Armure and Shemima take 1 – 2 in Prix de Pomone and yearlings sell well at Deauville. Gilltown sire Dalakhani has enjoyed a successful weekend on the Normandy coast, with his daughters Armure and Shemima battling out the finish of Saturday’s feature Prix de Pomone. The tough and progressive Armure came out best by three quarters of a length to win her third consecutive race. The Alain de Royer-Dupré-trained filly recently took her first Pattern success in the Listed Prix du Carrousel over two miles at Maisons-Laffitte, and she showed plenty of speed to take this one mile five furlong contest. The Haras de Saint-Pair-owned four-year-old will now be directed towards the Gr 1 Prix Vermeille. Also trained by Alain de Royer Dupré, Shemima has already carried HH Aga Khan’s silks to victory in two Group 3 events and she is likely to continue in Group 2 company for her next outing.

Earlier in the week, another four-year-old daughter of Arc winner Dalakhani, Chinese White, took her second Listed victory when lifting the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hurry Harriet Stakes at Gowran Park. This lightly-raced filly could now head for Gr 1 glory in the Prix de l’Opéra at Longchamp.

Ten Dalakhani youngsters were presented at ARQANA’s premier yearling sale at Deauville and seven of these changed hands in the ring for an average of 174,286 Euros, with another subsequently sold privately for 150,000 Euros. The highest price of 390,000 Euros was reached by Lot 33, a grandson of American Gr 1 winner Bequest, presented by Grove Stud. The bay colt will join his sire’s former handler Alain de Royer Dupré after being bought by Olivia Sauque on behalf of an owners’ syndicate. Shadwell’s Angus Gold acquired four yearlings by the dual Classic sire and he commented, “Dalakhani was one of the great horses of recent years and is now one of the promising young sires in Europe. His yearlings were nice types, right up there with the best horses in the sale. You know what you will get with his progeny, they won’t be sprinters but they will be potential top-class middle distance performers.”

Updated on 18/08/2009