Thursday 7 January 2021
The 2020 season was a successful one for the Aga Khan Studs sires, with the Gilltown and Bonneval residents recording pleasing results in all categories, headed by the Arc victory of SIYOUNI’s son Sottsass.
SIYOUNI enjoyed a stellar year in 2020, crowned by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victory of his son Sottsass, already winner of the Prix du Jockey Club in record time and Prix Ganay. The Haras de Bonneval sire celebrated Classic success thanks to his daughter Dream And Do in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, while his son St Mark’s Basilica lifted the important Dewhurst Stakes and holds Classic ambitions of his own. Further afield, SIYOUNI’s daughter Etoile won the EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. SIYOUNI earned the title of French Champion sire for the fourth consecutive season, and he is the second overall sire in European standings.
SEA THE STARS was represented by three individual Group 1 winners in 2020, with victory in the German Oaks for Miss Yoda, a top-level success in Australia for Fifty Stars and Stradivarius adding another Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup to his roll of honors. Terebellum, Valia and Raabihah were all competitive at the highest level, winning Group races and earning places in the Queen Anne and Falmouth Stakes, Prix Royal Oak and Prix Vermeille. The Gilltown Stud stallion registered 15 Stakes winners during the season, ranking in third place in European standings, and the prolific sire now counts more than 120 Stakes performers during his career to date.
SEA THE STARS’ son HARZAND stands alongside his sire at Gilltown Stud and the young stallion saw his first juveniles make a fine impression on the track. Among his total of 8 winners, HARZAND is sire of promising Classic entries Port Sunlight and French Fusion. Bred by Moyglare Stud, the former won by three lengths at Gowran Park while the latter, bred by Kilcarn Stud, scored by four lengths at Galway. They both hold entries in the 2021 Irish Oaks. The handsome dual Derby hero proved very popular in 2020, covering a book of 143 mares.
The blue-blooded DARIYAN ranked third leading first-season sire in France in terms of prize-money and second on number of winners thanks to the exploits of his first juveniles. The son of Shamardal was represented by ten winners and two Group performers from his promising first crop.
Son of the invincible Zarkava, ZARAK saw his first yearlings enter the sales ring and they were met with enthusiasm by investors, with prices reaching six-figure sums and on average more than three times their conception fee. ZARAK’s first juveniles are eagerly awaited on the track and they are in training with leading French professionals such as Nicolas Clément, Freddy Head, Jean-Claude Rouget, Xavier Thomas Demeaulte, Stéphane Wattel, etc.
Updated on 07/01/2021.
