Daryaba (foaled 14 May 1996) was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a brief track career she won three of her five starts between April and October 1999. After finishing second on her debut she won a minor race before taking the Prix de Diane and went on to win the Prix Vermeille in autumn before coming home unplaced in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As a broodmare, she produced several good winners including Daryakana.

Daryaba
SireNight Shift
GrandsireNorthern Dancer
DamDarata
DamsireVayrann
SexMare
Foaled14 May 1996[1]
CountryIreland
ColourBay
BreederAga Khan IV
OwnerAga Khan IV
TrainerAlain de Royer-Dupré
Record5: 3-1-0
Earnings£250,101
Major wins
Prix de Diane (1999)
Prix Vermeille (1999)

Background

edit

Daryaba was a bay mare with a white star[2] bred in Ireland by her owner, Aga Khan IV. She was sent into training with Alain de Royer-Dupré in France and was ridden all of her races by Gerald Mosse.

She was sired by the American-bred stallion Night Shift, a son of Northern Dancer. Night Shift sired many other good racehorses in a long stud career,[3] including In The Groove, Azamour, Well Chief and Lochangel.[4] Daryaba's dam Darata showed some racing ability, winning a Listed race in France in 1991[5] She was a half-sister to Daralinsha, the ancestor of Darjina and Darsi.[6]

Racing career

edit

On her racecourse debut Daryaba started at odds of 5/1 for a minor race over 2000 metres on soft ground at Chantilly Racecourse on 26 April and produced a "promising" effort as she finished second of the twelve runners, two and a half lengths behind the winner Shabby Chic.[7] Three weeks later, over the same course and distance, the filly started odds-on favourite for a similar event and recorded her first success as she took the lead 200 metres from the finish and won "very easily" by four lengths.[8]

On 13 June Daryaba was stepped up sharply in class to contest the Group 1 Prix de Diane over 2100 metres at Chantilly and started the 5.8/1 second favourite behind the Prix Vanteaux winner Star of Akkar. The other twelve runners included Calando (May Hill Stakes), Juvenia (Prix Marcel Boussac), Cerulean Sky (Prix Saint-Alary) and La Sylphide (Prix Penelope). In a change of tactics, Daryaba led from the start and stayed on well in the straight to win by a length from Star of Akkar.[9] Mosse commented "The trainer told me to ride her the way I felt. There was no pace on, so off I went in front".[10]

Daryaba was aimed at the Prix de la Nonette at Deauville Racecourse in August but was withdrawn after contracting a respiratory infection.[11] After an absence of almost two months Daryaba returned for the Prix Vermeille over 2400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 12 September. Coupled in the betting with the Aga Khan's other runner Edabiya she started the 4/5 favourite ahead of nine other opponents including Fairy Queen (Ribblesdale Stakes), Etizaaz (Atalanta Stakes), Juvenia, Cerulean Sky, La Sylphide and Mother of Pearl (Prix Saint-Roman). After racing in third place behind Etizaaz, she took the lead 200 metres out and accelerated away to win by two and a half lengths.[12] Royer-Dupre said "Daryaba was very well, so I wasn't surprised she won. What was important for her was that she won in a style which proved her victory in the Diane was no fluke. She's done very well from the spring to the autumn. The filly was always going well and now we'll be looking at the Arc de Triomphe".[11]

On 3 October, over the same course and distance, the filly started the 7.6/1 fifth choice in a fourteen-runner field for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but after being in contention for the first half of the race she dropped out of contention and finished thirteenth.

Breeding record

edit

At the end of her racing career, Daryaba was retired to become a broodmare for the Aga Khan's stud. She produced 11 foals and five winners between 2001 and 2016:

Pedigree

edit
Pedigree of Daryaba (IRE), bay mare, 1996[1]
Sire
Night Shift (USA)
1980
Northern Dancer (CAN)
1961
Nearctic Nearco (ITY)
Lady Angela (GB)
Natalma (USA) Native Dancer
Almahmoud
Ciboulette (CAN)
1961 
Chop Chop (USA) Flares
Sceptical (GB)
Windy Answer Windfields
Reply
Dam
Darata (IRE)
1988
Vayrann
1978
Brigadier Gerard (GB) Queen's Hussar
La Paiva
Val Divine (FR) Val de Loir
Pola Bella
Darazina (FR)
1979
Labus Busted (GB)
Cordovilla
Djebellina Charlottesville (GB)
Dalama (Family: 1-e)[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Daryaba pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ^ "Daryaba". The Aga Khan Studs.
  3. ^ "Sun sets on Night Shift's career". Thoroughbredinternet.com. 17 November 2008. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  4. ^ "Night Shift Stud Record". Racing Post. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  5. ^ "Darata – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  6. ^ a b "Prunella – Family 1-e". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  7. ^ "Prix de la Chapelle-En-Serval result". Racing Post. 26 April 1999.
  8. ^ "Prix de Champlatreux result". Racing Post. 17 May 1999.
  9. ^ "Prix de Diane result". Racing Post. 13 June 1999.
  10. ^ "Daryaba wins for Aga". The Irish Times. 14 June 1999.
  11. ^ a b "Dashing Daryaba sends out a clear message". The Free Library.com. 13 September 1999.
  12. ^ "Prix Vermeille result". Racing Post. 12 September 1999.
  13. ^ "Daryamar – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  14. ^ "Daramsar – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  15. ^ "Douraya – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  16. ^ "Daraybi – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.