The Race Sharp Stable Tour series from Chantilly continues with Francis-Henri Graffard (pictured, © Scoopdyga), who has a progressed through the training ranks at incredible speed to win Classics, Group Ones at Royal Ascot and now land the job as primary trainer to the Aga Khan.
The Frenchman can seemingly do it all. He’s won the Prix de Diane with an €18,000 yearling, run second at the Breeders’ Cup with Malavath and won big races including the Coronation Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the German Derby.
“A good horse can come from anywhere” is a mantra of Francis-Henri’s that we certainly share!
Races including the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will hopefully follow in the near future and it certainly wouldn’t come as a surprise to us if some of the horses below can explode onto the scene following maiden victories.
Here are the horses that caught our attention, listed in order of age:
The Revenant
7yo gelding (Dubawi x Hazel Lavery)
He was a big favourite on Saturday and so we were under pressure! He was very relaxed at the races, so I’m not sure he really needs his hood. He showed a great turn of foot to win, as he was quite far back with 500m to go.
The Revenant does it again! The 2020 QEII winner takes the Group Three Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud in good fashion…pic.twitter.com/7KuXAC3EpC
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) April 2, 2022
He is great in his mind and he will have a good season. I think the nine furlongs of the Prix d’Ispahan will be no problem for him but he’s also entered in the Lockinge at Newbury. The ground won’t necessarily dictate his next races but I won’t risk him on a very fast surface.
Big Five
5yo gelding (Frankel x Louvain)
He’s been frustrating as he injured himself in his last race at Chantilly last year. He’s now back in full work and touch wood he will be fine. He’s a top stayer and a very, very good horse.
#Chantilly
Big Five réalise la passe de cinq et conserve son invincibilité ! Le pensionnaire de @GraffardRacing s'est montré le plus fort dans le Prix Right Royal (R1C6 – Listed). @fgchantilly pic.twitter.com/vEcC9mIF8h— Equidia (@equidia) April 5, 2021
The program is all open for him and so we can start him in conditions races at the beginning of May and then go for a conditions race at ParisLongchamp over 2800m.
He will be aimed at the Autumn and he won’t be risked on fast ground. My long-term ambition is the 2023 Ascot Gold Cup.
Hurricane Dream
5yo gelding (Hurricane Cat x Shalimara)
He is in top form and runs in the Group Two Prix d’Harcourt on Sunday. After that he might go to America for a Group One.
PRETTY TIGER loves Saint-Cloud!
The 4yo progeny of @Lanwades SEA THE MOON bags the Gr.3 Prix Exbury, making it three Stakes wins out of three races at the French racecourse. 😍pic.twitter.com/ZXZWMlVbSw
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) March 19, 2022
If we don’t travel overseas with him, I think he’d be more a horse for the Prix d’Ispahan over nine furlongs than the Prix Ganay. He didn’t stay on his last run of 2021 when beaten at Lyon-Parilly.
Ebaiyra
5yo mare (Distorted Humor x Ebiyza)
She is entered in the Prix Zarkava on Sunday and I am very pleased with her. She looks very strong and her other option is the Prix Allez France. She is a ten-furlong filly.
For fillies, I think four-years-old is the hardest age but after that they mature and fully know their job. Good three-year-old fillies end up having a season of tough races and that’s why I asked for her to stay in training for another season.
Great run in third from #Ebaiyra in @LonginesEq Hong Kong Vase. She's been a lot of fun to follow over the last two years for Alain de Royer-Dupré and @AgaKhanStuds #HKIR pic.twitter.com/ldSFkmNZzB
— Scott Burton (@seenthestars) December 12, 2021
Afterwards, there is a good race for her in New York. Her main target is the Group One Prix Jean Romanet.
Tangut
5yo mare (Alderflug x Tucana)
Tangut was identified by my wife as the mare of the sale last year, with a fantastic pedigree and potential to improve still. Our plan is to try to win a Listed race with her and she’s a lovely filly. She is a little difficult to place but there are a few Listed contests restricted to mares over 2800m.
Bois d’Argent
5yo gelding (Toronado x Madonna Lily)
He’s lovely, with a good stride and cruising speed. He was very immature last year but looks fantastic now. He has a great stride and we are now settled on a mile for his best trip.
⚽️Première victoire au niveau listed pour la casaque de @clement_lenglet 🍾.
🏆Son représentant Bois d'Argent (O. Peslier – @GraffardRacing) s'adjuge de justesse le Prix du Ranelagh à @paris_longchamp. pic.twitter.com/uJchISD8jQ
— Equidia (@equidia) October 17, 2021
He makes his seasonal reappearance on Saturday at Lyon-La-Soie and will be a fun horse this year. A race like the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot might be ideal for him.
Dilawar
5yo gelding (Dubawi x Dolniya)
I pulled him out of The Revenant’s Group Three because I thought the ground might be too soft but in the end it wasn’t. He’s another gelding I can travel with and he could also be interesting. I think he will return over nine furlongs in a Listed at ParisLongchamp.
