Summer break for Zarigana before plans for rest of the year are made
The Siyouni filly won four of her first five starts for Francis-Henri Graffard in the colours of the late Aga Khan, claiming Classic glory in the stewards' room following the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after first past the post Shes Perfect was demoted.
Zarigana was the hot favourite to claim another Group One victory in the Coronation Stakes, but after travelling strongly to the front, she was outfought by Joe Murphy's surprise winner Cercene and beaten half a length at the line.
CERCENE defies the odds to win the Coronation Stakes, under the mount of G.F. Carroll for trainer Joseph G. Murphy. Congratulations to connections. pic.twitter.com/uOs96msiIE
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 20, 2025
Nemone Routh, manager for the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: 'On the day we were a bit frustrated because she obviously came there to win her race and then stopped or tied up close home and the winner got back at her.
'She's come back and she's quite light and I think she needs a bit of a break. It was the first time she'd travelled, it was very hot and she's quite a highly-strung filly and I think we'll see if we can send her back to the stud for a summer break before coming back for the autumn.'
While connections will not rush to make any decisions regarding future targets for Zarigana, Routh wonders whether she could prove effective back over a shorter distance.
'She just does everything so easily and travels so well and quickens up very well, but she doesn't really like being in front and then battling,' she added.
'It's a question of delivering her very late and holding on to her, or is it a question that she's not quite getting home in her races? The sire (Siyouni) was a very fast horse and a five-furlong two-year-old and I always thought he never quite got a mile, so it's not impossible to think that you might consider dropping her back to seven furlongs. We'll see.
'She's had three proper races and it will just do her good to have a break both mentally and physically, relax a bit at stud and get her head down and think about other things.'
Another Aga Khan-owned and Graffard-trained filly to go close at the Royal meeting was Rayevka, who justified the team's decision to supplement her for Friday's Commonwealth Cup with an excellent effort to finish a close-up third.
Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)
Routh said: 'She ran an absolute cracker and she conversely took her race very well.
'She's a very solid filly and a real sprinting type. There's not a huge amount of options for her, but we have got her entered in the Maurice de Gheest and the way she finished out her race we don't think another half-furlong will be problematic for her.
'We've always held her in high regard so we might take a look at that, but the ground would need to be good as she loves good, fast ground.'
The Aga Khan's improving stayer Candelari was considered a leading Gold Cup contender, but he was ultimately disappointing in finishing sixth and Routh added: 'I think it was just a big ask for him. He didn't have as much experience as the other horses in the race, everything had happened so quickly for him this year and racing in France is not the same as those races, particularly the Gold Cup which is such a test.
'The winner (Trawlerman) is such a seasoned horse and went such a pace I think it just found him out. Mickael (Barzalona) said he was actually travelling well, but when they quickened up seven furlongs from home the horse was a bit lost.
'He's going to have a break now. If we have an Indian summer we could consider races like the Prix du Cadran in the autumn, but I think in the back of our heads we're all thinking he's a horse for the Dubai Gold Cup next year.'
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