Azamour, Dalakhani and Sinndar all collect black-type. Azamour’s talented son Native Khan headlined an excellent weekend for Aga Khan Stud sires which also produced Listed victories for Dalakhani and Sinndar. Already a dual Group winner, the handsome grey Native Khan ran on strongly to take third place in the Gr 1 2000 Guineas behind the phenomenal Frankel. The Haras de la Reboursière et de Montaigu-bred colt now looks a leading candidate for Derby glory and his trainer Ed Dunlop must choose between the Epsom Derby on 4th June or the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club a day later at Chantilly.

On the same Newmarket card, Godolphin’s Ocean War also displayed Derby potential when picking up the Listed Newmarket Stakes. The son of Dalakhani hit the front a furlong from home in the ten furlong contest and still looked a little green on this third racecourse appearance so there should be more to come in the future. The grey had impressed earlier in the month when opening his account in a maiden at the same track and he holds entries in both the Epsom Derby and Gr 2 King Edward VII Stakes. Bred by Newsells Park Stud, the colt cost 320,000 Guineas as a Tattersalls yearling.

In Ireland, Barring Decree, also by Dalakhani, added more black type to her page with a third place in the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes at Gowran Park on Sunday. The six-year-old mare has already proven herself at this level with one second and two third places in Listed contests last season.

The Haras de Bonneval’s Sinndar also enjoyed his share of Stakes action thanks to four-year-old daughter Gertrude Bell who put up a very pleasing performance to take the Listed EBF Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday. John Gosden’s homebred filly battled on bravely to score by a head from second-placed Polly’s Mark and she should improve from this outing as she was returning to the racecourse after an absence of over ten months. Fourth in last year’s Epsom Oaks, Gertrude Bell was winning her second Listed event as she took the Cheshire Oaks a year ago.

Updated on 02/05/2011.