By Sean Cronin
His Highness The Aga Khan's hitherto unraced 2-year-old-filly Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}–Zarkamiya {Fr}, by Frankel {GB}), a granddaughter of the storied Zarkava, produced a stunning performance in Sunday's Prix de la Butte Blanche over seven furlongs at Chantilly and emulated her illustrious second dam by securing 'TDN Rising Star' status on debut.
The well-backed 11-10 favourite settled into a smooth rhythm and tracked the leaders in fifth after the opening exchanges. Angled off the rail for a clear passage approaching the quarter-mile marker, she settled the contest in an instant when surging to the front at the furlong pole and powered clear in the closing stages to hit the line with an impressive four-length buffer back to Reine De Medicis (Ire) (Romanised {Ire}), herself a half-sister to this term's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains third Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}). Zarigana becomes the 13th Rising Star for her sire.
“She's a classy filly and gave me a really good feeling,” said rider Mickael Barzalona. “She moved particularly well and picked up strongly. She needed the experience and will have learnt a lot from today. She sprinted from a long way out and maintained that speed all the way to the line. Hopefully, she has a big future ahead of her and I'm pretty sure connections will be happy with that performance.”
Zarigana, half to a yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire), is the second foal and scorer produced by Listed Prix Thiberville victrix and G1 Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), herself kin to Group 1-winning sire Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Listed Prix Charles Laffitte victrix Zaykava (Fr) and to the dam of dual Group 3 winner Zeyrek (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The January-foaled bay's second dam went unbeaten through a seven-race career, annexing the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe along the way.
💬 “Elle peut être une Zarkava avec encore plus de modèle…”
👀 L'œil du “maître entraîneur” Alain de Royer Dupré, entraîneur de la championne Zarkava, sous le charme de Zarigana, victorieuse ce dimanche à Chantilly.
📝 @AgaKhanStuds pic.twitter.com/b6xhQv9Tya
— Equidia (@equidia) July 14, 2024
2nd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 7-14, unraced 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.81, g/s.
ZARIGANA (IRE), f, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Zarkamiya (Fr) (SW & G1SP-Fr, $144,304), by Frankel (GB)
2nd Dam: Zarkava (Ire), by Zamindar
3rd Dam: Zarkasha (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €15,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Mickael Barzalona.
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