A colt by Churchill out of Vaderana, Vadeni is a grandson of Gr.1 winner Vadawina from the prolific Lagardère ‘V’ family of Vazira, Valyra and Valixir.
Vadeni got off to a good start as a juvenile, making a two-length winning debut in July 2021 at La Teste de Buch, where he first demonstrated his impressive turn of foot. The following month at Deauville, he won his second start just as impressively in the Listed Critérium du Fonds Européen de l'Elevage. On his third and final race of 2021, he ran third behind subsequent Gr.1 winner El Bodegon in the Gr.3 Prix de Condé at Chantilly.
Returning the following year with an encouraging fifth in the Gr.3 Prix de Fontainebleau, Vadeni then confirmed himself a leading Classic contender by winning his trial, the Gr.3 Prix de Guiche, by two-and-a-half lengths. This set the colt up nicely for the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club – a race he not only won but also did so by five lengths, the longest winning margin since the race changed to 2100m. It was a hugely impressively performance, in which Vadeni defeated the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Modern Games and the aforementioned El Bodegon.
It was then on to the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, where Vadeni took on the older horses for the first time. A vintage renewal of the six-runner race featured Dewhurst Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Native Trail, three-time Group 1 winners Mishriff and Lord North, Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Alenquer and recent Prince Of Wales’s Stakes runner-up Bay Bridge. However it was Vadeni who prevailed, becoming the first French-trained winner of the race in 62 years.
After a summer break, Vadeni next appeared in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Without a clear run and on ground not to his favour, Vadeni was tried for stamina but still finished a close third to two other Group 1 winners.
It was on to the the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp the following month, and the very soft ground along with the step up to a mile and a half gave some cause for concern. However, Vadeni proved to be the best of his generation and the best colt in the race, finishing a close second to the five-year-old mare Alpinista, herself a tenth generation descendant of the legendary Mumtaz Mahal.
Georges Rimaud, director of the Aga Khan Studs in France, said of Vadeni: “He put in an incredible performance. Obviously he got the trip! He is a very good horse who was beaten by a very good mare today. He has lost nothing in defeat; he answered all of our questions.”
Princess Zahra Aga Khan added: "With not knowing whether he would get the trip – although with the presence of Monsun and Galileo [in the pedigree] we thought he would – and especially in this going, I'm very proud, and he was accelerating all the way [to the line]."
1st Eclipse Stakes GR I, 2002 meters, Sandown Park, 02 July 2022 1st Prix du Jockey Club GR I, 2100 meters, Chantilly, 05 June 2022
2nd Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe GR I, 2400 meters, Parislongchamp, 02 October 2022
3rd Irish Champion Stakes GR I, 2012 meters, Leopardstown, 10 September 2022 1st Prix de Guiche GR III, 1800 meters, Chantilly, 10 May 2022
At 2 years - 2021
3rd Prix de Condé GR III, 1800 meters, Chantilly, 29 September 2021 1st Critérium du Fonds Européen de l'Elevage LR, 1600 meters, Deauville, 21 August 2021 1st Prix de l'Hippodrome de Compiègne, 1400 meters, La Teste de Buch, 26 July 2021
Racing and Breeding Information supplied by France Galop, the US Jockey Club and Weatherbys Group Limited.
Racing and Breeding Information supplied by France Galop, the US Jockey Club and Weatherbys Group Limited.
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