Wednesday 27 June 2012
The Aga Khan Studs have had a busy and successful weekend in France, with Listed successes for three-year-olds KERASONA (Oasis Dream) and Bayrir (Medicean), while SHARETA (Sinndar) and MANDISTANA (Azamour) were both runners up in Group contests.
Arc second SHARETA picked up another second place at the highest level on Sunday, this time in the Gr 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The daughter of Sinndar led the field for much of the race and stayed on solidly on the rain-softened ground to finish ahead of Galikova and Arc winner Danedream. Alain de Royer Dupré’s charge holds entries in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
In the other feature race of the day, the Gr 2 Prix de Malleret, the consistent MANDISTANA put up a good performance to take second place. This three-year-old daughter of Azamour has finished in the frame in all four outings at Stakes level this season and deserves to pick up a similar contest during the summer. The grey filly is the second foal of Group 3 winner Minatlya (Linamix) who is a half-sister to triple Group 1 scorer Manighar and she is bred on the same cross as Prix de Diane winner Valyra.
Earlier on the Saint-Cloud card, Bayrir (Medicean) had opened his black-type account with victory in the Listed Prix Ridgway. This lightly-raced colt won on his racecourse debut in May and then followed up with a fourth place at Listed level earlier in the month. From the family of Bering, Bayrir is out of a winning three-quarter sister to Group 3 victrix Baliyana and half-sister to Group 2 winner Balakheri.
The Aga Khan colours recorded a double at Saint-Cloud on Sunday as the stable also won the opening race of the day thanks to Zelamar who shed his maiden tag on the second time of asking. This well-bred colt is by Zamindar and out of a half-sister to Prix de Diane heroine Zainta and French champion hurdler Zaiyad.
On Friday at Maisons-Laffitte, KERASONA (Oasis Dream) was successful on her first attempt in Listed company as she lifted the Prix Hampton over five furlongs. This speedy filly was registering her fifth career win and she is a half-sister to two black-type individuals, juvenile Group 3 winner Keratiya and Listed runner-up Kermiyan.
Updated on 26/06/2012.
