Tag Archive for: Daryz

Monday Musings: Daryz Makes it the Aga’s Arc

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Ten furlongs (and a little bit) on fast ground at York is a world away from a mile and a half in very soft going at Longchamp in October, writes Tony Stafford. Run in a fast time – yesterday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was the only race among a string of Group 1’s to better the standard – identifies it as a very good version of the race, certainly as far as the first two home were concerned.

The going might explain in part Daryz’s elevation from last of six as a 14/1 shot at York to winning the Arc at slightly bigger odds. In doing so, he collected more than £2 million for the Aga Khan studs. Sadly, Prince Karim, who died in early February this year, never lived to see his colt, a son of champion 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Arc winner Sea The Stars on the racetrack.

https://youtu.be/poLX14qVTA8?si=6MWEOQdjr4vIwOfK

Daryz only made his debut in early April and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard guided him gently through the grades before York, via two conditions events, then a Listed race and a Group 2, before sending him overseas for the first time.

There was an obvious feeling of shock when he flopped in the Juddmonte, but Daryz restored confidence with a narrow defeat in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange over ten furlongs of Sunday’s course three weeks ago. Just a neck behind Japan’s Croix Du Nord, his was very much a try-out for yesterday, and the form turnaround – 11 lengths – was a stark reminder of how the top French trainers have always used the racing calendar to their advantage.

Daryz would undoubtedly have been at much shorter odds bar the flood of money on the Pari-Mutuel for the three Japanese runners. Two, Croix Du Nord and Alohi Alii, were out with the washing in 14th and 16th of the 17 starters, while Byzantine Dream, supported down to 7/1 second favourite, could do no better than fifth.

So far, we haven’t mentioned the favourite, unreasonably so as Minnie Hauk ran an astounding race, beaten only a neck by the Mickael Barzalona-ridden winner having been in the front four throughout. When Christophe Soumillon took her to the front, it looked like being a Coolmore/Aidan O’Brien treble on the day, but Daryz proved just too strong.

As the colt and filly fought out the finish, it was admirable that they stretched more than five lengths ahead of their field. With such as the Juddmonte one/two Ombudsman and Delacroix absent, as well as unqualified-by-the-conditions star geldings including Calandagan and Goliath, it wasn’t the race of earlier vintages when EVERYTHING used to turn up.

Having been a fan of racing well before Sea Bird II’s 1965 Derby and Arc demolition jobs, I’ll never forget his day in Paris when he cantered over such as Reliance, Diatome and further back the top-class American colt Tom Rolfe.

Big money is to be earned with less sweat for connections and horses alike these days, though, and no doubt the Japanese will be regretting putting so much energy into their continuing luckless quest to win the race. They do far better on Dubai World Cup Day and yesterday’s valiant trio should be ready in time for that.

As the records describe him, Aga Khan IV won the race four times between 1982 and 2008 with Akiyda, Derby winner Sinndar, Dalakhani and the brilliant mare Zarkava.

His father, Prince Aly Khan, married to the actress Rita Hayworth and destined to an early passing via a fatal car crash, enjoyed success in 1959 with Saint Crespin. And his father, Aga Khan III, won the race which was founded in 1920 with Migoli in 1948 and Nuccio four years later.

Talking about the Arc soon afterwards Barzalona explained how he needed to make the most of his good draw. Soumillon on Minnie Hauk (drawn 1) was fast away and Barzalona slotted the winner, exiting stall two, in just handy. It’s always seemed weird to me that over longer distances it happens, but the draw did make a big difference in this race. The highest drawn of the first four home was Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, (drawn five) just behind third-placed Sosie (stall three) in fourth.

You would imagine that the winner, unraced at two, would have plenty to gain from staying in training, and might be aimed at a rare Arc double next year. I would love to see Minnie Hauk, a daughter of Frankel, continue too. One obvious stud route for her was closed when Wootton Bassett came to his untimely end in Australia last month.

It seems a date next month at the Breeders’ Cup has not been ruled out. Yesterday was only her fifth race of the year and seventh in all, so she has hardly been over raced. I’m pretty sure the ever-combative owners would be all for it.

Incidentally, Wootton Bassett had two winners on the Sunday card, both from mares by Galileo. Having already picked up the Qatar Prix Marcel Bousac with Diamond Necklace, O’Brien, Soumillon and the Coolmore partners added the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere for two-year-old colts with Puerto Rico.

