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Graffard to Take Over Aiglemont For HH The Aga Khan

Following the retirement of Alain de Royer-Dupre at the end of 2021, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard will take over the training of the horses based at His Highness The Aga Khan's private training centre at Aiglemont. Situated in Gouvieux, Aiglemont is currently home to 80-90 Aga Khan-bred horses. Past champions bearing the green with red epaulettes trained at Aiglemont include Zarkava (Ire), Dalakhani (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr).

Graffard, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start, spent four years at the Darley Racing Office before becoming an assistant to Alain de Royer-Dupre. He went out on his own in 2011 and has celebrated top-level victories with Erupt (Ire), Bateel (Ire), Channel (Ire), Watch Me (Fr), In Swoop (Ire), Wooded (Ire) and The Revenant (GB). The young trainer was sent a few Aga Khan yearlings at the end of 2019.

Alain de Royer-Dupre started training out of Aiglemont for HH The Aga Khan after the passing of Francois Mathet in 1983. To date, Royer-Dupre has trained a total of 77 Group 1 winners for HH The Aga Khan and Princess Zahra Aga Khan including seven French Guineas, a Prix Vermeille, six editions of the Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Saint Alary, five G1 Prix du Jockey Clubs and a pair of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners.

Graffard will continue to operate out of Chantilly in addition to his new role. The Aga Khan Studs' close collaboration with their existing base of trainers, which includes Mikel Delzangles and Jean-Claude Rouget in France, as well as Dermot Weld, Michael Halford and Johnny Murtagh in Ireland, will also continue.

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Battleground, Epaulette to Stand in Turkey

Group 2 winner Battleground (War Front–Found {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Vintage S., has been purchased from Coolmore and will stand the 2022 breeding season at the Jockey Club of Turkey Stud Farms in Turkey. A fee will be announced later.

Also a winner of the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot, he crowned his juvenile season with a close second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Bred by Coolmore entity Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, the son of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Found ran third in the G1 St. James's Palace S., his best showing from three starts as a sophomore for the Coolmore partners and trainer Aidan O'Brien. From the same family as this year's standout G1 Cazoo Oaks, G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks and G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), his record stands at 7-2-1-1 and $289,722 in earnings.

Joining Battleground at the Jockey Club of Turkey Stud Farms next season is former Australian-based reverse-shuttle stallion Epaulette (Aus) (Commands {Aus}–Accessories {GB}, by Singspiel {Ire}). Purchased from Darley Australia, the bay won the G1 Golden Rose S. and G1 Doomben 10,000. At stud, he has left 15 black-type winners, among them Group 1 winners Red Lark (Ire), Soqrat (Aus).

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Group 1-placed Pearls Galore Headed to Foret

The progressive Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who was denied by an neck in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Saturday, is being aimed at the G1 Prix de la Foret on Oct. 3. The Haras de Saint-Pair homebred claimed the G3 Brownstown S. in July and the Aug. 26 G3 Fairy Bridge S. in August, prior to her near miss on Sept. 11.

Trainer Paddy Twomey said, “I'd say the plan is to go for the Foret in France, as long as the ground isn't too soft. Her owners are French-based, and they might like to see her in Paris.

La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), meanwhile, will most likely be seen next in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot in mid-October. A 5 1/2-length winner of the G3 Give Thanks S. in August, the Team Valor filly beat multiple Group 1 winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a short head in the G2 Blandford S. on Sept. 12.

“She seems in great form and has come out of the race very well,” the trainer said. “She's a filly that has progressed all year, so it was great to continue on an upward trajectory. Ascot has been the plan from the middle of the season onwards, and that very much remains the case. If the ground came up soft, it would inconvenience other horses more than her.”

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Freshman Sire Hootenanny Off The Mark at Pontefract

Hootenanny (Quality Road) became the latest freshman sire off the mark when the Kevin Ryan-trained Louisiana-bred filly Esken Rose shed maiden status on debut in Thursday's Northern Commercials Service, Sales & Parts Novice S. at Pontefract. The $4,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling and £38,000 Goresbridge@Newmarket breezer, who sported the colours of Hambleton Racing, made all to defeat Clarets Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) by a length.

1st-Pontefract, £7,200, Nov, 9-16, 2yo, 6fT, 1:16.39, g/f.
ESKEN ROSE (f, 2, Hootenanny–Eskenforandreya, by Eskendereya) was the sharpest of nine into stride and seized an immediate lead in this debut. Holding sway throughout, the 14-1 chance turned for home with a comfortable buffer and kept on strongly under a final-furlong drive to hold the late bid of Clarets Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) by a length, becoming the first winner for her freshman sire (by Quality Road). Esken Rose is the lone foal produced by a winning full-sister to dual stakes scorer He's The Reason (The Factor) and stakes-winning GIII Ohio Derby and GIII Palm Beach S. placegetter South Bend (Algorithms). The April-foaled bay's MGSP second dam Sandra's Rose (Old Trieste) is a half-sister to three black-type winners headed by GII American Derby hero and GI Hollywood Derby runner-up Mananan McLir (Royal Academy). Sales history: $4,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; £38,000 2yo '21 TATGOR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,381.
1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXVIII; B-J Adcock & Hume Wornall (LA); T-Kevin Ryan.

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