Wednesday 4 September 2013
Dalakhani has enjoyed a busy weekend both on the track and at stud, with three black-type performances and a warm welcome at Cornerstone Stud.
The Prix du Jockey Club and Arc de Triomphe winner was greeted with enthusiasm at the open day of Cornerstone Stud, where the grey will spend his first shuttle season. Australian breeders have already given the Aga Khan Studs sire their stamp of approval, as his first southern-hemisphere book of mares is already almost full.
Dalakhani continues to produce excellent results on the racecourse, and he recorded a trio of Stakes performances this weekend in Europe thanks to SEISMOS, Integral and BITE OF THE CHERRY. SEISMOS became his sire’s sixth individual Group 1 scorer earlier this summer when lifting the Grosser Preis von Bayern and he proved his class again at Baden Baden on Sunday, filling the runner-up spot behind Arc co-favourite Novellist. Five-year-old SEISMOS was beaten less than a length by the four-time Gr 1 winner in the Grosser Preis von Baden and the representative of Gestüt Karlshof should now aim for more success at the highest level in the Gr 1 Canadian International.
The talented Integral shared the spoils in the Gr 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, dead-heating for first place with Ladys First. The lightly-raced Integral has now won three of her four outings, also including a Listed contest at the same track in July. The daughter of Dalakhani and Group 1 victrix Echelon (Danehill) is entered in the Gr 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket later this month.
Also on Saturday in England, BITE OF THE CHERRY picked up more black-type when taking second in the Listed Chester Handicap. This four-year-old daughter of Dalakhani and Group 1 winner Bianca Nera (Salse) has already finished in the first four on three occasions at Listed level and deserves to open her account in this category.
Updated on 04/09/2013.