Last weekend at Newmarket, on remarking to Michael Tabor that True Love had done well to retain her form through a long season in winning the Cheveley Park Stakes, he replied, “That’s what Aidan does.”

He could have used the same phrase to describe the progress of the Lagardere winner. He was beaten twice in maidens; another couple of times in Curragh Group 2 races before finishing 4th in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1) a couple of places behind True Love.

He broke his maiden at the sixth time of asking at Doncaster last month and improved again markedly on that with an all-the-way emphatic success here. Last year’s winner of the race, stable-companion Camille Pissarro, went on to victory in this year’s Prix du Jockey Club and was retired after getting injured when 4th to another stablemate, Delacroix, in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes.

The second win from that Wootton Bassett-Galileo nick was the Christopher Head-trained Maranoa Charlie in the Prix de la Foret. The three-year-old had been extremely unlucky when third at York and showed his true colours here.

There had been a few mutterings that Soumillon’s spell as temporary replacement for Ryan Moore had not been a success, but the contra view was that he would come into his own on the French tracks. His masterful judgment of pace coming from the back on Diamond Necklace was a typical French ride from the Yves Saint-Martin era, never getting involved until coming with a smooth run down the outside. Those 8/1 odds for Newmarket next spring might shrink a fair bit over the winter.

Unusually, yesterday wasn’t a great day for UK trainers, who drew a blank. One who did play a part in a piece of racing history, however, was Amy Murphy. Now happily settled in Chantilly, she had been among the back-up team behind Asfoora’s first ever win for an Australian-trained horse in France.

Asfoora’s trainer Henry Dwyer was rather sheepish as he related how if it hadn’t been for Ms Murphy and a very quick Uber driver, the mare would not have been allowed to race.

Instead of taking Asfoora’s passport to the track, he brought the one for a horse he’d bought at the Arqana Arc Eve sale on Saturday. Amy sorted the driver and the correct passport arrived with a minute and a half to spare.

It didn’t take Asfoora quite that long to beat her 16 rivals in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp under a very confident Oisin Murphy. She came through to challenge outsider Jawwal in the last furlong, winning by a comfortable half-length in 56.39 sec. The seven-year-old isn’t regarded as the best sprinter in Australia but she’s more than good enough to beat the cream of Europe’s speed merchants.

It was sad that Peter Charalambous’s Apollo One found so much trouble in the six furlongs of Ascot’s John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes on Saturday, more than enough to prevent a follow-up from last year’s triumph. Stopped in his run repeatedly, he stretched out gamely to the line, making up several lengths in the last furlong, but missed out by a rapidly diminishing short head to Mick Appleby’s Annaf.

Winning group races is never easy, but this was one that slipped through his owner-trainer-breeder’s fingers. It made the difference of £30k and prevented the seven-year-old (that’s right, another one) from getting neatly onto career earnings of almost exactly half a million quid.  I’m sure it’s only delayed.

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Daryz defeat has left connections with decisions to make

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Connections of Daryz are heading “back to the drawing board” after the previously unbeaten colt failed to fire in the Juddmonte International at York.

Having impressed in winning each of his four starts in France, Francis-Henri Graffard’s three-year-old headed for the Knavesmire in a bid to go one better than his stablemate Calandagan managed 12 months ago when second to City Of Troy.

But after racing keenly in a race that was blown apart by the pacesetting 150-1 shot Birr Castle, the son of Sea The Stars weakened late on and passed the post last of six runners behind the decisive winner Ombudsman.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan’s French studs, said: “Obviously it was a very strange race and I don’t think that really helped him because he was the least exposed and possibly the most immature horse in the field.

“We were all so happy there was a pacemaker in there and thought it was going to be a truly-run race and then that happened, but take nothing away from the winner – he did win fair and square and that’s a sign of a proper Group One horse when they can adapt to races panning out in different scenarios.

“We came out of it thinking if we’d run Calandagan he’d have been fine as he never pulls and those seasoned Group One horses know how to cope, but Daryz isn’t there yet – he’s still a bit of a baby.

“He took a little bit of a hold as they weren’t actually travelling very fast. He did kind of flatter halfway up the home straight and we thought he was going to run a big race, but then fell in a bit of a heap because I think he’d maybe done a bit too much early on.

“I just think his immaturity caught him out really. We hope he’ll have learned from it and we’ll learn from it too. He’s come out of the race fine as far as I’m aware, it was just a bit frustrating as we didn’t really learn very much.”

