Pedigree Watch – Euro France 3YO – Aga Khan Breds on Fire

Tara Madgwick - Monday April 14

French Classic trials at Longchamp overnight produced a couple of exciting prospects by Churchill and Siyouni that are both bred and raced by Aga Khan Studs.

The Group III Prix Fontainebleau (1600m) was won by Churchill colt Ridari, who scored by a nose over Wootton Basset colt Sahlan.

Advertisement

Trained by Mikel Delzangles, Ridari won a maiden at Chantilly last year from just two starts and was making his seasonal debut.

“I'm very pleased, as he's not an easy horse–he can be quite keen, so the jockey gave him a real good ride,” Delzangles said.

“He quickened nicely and it was a good prep for the big one (G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains) in four weeks' time. He's a May foal and not even three yet, so there should be more to come. His dam was like him, quite keen but with a lot of class.”

Ridari is the 31st stakes-winner for Churchill, who has had good success for Aga Khan Stud’s previously giving them Champion 3YO Colt Vadeni.

Ridari is the best of five winners from Group I winning Motivator mare Ridasiyna.

The Group III Prix de la Grotte (1600m) was won by Siyouni filly Zarigana, who was a G3 winner last season and finished her juvenile year with a second in the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac.

Trained by Francis- Henri Graffard, Zarigana picked up well to the line to win by a neck and has now won three of four starts.

“There is so much expectation and pressure with this filly, but this job is easy for her mechanically which is not a surprise when you look at her pedigree,” said Graffard.

“She has a lot of quality and excitement in her, so we need to manage her properly and it is obviously very important to win a G1 with her.”

Zarigana is the best of two winners from stakes-winning Frankel mare Zarkamiya, a half-sister to Group I winning sire Zarak from 2008 European Horse of the Year Zarkava.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.