Francis-Henri Graffard

Aga Khan Studs representative Samangan shed maiden status with an impressive wide-margin triumph at Deauville towards the end of last month and continued on the upgrade with a black-type breakthrough in Saturday's G3 Prix Eclipse Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Chantilly. "He broke slowly and therefore put himself in trouble from the start," reflected trainer Francis Graffard. "He was never really travelling smoothly and didn't look like a winner at halfway. Maybe the [soft] ground is the reason, but I don't know. When he started finding his best stride, the...

Daryz is said to be a likely runner in next month's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, having bounced back to form with a narrow defeat in Sunday's G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange at the same course. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the son of Sea The Stars gained his fourth success from as many starts when winning June's G2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud, before forfeiting his unbeaten record with a no-show in the G1 Juddmonte International at York. With connections at a loss to explain that below-par...

Putting some below-par efforts behind him on Sunday, Resolute Bloodstock and Philip Baron Von Ullmann's Goliath (Adlerflug) made all in the G1 Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden to continue his family's rich tradition in the prestigious affair. Sent off the 19-10 second favourite behind the even-money market-leader Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), last year's King George hero saw off that raider in the final two furlongs to score by 1 1/4 lengths under Clement Lecoeuvre. Heading to Arc time, it is notable how much influence the winner's stablemate Calandagan would...

Lightly-campaigned for a five-year-old, Haras de la Perelle's homebred Quisisana put yet another feather in the cap of the Stud and her high-achieving late sire Le Havre when taking Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville. Coming into the 10-furlong contest off a clear-cut win in Chantilly's Listed Prix de la Pepiniere, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained 7-1 shot travelled smoothly for Christophe Soumillon and when given the command seized the advantage approaching the furlong marker. At the line, she had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over Survie (Churchill {Ire}), who was...

Coolmore's G1 Eclipse hero Delacroix (Dubawi) will renew rivalry with Godolphin's Sandown runner-up Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and is one of six runners booked for Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York after three of nine overnight contenders were scratched from the extended 10-furlong contest at Monday morning's declaration stage. The former will attempt to provide Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending eighth renewal from stall three, while Ombudsman bids to regain the winning thread from stall five. Godolphin is also represented by the Andre Fabre-trained £85,000 supplementary entry Birr Castle...

Providing a welcome winner for The Aga Khan Studs on the Deauville card they sponsored in its entirety, Rayif (Sea The Moon) lit up the G3 Prix Francois Boutin with a display that shouted Classic potential. A narrow winner over six furlongs here last month, the half-brother to the Commonwealth Cup third Rayevka brushed aside Ballydoyle's 7-10 favourite Daytona (Wootton Bassett) with a furlong remaining and surged to the line for a 2 1/2-length success. The Coventry fourth Andab (Saxon Warrior) denied Daytona second by a head. "I thought he...

Francis Graffard trainee Cankoura (Persian King) was last seen running third in June's G1 Prix de Diane and bounced back in style to register a first pattern-race triumph for her second-crop sire in Sunday's G3 Sky Sports Racing Prix de Psyche at Deauville. "On the formline, she was the hot favourite and probably should have won today, but you're never quite sure," said Aga Khan Studs' Nemone Routh. "She was drawn seven of seven, Mickael [Barzalona] got a nice position on her, but he had to bring her out quite...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a full-sister to Classic winner Persian King. 4.05 Deauville, Debutantes, €45,700, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT TICKLE (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a key Wertheimer representative in this Prix des Marettes on the first day of Deauville's August Festival, being a full-sister to the Poule d'Essai des Poulains,...

Providing an instant return on the investment of Resolute Bloodstock, Woodshauna (Wooded) was the one to edge a pulsating four-way go in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Sold for £625,000 at Goffs London by Al Shaqab following his defeat of the subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, the 12-1 shot was able to get between the tight gaps and seize the advantage late for Christophe Soumillon. "We decided to skip Ascot, as I wanted the horse...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a half-brother to a recent Group 1-placed filly. 3.32 Deauville, Debutantes, €45,700, 2yo, c/g, 6fT RAYIF (IRE) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) is an intriguing newcomer for The Aga Khan Studs and Francis-Henri Graffard stable, being a half-brother to the recent G1 Commonwealth Cup third Rayevka. Stouter-bred...

Anyone who doubted what a class act Calandagan (Gleneagles) is following some excusable defeats got an emphatic reply on Sunday in the feature G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Relishing the genuine pace and lively surface, the Aga Khan Studs representative brushed aside last year's Arc runner-up Aventure (Sea The Stars) in scintillating style to record a deserved first top-level win. "He's such a consistent horse who always runs his race and we were a bit upset when people started talking about cheekpieces and blinkers after his last run," racing manager Nemone Routh...

The Aga Khan Studs operation had not celebrated success in Saint-Cloud's G2 Prix Eugene Adam since Dariyan (Shamardal) saluted in 2015, but rectified matters after the hithero unbeaten Daryz (Sea The Stars) defeated five rivals in Sunday's renewal of the 10-furlong contest. "We have high expectations of him and we are very pleased with the result of the race," said trainer Francis Graffard. "We really like him, today was an interesting test and he performed again. There was very little pace in the race and it became very tactical, so...