Connections of Daryz had been eyeing a possible tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but with opportunities for him to run again between now and Europe’s premier middle-distance contest limited, plans are up in the air.

“He certainly wouldn’t go straight to the Arc off that run, so we’re slightly scratching our heads regarding what to do with him,” Routh added.

“The Prix Niel will come too quickly, I don’t think we can even consider that, but the other option is the Prix du Prince d’Orange (September 14) and we thought we might run Calandagan in that, so we’ve really just got to sit down and figure it all out and decide what we’re going to do.

“We were thinking of that race to prepare Calandagan for the Champion Stakes at Ascot, but we need to figure out whether we want to take a look at the Arc with Daryz or not as if he is going to take a look at the Arc, we need to run him again to prove that’s where he should go.

“We’re slightly back to the drawing board and we’ll make a decision in the next week or so.”

Daryz handed International mission at York

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Daryz is on course for next week’s Juddmonte International at York after satisfying connections in a gallop on Thursday morning.

The Sea The Stars colt is in unbeaten in four races this term having been unraced at two last year and as a Group Two winner last time out, his team feel the timing is right for him to step into the best company.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for owners the Aga Khan Studs, confirmed that Daryz sufficiently impressed trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and is set to run on Wednesday.

“I’ve spoken to the trainer and jockey because Mickael Barzalona rode him and they were very happy with his piece of work. He’d taken a step forward from his piece of work last week and they were very happy with his condition,” said Routh.

“He worked with Sibayan and Surabad, a Group Two winner and Group Three placed so good horses, and after it the plan is now to run at York if everything goes fine.

“It’s obviously a big ask from what he has been doing so far. The field is a strong one and we’re under no illusions it’s going to be a very tough race, but Francis took the view that the horse is in great form, it will be fast ground which he handles well and we’ve always rated him, so we’ll see how good he is next week.”

Daryz has yet to venture further than ParisLongchamp and Saint-Cloud and Routh admits travelling for the first time to potentially take on the likes of Eclipse victor Delacroix and Japanese runner Danon Decile presents a real test.

Eclipse winner Delacroix also featured in the International confirmations
Eclipse winner Delacroix also featured in the International confirmations (Steven Paston/Jockey Club)

“Francis just wanted to see that the horse was on good terms with himself, which he showed us this morning, but the question mark with him is he has been learning on the job, he’s still a bit immature,” said Routh.

“It’s going to be a lot for him to travel for the first time, see everything new and then come up against such a top-class field as well. That’s the caveat with him.

“We were very impressed last time though, in a race which wasn’t run to suit him. He pulled too hard as they were crawling but then he really picked up. That was a Group Two so you feel it makes sense to run in a Group One and this came up at the right time.”

A total of nine horses have been confirmed, with Aidan O’Brien responsible for Delacroix, dual Derby hero Lambourn, who also has the Great Voltiguer as an option, and the top-class filly Whirl.

John and Thady Gosden’s Prince of Wales’s scorer Ombudsman will have the benefit of a pacemaker in the supplemented Birr Castle, with See The Fire and Anmaat also left in.

Thursday gallop to determine plans for Daryz

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Unbeaten French colt Daryz faces a crucial workout on Thursday as connections ponder whether to take on the challenge of next week’s Juddmonte International at York.

The Sea The Stars colt has won each of his four starts to date, most recently impressing in the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in late June.

Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard saddled Calandagan to finish a close second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International 12 months ago and Daryz could bid to go one better on the Knavesmire.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for owners the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: “He won’t run in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano this weekend, that’s for sure.

“We’re going to work him on Thursday and then make a decision about whether he goes to York or whether we run him next in the Prix Niel and follow a more traditional route towards the Arc, so we’ll see what he does on Thursday and make that decision then.

“He’s in good shape, we just want to be 100 per cent sure that we’re making the right call because it’s going to be a big ask going to York and we just want to see that last piece of work and make sure we’re making the right decision.

“By Thursday we’ll know a bit more about the field and the ground. The horse is in great form, but it’s going to be a big step for him so we’ll work him on Thursday, Mickael (Barzalona) will ride him, and we’ll make a decision then.”

The team have already ruled out a return to York for recent King George hero Calandagan, who has the Japan Cup as his major target for the second half of the season.

“He came out of Ascot absolutely fine and we could have gone to York, but we just felt we didn’t want to keep asking him to run at Group One level over the summer when we know we want to run him internationally at the end of the year,” Routh added.

