Alain de Royer-Dupre

DEL MAR, California--History can be a sprint from one anachronism to the next, but every now and then it hands us spectators something unique across generations. You know, one of those full circle moments where we can witness a learner transforming into a future master. A little over 40 years ago at the inaugural Breeders' Cup World Championships hosted by Hollywood Park, Monsieur Alain de Royer-Dupre saddled Lashkari (GB) (Mill Reef) for His Highness The Aga Khan. The 3-year-old took home the very first Breeders' Cup Turf, which was one...

His Highness The Aga Khan's undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine and Group 1 producer Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) will not be bred next year and has been pensioned, The Aga Khan Studs announced on Wednesday. The 19-year-old mare's final foal is a filly by Siyouni (Fr) born on February 2, 2024. Foaled on the final day of March in 2005, the daughter of Zarkasha (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) won her seven starts for Alain de Royer-Dupre by a combined 16 lengths, all in group company, bar her Longchamp maiden. After winning...

Champion Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}--Daltawa {Ire}, by Miswaki), a winner of seven Group 1 races worldwide, has been euthanised due to the infirmities of old age, the Aga Khan Studs announced on Wednesday. He was two weeks shy of his official 29th birthday on Apr. 20. Racing for first his breeder, His Highness The Aga Khan, and later on in the blue silks of Godolphin, the 1994 foal was second in the 1996 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud at two and grabbed a Classic laurel in the G1 Poule d'Essai des...

Retired French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has been elevated to the rank of Knight in the French Legion of Honour. The award is the highest distinction for French citizens, and is comprised of the following ranks in order of increasing distinction: knight, officer, commander, grand officer, and grand cross. Royer-Dupre, who retired from training at the end of 2021, will be presented with the award in a subsequent ceremony. De Royer-Dupre told Jour de Galop, "It's good that the racing world is recognised. Certainly, as far as I am concerned,...

Our concluding part of the series reflecting on one hundred years of the Aga Khan Studs begins in the 1980s with the rise of the legendary Shergar and incorporates some of the most celebrated horses of the modern era, as well as a special anniversary for HH the Aga Khan IV. The text is reproduced by kind permission from the Aga Khan Studs' centenary brochure, written by Emma Berry and John Berry.   Shergar's birth came in the year that HH the Aga Khan IV decided to renew his family...

When the gates open for the G1 Hong Kong Vase on Sunday, Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) will be bidding to round off her trainer Alain de Royer Dupré's 49-year career with a 94th Group 1 win. Now pause. And read that sentence again.  Forty-nine years. Ninety-three Group 1 victories. Almost two per season. And a mind-boggling total of 320 wins at group level.  Royer Dupré's retirement from the training ranks brings the curtain down on a whole chapter of French and international racing history. It is quite fitting that his final...

   Europe's penultimate group 1 prize takes place on Sunday and the 2021 running of ParisLongchamp's Prix Royal-Oak carries extra significance as the last of its kind to include the name Alain de Royer-Dupre. Soon set for an honourable retirement from the field he has mastered for so long, the doyen of Aiglemont has one more shot at the big time with last year's runner-up Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Seemingly prepped perfectly for her return tilt, The Aga Khan homebred has no Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) to deal...

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....

His Highness The Aga Khan's 4-year-old filly Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) made light of a seven-month absence to collar Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by a neck in the May 2 G3 Prix Allez France Longines at ParisLongchamp on seasonal return and doubled up on that rival in Wednesday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Her sophomore campaign highlight reel also includes victories in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix de Royaumont, as well as a sixth-place effort in last year's G1 Prix de Diane, and she claimed a fourth...

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...

The Aga Khan's Dalakhani (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), the Champion Three-Year-Old and Horse of the Year in 2003, died on Friday in retirement at Haras d'Ouilly at the age of 21.  Expertly trained by Alain de Royer Dupre, the half-brother to Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {GB}) sailed through his three starts at two, breaking his maiden at Deauville in August before graduating swiftly to group company and wins in the G3 Prix des Chenes and G1 Criterium International. But it was his 3-year-old season which would set him apart, and in nine...

Never a factor when eighth in last month's G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp, His Highness The Aga Khan's Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) returned to the Bois de Boulogne track for Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay and disposed of five rivals with ease to kick off a bumper weekend of stakes festivities. The homebred bay, who debuted with a 12-furlong success at Clairefontaine in June, bagged the July 23 Listed Prix de Thiberville before losing her perfect record when second in Deauville's Aug. 16 G3 Prix Minerve in her...