Monday 14 August 2017
The Aga Khan Studs enjoyed a busy weekend with successes for stallions and representatives in France and Britain. SEA OF GRACE, from the first crop of Gilltown Stud sire Born To Sea, registered her second Stakes victory when winning the Listed Dick Hern Stakes, while at Deauville, Darjina’s three-quarter brother DARBUZAN recorded an easy first Stakes victory.
SEA OF GRACE has proved to be an excellent ambassador for her young sire, as the filly became the first Stakes winner for Born To Sea last year as a juvenile with success in the Gr. 3 Flame of Tara Stakes. She has confirmed her potential this season, as runner-up in the Gr. 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and fourth in the Falmouth Stakes. The filly, who is out of winning Vettori mare Lady Dettoria, represents the Sunderland Holdings colours of her sire and his three-quarter brother Sea The Stars. She ran out the easy four and a half lengths winner of the Listed contest at Haydock, and she is now likely to step back up to Group 1 company.
The Aga Khan Studs dominated the finish of the Listed Prix Michel Houyvet, with the progressive DARBUZAN justifying hot favouritism to score by three lengths from the consistent filly CANNDERA in the 3000 metre event. A representative of Princess Zahra Aga Khan, the beautifully-bred DARBUZAN (Zamindar) is out of a half-sister to top-class miler Darjina, from the same maternal line as 2016 European champion three-year-old Almanzor. The Mikel Delzangles-trained colt now counts three wins and a second place in four outings and looks to be a high class stayer in the making. A winner over a mile and a half, CANNDERA showed plenty of stamina over this longer distance. By Dalakhani, Alain de Royer Dupré’s charge is a full sister to three-time Group victrix Candarliya and a half-sister to Listed winner Canessar.
On the same Deauville card, CALAYANA put up an excellent performance, belying her inexperience to finish second in the Gr. 3 Prix Minerve on only her third public appearance. By Sinndar and from the family of Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Clodovil, CALAYANA made a winning debut in May and has finished runner-up in her most recent two races.
Updated on 14 August 2017.