“He’s not going back to the stud or anything, he’s staying in the yard, but we’re just not working towards a race.

“The main objective is the Japan Cup and he’ll have one run before, either in a Group Two in France or in the Champion Stakes.”

York one of the options being explored for rising star Daryz

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The Juddmonte International Stakes is “definitely an option” for the exciting Daryz, as connections search for the ideal route to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The regally-bred son of Sea The Stars impressively enhanced his unbeaten record in Saint-Cloud’s Prix Eugene Adam, with trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said to be “quite interested” on another York raid, having seen Calandagan chase home City Of Troy 12 months ago in a race since officially recognised as the best in the world.

“We’re slightly scratching our heads with Daryz and we would need to sit down with Princess Zahra as well as there are several options we can take with the horse,” said Nemone Routh, racing manager for owners the Aga Khan Studs in France.

“I know Francis is quite interested in the idea of bringing him to the Juddmonte International and he’s obviously done very well over that trip and we’ve only ever run him him over a mile and a quarter, so it is the right trip for him.

“It would be a big ask as Sunday was only his fourth start, but he’s an improving horse and we’re really excited by him, he’s bred in the purple and a proper horse.”

Daryz entered the Arc picture after claiming the scalp of George Scott’s Bay City Roller at Saint-Cloud, with some firms going as short as 12-1 for Europe’s richest middle-distance prize.

And that race is firmly in connections’ thoughts as they also consider a long-established stepping stone closer to home ahead of the ParisLongchamp feature on October 5.

Routh added: “We have an eye on the Arc at the end of the year, but he needs to run before that and there’s several different races he could run in. He could have a traditional prep for the Arc in the Prix Niel or he could take in something like York.

“We’ll have to weigh everything up with him as he is still a little immature, but he’s improved with every race and York is definitely an option. We will just have to see what is the right option as we haven’t quite figured that out.”

With King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes-bound Calandagan also entered, Routh continued: “We would be very happy to have a runner in the race, we’re just not quite sure at this stage if it will be Daryz.

“It will come down to what the trainer thinks and what the owner thinks, but we wanted to have both Calandagan and Daryz entered for York to give us the option. We had a great time with Calandagan there last year and it’s a great track and the Juddmonte International a great race.”

Calandagan finally breaks Group One duck

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Calandagan claimed the elusive Group One success his connections craved with a decisive victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Second four times at the highest level since striking at Royal Ascot last summer, Francis-Henri Graffard’s four-year-old has locked horns with some of the best around, performing admirably up against the likes of City Of Troy and most recently Jan Brueghel at Epsom.

However, returned to home soil he proved a cut above the opposition in what appeared a stacked contest on paper, storming three and a half lengths clear of Christophe Ferland’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Aventure.

Calandagan is now 3-1 joint-favourite with his Epsom conqueror Jan Brueghel with Coral for a King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes rematch at Ascot on July 26.

Graffard said: “Well, he’s not ungenuine. The race went really well for him and I thought he was travelling much more into the rhythm of the race this time.

Mickael (Barzalona, jockey) said he still had to ask him to keep up sometimes during the race but then in the straight, when there is rhythm and he can follow the pace, he can really lengthen and quicken really strongly. I thought he was really impressive.

“After Epsom my first conclusion was that he needed the run probably against that horse on that ground that day. I thought he came on a lot for that and I think he’s gaining experience with his jockey knowing him better also.

“He’s never run a bad race and he’s either been beaten by a champion or circumstances. Today everything went his way and we saw how good he could be.

“I will obviously discuss the King George with connections, but he is entitled to go to Ascot, it is a place he has won before and I would like to take him there 100 per cent.”

Calandagan’s victory capped a fine afternoon for Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs team as they earlier watched Daryz remain unbeaten with an impressive display in the Prix Eugene Adam.

George Scott’s Bay City Roller can count himself unfortunate to bump into the exciting son of Sea The Stars, who after being shortened to just 14-1  for the Arc, could take a trip to York for the Juddmonte International Stakes later in the summer.

“We’ll take it step by step with Calandagan and the next race (at Ascot) is a big one. But if you want to talk about the Juddmonte International then that is a race I will put forwards for Daryz,” Graffard added to Sky Sports Racing.

“I will discuss with Princess Zahra where she would like to go, but I will probably make an entry for Daryz at York and he is a horse I like a lot. I need to make him tougher and give him experience and I think he will get that if he goes abroad.”