Wednesday 20 August 2014
The Aga Khan Studs sires enjoyed a productive weekend in Britain and France with a hat-trick of Pattern victories for Gilltown and Bonneval-based stallions. .
The highlight of the trio was the blue-blooded Zarshana’s triumph in the Gr.3 Prix Minerve at Deauville for the colours of H.H. the Aga Khan. The progressive filly is none other than a SEA THE STARS half-sister to unbeaten Arc heroine Zarkava. Alain de Royer Dupré’s charge was recording her second consecutive Stakes victory after taking the Listed Prix de Thiberville in July. The trainer commented, “She showed today that she acts on any ground. She is still progressing and could even improve further. ” He added that the Gr.1 Prix Vermeille could be an option for Zarshana, depending upon the targets of the stable’s other fillies. This is already the 14th Stakes win, of which four at the highest level, as a sire for champion racehorse SEA THE STARS. .
DALAKHANI’s son Seismos advertised his credentials for the Melbourne Cup with a battling win in a high-class renewal of the Gr.3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury. The six-year-old, already a Group 1 winner over a mile and a half last season, is entered in the Gr.1 Irish St Leger, which he could take in before travelling to Australia. .
SIYOUNI has created quite a stir this season with his first crop of juveniles and produced a third Stakes winner, Souvenir Delondres, who lifted the Listed Prix de la Vallée d’Auge at Deauville. Jockey Christophe Lemaire was delighted with the performance of this filly, whose sire he partnered during his three-year-old season, “She’s a real racehorse. SIYOUNI is producing a lot of speed and horses which adapt to soft ground. ”.
Updated on 20/08/2014.
