Monday 5 October 2015
Arc weekend was a successful one for both the Aga Khan Studs colours and stallions. VAZIRABAD and CANDARLIYA carried the famous green and red colours to victory on Saturday at Longchamp, while Bonneval sire Makfi celebrated another Group 1 win thanks to MAKE BELIEVE.
Progressive stayer VAZIRABAD set the ball rolling for the Aga Khan Studs when running out the easy winner of the Gr. 2 Prix Chaudenay, the opening race of Arc weekend. The son of Manduro and Group 3 victrix Visorama (Linamix) has now won his last four races, including two Group contests. Alain de Royer Dupré’s charge could now step up again in grade to tackle the Gr. 1 Prix Royal-Oak and he is set to remain in training next season as a four-year-old when he could begin his campaign with a tilt at the Gr. 2 Dubai Gold Cup.
Dalakhani’s daughter CANDARLIYA is another improving three-year-old. Runner up to Trêve on her previous outing in the Gr. 1 Prix Vermeille, the filly was back in the winners’ enclosure on Saturday with a dominant performance in the Gr. 2 Prix de Royallieu and defeated the track and race record. Also trained by Alain de Royer Dupré, CANDARLIYA could now head for Ascot and the Gr. 1 British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes. Like VAZIRABAD, she will continue her career in 2016.
On the weekend which twelve years ago saw Dalakhani crown his racing career with victory in the Arc de Triomphe, the Aga Khan Studs sire Dalakhani saw another daughter, dual Group 1 scorer Integral, fill the runner-up spot in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.
Haras de Bonneval based stallion Makfi was in the limelight at Longchamp on Sunday as his son, Classic winner MAKE BELIEVE, lifted the Gr. 1 Prix de la Forêt in impressive style and he, too, and defeated the track and race record. From the first crop of his sire, MAKE BELIEVE is a possible runner in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland later in the month.
Not to be forgotten, the 2009 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Sea The Stars enjoyed his share of glory during this important weekend. At Ascot, his in-form son STAR STORM cruised home in the Gr. 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes to become the Gilltown Stud stallion’s 21st individual Stakes winner.
Updated on 06/10/2015.
