His sire Azamour was trained by John Oxx to win four Group One races including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2005, a year in which he was named European Champion Older Horse.

[2] Zarkandar's breeding was suggestive of a middle-distance flat racer, and he was accordingly sent to France to be trained by Alain de Royer Dupre at Chantilly.

In the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park Racecourse he was ridden by Daryl Jacob and started at odds of 8/1, with another of Nicholls' French imports, Tonic Mellyse being made favourite.

[7] A month later, Zarkandar started at odds of 9/1 for his first attempt at the Champion Hurdle, in which he was part of a four-strong Nicholls entry which also included Rock On Ruby, Brampour and Celestial Halo.

He was ridden by Daryl Jacob while the other Nicholls runner Prospect Wells (runner-up in the 2008 Grand Prix de Paris) was partnered by Walsh.

[11] The BBC's correspondent described the performance as "dominant" while Nicholls called it a "proper job" and emphasised his view that the gelding would be well-suited to Cheltenham's testing, uphill finish.

[12] Zarkandar started the 7/2 second favourite for the Champion Hurdle, but made little impression in the closing stages and finished fourth of the nine runners behind Hurricane Fly.

[13] Zarkandar began the new season in the Ascot Hurdle on 23 November, when he finished second to the Irish mare Annie Power, to whom he was conceding eleven pounds.

On 1 January, in extremely difficult weather conditions, Zarkandar started 2/1 second favourite behind Annie Power in a three-runner field for the Dornan Engineering Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Starting a 14/1 outsider, he made steady progress in the closing stages without ever looking likely to win, and finished fourth of the ten runners behind More Of That, Annie Power and At Fishers Cross.

He was then sent to compete in France where he finished sixth behind Thousand Stars in the Prix La Barka and third to Gemix in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil.

Ridden by the French jockey Vincent Cheminaud he started the 16/5 second favourite behind Gemix, with the other runners including Reve de Sivola, winner of the race in 2013.

On his final appearance of the season he finished fourth behind Whisper, Cole Harden and Un Temps Pour Tout in the Liverpool Hurdle in April.