Four impressive victories by French trained fillies continued the highly promising start to the 2002 season for the Aga Khan Studs. First up was ASHARNA, a beautifully bred daughter of Darshaan out of Dalsaan mare Ashtarka, making her a half sister to Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner and sire Ashkalani. She showed a blistering turn of foot on her racecourse debut to come from last to first over a mile, against experienced and highly rated fillies at Longchamp on 4th April.

Next to win was BEHREYMA a daughter of Persian Bold out of Sadler’s Wells mare, Behariya. She totally outclassed her rivals first time out over ten furlongs taking up the running turning for home, before extending her lead throughout the straight to win by four lengths. Her grand-dam is Behera, who won the Group I Prix Saint-Alary before finishing runner-up to Carroll House in the 1989 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

While at Saint-Cloud on 10th April, DARINSKA became Princess Zahra Aga Khan’s first home bred winner when taking the Prix Flossie. A daughter of Zilzal, out of Doyoun mare Daralbayda, she lengthened clear of her rivals to win first time out. Coincidentally Daralbayda won the same event in 1996 before placing in the Group 3 Prix Minerve.

DARINSKA’s win initiated a double later completed by the lightly raced four year old filly SHAMDARA. She made light work of her rivals in a 2100m conditions race, accelerating well between horses to win cosily. SHAMDARA is a daughter of Dr Devious and the Kahyasi mare Shamadara, who won the Group 2 Prix de Malleret before finishing a short-head runner up to Dance Design in the 1996 Irish Oaks.