SATURDAY, 7 OCTOBER, 2017 ZARAK RETIRES TO HARAS DE BONNEVAL PERSUASIVE SET FOR HER The Aga Khan=s homebred Group 1 winner Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi DAY IN THE >SUN= {Ire}BZarkava {Ire}, by Zamindar) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at his owner=s Haras de Bonneval in France. The regally bred 4-year-old enjoyed his finest hour this year when a cosy winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in July and he made his final start in the G1 Qatar Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly last weekend. Zarak, whose brilliant dam Zarkava capped an unblemished racecourse career when winning the >Arc= in 2008 was a debut winner of his only start at two at Deauville in 2015, a performance that earned him a >TDN Rising Star> tag. He made a successful reappearance in 2016 and despite not adding to that victory he posted some high class efforts at the top level, none more so than when runner up to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. Zarak also made a winning seasonal debut in 2017 when scoring easily in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan in February before running an unlucky second to Cloth Of Stars Persuasive could have her last chance of a Group 1 win on Saturday | Racingfotos.com (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Ganay at Saint Cloud in May. Upped again to a mile and a half for the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, Zarak came from last to first under regular partner Saturday=s G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. at Christophe Soumillon to beat Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) Newmarket is the probable swansong of Cheveley Park Stud=s by three quarters of a length. Cont. p5 (click here) Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and there is a sense that it will be her moment at last after some near-misses at this level. While she was no match for Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when runner-up in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last September, the homebred was an eye-catching fifth on her subsequent comeback in the July 30 G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville before again staying on strongly to be third in the last edition of the Matron four weeks ago. AIt=s been a little bit frustrating with her, but she goes there in great form and we=ll roll the dice,@ Cheveley Park=s managing director Chris Richardson said. AWe felt she was a bit unlucky because of the draw and the slow pace in Ireland last time. Mr and Mrs Thompson will make the final decision on whether this will be Zarak winning the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud | Aga Khan Studs her final run, but I suspect it will be and it would be great if she can go out in a blaze of glory.@ Sixth in the Matron after wins in the G1 Falmouth S. on the IN TDN AMERICA TODAY July Course here July 14 and in the Rothschild, >TDN Rising Star> ‘LOVE' IS IN THE AIR IN THE ALCIBIADES Roly Poly (War Front) represents a Ballydoyle stable on an Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon) powered down the stretch to win the inexorable march towards a world record of group and grade GI Darley Alcibiades S. on opening day Friday at Keeneland. Click or one wins in a season. tap here to go straight to TDN America. Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 12 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 7 OCTOBER, 2017 Persuasive Set For Her Day In The Sun cont. Her quality and toughness is already established, while Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar=s Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal) is a filly on a sharp rise, with her latest impressive success in the G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown Sept. 2 marking her out as a live contender here. Trainer Marco Botti believes that the homebred has improved from her penultimate showing when second at 40-1 to Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot June 21. AThe Sun Chariot has been the target for Aljazzi for some time and I am very pleased with her,@ he said. AShe was very impressive at Sandown, that form is working out quite well and the way she won suggested she is on Roly Poly could move Aidan O=Brien one step closer to breaking the Group 1 record | Scoop Dyga the up and entitled to step up to group one company. The Duke of Cambridge was not officially a group one, but it had the quality of a group one and I would be hopeful that Aljazzi can reverse those placings with Qemah. The going shouldn=t be a problem, as she has won on fast and soft and seems to handle anything.@ Qemah, who was subsequently fourth in the Rothschild and fifth in the Matron, heads a habitually strong French challenge in this race and tries again. AIt looks a tremendous race. It must be one of the most competitive Sun Chariots there has been for a few years,@ Al Shaqab=s racing manager Harry Herbert commented. AWe know our filly is pretty good on her day and Jean-Claude is very happy with her. She=s a group one winner, so these are the races she needs to be running in. She just seems to be one of those fillies that needs things to go her way on the day. We know she has the ability to be extremely competitive if the cards fall right.@ Siyoushake (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) was third in the Rothschild and trainer Freddy Head said, AShe was fourth in the race last year and I think she is even better this year. She=s run well in two group one races in Deauville in the summer.@ LESS RISK MORE REWARD Nowhere is the relationship between risk and reward more in your favour when buying colts than in Australia. Our top colts are more affordable than other markets and, if you buy a stallion prospect, the returns are better than elsewhere. You also have a better chance of buying the next generation of sire star here. Some 67 per cent of top class winners in Australia were available at auction before their Group One win, compared to 46 per cent in Europe.* Top 50 Colts Sold in: 5-Year Avg. (USD) Europe (GB, IRE, FR) $1,002,309 USA $863,200 AUSTRALIA $671,450 Top 10 Freshman Sires First-Year Fee Standing in: 5-Year Avg. (USD) AUSTRALIA $27,621 USA $26,300 UK $14,730 Ireland $13,427 France $6,117 THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY Aushorse.com.au *Average across 2014, 2015 and 2016 Racing Seasons TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 12 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 7 OCTOBER, 2017 SHARPENED POINT After trading blows with Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), >TDN Rising Star> Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) returns to Ascot for some respite on Saturday in the G3 John Guest Bengough S. Since his defeat of that dominant sprinter in the G3 Pavilion S. receiving four pounds over this course and distance May 3, he has been third behind him and Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) in the Royal meeting=s G1 Commonwealth Cup June 23 and fourth VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King when Harry Angel stamped his authority on the scene in the Twitter: @garykingTDN Sept. 9 G1 Haydock Sprint Cup. AHe=s in really good form. We=ve [email protected] been delighted with him since Haydock,@ trainer Charlie Appleby + 1.732.320.0975 said. AThat was his first run since Royal Ascot and he=d probably International Editor done a bit too well over the summer. We think he=s definitely Kelsey Riley Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN improved from that run going into Saturday. Getting back on a [email protected] bit better ground will definitely help and if he can reproduce any European Editor of his previous runs at Ascot it will put him right in the mix. Emma Berry Rather than throw ourselves back in at the deep end again and Twitter: @collingsberry [email protected] go straight to Champions Day, we thought we=d go to Ascot and take it from there.@ Associate International Editor Heather Anderson Last of 11 in the Haydock Sprint Cup, Kennet Valley Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN Thoroughbreds=s Magical Memory (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) was fourth in the Aug. 6 G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen furlongs at Deauville and is certain to be suited by this drier Twitter: @AlaynaCullen surface. ACharlie [Hills] thinks he=s been in as good a form as he=s [email protected] been in all season,@ the syndicate=s racing manager Sam Hoskins Contributing Editor said. AHe has to put that Haydock run behind him, but he should Alan Carasso Twitter: @EquinealTDN run a really good race.@ Cafe Racing Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Regular Columnists Andrew Caulfield John Berry Kevin Blake Tom Peacock Blue Point has his sights lowered on Saturday | Racing Post FIND US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/thoroughbreddailynews TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 4 OF 12 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 7 OCTOBER, 2017 WALDGEIST SIGN-OFFS AT ASCOT AHe hasn=t run for quite a long time, but he is in good form and I am happy with him going into the race,@ trainer Andre Fabre Gestut Ammerland=s Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is a commented. AHe has had no problems since the Irish Derby.