The Aga Khan’s filly sailed to an effortless win in Sunday’s Prix de la Grotte. Zarkava was judged leading European juvenile filly in 2007 thanks to a spectacular victory in the Gr 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. On her eagerly-awaited reappearance, the daughter of Zamindar showed that she is better than ever as a three-year-old.

Zarkava left an indelible impression upon racegoers at Longchamp on Sunday. Christophe Soumillon had to do little more than release a couple of inches of rein in the false straight for his partner to accelerate irresistibly into the lead in the mile Prix de la Grotte. Zarkava was in a different class from her six adversaries and was not extended to win by two and a half lengths, a margin which could easily have been multiplied.

After the Group 3 contest, her jockey did not hesitate to compare the filly to the best, “I’ve had two champions in my career, Dalakhani and now Zarkava!”. Trainer Alain de Royer Dupre was also delighted, “She is a jewel of the kind a trainer rarely comes across in a career.”

The performance left connections dreaming of Classic glory for the descendent of Petite Etoile, who will now be aimed at the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches on 11th May. Zarkava looks certain to stay further than a mile and is likely to be prepared for a second French Classic in the 2100m Prix de Diane at Chantilly on 8th June. “She reminds me of Divine Proportions.” This second comparison from Christophe Soumillon brings back memories of the Niarchos Family’s champion filly, the last to complete the Poule d’Essai – Prix de Diane double.

After Daltaya in 2006 and Darjina in 2007, the Aga Khan was winning his third successive Prix de la Grotte.

Updated on 15/04/2008