The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois: more international than ever !

The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois: more international than ever !

On Sunday 16 August, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse hosts one of the major days of the Deauville Barrière Meeting. Eight races are on the card, all associated with the Aga Khan Studs, with the highlight being the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1). Two Group 3 races and a Listed Race complete a particularly high-class programme.

Make a note of the time: at 3.50pm, the day’s main event takes centre stage with the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1). For many observers, it is the world’s finest summer race over 1,600 metres. It is therefore no coincidence that, as has happened before, Japan is sending two representatives who have travelled halfway around the world to race in France on Sunday: Sixpence and Strauss.

The former won the Yasuda Kinen (Group 1) over 1,600 metres at Tokyo. This son of Kizuna, also a three-time Group 2 winner, will attempt to confirm at Deauville that he now belongs at the very top of the Japanese mile division. He will be joined by Strauss, a son of Maurice and Group 1 winner Blumenblatt. Winner of the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (Group 2) at two, Strauss has also made his mark internationally this year by winning the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup over a mile. Interestingly, both horses are owned by the 400 (!) shareholders of the Carrot Farm Co Ltd syndicate.

The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois is run on Deauville’s straight course and carries prize-money of €1 million. This year’s major clash of the generations will bring together ten horses aged three and over. In addition to the Japanese runners already mentioned, the international nature of the race will also be underlined by British and Irish challengers. Representing Great Britain are More Thunder, trained by William Haggas, and Zeus Olympios, from Karl Burke’s stable. Ireland will be represented by Thesecretadversary, who won the Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in mid-July, and Precise, runner-up in the Prix Rothschild here at the beginning of August.

France will notably be able to rely on Rayif, representing the Aga Khan Studs – sponsors of the day, who will have a runner in each of Sunday’s three Group races – and trained by Francis-Henri Graffard. He was France’s leading miler in the spring, winning the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Group 1) at Longchamp, although he was slightly disappointing when only fifth in the Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Prix Jean Prat. The other French-trained runners, representing several of the country’s major training centres, are No Lunch, prepared by Christophe Ferland at Chantilly, Dreamliner, trained by Stéphane Wattel at Deauville, and Sir Tommy Cen, trained by Patrick Olave Valdivielso at Pau!

Finally, with a rating of 54.5, More Thunder is the highest-rated horse in the field, ahead of Zeus Olympios (54), Sixpence (53.5) and Rayif (53). A top-class clash between French, British, Irish and Japanese horses therefore awaits over Deauville’s mile.

Two Group 3 races and a Listed Race as well…

The first highlight comes at 1.58pm with the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Lady O’Reilly – Prix Minerve (Group 3), restricted to three-year-old fillies over 2,500 metres. Seven runners are expected, including Habibi and Dispatches, both rated 49, as well as Proxima du Centaur, trained by André and Lavinia Fabre. The race will also have an international dimension with Venetia, trained in Britain by Ralph Beckett and partnered by Christophe Soumillon, and Romantic Symphony, the Godolphin representative trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick.

The younger generation will continue the show at 2.33pm in the The Aga Khan Studs Prix François Boutin (Group 3), run over 1,400 metres on the straight course. Five two-year-olds are expected. On the French side, the two leading trainers of two-year-olds in 2026 will both be represented: Francis-Henri Graffard, the leader by number of wins, saddles Zakkan for the Aga Khan Studs, while Christopher Head, the leader by strike rate, runs Avec Toi, owned by the Coolmore partners in Ireland. They face a strong British contingent – and we know how formidable British two-year-olds can be at Deauville – comprising Cut A Dash for Richard Hannon, Jassas for Charlie Appleby and Silver Dominion for Oliver Cole.

…as well as four competitive handicaps!

At 5pm, the three-year-olds will line up in the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Nureyev (Listed) over 2,000 metres. Eight runners are expected, including Take Me On, Wiki, Centauri, Basha and Great Sphinx. André and Lavinia Fabre will also saddle Zaraki in the Wertheimer & Frère colours. This Listed race will therefore provide another opportunity for several progressive three-year-olds to step up against international opposition, which notably includes the Czech-trained Quantas.

Four handicaps complete this rich programme: the The Aga Khan Studs Prix François André and the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Dauger, both run over 1,400 metres, followed by the The Aga Khan Studs Prix de Glanville and Prix de Norolles over 2,000 metres. Eight races in total for a Sunday devoted to international racing and the Aga Khan Studs, with the Prix Jacques Le Marois providing the climax to one of the most eagerly anticipated days of Deauville’s summer meeting.