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Aga Khan chasing Zarkava glory at the home of the Arc with progressive fillies
Prix Zarkava – Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage (Listed) | 1m2½f | 4yo+ fillies and mares | SSR
If you owned and bred one of the superstars of the 21st century you are bound to be keen to win the race named in her honour.
Which may well explain why the Aga Khan has two runners in the Prix Zarkava, which commemorates his outstanding filly who lit up French racing in 2008 with four straight Group 1 wins culminating in success here in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Neither is yet in the league of Zarkava, who retired unbeaten and has already bred Group 1 winner Zarak at stud, but Dariyma is certainly going the right way having won her first two starts then finished second on her debut in this Listed grade last November.
She is ridden by Christophe Soumillon with Vincent Cheminaud on Dariyza, a stablemate at Alain de Royer Dupre's Chantilly yard who won at this level at Longchamp last October.
Nicolas Clement is hopeful for the reappearing Wonderment, a Group 1 winner at two, and said: "She has done well over the winter. This is a nice race to come back in and, if travelling is possible, it's not impossible she could go to Belmont for the New York Handicap in June.
"She is entitled to be a little rusty having not run since September but I'm very pleased with her."
Prix du Pont Neuf (Listed) | 7f | 3yo | SSR
The Prix du Pont Neuf could be a Guineas trial, with Golden Boy, Tibasti and Arapaho entered in the Prix d'Essai des Poulains and Mageva, Wootton Saga and Yomogi in the Pouliches.
Tibasti has already won at Deauville and Chantilly this year while Coolmore's Arapaho was second in Listed company for Andre Fabre at Deauville last August.
Mikel Delzangles hopes for better when Chantilly winner Wootton Saga has his second try at this level and said: "It didn't go well in the Listed race he ran in at the start of the year when he got bumped around.
"I think he is better than his rating suggests, albeit the opposition is strong, and I'm hopeful he can be placed."
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