Saturday 4 June 2016
HARZAND, a son of 2009 Derby winner SEA THE STARS, wins the Epsom Derby and becomes H.H. the Aga Khan's fifth winner in this great Classic. Placed midfield in the race by his jockey Pat Smullen, HARZAND started progressing after Tattenham corner at the entrance of the straight. When he reached the lead, he was put under pressure by Aidan O’Brien’s contenders US Army Ranger and Idaho, but he showed class and courage to win surely by a length and a half. Trained by Dermot Weld, HARZAND was having his fourth start following an easy victory in the Gr.3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.
HARZAND is following in the footsteps of his sire SEA THE STARS, who had himself won the Derby in 2009. The Champion retired to the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Ireland after having won six consecutive Group 1s. HARZAND is part of his third generation and becomes his fourth Group 1 winner after Taghrooda (Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes), Sea The Moon (German Derby) and Vazira (Prix Saint Alary).
HARZAND is a brother to two Stakes winners, Gr.1 placed and Gr.3 winner Harasiya and Listed winner Hazarafa. His dam Hazariya (Xaar) is a Gr.3 winning sister to the Gr.1 Irish Oaks third Hazarista.
H.H. the Aga Khan's last victory in the Epsom Derby went back to 2000 with SINNDAR. His other three winners were Kahyasi in 1988, Shahrastani in 1986 and SHERGAR in 1981, who still holds the record of the widest winning margin of 10 lengths. All four winners went on to win the Irish Derby.
With this fifth victory in the Epsom Derby, H.H. the Aga Khan broke a new record by becoming the owner and breeder of five Derby winners. He also equals his grandfather's number of wins in the race. The Aga Khan III had indeed won five Derbies with Blenheim (1930), Bahram (1935), Mahmoud (1936), My Love (1948) and Tulyar (1952).
Updated on 04/06/2016.
