I Want One Of Those For Christmas

I was intrigued to read in Thoroughbred Daily News (Oct. 7) quotes attributed to Zarkava’s trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre on sober reflection after the filly’s stunning win in last Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The article said (de Royer-Dupre) refused to be drawn into comparisons to his 2003 Arc hero Dalakhani. “He was a great horse because he had two accelerations,” he said. “He could quicken, and then quicken again. The filly is different because she has only the one acceleration, but that is a very strong one.”

On The Aga Khan Studs’ website, de Royer-Dupre is quoted as saying "Of all the greats I have trained for His Highness, Dalakhani is the most complete racehorse. He has all the qualities - he has speed, he stays and he always relaxes perfectly."

Dalakhani’s pedigree is free from Northern Dancer. He is a great-grandson of Mill Reef who I never saw in the flesh but I suspect the descriptions made of Dalakhani applied equally well to him. Put down in 1986, Mill Reef was said to be suffering at the end from a heart complaint.

Too big.