ZARKAVA ACHIEVES FRENCH CLASSIC DOUBLE
Article taken from the EBN
His Highness the Aga Khan’s homebred filly Zarkava recorded her fifth victory in as many starts with another scintillating performance in yesterday’s Gr.1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly. The daughter of ZAMINDAR made her move wide down the home straight and duly saw off her twelve rivals to collect her second French Classic and third Gr.1 win. She finished an easy three lengths ahead of Gagnoa (Sadler’s Wells), with Pouliches runner-up Goldikova (Anabaa) a length and a half back in third.
Banstead Manor Stud resident ZAMINDAR has four Gr.1 winners to his name – all fillies so far – and they have now collected eight top level victories, including four Classics. Zarkava is the tenth filly since World War II to complete the French Classic double, and only the fourth since the brilliant Allez France achieved the feat back in 1973. The filly’s connections stated after the race that a mile and a half should be within her compass and that the Arc would be her autumn target, with a prep race beforehand.
The breathtaking winner of last autumn’s Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac and last month’s Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Zarkava retained her unbeaten record, making smooth progress from the rear early in the home straight before quickening to the fore approaching the final 200 metres and cruising clear. The bay is by Banstead Manor Stud’s leading juvenile ZAMINDAR, whose 317 foals aged three and over number six Group winners including the other Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroines Darjina and Zenda, the Gr.1 Prix Saint-Alary ace Coquerelle and this month’s Gr.2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Modern Look.
Featuring a 3x4 coupling of the brilliant three parts brothers The Minstrel and Nijinsky, Zarkava is the second foal of Zarkasha, who has a yearling colt by Azamour. By Kahyasi, Zarkasha is a three parts-sister to the Gr.1 Prix de Diane and Gr.1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Zainta. Zarkasha’s dam Zarkana has also produced the Gr.3 Prix de Sandringham victrix Zarkiya (Catrail) and the Stakes-placed Zariyan (Anabaa) and is a three partssister to Darshaan’s Gr.2 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes scorer Zerpour, Gr.3 Greenham Stakes scorer Zayyani and Gr.1 Irish St Leger third Zafadola. Delving a little deeper, Zarkava’s fifth dam is Britain’s Horse Of The Year of 1959, Petite Etoile (Petition).
Date:
09 June 2008