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Francis-Henri Graffard was frustrated but determined to take the positive points after Zarigana was exceeded in a Stakes coronation thriller in Royal Ascot.
A granddaughter of Aga Khan Super Mare Zarkava, Zarigana arrived at the Royal Reunion, seeking to strengthen his great reputation after winning the test hen, although through the Stewards room, in Parislongchamp last month.
However, the favorite of the 6-4 encountered a determined rival in Joseph Murphy’s cerce and despite the end of the house, made this advantage with a little interest in dying progress, because the French Raids team had to be satisfied with second place on this occasion.
“I need to buy a pair of flashes, probably,” joked Graffard for questions about the attitude of Zarigana late during the day.
“It was very interesting what the jockey (Mickael Barzalona) said, he said that she was traveling very well, easily on the bridle, but as soon as she hit the forehead, she completely changed in her attitude and threw her head.
“It is very frustrating, but we do our best with her. It is a very talented filly and it has not dishonored. You always think that you can win easily and it has the capacity to win easily, but we have not done the job today.”
After having undergone the second defeat of his career, the connections refused to be too depressed, with the delinys, one of the two for the Graffard-Aga Khan Stud team to strike the transverse bar during the events of the One Friday group.
Graffard added: “I am lucky that she belongs to a fantastic reproduction operation and she won her place there. We don’t need to put a pair of flashes to her – she won her place in Stud. She has a lot of capacities and she will produce a fantastic stock that will come here and Batra everyone.
“It is very difficult to be competitive here, first of all, and winning here is even more difficult. You come with very talented horses, but today I think that we cannot complain. We have two fillies placed in those of the group (Zarigana and Rayevka in the Commonwealth Cup) and they won their place in Stud, and therefore for the operation, it is very positive.”
Back in the third, January of Aidan O’Brien, who, after having chased at the house 1000 Guineas Heroine Desert Flower at the age of two, was back to his best after a return lower than the part in the Irish 1000 Guinea last month.
“She ran well, it was a little messy early, the race, but Ryan said that she was running out well, so we are happy and we think she will manifest herself a little.
“Maybe one of the filled races in Newmarket will be the next one for her, something like that.”
Amiloc holds Zahraan in “Ascot Derby”
Amiloc forced the backers to the favourites to remain undefeated and to give Ralph Beckett his first victory at Royal Ascot of this year Gracious of the King Edward VII stakes.
An impressive winner of the challenges of the Armed Hat of Goodwood, the fact that the postponement son is a gelding meant that he had to bypass the derby at Epsom for the race often called “Ascot Derby”.
Ryan Moore tried to slide the ground on the third possible Galveston, but Rossa Ryan aboard the market leader 11-8 never left this duo too far from his views and after sending Amiloc at the front with a furlong to run, he has enough of the reserve to reserve himself.
Beckett said: “He did it a little hard, we thought that Galveston would probably go ahead and it worked like that.
Amiloc protected his 100% record
“I didn’t really want to run it, to tell you the truth. I didn’t think he would like the ground, but I was wrong about it.
“I don’t think we never had a five consecutive victory, well I can’t think of it! I was not confident because of the ground. We did not have a great week.
“Rossa was great, he rolled it with a lot of confidence and it was well established for us, I will say that, but sometimes it is.”
Amilco has halved in half for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and asked questions about future plans, Beckett said: “I think the ground will dictate, I would not be afraid to take anyone on a slower soil, so he’s in everything.
“He will take a little to overcome today by the look of him; if he has become sweet next month (for King George), or with a little juice, I am sure that we would be here.”
From Zahraan, who runs in the colors of the late Aga Khan, Murtagh said: “He has lost nothing in defeat. Ben (Coen) just said that they accelerated all of four and just came out a little earlier than the ideal.
“Finishing second here is certainly more frustrating as a trainer than a jockey! It is more trying for the nerves, and it is the evisceration – you know how difficult it is to win here. You see all the people coming with their best horses, and we think we had one and we always do it, but it was simply not good enough today.
“You would like to think that he could be an arc horse one day, and the connections would like this race. He must go to get there, but he could.”
He added: “I really had the privilege of getting into these colors and you forget what privilege it is until you advance there last week and you see the derby, which is the biggest race in the world and that you have been managed in honor of his Highness Aga Khan, and for me to deliver now, we must find the winners on the big days.”
