Friday 15 July 2016
The Aga Khan Studs took a clean sweep of the Stakes action on Saint-Cloud’s 14th July card, with a Group and Listed double for Dalakhani, while the Grand Prix de Paris hero Mont Ormel is out of an ex-Aga Khan mare, LIDANA.
A half-sister to globetrotting dual Gr 1 winner Linngari, Mont Ormel’s dam LIDANA was sold by the Aga Khan Studs at Goffs in November 2008 for 38,000 Euros. A winner herself, LIDANA is a daughter of King’s Best and Lidakiya (Kahyasi), half-sister to Listed victrix and Gr 1 runner-up Livadiya. The paternal side of Mont Ormel also features Aga Khan Studs bloodlines, as his sire Air Chief Marshal is a son of Hawala, another graduate of the H.H. the Aga Khan’s breeding operation.
Mont Ormel is the second French winner at the highest level among the Classic generation to be produced by an Aga Khan Studs-bred broodmare this season, after Prix du Jockey Club winner Almanzor who is a son of Darkova (Maria’s Mon).
The famous green and red Aga Khan silks shone during the meeting, thanks to CANDARLIYA’s victory against the colts in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil. The daughter of Dalakhani secured her second Group 2 victory after taking the Prix de Royallieu last season, which followed a second place in the Gr 1 Prix Vermeille. CANDARLIYA is now likely to return to Group 1 company, with the Yorkshire Oaks a possible next target.
Dalakhani had earlier seen another daughter, GOLDEN VALENTINE, open her Stakes account with success in the Listed Prix de Thiberville. Runner-up in the Gr 3 Prix du Lys against the males on her previous outing, GOLDEN VALENTINE produced an impressive turn of foot in the straight to justify favoritism in the mile and a half contest. The elegant grey representative of LNJ Foxwoods should now be aimed towards a Group contest in Deauville during August.
Updated on 15/07/2016.
