aga khan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Carini Off To Australia Following Arqana Purchase

Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a latest runner-up in the Oct. 19 Listed Prix Vulcain for the Aga Khan and Francis-Henri Graffard, was knocked down to Nicolas Lefevre's Equos Racing on the phone with Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer for €600,000 during Monday's horses-in-training session of the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville. The 3-year-old gelding is a winner of three of his six lifetime appearances. “I bought it with my former boss, Louis Le Metayer, for one of his Australian clients,” commented Lefevre. “It's been four years since we bought together, there is a lot of competition on horses with profile like his. We had been following him for a long time. We are thrilled that the story will continue with him.”

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‘It’s Rare That We See Stats Like That’: Rimaud on Zarak

The Aga Khan Studs is celebrating 100 years of success in 2022, making the emergence of Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) as one of the most talented colts in training and Zarak (Fr) being one of the hottest young stallion prospects in Europe all the more fitting.

Georges Rimaud has played an integral role in the success of the organisation. The manager of HH Aga Khan's studs in France, Rimaud reflected on the success of Vadeni in Saturday's

G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and shared his delight at the popularity of Zarak among breeders in this week's Q&A.

For all of the joy the G1 Irish Champion S.-bound Vadeni has generated in strutting his stuff in the top European races, those associated with the iconic Aga Khan studs in France have enjoyed similar levels of excitement with the impressive numbers posted by the up-and-coming sire Zarak.

His blistering start at stud earned a fee rise from €12,000 to €25,000 and Rimaud shared how breeders have been unwavering in their support of the young stallion who, in being out of the champion racemare Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), carries a tremendous legacy.

Brian Sheerin: You have spent over 20 years managing the breeding interests of HH Aga Khan and have enjoyed huge success. Where does Saturday's Coral-Eclipse S. victory with Vadeni rank?

Georges Rimaud: We have had a lot of success in England before, but Saturday was a great day. The opportunity to be a part of the Coral-Eclipse, which is such a difficult race to win, was one thing but to win it and beat some very solid race horses along the way was something very special.

BS: The decision to send Vaderana (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) [Vadeni's dam] to Churchill is looking like an inspired one now.

GR: Obviously we have consultations over every mating and it's always a joint effort. The dam was at a stage in her life where she could go to an unproven stallion like Churchill and, because she needed a bit of size, he provided that element. The dam is not very big and Churchill is a good model. He was a champion 2-year-old, a very fast son of Galileo (Ire), and that's what we felt we needed for this mare. It has worked out, thank God!

BS: What has Vaderana got coming through?

GR: She is in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire). She has a colt foal by Too Darn Hot (GB) and she was barren the year before that. She also has a 2-year-old Camelot (GB) gelding in training with Jean-Claude Rouget.

BS: And Jean-Claude Rouget is aiming Vadeni to the Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. He has charted a similar path to victory in that race before with Almanzor (Fr).

GR: That has been the plan for some time with this horse. The Irish Champion S. is known as a very good race in the second half of the season and some very good horses have won it–including Azamour (Ire) in 2004. It's a race we'd like to participate in and Jean-Claude [Rouget] has had some good luck at Leopardstown with Almanzor. We are looking forward to it. Vadeni will probably have a nice break and will go directly to Leopardstown for that race.

BS: Speaking of Ireland, the stud enjoyed big-race success there on Irish Derby weekend when Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) landed the G2 Railway S. at the Curragh. He looks an unusually quick horse for the Aga Khan.

GR: It's interesting how people perceive that we breed slow racehorses. He is fast. He could be quite talented but it is obviously very early in his career. It is nice to have a young trainer like Johnny Murtagh and to have horses like Shartash coming through, especially in this year, which is the 100-year anniversary of the Aga Khan breeding operation. All of this is happening in good time, which is great, and we can only be honoured to serve in this excellent organisation.

BS: There is obviously an extra significance to these big-race successes.

GR: If it were happening last year we'd be just as thrilled but this is a funny business in that some years are slow. We are very happy that we are having good success this year. But in the case of Shartash, Pat Downes would obviously have more of an association with him and with Johnny, but it is great to have these nice horses who can compete at every level and at different age groups. It makes it very satisfying for the breeding operation with a view towards the future.

BS: Along with Vadeni, one of the main reasons I wanted to speak with you was to discuss the phenomenal start Zarak has had at stud. His numbers are quite impressive.

