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Samangan Makes Light Work of Rivals in Chantilly's Criterium de Maisons Laffitte

Updated: October 11, 2025 at 4:01 pm

By Sean Cronin

Samangan
Samedi 11 Octobre 2025;Chantilly;CRITERIUM DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE - G2;Mickaël BARZALONA;Françis-Henri GRAFFARD;AGA KHAN STUDS SC;SCOOPDYGA - CHOURAQUI Elliott

Francis Graffard representative Samangan (Blue Point), fresh off a stakes breakthrough in last month's G3 Prix Eclipse, went postward as the prohibitively priced 1-5 favourite for Saturday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and never gave connections a moment's worry with a stylish victory in the six-furlong contest.

The Aga Khan Studs homebred stalked the pace in third from flagfall. Making smooth progress once past halfway, he eased to the front approaching the final furlong and was pushed out in the closing stages to easily account for Street Show (Showcasing) by 2 1/2 lengths.

 

 

Pedigree Notes
Samangan is the seventh of eight foals and one of three scorers produced by a winning half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning European champion Sarafina (Refuse To Bend), dual stakes-winning G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Sanaya (Barathea), G3 Firebreak Stakes victor Sandagiyr (Dr Fong) and the multiple Group 3-placed Sanjida (Polish Precedent). Sarafina, in turn, is the dam of G3 Prix Messidor-winning sire Geniale (Deep Impact), G3 Prix d'Aumale victrix Savarin (Deep Impact) and G3 Radio Nikkei Sho third Go Timing (Deep Impact). The May-foaled bay is kin to Listed Prix Volterra victrix Simeen (Lope De Vega) and a weanling filly by Vadeni.

Saturday, Chantilly, France
CRITERIUM DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE-G2, €173,800, Chantilly, 10-11, 2yo, 6fT, 1:10.39, sf.
1–SAMANGAN (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Samadrisa (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Sanariya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Sanamia (Ire), by Top Ville (Ire)
O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Mickael Barzalona. €99,066. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €151,558. *1/2 to Simeen (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Street Show (Fr), 128, c, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Vivid Dream (Ire), by Dream Ahead. 1ST BLACK-TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (€170,000 Ylg '24 ARQOCT). O-Magne Jordanger & Finn Blichfeldt; B-Haras du Mont Dit Mont; T-Pia & Joakim Brandt. €38,236.
3–Graft (Ire), 128, c, 2, U S Navy Flag–Preobrajenska (GB), by Paco Boy (Ire). O-Ali Aneizi; B-R Kavanagh; T-Josephine Soudan. €18,249.
Margins: 2HF, 3, 1HF. Odds: 0.20, 5.60, 8.10.
Also Ran: Trinquette (Fr), Royal Bay Cen (Ire). Scratched: Tadej (GB).