Francis-Henri Graffard

Princess Zahra Aga Khan's triple group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}) has so far failed to produce anything of major note as a broodmare, but the performance of her debutante daughter Mandanaba (Fr) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) at Chantilly on Tuesday suggests there could be a long-overdue change in the conversation. Introduced in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix de la Voie du Garde on the Polytrack by Francis-Henri Graffard, the homebred who is the first TDN Rising Star of her sire's first crop was allowed to coast to the front from...

Sunday's G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at ParisLongchamp witnessed the return of the King George hero Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Gouache {Ger}, by Shamardal) and it was a case of plain sailing as he successfully prepped for the G1 Japan Cup. Always in cruise mode under Christophe Soumillon tracking the modest pace, the 6-5 favourite tanked his way to the front two out and was always holding Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) comfortably at bay en route to a half-length success. "After the minor setback he had in September we had...

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Azimpour (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Azmiyna {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to multiple Group 1-winning sire The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), sidestepped an engagement at Saint-Cloud earlier in the month and made no mistake in his debut proper with a 3/4-of-a-length tally in Sunday's €50,000 Prix de Belleville over nine furlongs at ParisLongchamp. 1st-ParisLongchamp, €50,000, Mdn, 10-20, unraced 2yo, c/g, 9fT, 2:04.32, hy. AZIMPOUR (IRE) (c, 2, Dubawi {Ire}--Azmiyna {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was within range of the leaders racing at the tail of the seven-runner...

It was Francis-Henri Graffard celebrating after Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac which opened ParisLongchamp's Arc card, but not with the filly widely expected as Gemini Stud and Argella Racing's Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Krunch {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) denied her much-vaunted stablemate Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in a pulsating finish. Last seen finishing second in Lyon-Parilly's Listed Criterium de Lyon over this mile trip last month, the 32-1 shot was settled in mid-pack early enjoying crucial cover as Ballydoyle's Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) cut out the running....

Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) has been ruled out of Sunday's G1 Preis von Europa at Cologne due to a minor setback, it was announced on Thursday. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Goliath has been off the track since his shock 25-1 victory in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, with prominent American owner John Stewart subsequently purchasing a majority share in the four-year-old from Philip Baron von Ullmann. Goliath had been set for a rematch with King George third Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})...

Chantilly's card on Monday featured some promising juveniles and none more so than the Aga Khan's filly Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rayisa {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) lit up the six-furlong fillies' conditions event with a scintillating display to become her sire's fourth TDN Rising Star. Narrowly denied on debut by Juddmonte's Better Together (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) at Deauville last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred was in command from the outset strong in the hands of Maxime Guyon. Never in any danger out on her own, the 1-2...

The Aga Khan's Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}--Zarkamiya {Fr}, by Frankel {GB}), a granddaughter of the storied Zarkava, attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a stunning performance over seven furlongs at Chantilly in July and duly delivered a first black-type triumph with a display reminiscent of the owner's star distaffer in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp. The 4-5 favourite broke swiftly and was steadied off the tempo in sixth through halfway in this one-mile test. Angled to the outside passing the quarter-mile marker, she cruised to the fore approaching the...

American owner-breeder John Stewart of Resolute Racing has completed a deal to buy a majority share in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). The four-year-old gelding, who is trained in Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, was bred by Gestut Schlenderhan and races in the colours of Schlenderhan's Baron Philip von Ullmann. The owner's father, Georg, raced the 2005 GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) among a host of top-class horses, and this year's Breeders' Cup will be among the options...

ASCOT, UK -- By now, the breeding world is wise to the fact that we only realised almost all too late that Adlerflug was a stallion who should have been treated with the utmost respect. The team at Gestut Schlenderhan knew, but then they bred Adlerflug, who died in 2021 just months after he had been crowned Germany's champion sire for the first time and not long after Schlenderhan had celebrated its 150th anniversary.  Adlerflug has been kind to Francis-Henri Graffard, who trained his son In Swoop, also for the...

Virtually ignored ahead of Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, Philip Baron Von Ullmann's Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Gouache {Ger}, by Shamardal) had a sting in the tail for his revered fellow contenders as he dominated the Ascot feature. Only second in the course-and-distance G2 Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained 4-year-old thrived off the strong pace set by the Ballydoyle contingent and was travelling notably powerfully under Christophe Soumillon straightening for home. Committed 1 1/2 furlongs out, the 25-1 shot bounded clear for...

Francis-Henri Graffard may have had to contend with the disappointment of retiring his Classic-winning filly Rouhiya (Fr), but he still has much to look forward to in the coming weeks, not least another trip to Ascot with Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) for Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Owned by his breeder Baron Philip von Ullmann of Gestut Schlenderhan, the four-year-old was last seen running second to Isle Of Jura (Ire) in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes. Following his win in the G3 Prix d'Hedouville in early May,...

Al Asayl's homebred Map Of Stars (GB) Sea The Stars {Ire}--Bateel {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}) notched a one-length tally going nine furlongs at ParisLongchamp last October, his only prior start, and stepped forward to justify 11-10 favouritism with a career high on seasonal return in Monday's Listed Prix Pelleas at Compiegne. The eventual winner was positioned in a handy third until inching into second at halfway. Coming under pressure with 500 metres remaining, he was ridden to the fore entering the final furlong and ran on strongly in the latter...