GR: Zarak has obviously done very well so far. He posted some excellent stats with his first crop. It's very gratifying to have a stallion like him, especially with his pedigree. He is by Dubawi (Ire) and out of Zarkava (Ire), which is very satisfying. When you speak of the centenary in that light, I think it is quite special. When Zarkava won the Arc, His Highness said that it epitomised his breeding operation. Now, with a son of Zarkava emerging to be one of the leading stallions in Europe, it's very promising. It's rare that we see stats like that and hopefully the quality can be maintained in his next crops. He seems to really improve the mares that he has been bred with but he has had a steady flow of good mares. It's been good; he covered 160 mares this year so hopefully there will be some nice stock coming through by him.

BS: Like you said, he has a pedigree to die for and did it on the track. However, you can never be sure that they will make it at stud. The early signs are that Zarak is on the cusp of being a high-class stallion.

GR: There are interesting elements that would make you gain confidence as you go along. The popularity of the horse is quite interesting. He is very popular among breeders and a lot of people have come back to him after the first foal was born. Generally, the numbers drop considerably with stallions in their second and third year at stud. But he has had a steady flow of mares and actually it has even increased. That is a strong indication that the breeders are confident in the horse if they are sending their mares back to him. When you have a good number of breeders supporting him like they are, you can't really go wrong, and they are coming back with good reports. That is very significant.

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Vadeni Camp Full Of Confidence Ahead Of Eclipse Bid

One of the most exciting horses in France, Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) is set to take his chance in the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday, and connections are expecting a massive performance.

Vadeni, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was supplemented at a cost of £50,000 for the race on Monday. A hugely impressive winner of the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly when last seen, the French raider is a general 2-1 favourite to follow up on that success at Sandown.

Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan's racing manager, said, “We liked Vadeni's performance in the French Derby, when he showed a very decisive turn of foot. Personally, that did not surprise me because I knew he had that gear change based on his prior race in the G3 Prix Fontainebleau over a mile where his acceleration drew the best sectional times.”

Vadeni will be bidding to bridge a gap that extends back to 1959 to the last French-trained winner of the Eclipse, Alec Head's Prince Aly Khan-owned Saint Crespin III (GB), however, not many have tried since.

Rimaud thinks that Vadeni could be up to the task and added, “Obviously, when you have a horse winning the Prix du Jockey Club by a record five lengths it's very satisfying. Going in against the older horses is a task, but it's an interesting one –it's time for him to show us what he can do.

“We'll know more on Saturday evening about his autumn campaign, but it's the only race at the distance at this time which is a Group 1. It will be a challenge, but it's one we are ready to take on.”

Vadeni was put through his paces at Deauville on Monday morning and is reported to be in rude health ahead of his trip to Britain.

Rimaud said, “I sent a message after seeing the horse work on Monday that all the lights were green. He wasn't asked to do very much, but he did work well and showed a nice action on ground that we would call good, so we decided to go ahead and supplement him as planned.”

He added, “There seemed to be an assumption after Chantilly that we were perhaps going to go for the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano as a route to the Arc, but we don't know if he's made for 1m4f. He has a lot of speed, so we're sticking to just short of that.”

“Sandown is a different profile of track and we don't know if he will manage it, but we certainly expect him to handle it as he's a very well-balanced horse. He has always had a lovely action and doesn't get concerned by the ground being soft or fast. There is a 10-metre rise from the home turn to the winning post at Chantilly, so hopefully that will help.”

Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), along with this year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas scorer Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), are also on course for what promises to be a mouth-watering renewal.

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Churchill’s Vadeni Swoops In The Jockey Club

One hundred years on from the late Aga Khan III's initial foray into European racing, the internationally-renowned and respected operation were celebrating a momentous Classic victory as the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}–Vaderana {Fr}, by Monsun {Ger}) dominated Chantilly's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. Always travelling easily in the slipstream of the leaders from his favourable inside draw, the May 10 G3 Prix de Guiche winner pounced on the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) with 300 metres remaining and a furlong later Christophe Soumillon was already saluting the crowd with the race in safe keeping. At the line, there was a five-length margin back to El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the only runner with a lower stall than the winner in one, with the wide-drawn Modern Games an honourable third a short neck behind. The Aga Khan IV now has eight Prix du Jockey Club successes, with this being only the second since the distance was shortened in 2005.

“I am delighted to win for His Highness, as it has been a few years since we made it at the highest level and these prestigious races are so important for his breeding operation,” Soumillon said after steering his fourth winner of the 10 1/2-furlong Classic. “I feel sorry that he and Princess Zahra could not make it to the races today and my first thoughts were for them–I owe them so much and they have been so important in my career. The key to the race this year was to have a good draw and we had the perfect trip. My horse was travelling so easily and when I asked him he was impressive. His preparation had been perfectly planned by Jean-Claude Rouget and today he was at the top of his game.”

