PUNTERS reckon a legendary jockey could see his new contract ‘ripped up’ days after signing for a billionaire owner – after losing to a 100-1 outsider.
Iconic French rider Mickael Barzalona was recently confirmed as the new No1 for owner the Aga Khan.
And they looked to have a good thing in the first race on Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day in red-hot filly Zarigana.
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Trained by Francis Graffard, she was sent off 1-2 favourite for the Group 1 Marcel Boussac over a mile.
And with a sweet draw in stall five she looked to have everything going right in her bid to win the £200,000 first-place prize.
Barzalona came swining in on the daughter of Ziyouni and hit the front with 50 yards to go.
But he was perhaps guilty of thinking he was home and hosed – and didn’t spot the fast-finishing 100-1 roughie Vertical Blue storming up his inside.
In a truly agonising finish for punters who backed Zarigana, Vertical Blue, also trained by Graffard, got up by just a nose to claim the most unlikely of victories.
A brilliant win for jockey Alexis Pouchin – but devastation for punters who had piled Zarigana into accas.
One punter joked the finish could signal the end of Barzalona’s time as the Aga Khan jockey.
He wrote: “Just watched the replay, Barzalona hasn’t lifted the stick once, tried to win hands and heels in a Group 1.
“Jesus, might have that contract ripped up after that.”
While another said: “That one hurt. Not sure if the jockey thought he had the main threat beaten or just got done for stamina… ouch.”
And a third posted online: “First race on Arc day and we’ve already seen the worst ride. That is an absolute shocker on Zarigana.”
Barzalona, who won the 2011 Derby on Pour Moi, was champion French jockey in 2021.
He was given the top job last week in a tumultuous few weeks for the owner, who recently announced he was removing all his horses from top French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.
In a statement posted on the Aga Khan’s site, it was confirmed the 17 horses in training with Rouget – whose awesome Ace Impact won last year’s Arc de Triomphe – would be moved to Francis-Henri Graffard.
The statement read: “The Aga Khan Studs have announced that their horses currently trained by Jean-Claude Rouget will be relocated to the Aiglemont training centre in Gouvieux under the supervision of Francis-Henri Graffard, with the aim of streamlining their operations.
“The team at Aga Khan Studs extend their heartfelt thanks to Jean-Claude Rouget for his dedication over the past 19 years, during which time he has won seven Group 1 races for H.H. the Aga Khan, including Valyra (Prix de Diane), Ervedya (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Coronation Stakes and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp) and more recently Vadeni (Prix du Jockey Club and Eclipse Stakes).”
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