Wednesday 25 July 2012
The Aga Khan Studs have enjoyed a most productive weekend with a total of three Group victories in Ireland and France. Promising juvenile HARASIYA set the ball rolling on Thursday with success in a Leopardstown Gr 3 and this was followed up by wins from three-year-old colts TAKAR (Gr 3 Minstrel Stakes) and BAYRIR who lifted the Gr 2 Prix Eugène Adam at Maisons-Laffitte.
Now unbeaten in two outings, both over seven furlong and by a margin of two and a half lengths, HARASIYA is a filly with great potential. Following her smooth success in the Gr 3 Silver Flash Stakes, the protégée of John Oxx could now be aimed at the Gr 2 Debutante Stakes, with her main objective being the Gr 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. The daughter of Pivotal is the third black-type produce out of Group and Listed winner Hazariya (Xaar), whose two previous offspring are Hazarafa (Daylami), winner of a Curragh Listed contest and the Group and Listed placed Haziyna (Halling).
Also trained by John Oxx, TAKAR is proving to be a very useful colt who took in a third Stakes win when lifting the Gr 3 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday. The son of Oratorio acts well on heavy ground as he had already been successful in the Listed Glencairn Stakes on a similar surface and in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes on soft ground earlier this year. A half-brother to four Stakes performers including Group 2 scorer Takali (Kris), TAKAR will have the opportunity of collecting more black-type in the Gr 3 Desmond Stakes on 16th August.
In France, BAYRIR took the honours in one of the features of the Maisons-Laffitte calendar, the Gr 2 Prix Eugène Adam. Trainer Alain de Royer Dupré has been patient with this colt who did not make his racecourse debut until May of this year, when he won his maiden in good style. After a fourth place in the Listed Prix Matchem, BAYRIR took the Listed Prix Ridgway over eleven furlongs at Saint-Cloud and followed up with his latest Group 2 success over a mile and a quarter. The son of Medicean and a three-quarter sister to Group 3 victrix Baliyana (Dalakhani) and half-sister to Royal Ascot Gr 2 winner Balakheri, BAYRIR will now be prepared for the Gr 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville.
In addition to this trio of Group victories, the Aga Khan Studs were also successful on the Irish Oaks card at the Curragh thanks to promising juvenile maiden winner Dibayani (Shamardal) from the family of Darshaan and handicap scorer Zariyna (Marju) who is from the same line as Zarkava.
Updated on 24/07/2012.