Introduced over seven furlongs at La Teste de Buch in July, Vadeni dealt with the eventual Listed Prix Montenica winner Loubeisien (Fr) before heading to Deauville in August to capture the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage over a mile in which the subsequent group 1 performer Times Square (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) was third. Only third when over-racing as the 2-5 favourite behind El Bodegon in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Conde on his final juvenile start, the bay returned with a staying-on fifth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile at ParisLongchamp Apr. 17 before it all slotted into place in the Prix de Guiche back here last time.

After the earlier G3 Prix de Royaumont win of the Stud's Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), there was a feeling in the air that this meeting would form some sort of crowning moment for the breeding operation which has its roots in Aga Khan III's 1922 Queen Mary S. success. Even the draw had been kind, twice, with Vadeni faring well the first time the balls were pulled out of the bowl and better at the second attempt. As is often the case in this race, it became a race of the haves and the have-nots in that respect with Soumillon able to cruise and draft with minimal effort and William Buick's hand forced by stall 13. He had to use up fuel on Modern Games to get the 21-10 favourite into the front line, but he made the right call as after the opening two furlongs, the eventual first, second and third were occupying three of the front five positions. TDN Rising Stars Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Lassaut (Fr) (Almanzor {Ire}) and the similarly well-fancied Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) were far adrift as the trailing trio at that stage and the die was already cast for them.

Soon into the straight it was clear that those in the rearguard had little chance of getting to the leaders and one glance at the emerald green was enough to predict the outcome. Hard as Modern Games tried, he was losing steam on the rain-softened ground and while his compatriot El Bodegon was wearing him down, by the time they had grafted to a furlong and a half out the race had already slipped out of their grip. It is rare that a jockey is able to begin celebrations so far from the line and only time will tell how Vadeni ranks alongside Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), but the fact is that France has a new star and that can only be a good thing where the diversity of the racing game is concerned.

For Rouget, the performance was a clear peak of his grand total of five.”He is the easiest of my Jockey Club winners–he's very good,” he said. I will probably give him a break now and I'll speak to the owner and see what he wants to do. If he wants to go for the Arc, I would suggest running him in the Irish Champion Stakes first and if not, he could still come back in the Irish Champion and head to the Champion Stakes at Ascot as Almanzor did.”

Charlie Appleby is looking to the States now for Modern Games. “I think in the end he didn't quite see out the trip,” he said. “The winner was quite impressive and you could spot him from a long way out. I think on faster ground Modern Games can stay nine or ten and the Belmont Derby or Saratoga Derby are options for him now in America.” James Ferguson said of El Bodegon, “It's so great to see him back on track and I've never been so happy to be second–the winner is a fantastic horse and all credit to him. My horse has beaten everyone else. He wears his heart on his sleeve and tried all the way to the line.”

Vadeni is from the first crop of Churchill {Ire}) and becomes his first Classic and group 1 winner, while he was also giving Monsun his 16th success at this level as a damsire. The dam Vaderana, whose previous five foals include the multiple listed-placed Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) and the Australian listed-placed Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), is a daughter of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain) who produced five black-type performers headed by the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scorer Vadamar (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the G3 Tyros S. winner and G1 Racing Post Trophy third The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Vadawina is kin to the fellow Saint-Alary heroine Vazira (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and the stakes-producing, dual group 3 winner Vadapolina (Fr) (Trempolino), while their dam Vadaza (Fr) (Zafonic) is in turn a half-sister to the G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and the listed-winning Celebre Vadala (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) who threw the G1 Prix du Moulin-winning sire Vadamos (Fr) from a mating with Monsun. Also connected to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy), Vaderana has the unraced 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB) named Vazirpour (GB).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-5, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:06.65, sf.
1–VADENI (FR), 128, c, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Vaderana (Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Vadawina (Ire), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Vadaza (Fr), by Zafonic
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. €857,100. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-1, €987,100. *1/2 to Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), MSP-Fr; and Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), SP-Aus, $140,637. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–El Bodegon (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Nas Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. €342,900.
3–Modern Games (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €171,450.
Margins: 5, SNK, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.80, 14.00, 2.10.
Also Ran: Al Hakeem (GB), *Onesto (Ire), *Vagalame (Ire), Machete (Fr), Lassaut (Fr), Ancient Rome, Welwal (GB), Mister Saint Paul (Fr), Ivy League (Ire), Imperial Fighter (Ire), The Acropolis (Ire), Yoozuna (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
*Dead-heated for fifth.

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