The Aga Khan Studs consignment for Arqana’s December breeding stock sale is exceptionally strong in both quantity and quality, with 41 top-class fillies and mares entered at Deauville from 4th to 7th December. A number of the operation’s leading families, such as those of Shergar, Azamour and Darjina, are represented by potential and proven broodmares, including the dam of a Group 1 winner.

Two years ago, the Aga Khan Studs topped this sale with Alpine Rose (Linamix) who went on to score at Group 1 level for her new connections before being covered this season by Gilltown Stud’s champion racehorse Sea The Stars. Her sister Fragrancia, whose full siblings feature four further Pattern scorers including Group 1 winner Fragrant Mix, is offered in this catalogue as lot 343 and she is carrying a foal to popular young sire Teofilo.

Vedela will set the ball rolling as lot 1 for this sale and this unraced 3yo Selkirk filly is out of Gr;1 Prix Saint-Alary victrix Vadawina, from the family of dual Gr 1 winner Valixir and the late sire Val Royal. Lots 7 and 8 are the closely related Viyadana (Azamour) and recent winner Viziyya (Sinndar), the former being a half-sister to Gr;1 Prix de la Forêt scorer Varenar, Group 2 winner Visindar and Group 3 winner Visorama who is the dam of the latter.

Other fillies with noteworthy siblings are lot 29 Artemia, a placed Kalanisi half-sister to Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris hero and first-season sire Montmartre and lot 61 Darinza (Dalakhani) who is a half sister to European Champion 3YO filly Darjina. She will be followed through the ring by Diyaraka (Clodovil) lot 64 who is out of Group 2 placed Diamonaka who has produced 9 winners, amongst who are multiple Group winners Diamilina and Diamond Green and Group 3 victrix Diamonixa.

Lot 208 Shapoura (Sinndar) is a half-sister to Shamdinan who shone in the USA with victory in the Gr.1 Secretariat Stakes and second place in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, while lot 273 Anadiyla (Barathea) is out of the same mare as Astarabad and the dam of Azamour. Both these are proven reproductors and Anadiyla, winner of one race herself, is already dam of a winner and is sold in foal to Slickly. Lot 375 Khalasha has also given birth to a winner and this Linamix mare, who has been covered by Elusive City, is the half-sister to Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris winner and sire Khalkevi.

Lot 311 Carlitta represents a rare opportunity to acquire a well-bred dam of a Group 1 winner as the American-bred daughter of Olympio has produced juvenile Group 1 scorer Carlotamix who now stands at stud in France. Carlitta, who is sold in foal to Rock of Gibraltar, is out of a Secretariat half-sister to French juvenile champion Qirmazi. Lot 471 Shemissa also offers proven breeding quality as this daughter of Fairy King and Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka has produced three winners including the Group 1 placed Shediak. The half-sister to three Stakes winners is offered in foal to Monsun.