Baliyana takes the Gr 3 1,000 Guineas Trial and Duncan wins an Ascot Listed contest. Dual Classic-winning sire Dalakhani has been quick to build on his excellent results of 2008 and his progeny were back in the winners enclosure after Pattern races last weekend.

The double was headed by HH Aga Khan’s three-year-old filly Baliyana who was a smooth winner of the Gr 3 Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown. This was the second win for this filly who was returning to the track after an absence of over seven months. Baliyana was taken out of the 1000 Guineas last autumn but John Oxx did say after the race that he may consider supplementing the filly back into the Curragh Classic if the ground is quick. Baliyana is a daughter of Listed winner and Prix de Diane fourth Balanka, whose offspring also include Gr 2 scorer Balakheri.

Progressive four-year-old Duncan earned some deserved black-type on Saturday at Ascot when taking the Listed John Doyle Buckhound Stakes by 3 ¾ lengths. The colt did not make his racing debut until last July and has now won three of his seven races and taken two second places. He is unbeaten in two outings this season since joining John Gosden and looked to appreciate the step up to a mile and a half at Ascot. He could now be aimed at the Gr 2 Hardwicke Stakes over the same course at Royal Ascot.

Dalakhani’s form continued into the week as his daughter Chinese White finished third in the Gr 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas. This four-year-old filly is already a Stakes winner as she lifted the Listed EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes last May before finishing fourth in the Irish Oaks.

Updated on 15/05/2009