Aga Khan ends alliance with Jean-Claude Rouget as he moves horses to Francis Graffard in 'streamlining' process

The Classic-winning alliance between legendary French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and the Aga Khan has come to an end.

In a statement on Tuesday from one of the sport's pre-eminent owner-breeders, it was announced that all of the Aga Khan horses trained by Rouget will be moved to Francis Graffard with the purpose of "streamlining their operations". 

The news comes just days after Rouget and Jerome Reynier, another of France's most successful trainers, revealed they will operate under a joint licence from next year.

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."

A total of 17 Aga Khan horses will be moved from the 70-year-old trainer to Graffard, including Group-race winner Zabiari, last seen finishing fourth in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau, and Elbaz, who filled the same position in the Prix Daphnis this month.

Graffard is listed on the France Galop website as training 61 horses for the operation after succeeding Alain de Royer-Dupre as principal trainer to the Aga Khan in France at the end of 2021.

Since then Graffard has enjoyed a huge amount of success for the Aga Khan, most notably when landing the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with Rouhiya earlier this summer. 

He has had plenty of joy in Britain this year, too, winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot with Calandagan, who is among the fancied runners for the Juddmonte International next week, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Goliath.

Vadeni: was a star for Jean-Claude Rouget and the Aga KhanCredit: Julien de Rosa (AFP Getty Images)

Rouget, who has not been seen on a racecourse since mid-May owing to the advice of his doctors, is the most numerically successful trainer in European racing history, having passed the 7,000-winner mark in August 2022, while Ace Impact's Prix du Jockey Club and Arc double last season helped secured him a fifth French trainers' title. 

The first horse to secure a Group 1 success for Rouget in the famous green and red silks was Behkabad, who won the 2010 Grand Prix de Paris. Two years later Valyra gave the partnership another Classic victory when landing the Prix de Diane under Johnny Murtagh. 

Ervedya added three Group 1s when winning the Pouliches, Coronation Stakes and Prix du Moulin in 2015, while more recently Vadeni won the 2022 Prix du Jockey Club before narrowly claiming the Coral-Eclipse from Mishriff and chasing home Alpinista in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Three of the best

Vadeni
The Aga Khan and Jean-Claude Rouget's most recent star was arguably their best. Vadeni was a five-length winner of the Prix du Jockey-Club before beating the likes of Mishriff, Native Trail, Lord North, Bay Bridge and Alenquer in the Eclipse. A third in the Irish Champion Stakes was followed by a game second to Alpinista in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as he ended 2022 as Cartier's champion three-year-old.

Ervedya winning the Coronation Stakes from Found at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ervedya
In 2015 Rouget guided the Aga Khan's Ervedya through a brilliant five-race campaign in which she was only beaten once. She went unbeaten from the Prix Imprudence to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and then defeated Found in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. A second in the Prix Rothschild was later put right with victory in the Prix du Moulin.

Valyra
The talented but ill-fated Valyra was Rouget's first real star for the Aga Khan. Unraced at two, she came from nowhere to win the Prix de Diane on just her third career start. However, she tragically had to be put down after a hind leg fracture sustained in a beach gallop as she was preparing for the Arc.

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