Monday 6 March 2023
In France, SIYOUNI has led the sire standings for six consecutive seasons, and is well established as one of the top stallions in Europe. The Aga Khan Studs will be supporting him with another quality book of 22 mares, highlighted by ZARKAVA, who also has a SIYOUNI two-year-old named Zarouk to represent her this year. Her Dubawi daughter ZARKA will join her in SIYOUNI’s book for her first cover, as will the globetrotting EBAIYRA, a multiple Group winner and Group 1 performer.
Another star name on SIYOUNI’s list is TARNAWA. The triple Group 1 winner is a half-sister to SIYOUNI filly Tahiyra, a Group 1 winning juvenile last season and exciting 2023 Classic prospect. A Stakes-placed half-sister to Vadeni, VADSENA, also visits SIYOUNI, along with Group 2 winners and Group 1 runners-up CANDARLIYA and VALIA, Group 3 winner HAMARIYNA, DARIYZA - a Stakes-winning half-sister to Dariyan - and fellow Stakes winners LIKALA, SHAHNAZA and SIMEEN.
Gilltown Stud resident SEA THE STARS finished last season as the leading sire in Ireland, with four Group 1 winners to his name, and also established his position as an exciting up-and-coming broodmare sire.
The Aga Khan Studs will be sending him five mares, including VADERANA, dam of 2022 Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old, Vadeni. She will be joined by ZAYKAVA, a Listed winning daughter of SIYOUNI and champion ZARKAVA; HAPARANDA, another Stakes winner who hails from the family of SEA THE STARS’ dual Classic winning son Harzand; TASALKA, a winning half-sister to the dam of TARNAWA and Tahiyra; and new retiree EBBA, a winning half-sister to EBAIYRA from the famous ‘E’ family of Ebaziya.
After a scintillating start at stud with his first two crops to race, ZARAK will cover 15 mares belonging to the Aga Khan Studs. They include Group 1 winner DOLNIYA and her dam DALTAMA; Group winners EBIYZA (dam of EBAIYRA) and EMIYNA; Stakes winners DARIYMA, MILA and SAYANA (a Galileo half-sister to SIYOUNI); CANDARA (dam of three Stakes winners including CANDARLIYA); BAIYKA (a half-sister to ZARAK’s Group winning daughter BAIYKARA); and ERDANA (a SEA THE STARS half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed Erevann).
Completing the line-up is Dariyan, a Group 1 winning son of Shamardal, who will receive some well-bred young mares from the broodmare band, including KERASIA (by Zoustar out of Stakes winning Oasis Dream mare Kerasona), MINNA (by Le Havre out of winning Sinndar mare Minya) and VEDASKA (by SIYOUNI out of Stakes winning Dalakhani mare Vedouma, from the celebrated family of Vadeni).
