Francis-Henri Graffard has announced that his colt Samangan will be aimed at the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The French trainer has made a name for himself in Britain in recent seasons due to the exploits of Goliath and, most notably, Calandagan. The latter won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.
Samangan will look to emulate Makfi, the last French-trained winner of the 2000 Guineas. He won the race for Mikel Delzangles in 2010 and is the only horse from the continent to win the Newmarket Classic this century. Andre Fabre twice secured successful raids on the race in the 1990s though, so there is precedent for a strong French challenge in the Guineas.
Graffard is yet to send out a Classic winner in Britain. The toe was dipped last year though as Midak ran in the Epsom Derby. The mood from the camp would suggest Samangan has more of a chance in the mile contest at the start of May.
The son of Blue Point was predictably speedy at two. He twice won Group races at Chantilly over 6f finishing his races strongly. That was again the case, albeit in defeat, when second on return over 7f at Deauville.
He would have been expected to win that race in terms of his Classic aspirations. Graffard is keeping the faith though and would surely love to secure yet another Group 1 prize from across the English Channel.
“He’s very good on a straight course” – Graffard
With Deauville out the way, attentions immediately turned to what prospects Samangan has for 2026. The plan was initially the 2000 Guineas, and the plan remains.
Graffard was outlining his intentions on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, via Sporting Life, bemoaning a lack of options, but also placing faith in his star three-year-old.
“I don’t have many options for him,” Graffard said. “The plan was always to go to Newmarket and we’ll stick to the plan and see what happens. He’s very good on a straight course and has natural speed which I think is quite useful in Newmarket. I always question his ability to stay but on the dam side he should stay, no problem.
“It was either drop him back to sprinting or try Newmarket and the way around the other day and the feeling for Mickael [Barzalona] is he should stay a mile so we will go with no high expectation, I would say, but he’s a nice horse.”
His reverse as an 11/10 favourite at Deauville was undoubtedly a disappointment. However, connections are taking positives from it with regard his Newmarket chanes.
“A little bit under what we were expecting.,” Graffard reported about Samangan’s return effort. “I think he needed the run and this trial in Deauville can bring some funny results; my horses weren’t firing at the time so I think he’s much better now.”