Thursday 20 February 2025
The 2025 foaling season is a particularly exciting one for the Aga Khan Studs, with the arrival of the first foals by both Champion Three-Year-Old VADENI and Group winning miler EREVANN.
VADENI, a record-breaking winner of the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club and Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes, covered 128 mares in 2024. His first reported foal was born on 15th January, a bay colt out of multiple winning mare Rue Des Irlandais, bred by Mme Françoise Bérès of Ecurie X, who describes him as “a compact colt, who seems to be a precocious type.”
Other foals of note for the flagship young sire include a filly out of Stakes performer Miss Maia, whose second dam is Gr.1 Prix de la Forêt winner Etoile Montante, born on 31st January, and a filly out of Group 3 winner Zannda, bred by the Dreamer Partnership, born in Ireland on 3rd February. A colt foal out of Fastnet Rock mare Romelia has been described by Julie Mestrallet at Haras de l’Aumônerie as having “an expressive head with great strength and a compact frame, and he is a very good mover."
EREVANN, as a son of Dubawi and Siyouni’s triple Group 1 winning daughter Ervedya, was well supported in 2024, covering 168 mares. Among his first foals on the ground this year is a colt out of Schmusli born at Haras d’Etreham at the end of January. The foal, well stamped by his sire, was bred by Gestüt Zur Kuste and is described by Nicolas de Chambure as “a good foal who has a lot of strength and good balance - he already makes a great impression.” His dam is a half-sister to Group 2 winning juvenile Sans Equivoque.
Vadalika, who hails from the illustrious Aga Khan ‘V’ family, has produced a filly for Haras d’Haspel, and Aniysa, a Stakes-producing mare from the family of champion Sakhee, foaled a filly for breeders Haras des Trois Chapelles. Meanwhile Matthieu Gouesnard of Haras d’Ombreville is “delighted’ with his EREVANN colt out of a half-sister to Group winner Top Toss. “He is well-built, with good bone, a nice size, and he is correct. He has a lovely profile and a beautiful shoulder.”
The Aga Khan Studs team has also welcomed their first EREVANN foal, with Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana producing a dark bay filly on 11th February. The foal is a half-sister to five Stakes winners, including Gr.1 winner Dariyan, and is described by French studs manager Pierre Gasnier as “a very attractive filly, with plenty of size, short-coupled and well-balanced, with a typical Dubawi head. A beauty!”
