Daryakana lassos ‘Moon in Hong Kong Vase

Daryakana (right) nabs an unsuspecting Spanish Moon (fence) to keep her perfect record (Hong Kong Jockey Club) His Highness the Aga Khan’s homebred DARYAKANA (Selkirk) got Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races off to a dramatic start by nailing Spanish Moon (El Prado [Ire]) at the wire in the $1.8 million Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) at Sha Tin. Conjuring up a startling last-to-first rally in the stretch, the three-year-old filly scored by a short head to remain unbeaten after five starts, and thus continued the dominance of European-trained horses in the Vase. Daryakana was handing her legendary owner/breeder his first victory in a Hong Kong International Race. Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre was enjoying his second Hong Kong International Day success, following his win in the 2006 Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) with the mare Pride. “It seems like I can only win with the fillies,” de Royer-Dupre said. “For a three-year-old she traveled very well, and when I saw her early in the week, I thought she was perfect. When she won her Group 2 (the Prix de Royallieu) at Longchamp, I started to think of this race here.”

Daryakana had come from dead last in all four of her prior starts, so it was
no surprise that Gerald Mosse dropped her back to anchor the 13-horse field in
the Vase. In a race without a great deal of early speed on tap, Packing Winner (Zabeel)
happily accepted the front-running role and carved out splits of :26.05, :50.07,
1:15.30 and 1:39.53. The leader was prompted throughout the opening stages by
Jackpot Delight (Danasinga). The American shipper Black Mamba (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe)
was forwardly placed for the first six furlongs, but gave way thereafter and
retreated.

Daryakana (far right) still had a lot of work to do (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Meanwhile, Cirrus des Aigles (Even Top [Ire]), who had been reserved just off the pace, gradually worked his way into third. Spanish Moon was likewise well placed among the stalkers, with Ryan Moore giving him a nudge to hold that spot ahead of a steadily advancing Jaguar Mail (Jungle Pocket). Turning for home, Cirrus des Aigles briefly took over from Packing Winner and Jackpot Delight, but Jaguar Mail soon pounced and put his head in front. Hong Kong Horse of the Year Viva Pataca (Marju) was also in the hunt wider out, and Spanish Moon was poised to strike whenever he found a gap.

Then Spanish Moon slipped through along the inside and seized command. In
most years, his move may have proven decisive, but not this time. For by now
Daryakana was unwinding on the outside, and despite being the least experienced
runner in the race, she simply had too much firepower for her opponents. The
chestnut’s inexorable march carried her past the entire field and thrust her
just ahead of Spanish Moon on the line.

After finishing about
1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:27.51, Daryakana joined Vallee Enchantee
(2003) as the only sophomore fillies to have won the Vase. Mosse, who picked up
the winning ride after Christophe
Lemaire’s Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) suspension, now boasts six winners at this meeting.

“I had a lot of horse under me and the pace was OK, so I was happy to sit at
the back,” Mosse said. “I knew she had a great turn of foot, and I was always
happy in the straight that I would get there. I feel a bit sad for my friend (Lemaire),
but that happens in racing.

“I was able to gradually pick them up, and she flew in the final 100 meters
to lead on the line. She is a superb long-distance filly. She’s not the biggest,
but she’s all heart. She’s
among the best I’ve ridden.”

Daryakana knows exactly where the wire is (Hong Kong Jockey Club) Spanish Moon was a tough-luck second. “He has run a great race, done nothing wrong,” Moore said. “I got mugged on the line. There was no chance to fight back then. He has beaten everything else around him, but the filly came very wide and late, and she was the one that was unexposed and open to improvement. But it’s still a great run from my fellow who is a true Group 1 horse.” The ex-hurdler Kasbah Bliss (Kahyasi), who was to all appearances flat-footed under pressure a long way out, found renewed energy in deep stretch. The Francois Doumen charge rallied late to grab third from Jaguar Mail, just a half-length back of Spanish Moon.

Jockey Thierry Thulliez bemoaned a bit of traffic trouble that may have cost
Kasbah Bliss.

“He was held up at the last bend behind (eventual 10th-placer) Youmzain (Sinndar),
which is a bit of shame because if he could have accelerated earlier, that would
made a difference,” Thulliez said. “It’s the best race of his career.”

Doumen, best known in Hong Kong for the exploits of Jim
and Tonic (Fr) in the late 1990s, was delighted with his performance.

“He was brave,” Doumen said.

Jaguar Mail, a near-miss third in the 2008 Vase, was narrowly denied a
repeat of that placing and finished a close fourth.
Cirrus des Aigles may well have turned in the best run in the
race to finish fifth, beaten a total of 1 1/4 lengths by Daryakana, after racing wide throughout.

Daryakana is from the same family as champion Darjina (Hong Kong Jockey Club) “I couldn’t get in,” said Franck Blondel, who rode Cirrus des Aigles. “He was wide most of the way and he was keen down the back straight. If he had been on the rails, he would nearly have won.”  Viva Pataca faded late and was relegated to sixth, trailed by Thumbs Up (Shinko King), Jamesina (Orpen), Buccellati (GB) (Soviet Star), Youmzain, Packing Winner, Jackpot Delight and a tailed-off Black Mamba. Youmzain, the three-time Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) runner-up, was never in contention. “It seems to be the story of his life — disappointment,” trainer Mick Channon lamented. “He was on and off the bridle down the far side and just never going well enough.” Black Mamba, who was making her final start, is expected to begin her new broodmare career in Australia.

Daryakana has now amassed about $1.2 million in earnings. Since breaking her
maiden at Clairefontaine in July, she sailed through an allowance at Deauville
in August, won her stakes debut in the Prix des Tourelles in September, and
easily garnered the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend.

The French-bred is out of the high-class mare Daryaba (Ire) (Night Shift),
heroine of the 1999 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (Fr-G1) and Prix Vermeille
(Fr-G1). Daryaba’s prior notable offspring are Group 2 victor Daramsar (Rainbow
Quest) and the stakes-placed Daryamar (Fr) (Machiavellian). She has since
produced an unnamed yearling filly by Kingmambo and a weanling filly by Mr.
Greeley.

Daryakana hails from the family of European champion Darjina (Zamindar), who
landed the 2007 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas)
(Fr-G1), Prix d’Astarte (Fr-G1) and Prix du Moulin (Fr-G1), as well as Darsi
(Polish Precedent), winner of the 2006 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby)
(Fr-G1).

De Royer-Dupre revealed that Daryakana will stay in training next year.