ZARKAVA FULFILS HER PROMISE IN POULICHES
Taken from the EBN
The Aga Khan’s homebred Zarkava (ZAMINDAR) raced home the impressive winner of yesterday’s Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp, in a new track record time, and provided her sire ZAMINDAR with his third winner of the race. The Banstead Manor Stud stallion is also responsible for last year’s winner Darjina and his first crop daughter Zenda, who won in 2002.
In a race very similar to last season’s Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac over the same course and distance, the Alain de Royer Dupre-trained bay settled beautifully towards the back of the field. Although she did not find her top stride as soon as she was asked, she steadily gained momentum to charge into the lead a furlong out and score by a comfortable two lengths. Goldikova (Anabaa), who stumbled badly on leaving the stalls, ran a terrific race to finish second, with the prominently-ridden Halfway to Heaven (Pivotal) keeping on for third.
“She is an exceptional filly,” acknowledged the winner‘s trainer. “She found herself some way back in the field because the leading fillies went very fast early on. Then she made her effort almost too early, and accelerated again in the final two hundred meters. She should stay 2,100 meters and participate in the Prix de Diane.”
POLISHED PEARL
Taken from the TDN
Longchamp’s punters were out in force yesterday, and while odds of 3-10 on Zarkava (Ire) (ZAMINDAR) looked skinny, His Highness the Aga Khan’s homebred showed why she warranted that confidence with a smooth success in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.
Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre had described her as a ‘pearl’ following her highly impressive return success in the G3 Prix de la Grotte over course and distance Apr. 13, and the unbeaten bay looked like priceless material here. Scything through the pack in the straight, she inhaled Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) approaching the eighth pole before settling the issue in a matter of strides and flattering the runner-up with a two-length margin. ‘She is pure class,’ commented her conditioner after greeting his fourth winner in this test. ‘She had done that a few times already and did again today. I have to be blessed to train such a star.’ The final time for the mile was a stakes-record 1:35.20.
Zarkava earned an instant “TDN Rising Star” tag when winning the first of her three starts over this track and trip in September before displaying devastating acceleration to best Conference Call (Anabaa) by 2 1/2 lengths in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day. It was the same margin back to that rival in the Prix de la Grotte, and her ability to handle deep ground on that occasion removed a potential chink in her armor. Settled towards the rear early by a confident Christophe
Soumillon yesterday, she was steadied on the final turn before being asked to take closer order when straightened up.
She arrived wide of Goldikova and Olivier Peslier with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, and her turn of foot overpowered that rival. Zarkava was allowed to coast to the line and still set a new race record. ‘She has progressed easily and I am sure she will stay further, which is also suggested by the way she won today,’ Alain de Royer-Dupre remarked. ‘The G1 Prix de Diane [Chantilly, June 8] will probably be next.’ His Highness the Aga Khan added, ‘It is such a thrill for the breeding operation, as she descends from the only daughter of Petite Etoile to stand at stud and has brought the family back again. I was never worried at any stage today, as the field was strung out by the fast pace and I knew she had plenty of racing room—she quickened so brilliantly.’
The Wertheimers’ Racing Manager Pierre-Yves Bureau said of the runner-up, ‘She showed her true quality on suitable ground today and will follow the normal path for three-year-old miling fillies, so it will be the G2 Prix de Sandringham [at Chantilly June 1] next followed by the G1 Prix d’Astarte [at Deauville Aug. 3].’
Date:
12 May 2008