Top-level success for former Aga Khan graduate, while Sharestan kicks off Irish season in style. The in-form Manighar was back in the winners’ enclosure at the weekend, just two weeks after opening his account at the highest level. The six-year-old son of Linamix has thrived over the past few months for trainer Peter Moody in Australia, winning three of his last four outings and can now be considered one of the best middle distance performers in the country. Manighar’s latest two successes have both come over ten furlongs, in the Gr 1 Australia Cup and the Gr 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill. The Aga Khan Studs-bred gelding is now set to step back up to a mile and a half in a fortnight’s time, to take on 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain in the Gr 1 BMW Stakes.

Manighar’s dam Mintly Fresh was acquired by the Aga Khan Studs as part of the late Jean-Luc Lagardère’s breeding empire in 2005, just over a year before the birth of this son of Linamix. The American-bred Mintly Fresh has also produced Group 3 scorer Minatlya (Linamix) and three-time winner Minted (Clodovil), as well as a three-year-old unraced Manduro filly currently in training with Alain de Royer Dupré, a two-year-old colt by Dalakhani and a yearling by Sea The Stars.

In Ireland, Sharestan made an excellent start to the 2012 season for the Aga Khan silks when winning the Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh. Making only his third career start, the four-year-old left his seventeen rivals trailing in his wake in this important Premier Handicap. Trainer John Oxx has been most patient with the son of Shamardal who suffered an injury as a juvenile and then raced only twice during his three-year-old campaign for one win and a third place. Sharestan now looks ready to step up in class and should make his presence felt in Pattern contests this season. His dam Sharesta (Ashkalani) has already produced Group 3 winner Shareen (Bahri) and Stakes-placed Sharleez (Marju).

Updated on 28/03/2012.