Royallieu Reign

The leading owner and trainer combination with seven wins apiece in Longchamp’s G2 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, His Highness The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre bring another gem to proceedings on Saturday in the highly progressive Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Take out Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) and the grey would have been the winner of the G1 Prix Vermeille over a mile and a half here last time Sept. 13, with the likes of the proven Group 1 fillies Sea Calisi (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}), Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) all behind her. Previously, she had annexed Deauville’s G3 Prix Minerve over this trip Aug. 16 and dominates a weak-looking renewal with possibly the English challenger Martlet (GB) (Dansili {GB}) her only threat. Coming of age when winning the Listed Galtres S. over 12 furlongs at York last time Aug. 20, Lady Rothschild’s lightly-raced homebred needs to find improvement to trouble the favorite but has untapped potential as a member of the all-powerful John Gosden stable. Seventh behind Candarliya on very soft ground in the Minerve, the Wildensteins’ Lady of Kyushu (Smart Strike) has since been disqualified from first to second in Chantilly’s Listed Prix des Tourelles over 12 furlogs Sept. 8 and will benefit from a faster surface on this rematch with the Aga Khan representative.