Sealiway
4yo colt (Galiway x Kensea)
Sealiway’s main target is the Prix Ganay. His race on Sunday in the Prix d’Harcourt will be a reintroduction to races after a bad experience in the Saudi Cup. He’s a busy horse and surprised Ryan Moore by jumping out so quickly in that race, doing too much in the early stages.
If he comes out of the Prix Ganay well, he could then run in races like the Prince of Wales’ Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes.
SEALIWAY sails away! 😮
Leaving Adayar and Mishriff in their tracks, Sealiway digs in to fend off Dubai Honour in the QIPCO Champion Stakes! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/Nn1jPOL191
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 16, 2021
His owner would love to go for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the autumn.
Influx
5yo gelding (Golden Horn x Steel Princess)
He has been gelded and had a good comeback. He could be an interesting stayer in the making and I’ll try to find easy conditions races for him to start his season. He’s very good looking.
Dolia
4yo mare (Invincible Spirit x Dolniya)
She’s a lovely filly. She’s very strong. She runs tomorrow in a very strong conditions race at Saint-Cloud and I think a mile will be her trip.
Martial Eagle
4yo colt (Martial Eagle x Montezuma)
A very, very nice horse. I have no other races for him to start off this season apart from the Classe 2 at Nantes this Saturday. Similar races at Lyon-Parilly and ParisLongchamp are closed to him.
🏆 Martial Eagle (@PCBOUDOT / @GraffardRacing) remporte très facilement le Prix Amour Drake à Saint-Cloud.
🥈 Bubble Gift (G. Mossé / M. Delzangles)
🥉 Timour (@madamet13 / A. Fabre) pic.twitter.com/KMHsF0izOU— Equidia (@equidia) April 6, 2021
He’s a soft ground horse and I think ten furlongs is his best trip.
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Malavath
3yo filly (Mehmas x Fidaaha)
She is ready to go and is a lovely filly. She runs in the Prix Imprudence today and hopefully the ground won’t be too soft for her. She is very smart and just does enough.
Happy New Year to everyone!!
Massive thanks to everyone who has worked with us & have bought from or sold to us in last 12 months!
Here’s to a massive 2022 for all @BrzUps!!
🚀🚀🚀
Credit to @BH_AEberhardt for cracking photo of Malavath coming a close second @BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/UuWsvU0ODE
— Star Bloodstock (@starbloodstock) December 31, 2021
Depending on her return, she might go for either the Pouliches or the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Know Thyself
3yo filly (Galileo x Fix)
She is well-bred and the aim is to get black type.
Emirates
3yo filly (Solider Hollow x Exotic Rose)
A full sister to Es La Vida and Emoji, she will stay ten furlongs and first the aim is to win a race with her.
Saturne
3yo filly (Muharaar x Straight Lass)
She goes for a Classe 2 at ParisLongchamp over 1300m.
L’Astronome
3yo colt (Frankel x Tymora)
He’s a big hope and a lovely horse. I always wanted to run him in the maiden at Chantilly yesterday (pictured here winning on the far side, © Scoopdyga).
He is very good-looking and works well.
Demarcay
3yo colt (Postponed x Europium)
He won his maiden and now goes for a conditions race at Saint-Cloud or Lyon-Parilly.
Soumillon dipping like an Olympic sprinter for the win, and Ian Bartlett loved it!
Postponed colt Demarcay just wins on debut at Saint-Cloud for trainer @GraffardRacing and @JuddmonteFarms! pic.twitter.com/jmXCfO84CS
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 24, 2022
He’s a big galloping horse and is a stayer.
Rozgar
3yo colt (Exceed And Excel x Roshanara)
He was second at Fontainebleau but I think I got his trip wrong. He runs over seven furlongs at Deauville today and is nearly a sprinter. He’s interesting.
Blue Boat
3yo colt (Frankel x Blue Waltz)
He’s a big hope for me.
Les 2 ans étaient à l'honneur en début de programme 🍼
Blue Boat (C.Soumillon / @GraffardRacing) a ouvert son palmarès chez les poulains. Quelques instants plus tard, Situveux (@maximeguyon_off / C.Laffon-Parias) traçait aussi une belle fin de course pour briller. pic.twitter.com/jQyk5sbrZR
— Equidia (@equidia) September 10, 2021
He will run in the Prix Machado and is a nice horse.
Anne De Cleves
3yo filly (Wootton Bassett x Alcandre)
She placed behind Agave last Saturday and is an improving filly from a last-maturing filly. She will have a break now and will come back in the summer, when she could win a Listed race.
Dalmar
3yo colt (Siyouni x Daltama)
He’s in full training but hasn’t been tested yet.
Samahram
3yo filly (Sea The Moon x Djumama)
She’s one I like and won easily on debut, despite not having done much work.
Safaria
3yo filly (Dubawi x Flotilla)
She’s a big filly and is loved by her riders. She could be a staying prospect but needs time.
Wien
3yo filly (Frankel x Wadyhatta)
I love this filly and she nearly made the track last year.
Tabarin
3yo colt (Frankel x Mare Nostrum)
He’s a nice prospect and could run soon.
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