The Aga Khan Studs

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...

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 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...

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...

Following the explosive performance of Erdenali (Caravaggio) at Saint-Cloud on Sunday, the only downside is that the latest sensation to emerge from The Aga Khan Studs is a gelding and therefore unable to contest the Classics. Sent off the 2-1 favourite for the card's opening Prix Kashmir over a mile, the grandson of the high-class Ervedya (Siyouni) cruised from the back to the front two out under a near-motionless Mickael Barzalona, who had made the voyage back from Dubai where he had steered the operation's gelding supreme Calandagan only hours before....

Back in competitive action for the first time since being crowned Longines World's Best Racehorses for 2025, Calandagan (Gleaneagles) signalled that he won't be giving up his crown without a fight when reeling in longshot West Wind Blows (Teofilo) to avenge last year's defeat in the $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Saturday. Runner-up to Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) 12 months ago, Calandagan was a warm order to go one place better in this six-strong field and register a fifth consecutive Group 1 success for Francis-Henri Graffard and...

Up half a mile from her inauspicious debut, Calasita (Zarak) enjoyed the stamina test at Saint-Cloud to get off the mark for Francis Graffard on Tuesday. A half-sister to The Aga Khan Studs world leader Calandagan (Gleneagles), the Prix de Diane entry who had been seventh over a mile at Deauville in October followed the pace with Mickael Barzalona in no hurry. Surging to the front with minimal urging approaching two out, the 23-10 second favourite gave extra to ward off Spirit Of Zarak (Zarak) late and prevail by half...

Mating plans for some of the illustrious names at the Aga Khan Studs have been revealed, with Zarigana, the winner of last year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, set to visit Justify for her maiden cover in 2026, while the four-time Group 1 scorer Tahiyra goes to Frankel. Tahiyra and Zarigana are both Classic-winning daughters of Siyouni, who will reportedly receive an increased number of around 30 mares from the Aga Khan Studs due to the injury to Zarak which has temporarily sidelined him from covering duties. Among them is another...

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....

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...

Francis Graffard targeted Thursday's debutantes event at Chantilly with two potentially smart fillies and it was The Aga Khan Studs representative Edaja (Siyouni) who enjoyed the stable bragging rights. Sent off the 12-5 favourite for the mile contest on Polytrack, the daughter of the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational winner and G2 Prix de Malleret and G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris runner-up Edisa (Kitten's Joy) was restrained early in mid-division by Clement Lecoeuvre. Reeling in stablemate Morgana Gold (Too Darn Hot) with 50 metres remaining, the homebred asserted to score by 1 1/2 lengths....

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...