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Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at 1:35 pm | Back to: Europe, Shared News

The Aga Khan’s Shakeel (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris on Saturday, is set for a summer break before a potential tilt at the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

“I don’t think we necessarily expected Shakeel to win, but we expected to run well and to win was great,” said Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan’s stud manager in France. “He’s an improving horse. [Trainer] Alain [de Royer Dupre] felt he was an immature horse on his first couple of runs. He’s still an immature horse, but he is improving in his work and on the track. We’ll take it easy with him now and aim towards an autumn campaign. Where he ends up depends on how much he improves.

Normally we would look at an Arc trial, but we’ll see how he is and where the other horses in the stable are going.”
Another set for a similar course is the Aga Khan’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud on July 2.

“I think it was his time to win a Group 1 as he was unlucky in the Prix Ganay, when the jockey lost his whip,” Rimaud said. “He obviously likes Saint-Cloud and we are delighted with him. He is an important horse for us because of his pedigree and his potential as a stallion. Hopefully we can win more Group 1s with him.”

“He is in a similar position to Shakeel,” Rimaud added. “Whether he is a better horse, I don’t know, but again we will give him some time and aim towards the autumn. Whether he goes for the Arc or other races, we will see.”