Princess Zahra Aga Khan on Blending Bloodlines and Backing the Jacques Le Marois
Thursday, August 14, 2025 at 12:59 pm |
By Emma Berry
LE MESNIL MAUGER, FRANCE — Ahead of the inaugural sponsorship of the Prix Jacques Le Marois by the Aga Khan Studs, Princess Zahra Aga Khan has spoken of her team's “recognition of the industry” in supporting the entire card at Deauville on Sunday.
The 104th running of the Group 1 race which commemorates owner-breeder Jacques Le Marois looks set to feature two runners from the Aga Khan Studs, Zabiari (Wootton Bassett) and Ridari (Churchill), among a maximum field of 11, including the supplemented Docklands (Massaat) and Rosallion (Blue Point), who fought out a scintillating finish to the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Japanese contenders Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) and Go To First (Rulership) add extra international spice to an intriguing contest.
The Aga Khan Studs last gave their name to the National Stakes back in 2002 and they take over this sponsorship from the Niarchos family's Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard, which supported the Jacques Le Marois for almost 40 years.
The winningmost owner of the race over the last century is Marcel Boussac, whose entire breeding operation was purchased by HH Aga Khan IV in 1978. His bloodlines remain prominent within the Aga Khan Studs' broodmare band, with the aforementioned Ridari being an eighth-generation descendant of Boussac's foundation mare Astana (Arbar).
Referring to the various acquisitions over the years, which include the stock of renowned breeders Francois Dupre and Jean-Luc Lagardere, Princess Zahra said, “Each individual purchase, including Brook Holliday, and purchases like that, was very important because they brought new families and new blood into our basic breeding stock. And with every acquisition, they brought a different aspect, so either some very classic French bloodlines or the speedier Lagardere lines, and I would say that the Lagardere stock has had a very rapid impact on the speediness.”
She continued, “If you look at Siyouni's descendants, they tend to be precocious and fast, and every time there's an acquisition, it's an interesting exercise in marrying them and blending them with the older Aga Khan families. We're trying to keep the same attitude and aspect towards racing.
“My father always said that he was looking for not just cruising speed but acceleration, and I would say that over time that is proving to be true. Siyouni's daughters, like Tahiyra and Zarigana, have not only inherent speed but they also have an incredible turn of foot.”
Pierre Gasnier has recently succeeded Georges Rimaud in the role of manager of the French studs within the operation, and he, alongside Princess Zahra, Pat Downes, who manages the Irish studs, and racing manager Nemone Routh, work as a team of four to decide on each year's matings.
“We meet for many, many hours,” said Princess Zahra. “We have our own breeding theories and our own analysis of the families and the theoretical offspring pedigrees would be produced. We do have a database, but it is a repository for information that doesn't make any decisions or help us take any decisions. So far, we have not used AI, or anything like that. We might in the future, but at the moment are just going on the same theories that my great grandfather developed.”
Those theories have stood the operation in good stead for more than 100 years and, in 2025, Zarigana, an eleventh generation of Mumtaz Mahal, one of the earliest yearling purchases by HH Aga Khan III back in 1922, became the latest Classic winner for the Aga Khan Studs in the season immediately following the death of Princess Zahra's father in February. Candelari (Frankel) and Calandagan (Gleneagles) have added to the Group 1 tally this year, too, and represent a bit of a departure for the Aga Khan Studs in that they are both geldings.
“If you're building a reputation for a colt it is great to be able to take him overseas and have a sort of public image around the world. It's nice to stay in France and to win in France and if it's a filly we will probably take different decisions because we don't want to risk them, but for a colt it's great,” said Princes Zahra.
“And a gelding,” added racing manager Nemone Routh with a laugh, referring to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Calandagan, whose possible path through the rest of the season will be a prep run in the Prix Prince d'Orange, which is now open to older horses, before heading to the Champion Stakes at Ascot and then the Japan Cup in late November.
“It still needs to be discussed. He would carry a big penalty in the Prix Prince d'Orange, but it's a mile and a quarter and it's mid-September, so it would then set him up for Ascot, and then on to Japan,” Routh added.
She also had news of the unbeaten three-year-old Daryz (Sea The Stars), who will make his first venture into Group 1 territory when lining up for next Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
“Daryz worked very well this morning and we're very happy with him,” Routh said of the G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner who was ridden in his morning work by jockey Mickael Barzalona.
“This is obviously a massive step for him. We're asking him a big question and it is a really tough field, but we just felt the horse is in good form, this is his distance and he will probably have his ground.
“It might come a bit early but we have decided to take our chance.”
The Aga Khan Studs team hosted a press day at Haras de Bonneval on Thursday. We will bring you more news of the farm's four resident stallions and a range of broodmares, both active and retired, and including the great Zarkava, in Saturday's edition of TDN.