Tuesday 7 June 2016
SEA THE STARS’ son HARZAND dominated the headlines on Saturday with his Epsom Derby victory, but he was far from being the only Aga Khan Studs success over the weekend.
In France, the result of the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club demonstrated the quality of Aga Khan Studs breeding. This French Derby saw ZARAK finish a fast-closing second to ALMANZOR, who is out of Aga Khan Studs broodmare Darkova. The regally bred ZARAK, a son of Dubawi and the champion Zarkava, had a wide outside draw to contend with in the ten and a half furlong event and he made an eye-catching effort in the straight to take second place and lead his trainer Alain de Royer Dupré to comment, « ZARAK has proved today that he is capable of winning a Group 1 race. »
The winner of the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club, ALMANZOR represents an Aga Khan Studs maternal line as his dam Darkova (Maria’s Mon) is from the close family of top-class miler Darjina. The unraced Darkova, out of Listed victrix Darkara (Halling), was purchased by the Haras d’Etreham for 16,000 Euros at Arqana’s Breeding Stock Sale in December 2011. Her first foal, ALMANZOR was bought by trainer Jean-Claude Rouget for 100,000 Euros at Deauville in August 2014, and the son of Wootton Bassett now successfully carries the colours of Antonio Caro and Gérard Augustin-Normand.
Still at Chantilly, Haras de Bonneval sire Siyouni looks to have another exceptional representative in Volta, who ran out the impressive four-length winner of the Gr. 2 Prix de Sandringham on Sunday. The Francis Graffard-trained filly is now unbeaten in three outings over a mile in 2016 and should now step up to Group 1 company.
At Epsom, before the exploits of H.H. Aga Khan’s HARZAND in the Derby, SAYANA put up a brave performance to finish second in the Gr. 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on a track which did not suit her. This half-sister to Siyouni and Siyouma, by Galileo, is the winner of three races, including the Listed Prix Maurice Zilber.
To round off an excellent weekend, young Gilltown Stud stallion BORN TO SEA opened his account as a sire as his son Seatown won at Klampenborg in Denmark. A three-quarter brother to SEA THE STARS, BORN TO SEA filled the runner-up spot in the 2012 Irish Derby.
Updated on 07/06/2016.
