Less than a month after making a winning racecourse debut, Sarafina stepped up to Group 1 class to lift the Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on Sunday. After racing in midfield, the daughter of Refuse To Bend quickened nicely at the entrance to the straight and despite encountering traffic problems around 300 metres from home she ran on well to score comfortably. A subsequent stewards enquiry upheld the result.

Sarafina therefore went one better than her half-sister Sanaya (Barathea), runner-up in this contest in 2006 as well as being placed in four further Group events and winning a pair of Listed races. Their dam Sanariya has proved highly successful in producing race fillies as she is also dam of multiple Stakes performer Sanjida (Polish Precedent). Sarafina will now be aimed at the Group 1 Prix de Diane on 13th June.

Earlier in the afternoon, another lightly-raced representative of Alain de Royer Dupré and H.H. the Aga Khan, Shimraan, put up a highly creditable performance to finish a short head second in the Listed Prix de l’Avre. A descendant of Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka, whose family has recently produced Stakes winners such as Shemima and Shemiyla, Shimraan, a son of Rainbow Quest was making just his second start after a successful debut earlier in the month.

On the same Longchamp card, Kasari (Cape Cross) lost his maiden tag in the mile and a half Prix de Solferino. The three-year-old colt is out of a half-sister to Group scorers Kassana and Kassani.

The Aga Khan stable had made a good start to the weekend at Chantilly on Friday, where Ashiyla opened her account in the Prix de la Fosse Aux Biches. This three-year-old is a daughter of Rock of Gibraltar and a half-sister to Ashkalani who has already produced Ashkazar, a Pattern performer on the flat and over jumps.

In Monday’s Gr.2 Prix Corrida the Aga Khan pair of Daryakana and Shemiyla both raced creditably to take third and fourth places respectively. Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana was making her seasonal reappearance and looked ill at ease on her first attempt at a left-handed track. Despite this she finished strongly from behind before being snatched up in the final metres when nearly galloping into the heels of eventual winner Plumania. The daughter of Selkirk was beaten just a short head for second place. Dalakhani’s Prix Allez France winning daughter Shemiyla was obliged to make the running in the 11 furlong contest and finally finished a close fourth.