Aga Khan Studs

Calandagan (Gleneagles) warmed up for a potential tilt at the $6-million Dubai Sheema Classic with a racecourse gallop at Saint-Cloud on Sunday, with trainer Francis-Henri Graffard confirming that, as things stand, his globetrotting stable star remains an intended runner in the Middle East despite the ongoing conflict in the region. "He needed to work harder than at home. It did him good and I'm satisfied," Graffard told Equidia following the exercise before racing at Saint-Cloud. "Potentially, he could return to this track to run in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud....

Aga Khan Studs homebred three-year-old filly Edaja (Siyouni) added to her debut victory at Chantilly last month and remained unbeaten after pouncing late for the Francis Graffard stable back there in Thursday's Prix des Princesses. Patiently ridden in midfield until turning for home in the one-mile Polytrack test, she challenged out wide passing the furlong pole and edged ahead for a narrow verdict in the dying strides of a bunch finish. Edaja retains entries for the May 10 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June 14 G1 Prix de Diane....

Zarak, who has quickly established himself as one of the leading Flat stallions in France, has been temporarily sidelined from covering duties due to injury, with the Aga Khan Studs reporting that the son of Dubawi "will require several weeks to recuperate". "Leading sire Zarak will unfortunately miss the start of the 2026 covering season following an accident in his stable," read a statement issued by the Aga Khan Studs. "He will require several weeks to recuperate, and his condition will be reassessed in two months' time." Based at Haras...

It would have been understandable had Pierre Gasnier felt daunted by the task at hand when he succeeded Georges Rimaud as manager of the French studs for the Aga Khan family at the start of 2025. But then, so eventful a year did it out turn to be, it was probably for the best that he didn't have much chance to stop and weigh up the enormity of his new role. For a start, this week brought with it the one-year anniversary of the death of His Highness Aga Khan...

High-class filly Zarigana, who was awarded this year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards' room after suffering interference from the first past the post, Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation), has been retired from racing. Speaking from Hong Kong, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard told Sky Sports Racing, "She [Zarigana] is retired now. She has been a complicated filly and she has been very frustrating this season. I think she was so talented, but difficult and tricky. She could have won four Group 1s and only managed to win one in the stewards'...

By Katie Ritz and Sue Finley    There are seven stallions based in France whose first foals will sell at this week's Arqana December Sale. We talked with the connections at their stud farms to find out what they have seen in the foals, what they will bring to market of theirs this week, and what expectations are for the progeny they are about to launch into the sales arena.   ACE IMPACT (Cracksman -- Absolutly Me, by Anabaa Blue). Standing for  €30,000 at Haras de Beaumont.  2023 Cartier Horse of...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- It turns out that it takes the world's best horse to win what will surely be judged for the second time in three years to have been the world's best race. For 20 years the Europeans have come and failed to conquer, but Calandagan (Gleneagles), already at the summit of the world rankings for 2025 and with Mount Fuji as the backdrop for his most towering challenge to date, lowered the record of the great Almond Eye when outbattling race favourite Masquerade Ball (Duramente) to win the...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- For 20 years the Japan Cup has remained at home. Alkaased (Kingmambo) was the last foreign raider to wrest it from the locals, winning in 2005 for the Italian-born, British-based combo of Luca Cumani and Frankie Dettori. This time around, for the 45th running of the race, the international challenge has been whittled to just one - but he's a good one: Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles, who will jump from stall eight, is the third runner in the race for Francis Graffard, who sent out Erupt...

TOKYO, Japan -- Under the vast, silent stand of Tokyo racecourse the best horse in the world enjoys a saunter around the turf track which will become his stage for the final act of a tremendous season. Calandagan (Gleneagles) will encounter an altogether different atmosphere on Sunday when that same grandstand will sing with the anticipation of around 100,000 racegoers come to bear witness to one of the world's great horse races.  The passion with which the Japanese fans approach racing means that the Japan Cup is more pilgrimage than...

Nope. Just can't figure it out. Why on earth, at the end of another grueling sales cycle, would so many Americans scrape together the last of their resources, in energy and funds, and get on a plane for one final auction in France? Setting aside, that is, the langoustines and truffles; the calvados and cider; the designer boutiques; the Christmas lights that transform an elegant summer resort into a filmset apt for a French remake of It's A Wonderful Life; the medieval villages huddled, in the early dusk of midwinter,...

Sea The Stars, who has headed the Aga Khan Studs roster for 16 years and is the sire of this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz, has had his fee for 2026 raised to a career high of €300,000, from €250,000. Top of the list of the remaining four Aga Khan Studs stallions, all standing at Haras de Bonneval in Normandy, is Siyouni, whose runners in 2025 included Zarigana, winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Having stood at €200,000 in 2025, Siyouni's fee has been reduced to...

Qipco British Champions Day should be one of those occasions when some of the stallions of next year go out in a blaze of glory on the track. Richard Fahey's Powerful Glory did indeed enhance his future stallion credentials when delivering a 200/1 shock success in the British Champions Sprint, but the other major winners of the day were geldings, bar of course the dual Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes winner Kalpana (Study Of Man). The upside of that scenario is that we can look forward to some returning heroes...