Mickael Barzalona

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...

Entered in all the big ones in France, Varandir (Zarak) stayed on track when extending his perfect record to three-from-three for The Aga Khan Studs in Sunday's G3 Prix Hocquart at ParisLongchamp. Held up in rear early by Mickael Barzalona, the even-money favourite who had won here on debut and at Lyon-Parilly last month stayed on down the outer to lead inside the final half furlong and score by 1 1/4 lengths from Jabracadabra (Cracksman), with a head back to Wiki (Make Believe) in third. From the family of the...

Badly in need of a confidence boost ahead of Royal Ascot, Wathnan's Lazzat (Territories) got just that in Thursday's G3 Prix du Palais-Royal at ParisLongchamp. Sent off the 30-100 favourite for the seven-furlong contest, the five-year-old who had endured five consecutive reversals since his epic defeat of Satono Reve in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in June was launched by Mickael Barzalona 300 metres out and coaxed clear for a smooth 4 1/2-length success. Silius (Dubawi) was second, with the outsider Rencontre Sportive (Seabhac) another 1 1/4 lengths away...

If there was any tension from the Aga Khan Studs team ahead of the latest expedition of Daryz (Sea The Stars) on Thursday, it quickly melted away as the Arc-winning sensation breezed through the renamed G1 Prix Aga Khan IV. Making light work of the inaugural running of ParisLongchamp's extended nine-furlong Prix d'Ispahan under its revised title honouring the remarkable legacy of the winner's late breeder, the 1-5 favourite who could yet turn out to be one of the very finest produced by the operation brushed aside last year's Grand...

She may have missed her initial target this year, but Zayida (Frankel) proved on Tuesday that she is firmly in the Prix de Diane reckoning for the The Aga Khan Studs with a clear-cut win in Chantilly's Listed Prix Finlande. Only fourth over this nine-furlong trip on her seasonal bow in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Vanteaux in early April, the granddaughter of Zarkava (Zamindar) had enjoyed a confidence boost in a course-and-distance conditions event later that month and upped her game with a dominant display here. Always travelling easily stalking the...

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...

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...

One of two entered in the Oaks by Francis Graffard along with the talented Gilded Prize, Behrayna (Sea The Moon) made light work of her first serious task in Sunday's Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp. Off the mark over 10 1/2 furlongs here last month, the Aga Khan Studs homebred who descends from Mill Reef's 1989 Prix Saint-Alary winner and Arc runner-up Behera shadowed the early leader of this 11-furlong test. Swooping two out, the 3-5 favourite drew away under Mickael Barzalona to score with authority by 2...

The Aga Khan Studs are replete with top-class middle-distance runners at present and Tuesday's Listed Prix de Suresnes could have played host to another as Dolmalan (Zarak) showed an impressive late surge to extend his unbeaten sequence. "He's still a little immature, but it was pleasing that he was able to accelerate like that," trainer Mikel Delzangles said. "If he was a good horse, he was going to be able to make up a few lengths and he did. The Prix du Jockey Club is a strong possibility." Coming off...

Any fears that Daryz (Sea The Stars) might need his reintroduction in Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay proved wide of the mark as the Arc hero served notice of what is to come in 2026 with a scintillating display. Sent off the 7-10 favourite for the 10 1/2-furlong ParisLongchamp feature, the son of Daryakana (Selkirk) cruised through the contest with Mickael Barzalona happy to wait behind the leading pair. Set alight inside the two, the homebred surged to a 3 1/2-length success from the race-fit Bright Picture (Intello). There was another 1 3/4...

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...