Francis-Henri Graffard

Connections of Calandagan (Gleneagles) will keep a close eye on ground conditions at Epsom before making a final decision on his participation in Saturday's G1 Coolmore Coronation Cup. Following rainfall totalling 25 millimetres overnight and into Tuesday morning, the official going on the Derby course was changed to good, good to soft in places, with further rain forecast for the rest of the week. Nemone Routh, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France, conceded that the situation is "not ideal" for the world's highest-rated turf horse, who is unbeaten...

Resolute Bloodstock's Goliath (Adlerflug) was unsuccessful in three starts since annexing last September's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and rediscovered the winning habit in a hot renewal of Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. "He has been a very special horse for the whole stable and I'm very happy to have him in such good condition, both mentally and physically, at his age," said Francis Graffard. "Christophe [Soumillon] confirmed that and said his action was incredible today and like it was in Ascot when he won the King George. When...

The Aga Khan Studs' hitherto undefeated Behrayna (Sea The Moon) accounted for Zlata (Zarak) in last month's Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp and repeated the dose in Sunday's G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly to bolster her perfect record in the 12-furlong contest. "She's a lovely filly, we've always liked her and I have always wanted to step her up to a mile-and-a-half," revealed Francis Graffard. "She showed me that I was right, as she can be a little bit off the bridle, and she needs plenty of...

Aga Khan Studs' Calandagan (Gleneagles) and Daryz (Sea The Stars) are both on course for British raids, according to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. Runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup in 2025, the former has rattled off five Group 1 wins in a row since that defeat and is primed for another attempt at the Epsom contest. Graffard said, "They are both in very good shape and I could not be happier with them. "Calandagan has been trained for Epsom and hopefully the ground will not get too soft. He looks well...

Aga Khan Studs homebred Rayif (Sea The Moon), whose year-older half-sister Rayevka (Blue Point) took the G3 Prix de Saint-Georges earlier on the card, became trainer Francis Graffard's first winner of ParisLongchamp's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains with a dominant performance in this year's renewal. He becomes the the Aga Khan Studs' first winner of the race since Sendawar in 1999. "I always prefer to prepare the horses I train with races that gradually bring them towards the major targets, but this time I didn't really have a choice...

A baker's dozen will go forward for Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and 15 are set to head postward for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after declarations for the ParisLongchamp Classics were confirmed Friday morning. Likely favourite for the colts' Classic is G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), who will be accompanied by Aidan O'Brien stablemate Dorset (Wootton Bassett), as the trainer seeks a seventh win in the contest. They have drawn stalls seven and three, respectively. The domestic defence is...

Daryz confirmed his wellbeing with a dazzling turn-of-foot in last week's G1 Prix Ganay and his year-younger half-brother Daryzan (Zarak) was the focus in Tuesday's Prix Mendez, a one-mile newcomers' event, at Saint-Cloud. The Francis Graffard-trained G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Grand Prix de Paris entry did not disappoint and delivered a scintillating performance of his own to earn a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette on debut, becoming the second Rising Star for his Haras de Bonneval-based sire. "He's an immature horse, we've done a lot...

Juddmonte homebred Sunly (Night Of Thunder) had been on an extended sabbatical after surrendering her perfect record in last July's G2 Prix de Malleret and bounced back on seasonal return to regain the winning thread in Friday's G3 Prix Allez France at Saint-Cloud. The Francis Graffard trainee went postward as the 12-5 joint-favourite and settled into a smooth rhythm, racing off the pace in sixth for Christophe Soumillon, after the initial exchanges of this 10-furlong test. Making eyecatching headway out wide once into the straight, she quickened into contention with...

The Aga Khan Studs homebred Samangan (Blue Point), last seen filling the runner-up spot in the G3 Prix Djebel, has been ruled out of Saturday's Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Samangan was beaten just once in four starts as a two-year-old, notably winning the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly on his final outing. Hopes had been high of a big run at Newmarket following an encouraging return to action at Deauville, but his absence now means that the first British Classic of the season will...

Last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz (Sea The Stars) is set to face five rivals in Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay World Pool by PMU at ParisLongchamp after declarations for the 10 1/2-furlong contest were confirmed Friday morning. The Aga Khan Studs homebred is in fine fettle ahead of his seasonal debut according to Francis Graffard, who has ambitious plans for the four-year-old further down the line. "He's in fantastic shape and looks amazing," the trainer reported earlier this week. "I started working him some time ago...

Last term's G3 Prix Vanteaux victrix Mandanaba (Ghaiyyath) was last seen finishing unplaced in August's G1 Prix Rothschild and made a winning seasonal return with a narrow verdict in Thursday's Listed Prix Maurice Zilber at ParisLongchamp. The TDN Rising Star, who also ran third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane, was positioned in fifth through the early fractions. Inching closer in the straight, she quickened to the fore with 300 metres remaining and was ridden out to hold the late surge...

Francis Graffard trainee Demah (Mehmas), Al Shaqab Racing's homebred half-sister to last term's G1 Prix du Moulin hero Sahlan (Wootton Bassett), made a winning debut in Wednesday's Prix de Brunehaut at Chantilly. Recovering from a slow start to race in midfield for most of the one-mile debutantes' heat, the 6-4 favourite launched her challenge inside the final quarter-mile and kept on well in the closing stages to comfortably outpoint Nina's Victoria (Victor Ludorum) by two lengths. Demah is the second foal and scorer out of Listed Berenberg Cup victrix Wasmya...