Friday 10 May 2002
Now unbeaten in three outings, Khalkevi will head for the Group I Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on June 2nd.
Settled in the rear of the field during this truly run race, the son of Kahyasi showed a blistering turn of foot when mowing down a quality field to lead close home and win by a comfortable ¾ length from Louveteau (later demoted to 5th) and Black Sam Bellamy.
His Highness the Aga Khan commented after the race:
“We have always rated this colt quite highly. He ran very well on his seasonal debut, and his performance today confirms his great potential. Khalkevi is barely higher than his sire Kahyasi, and just like him, he loves this type of (firm) ground, and also has a very good turn of foot. I think he will probably now go for the Prix du Jockey-Club.”
Khalkevi’s sire Kahyasi is a proven sire of Classic and Group I winners, headed by consecutive Prix de Diane winners Zainta and Vereva. Khalkevi is out of the Persian Bold mare Khalisa, from one of the Aga Khan’s oldest and most successful families, tracing back to the exceptional foundation mare Mumtaz Mahal. She herself was a dual Group III winner, taking the Prix Cleopatre and the Prix Chloe.
Interestingly, the Prix Hocquart was used, as a prep race for two previous Aga Khan owned Prix du Jockey Club winners, namely Darshaan in 1984 and Mouktar in 1985.
