The Aga Khan ends the 2007 season as champion owner in France with a total of just under 3.5 million Euros in prize money. The 106 thoroughbreds to have carried the famous green and red silks over the past 12 months have passed the post first on 89 occasions to accumulate 3,460,298 Euros including owners’ premiums. The Aga Khan’s highest earner has been Prix du Jockey-Club third Shamdinan. The son of Dr Fong and Shamdara, a half-sister to Gr 1 winner Shamdala, Shamdinan went on to scale even greater heights after being sold to America where he lifted the Gr 1 Secretariat Stakes. Gr 1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Zarkava was the Aga Khan’s second most lucrative colour-bearer. This fifth generation descendant of the legendary Petite Etoile is out of Kahyasi mare Zarkasha. She won her only two starts and has great Classic potential for 2008. Princess Zahra Aga Khan occupies ninth position in the same category with her four representatives accumulating eight victories and five places for a total of 1,397,962 Euros. Top class miler Darjina was her most successful protégé in a remarkable season which saw her lift the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Prix d’Astarté and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

The quality of the Aga Khan’s breeding operation is also to the fore in France Galop’s end of year statistics. Products of the Aga Khan’s French and Irish Studs have won 1,969,150 Euros in France in 2007, the highest figure in the breeders’ category excluding bonuses. Princess Zahra Aga Khan’s four representatives gathered 887,610 Euros. When breeders’ premiums for the Aga Khan and his daughter the Princess Zahra are added together, the figure of 449,204 Euros puts the pair at the top of the standings for French-bred thoroughbreds in 2007.

The Aga Khan’s John Oxx-trained string finished fifth in the owners’ standings in Ireland with earnings of 745,098 Euros. His best performers were Sinndar’s Gr 2 winning daughter Four Sins and Gr 3 scorers Timarwa and Danak.

Updated on 24/12/2007