Monday 9 May 2016
The Aga Khan Studs were active on all fronts over the weekend, with Stakes successes for homebred SAYANA, as well as CLOTH OF STARS (SEA THE STARS) and Imposing Lass (MAKFI) who impressed in Classic trials.
On Friday at Chantilly, the beautifully-bred SAYANA opened her Stakes account with an easy victory in the Listed Prix Maurice Zilber. The lightly-raced four-year-old was winning her third race in four outings and looks to possess the class to make her presence felt in Group company. By Galileo and out of Sichilla (Danehill), SAYANA is a half-sister to Classic sire SIYOUNI. Her Listed winning dam has also produced dual Gr. 1 scorer Siyouma, sold by the Aga Khan Studs at Arqana’s December Sale in 2011, and the Listed victrix and Group-placed Siyenica.
Sichilla has a juvenile colt by SEA THE STARS, named Sikandari, and has been covered once again by SIYOUNI’s sire Pivotal in 2016.
SEA THE STARS’ son CLOTH OF STARS was a very impressive winner of the Gr. 2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on Sunday and the Godolphin-owned colt is now a leading Classic contender. Unbeaten this season, CLOTH OF STARS had earlier won the Gr. 3 Prix la Force, in addition to his success in the Gr. 3 Prix des Chênes and runner-up spot in the Gr. 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud at two years old. Following this latest demonstration, CLOTH OF STARS is under serious consideration for supplementation into the Epsom Derby, won by his sire in 2009.
SIYOUNI was back in the spotlight on Monday at Chantilly, as his daughter VOLTA ran out the easy winner of the Listed Prix Volterra over a mile.
Now successful in both starts this term, the three-year-old filly trained by Francis Graffard looks more than capable of stepping up again in class.
Haras de BONNEVAL sire SIYOUNI will be represented by 12 juveniles at this weekend's Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in Deauville.
Across the globe, MAKFI looks to have another Classic filly in the form of Imposing Lass who lifted the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet Stakes and is now aiming towards the Gr. 1 Queensland Oaks on 4th June. Based at Westbury Stud when shuttling to the Southern Hemisphere, MAKFI is already sire of Australian Oaks heroine Sofia Rosa and Marky Mark, a Group 1 winner at two and crowned Champion Two-Year-Old in New Zealand last year.
Updated on 09/05/2016.
