A new star emerged for HH AK’s stable at Longchamp on Sunday. Zarkava stepped up in class to land the Gr 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, effortlessly leaving a talented field trailing in her wake. Zarkava repaid the confidence of her connections who had supplemented the once-raced maiden winner into France’s top juvenile fillies’ event following an impressive gallop earlier in the week. She looks likely to progress into a Classic contender for 2008, with trainer Alain de Royer Dupré targeting the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for his protégé whose racing style and pedigree suggest she will have no trouble staying further.

Zarkava is a direct descendant of Prince Aly Khan’s pride and joy, 1959 1000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Petite Etoile. This exceptional race mare, who completed a Coronation Stakes double in 1960 and 1961, and is still the highest-rated female ever according to Timeform (134), is Zarkava’s fifth dam. Zarkava’s win provides yet another success at the highest level for broodmare sire Kahyasi.

Kahyasi narrowly missed out on siring a Gr 1 winner on the same card, with his daughter Varévées failing by only a short head to score in the Prix du Cadran. Varévées did finish three lengths ahead of Europe’s highest-rated stayer Yeats. The four-year-old filly, who had won the Gr 3 Prix Gladiateur three weeks earlier, has proved to be a revelation since tackling longer distances this season and will remain in training next year.

Youmzain ran yet another superb race in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and flew home to come painfully close to emulating his sire Sinndar. Youmzain took second place in Europe’s greatest race, only a head behind winner Dylan Thomas who he had already followed home in the King George in July. Mick Channon’s four-year-old has participated in seven top-level contests since last September, winning one and taking two seconds, two thirds and a fourth place. The colt is a model of consistency and thoroughly deserves to take more honours in 2008.

Mandesha, whose three Gr 1 wins came over a mile, mile and a quarter and mile and a half, has been retired to stud after finishing seventh in the Arc.

Updated on 12/10/2007