Monday 22 June 2009
The victory of precocious SIYOUNI in Wednesday’s Listed Prix la Flèche at Maisons-Laffitte is the highlight of an octet of French wins this week for the Aga Khan stable. SIYOUNI is now unbeaten in three outings and the son of Pivotal will have the Gr 2 Prix Robert Papin (26th July) as his next major objective, possibly taking in the Gr 3 Prix du Bois on the way. Trainer Alain de Royer Dupré chose to bypass Royal Ascot with this speedy youngster, a rare early juvenile for HH Aga Khan, and this decision could well pay off in the future.
Linamix three-year-old Manighar set the AK stable off well at the beginning of the week with a mile and a half win on his racecourse debut at Saint Cloud on Monday, while the Richard Gibson-trained Lagan (Marju) provided the second part of a double with SIYOUNI when successful over the same distance at Maisons-Laffitte.
Longchamp provided the scene for another double on Thursday, thanks to Shalanaya (Lomitas) and Berouni. In the Prix de Cheffreville fillies’ contest, the Mikel Delzangles-trained Shalanaya won from Zarkava’s half-sister Zerkeriya (Soviet Star), from the Alain de Royer Dupré stable. Both fillies were on their second racecourse outing. Berouni, who is a Peintre Célèbre half-brother to Gr 3 third Beret Rouge, was winning his second race and had finished runner-up previously to Cashelgar, who was a close second in Thursday’s Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The week ended with a flourish and a hat-trick of wins for the Aga Khan stable at Chantilly. Unraced three-year-olds Amoradi (Barathea) and SANAJIYR (Red Ransom) took both divisions of the Prix de la Croix des Ormeaux, and the latter is entered in ARQANA’s forthcoming July Sale catalogue. Vaziristan, a son of Dansili and Prix de Diane third Visionnaire who has already produced two Stakes performers, opened his account in the Prix de Boasne.
On Saturday the Dalakhani 3 y-o SELAGAN won in the provinces over 2400m; the colt will be presented at the Arqana July sale as well.
With 37 wins so far this season in France, HH Aga Khan leads nearest rivals the Wildenstein family (23 successes) in the owner’s table on number of victories.
Updated on 22/06/2009
