Monday 4 May 2009
Winner of the Gr 3 Prix de Lutèce and runner-up in the Gr 2 Prix Chaudenay over 15 furlongs each last season, SHEMIMA successfully dropped back to ten furlongs to take the Gr 3 Prix Allez France on her seasonal debut last week at Chantilly. Trainer Alain de Royer Dupré commented, “This confirms the quality of the progeny of Dalakhani.” By Dalakhani, SHEMIMA is the best offspring to date of Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Nishapour), who has also produced Listed winners Shemaya and Shemala. The four-year-old filly showed good speed in the Prix Allez France and is now likely to remain over a similar distance for the Gr 2 Prix Corrida at Saint Cloud at the end of the month.
Still in France, Shamakiya looked extremely promising when scoring on her first outing at Longchamp on 26th April. The daughter of Intikhab and Gr 2 winning Kahyasi mare Shamadara is half-sister to Gr 1 winner Shamdala. Shamakiya is entered in the Prix de Diane on 14th June.
In Ireland, four-year-olds KARGALI and ALANDI both picked up Listed titles recently. KARGALI returned to the racecourse in early April after a break since last August and he finished third in the Gr 3 Gladness Stakes. He picked up his first Black-type win on 19th April in the Listed Heritage Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown. Invincible Spirit colt KARGALI is out of dual Listed placed Karliyka, dam of Group winners Kasthari and Kastara. On the same card Classic hope Mourayan put up a creditable performance when third after not finding a clear run in the Gr 3 Ballysax Stakes.
A week later it was the turn of lightly-raced ALANDI to open his account at Listed level in the Vintage Crop Stakes on only his second outing for as many wins. The son of Galileo and Listed winner Aliya beat three-time Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats back in sixth place in the 1m5f contest and he is likely to be aimed at the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown next.
Updated on 04/05/2009
