Zarkava may be retired with perfect record intact

By Chris McGrath, Racing Correspondent After a glorious interval of certainty in Paris on Sunday, racing was quick yesterday to resume its addiction to conjecture. Some sought to measure Zarkava against champions of the past; others speculated anxiously about her future. The only man whose next thoughts count for anything, however, will instead want to preserve the pristine sense of greatness Zarkava achieved in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe – and that means that she is unlikely to be seen again. In the euphoria that followed her theatrical success, the Aga Khan plainly felt that Zarkava had fulfilled her destiny. And this was not just a matter of her own talent: she had perfected nearly a century of breeding lore, shared between five generations of his family. As things stand, her legacy is immaculate, and that is precisely... [read full story]