Five Group 1s among Arc weekend haul! HH Aga Khan enjoyed a spectacular weekend at Longchamp, with no less than seven Group successes over the two-day meeting. Varenar had racing conditions to suit him in Saturday’s feature Total Prix de la Forêt and was able to come from behind to pass the post first in the Gr 1 event. The son of Rock of Gibraltar is beautifully bred as his Mr Prospector dam has already produced Group winners Visindar and Visorama. Progressive stayer Manighar (Linamix) and Daryakana (Selkirk) sealed a treble for the famous green and red silks and trainer Alain de Royer Dupré on the afternoon. The former took the Gr 2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay over 3000 metres and the latter retained her unbeaten tag with victory in the Gr 2 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, in which HH Aga Khan’s Irish-trained Tanoura (Dalakhani)finished third. Both Manighar and Daryakana are set to stay in training next season.

Classic hopes were born for 2010 with the wins of Rosanara (Sinndar) and Siyouni (Pivotal) in France’s premier juvenile tests. Rosanara belied a lack of experience when accelerating away from her rivals in the Gr 1 Total Marcel Boussac and she was following in the footsteps of the champion Zarkava who had also demonstrated her talent in this fillies’ criterium after just one winning outing and an impressive gallop at Chantilly. Rosanara is now to set to continue in the same vein as her illustrious predecessor with the Gr 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches as her first objective for next spring. Siyouni gained a reputation as a sprinter with wins earlier in the season notably in the Listed Prix La Flèche over five furlongs. However he proved his ability over further to take the Gr 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère over seven furlongs and he will be aimed at either the French or English Guineas.

Shalanaya (Lomitas) was a first Gr 1 winner for the Aga Khan colours for trainer Mikel Delzangles when galloping home in front in the Gr 1 Qatar Petroleum Prix de l’Opéra. The three-year-old filly had won a Listed contest at the same track on her previous outing and was ridden patiently by Maxime Guyon before sweeping past the field in the straight. The Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf could now be an option for her.

Finally Irish St Leger hero Alandi (Galileo) provided a dream conclusion to an amazing afternoon for the Aga Khan Studs in the Gr 1 Qatar Prix du Cadran. He stayed on strongly in the final furlong to hold the attack of fast-finishing Kasbah Bliss, with four-time Ascot Gold Cup scorer Yeats in third. Alandi was proving his ability on fast ground and his handler John Oxx indicated that he should become a Cup horse next season.

Updated on 06/10/2009