The three-year-old colt Alakazi opened the ball on Saturday with a decisive victory in the Gr.2 Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown. His trainer Johnny Murtagh has always thought highly of him, and the progressive colt now boasts two wins and three places at Stakes level in just five starts this season.

Murtagh commented after the race:

“You dream about days like today, I’ve been telling Pat Downes all year how good this horse was, he was a bit of a work in progress. We were a little bit disappointed he didn’t win the last time, but we knew coming here that he was going to be a different proposition. He’s a beautiful horse and a beautiful horse to train,@ he concluded. AI think he can go all the way. He’s in [the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes] at Ascot. He probably doesn’t want the ground too soft and Ben said he handled that ground really well. I think he deserves a shot at it.”

By Footstepsinthesand, Alakazi is the first foal of the Sea The Stars mare Alaiya, herself out of dual Group 3 winner Alanza, from the family of Alamshar and Alandi. Alaiya has a filly foal by Siyouni this year and is currently in foal to Zarak.

On Sunday, Roshvar returned to black-type company with a sharp late run to claim the Gr.3 Prix du Pin at ParisLongchamp. The four-year-old, who had shown promise earlier in his career, now counts four victories and four seconds from nine outings. He could next be aimed at the Gr.1 Prix de la Forêt on Arc weekend. A son of Siyouni, Roshvar is, like Alakazi, out of a Sea The Stars mare – the Listed-placed Roshanara, already the dam of Stakes winner Rozgar. Roshanara is a half-sister to Gr.1 winner Rosanara and is back in foal to Siyouni this year.

On the same card, Rayevka and Daryz both put up noteworthy performances to finish second in the Gr.3 Prix du Petit Couvert and Gr.3 Prix du Prince d’Orange respectively. The son of Sea The Stars Daryz was only denied by a short head against the Japanese Derby winner and he could now be aimed at the Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Back in Ireland, another Aga Khan family sparkled when the two-year-old Zavateri remained unbeaten with victory in the Gr.1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. The son of Without Parole was bred by John and Tanya Gunther out of Zeroua, a daughter of Siyouni and Zerkaza (Dalakhani), who had been purchased as a filly out of training by Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in 2021. This talented and gritty colt belongs to the outstanding family of Zarkava and Zarak.

Siyouni’s influence as a broodmare sire is rapidly expanding, further highlighted by Marvelman, winner of the Gr.2 Park Stakes. The son of Invincible Spirit is out of Varamini (Siyouni), a full sister to Group 2 winner Volta.