The historic dark green and red silks of the Aga Khan team have been a familiar sight in the winners enclosure under Francis-Henri Graffard this season, and the Frenchman is eager to transfer that success to Britain.
Rayif was an impressive winner of the French 2000 Guineas, and he’ll line up in the St James’s Palace. The Sea The Moon colt was two from three last season, defeat only in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere. Rayif reversed that form with the winner, Puerto Rico, when staying on strongly at Longchamp last month. Rayif may line up against two other Guineas winners’ in Bow Echo and Gstaad, and Graffard is quite happy to let that pair have the spotlights.
Speaking at a press conference, via the Racing Post, Graffard said: “I’ll be happy if he is a little bit forgotten. The others can all have the spotlight for the St James’s Palace. He’s amazing, Rayif. If you look at his form it’s very strong. We had excuses in the Lagardere last year, so I’m not surprised he won the French Guineas.
“My only concern was that I usually use racing to get a horse completely ready for a big target. With him he didn’t have a chance to run before the French Guineas. But in terms of quality I thought he was able to do something big. I wouldn’t mind being able to go the St James’s Palace as an underdog.”
Daryz and Calandagan ‘both in good shape’
A day after Rayif’s St James’s Palace bid, Daryz will have a crack at the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. The Arc winner has returned in excellent form this season with a pair of Group 1 victories. Calandagan made a winning reappearance himself when taking the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic. He returns in the Coronation Cup, a race he was second in last season and he hasn’t seen defeat since.
“They’re both in very good shape. I couldn’t be happier with them,” said Graffard. “Calandagan has been trained for Epsom and hopefully the ground won’t get too soft.
“I’m very happy with him, he looks well and I feel like he wants to go back to work. He needs to go back to the races and he’s ready. Daryz came out of his race very well. I’m very happy that he has shown this incredible turn of foot. They are very different in how they move and how they accelerate, too.
Graffard added: “But Daryz has been incredible and although the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is going to be a very tough race, I have a good horse to try and win this race. Fingers crossed everything will go well between now and then.”