By Tom Frary
Parislongchamp's Prix de la Michodiere for unraced fillies was the last race on the card on Thursday and it could be that the mile contest staged in gloom unearthed a future luminary as The Aga Khan's Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status. Awkwardly away from the stalls, the second foal out of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) was keen early tracking the tepid tempo set by the Niarchos Family's La Fiamma (War Front). Green throughout, the imposing bay was able to gain the lead from that granddaughter of Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing {GB}) with ease 300 metres from the line and only required hand riding to register a cosy length success as the 13-10 favourite. There was another two-length margin back to the modest purchase Romanosa (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and the time was unimpressive even allowing for the very soft ground, but the manner of the winner's performance suggested she could go places with her regal pedigree. Still holding a June 20 G1 Prix de Diane entry, the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained homebred from the family of Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire) is already a step ahead of her dam who was beaten first time out but who had three starts later won the G2 Prix de Malleret and Listed Prix Melisande.
Dolniya, who beat Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) by 2 1/4 lengths in the 2015 Sheema Classic, was also placed third in the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and was runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup. Her first foal Dilawar (Ire), a gelding by Dubawi (Ire), made his belated debut a winning one at Strasbourg last week for the same stable while her 2-year-old colt is by Siyouni (Fr). She is a granddaughter of the operation's outstanding matriarch Daltawa (Ire) (Miswaki), who produced two brilliant Classic winners in the aforementioned Daylami and Dalakhani, with the former going on to excel on the international stage as European horse of the year and champion grass horse in the States courtesy of victories in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond S., G1 Eclipse S., G1 Coronation Cup, G1 Irish Champion S., GI Breeders' Cup Turf and GI Man o' War S. Dalakhani captured the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before making a successful career at stud, while two other notables out of Daltawa were the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal winner Dalghar (Fr) (Anabaa) and the dual group 1-placed Daymarti (Ire) (Caerleon).
Daylami's full-sister Daltaiyma (Ire) produced the G3 Prix de la Grotte scorer Daltaya (Fr) (Anabaa), who was in turn responsible for the G1 Prix de l'Opera, G2 Prix de Royallieu and G2 Middleton S. winner Dalkala (Giant's Causeway). The latter's unraced half-sister Doulmera (Mr. Greeley) is the dam of this year's G2 Sweet Embrace S. winner Four Moves Ahead (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) and of Emeralds (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) who captured last year's G3 Bentley Angst S.
7th-Parislongchamp, €27,000, Debutantes, 5-20, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:50.82, vs.
DOLIA (FR), by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Dolniya (Fr) (Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 11-14f, G1SW-UAE, GSW & MGS1P-Fr, G1SP-Eng, $4,225,405), by Azamour (Ire)
2nd Dam: Daltama (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Daltawa (Ire), by Miswaki
O-H H Aga Khan; B-S A Aga Khan (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €13,500. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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