The jewel of the AK breeding empire enters the history books. Zarkava thrilled her connections and the crowds of Longchamp with an electric burst of acceleration which saw her outclass her talented rivals in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. She becomes the first filly since Urban Sea in 1993 on the roll of honour for France’s greatest race, and the first three-year-old of her gender since Akiyda, who also carried the Aga Khan’s green and red silks, who won the 1982 edition of the Arc. According to her jockey Christophe Soumillon, “She’s a filly with such class that we are unlikely to see her equal for 25 or 30 years.”

Zarkava maintained her unbeaten record in seven races, each of which has been more impressive than the previous one. Alain de Royer Dupré declared, “I’ve never seen her in difficulty. Today we have seen the proof that Zarkava is quite out of the ordinary. She shows such fluidity in her movement and an ease of acceleration in just a couple of strides which is incredible. I am very lucky to train such a great filly.”

Zarkava registered a winning distance of two lengths ahead of Youmzain, who according to his trainer and his performances, is in even better form than last year when he was beaten just a head by Dylan Thomas. Another horse to have participated in both editions of the race, Getaway finished fourth in 2007 and back in eighth this year. Timeform rewarded the filly with a provisional rating of 133, the best figure for a mare in the last 20 years. Zarkava’s fifth dam, the champion Petite Etoile, boasted a rating of 134.

For HH Aga Khan, his filly’s consecration represents the culmination of an enterprise taken on by his great-great-grandfather in India, “The Aga Khan breeding operation has existed in France for three generations of my family, and before that for two further generations in India. The challenge is always to remain at the highest level. Today is an apogee.”

“In a traditional breeding operation like ours the quality of the broodmares is primary, and that is why the Arc is so important. What is really exciting about Zarkava, and also recently about Dalakhani, is that they both go back to base mares in the Boussac and Aga Khan lines.”

The owner-breeder paid tribute to his teams behind the scenes, “I would like to thank all those work on our studs, tending the land or caring for the young horses. I am grateful to all these men and women who are responsible for the quality of our stock which is seen on the racecourse.”

Updated on 09/10/2008