FIRST GROUP ONE SCORER FOR AZAMOUR AS VALYRA IMPRESSES
Owner HH Aga Khan and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget were handsomely rewarded with their brave decision to supplement the unbeaten Valyra (Azamour) in the Prix De Diane (Gr 1, 2100m) on Sunday 17 June. The Azamour (Night Shift) filly showed huge toughness and a great turn of foot to fly home and score by a length from hot favourite and recent Poule D'essai Des Pouliches (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Beauty Parlour (Deep Impact). Despite the fact that the unbeaten Valyra had been kept to maiden and conditions races in her two starts this year, most recently in the Prix de Brunehau over 2000m at Chantilly on similar ground, Jean-Claude Rouget was bullish about his decision to supplement before the race, saying that although she had not beaten confirmed performers, she had won in such an impressive manner each time that she deserved to take her chance, something the Aga Khan repeated after the race.
Victory was particularly sweet for the Aga Khan as not only is the winner from one of his well-established families, (that of Group One winners Val Royal (Royal Academy), Valixir (Trempolino) and Vadawina (Unfuwain) to name just a few) she is also of course by his homebred stallion Azamour, who still stands at his Gilltown Stud in Ireland and provided him with a first Group One success. Valima (Linamix) the dam of Valyra herself was a Listed scorer over 1400m and has produced so far two runners of note, the Listed winning Alhaarth (Unfuwain) gelding Valyr and Listed placed Valasyra (Sinndar).
The race was run at a strong pace with Kissed (Galileo) going early to the head of affairs in the early stages. Riding the favourite Beauty Parlour Christophe Soumillon was always nearby and moved up to take the lead on entering the final straight. Beauty Parlour was travelling sweetly with the future winner tucked in behind, and as Soumillon asked his mount to stretch it seemed for a moment that she would win her second french classic, although he had not counted on Valyra having endless tenacity and stamina to burn. In the end the less experienced of the two had the superior turn of foot and won going away by a length, with Rjwa (Muhtathir) running on gallantly for third a couple of lengths away.
