Darjina stamped herself the best female miler in Europe with victory in a highly competetive edition of the Group 1 Prix d’Astarté at Deauville on 29th July. In doing so she followed in the footsteps of stablemate Mandesha, whose Astarté win last year was the first of a Group 1 treble completed by the Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Opera.

Darjina was already a Group 1 winner, having lifted the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in May, and as in that race the daughter of Zamindar showed remarkable courage to repel the attack of the second, in this case Missvinski. In third place was English three-year-old Simply Perfect, who had beaten her elders recently in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. German Guineas winner Mi Emma, who had finished ahead of Darjina in her sole defeat to date, on soft ground at Royal Ascot, was further back in seventh place.

With stable jockey Christophe Soumillon currently serving a ban imposed by France Galop, Darjina was partnered by Thierry Thulliez who praised Darjina’s “great class”.

Darjina will now continue in the same vein as Mandesha, with her autumn target being the Prix de l’Opéra. Before that she is likely to face the opposite sex for the first time in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on 9th September.

Updated on 31/07/2007