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Princess Zahra accepts winner's trophy at Sandown after Vadeni won the 2022 Coral-Eclipse with jockey C. Soumillon

Vadeni provided France with a rare Coral-Eclipse winner at Sandown in a thrilling finish which saw the younger generation prevail.

The French Derby winner was a first Sandown runner for French training great Jean-Claude Rouget and a first UK winner for his owner the Aga Khan since Harzand claimed the Derby in 2016.

Alenquer attempted to make all but soon looked a sitting duck as Bay Bridge cruised up only to flatten out.

Native Trail and Lord North then made their bids for glory, but Christophe Soumillon produced Vadeni (11-4) with a perfectly-timed challenge to seize the lead.

By supplementing his impressive Prix du Jockey Club winner Vadeni for Saturday’s race, the Aga Khan has the opportunity to win the Eclipse Stakes for the first time. In his many years as owner and breeder, the Aga Khan has won all of Britain’s other top all-aged middle-distance races - the Coronation Cup, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, King George, Juddmonte International and Champion Stakes - at least once, but never the Eclipse.

By supplementing his impressive Prix du Jockey Club winner Vadeni for Saturday’s race, the Aga Khan has the opportunity to win the Eclipse Stakes for the first time. In his many years as owner and breeder, the Aga Khan has won all of Britain’s other top all-aged middle-distance races - the Coronation Cup, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, King George, Juddmonte International and Champion Stakes - at least once, but never the Eclipse.

Our industry expert unpicks the pedigree of Sunday's seriously impressive Prix du Jockey Club winner Vadeni.

As a dual Classic-winning son of Galileo, the first crops of champion two-year-old Churchill were highly anticipated.

Ladies Church was the first to score in stakes company with Vadeni joining her shortly after in the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville.

Doha: The Gr 1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, sponsored by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), was run at Chantilly yesterday.

Carrying the prestigious silks of his owner and breeder the Aga Khan, the three-year-old colt Vadeni (Churchill) was spectacular when galloping to a five-length success in the top classic event.

Vadeni signed a magnificent eight success in the race for the Aga Khan, who, prior to Vadeni, last won the race with Darsi in 2006.

Waiting in the peloton, Vadeni took the lead at the post for the last 400 meters then left his pursuers on the spot 100 meters from the goal to win very easily without his jockey needing to solicit him.

With a clenched fist and arm raised to the sky, Christophe Soumillon said at Equidia’s microphone, with a smile on his face: “When I saw that William Buick absolutely wanted to go ahead, I waited. My horse took the lead a bit early on and went completely flat. That’s awesome, I didn’t think he was going to do that“.

Waiting in the peloton, Vadeni took the lead at the post for the last 400 meters then left his pursuers on the spot 100 meters from the goal to win very easily without his jockey needing to solicit him.

With a clenched fist and arm raised to the sky, Christophe Soumillon said at Equidia’s microphone, with a smile on his face: “When I saw that William Buick absolutely wanted to go ahead, I waited. My horse took the lead a bit early on and went completely flat. That’s awesome, I didn’t think he was going to do that“.

Shergar returns in triumph after the Derby at Epsom on June 3, 1981 (PA) (PA Archive). Shergar’s victory in the Derby remains one of the most iconic of all Classic victoriese. His winning margin of 10 lengths is a record and stamped Shergar as a middle-distance horse of the highest quality. At the start of the season, Shergar was 33-1 in the ante-post market on the Derby, but went off the 10-11 favourite after winning Sandown’s Classic Trial and the Chester Vase very easily. With his young rider Walter Swinburn in the saddle, the opposition was routed in spectacular fashion.

One hundred years after the Aga Khan III made his first purchase at the Tattersalls July Sale, the bloodstock empire he built, and which has been carefully cultivated by his grandson, HH the Aga Khan IV, continues to thrive. Following Tuesday's first instalment of the early years of the Aga Khan Studs, the second part sees the baton pass in sad circumstances, heralding a major restructuring of the operation. The text is reproduced by kind permission from the Aga Khan Studs' centenary brochure, written by Emma Berry and John Berry.

HH the Aga Khan IV with Zeddaan | Getty Images

The Aga Khan's chances of winning a fifth Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe received a boost on Thursday as his runner Tarnawa received a more favourable draw than her market rival for favourite Adayar.

The Aga Khan last won Sunday's iconic race at Longchamp in 2008, but his chances of ending the drought have improved immeasurably with the tough-as-teak Tarnawa drawn three near the inside rail.

On this day (Sept 29, 2002) Hazar Imam attended the Canadian International at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada. His horse Alasha trained by Sir Michael Stoute and jockey Johnny Murtagh raced at 2:26 PM and came in second in the Taylor Stakes

Saiydabad seemed to enjoy the return to a mile and two furlongs and Varkesha had a front-running success

The 3-year-old Aga Khan homebred was quick into stride on the turf to race in the second flight just behind the leaders

The Group 1 action at Deauville came to an end on Sunday with the twin highlights of the Morny and the Jean Romanet, but French racing's summer by the sea has at least one more gift to deliver in the shape of Saturday's Racehorse Retraining day.

It is fair to say France was a little late to the party when it came to a unified approach to aftercare, retirement planning and linking up with what is a voracious appetite in the wider equestrian population for sourcing horses once their first career is over.

Hazar Imam at Chantilly today for the 2021 Prix de Diane Longines Sunday June 20, 2021

Hazar Imam at Chantilly today for the 2021 Qatar Prix du Jockey. His horse Saiyadabad & Makaloun participated in the races. Saiydabad’s regular partner Christophe Soumillon has chosen to take the ride on fellow Aga Khan owned/bred Makaloun.

Before becoming part of folklore, or reduced to a shabby punchline, Shergar was one of the finest racehorses of the last half-century.

A tragic mystery due to his kidnapping by the IRA in 1983, it can get overlooked how revulsion surrounding such a grotesque act was bound up in the impact the colt made on the wider public consciousness doing what he was bred to do.

Saturday’s (June 5, 2021) 242nd Epsom Derby is the 40th anniversary of Shergar turning racing’s Blue Riband into an unparalleled rout.

Hazar Imam with Shergar after the historic win on this day at the Epsom Derby