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ZARKAVA was crowned Queen of Europe after a breathtaking win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp yesterday.

The Aga Khan’s unbeaten filly, who was stretching her run to seven, has never been more impressive as she stormed two lengths clear of Youmzain in the Paris thriller.

Soldier Of Fortune dead-heated with It’s Gino for third but Duke Of Marmalade never looked like winning his sixth Group 1 of the season.

Zarkava became the first three-year-old filly to win the race since Akiyda, also owned by the Aga Khan, in 1982.

The Aga Khan spoke of history and heritage after Zarkava's outstanding victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe here yesterday, of the five generations of his family, in India and Europe, who had worked towards this moment of triumph. The course announcer was more direct. "Quelle pouliche!", he shouted, as the crowd streamed back towards the winner's enclosure. "Quelle pouliche! Extraordinaire!"

Carla Bruni yesterday gained a rival as the most photographed female in France as Zarkava produced a stunning performance to add her name to the roll call of Arc greats.

Bruni, the former model who is the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has grown accustomed to the paparazzi pressing cameras in her face, but the best filly in the world got a taste of the snapping tussle as the flickering lenses pressed into her in the winner's enclosure.

For one dramatic moment at the start of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the fabulous French filly Zarkava looked in danger of ducking out of the biggest challenge in her short career. But jockey Christophe Soumillon's quick reflexes and brilliant horsemanship saved the day.

PARIS, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Super filly Zarkava, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, stormed to victory in the $5.58 million Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday, the world's richest race on turf.

The hot favourite, overcoming fears about the softish ground, took up the running with 300 metres to go and quickly put the issue beyond doubt. She has now won all her seven races.

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre for the Aga Khan, Zarkava became the first filly to win the Arc since Urban Sea in 1993.

Unbeaten filly proves her class in Longchamp romp

The Aga Khan's sensational filly Zarkava lived up to expectations by storming to victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The hot favourite came with a sweeping run under a confident Christophe Soumillon to retain her unbeaten record and become the first filly since Urban Sea in 1993 to land the Longchamp feature.

PARIS (AFP) — Zarkava became the first three-year-old filly since Akiyda in 1982 to win Europe's richest race, the four million euro Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, at Longchamp here on Sunday.

The Aga Khan's filly proved her brilliance and justified favouritism under cool handling from her jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre and running in the colours of the Aga Khan Zarkava beat last year's runner-up Youmzain.