (Justify), Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) all notching multiple victories at the highest level. Godolphin's Endless Victory (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) set the ball rolling at Wolverhampton in February and TDN's signature tag was attained by 57 individuals in Europe last term, up six on 2023's total of 51. Dubawi (Ire) is the numerically dominant sire...

Mickael Barzalona has been appointed first jockey for the French-trained horses of the Aga Khan Studs from January 2025. A Classic-winning jockey in France and Britain, Barzalona shot to wider prominence for his flamboyant celebrations when winning the 2011 Derby for Andre Fabre and Coolmore aboard Pour Moi (Ire) at the age of just 19. A former retained jockey for Godolphin, he won France's Cravache d'Or (jockeys' championship) in 2021 and is currently in second place in the table for this season behind Maxime Guyon.  During 2024, Barzalona's significant victories...