Denia

Family 9e

1973 c. f. Crepello - Rose Ness (Charlottesville)

The addition of the stock belonging to Marcel Boussac in 1978 was a pivotal moment in the history of the Aga Khan Studs. 

Boussac dominated French racing during the mid 20th century, reigning as the leading owner on 19 occasions and winning 12 renewals of the Prix du Jockey Club among a host of top races.

By the 1970s, however, the textile tycoon was facing bankruptcy. Nor were his bloodlines, many of them built upon a programme of inbreeding, yielding the same quality with consistency. The Aga Khan saw an opportunity, purchased the operation in its entirety and following a period of culling, reinvigorated them back to a level of productivity that today sees them wield a great level of influence.

“In terms of keeping the necessary process of change alive, I determined that it was better to buy entire valid enterprises even if they were slowing down, providing I knew the reasons for their deceleration,” recalled the Aga Khan IV in A Racing and Breeding Tradition: The Horses of the Aga Khan. “For the three acquisitions, Boussac, Dupré and Lagardère, we were able to measure the compatibility or incompatibility of their bloodlines with ours… What was extraordinary was that the operations had bloodlines that were totally compatible with ours.” 

Included in the Boussac package were the relations Denia and Rilasa, whose dam Rose Ness was a daughter of the important Boussac mare Astana. Further back, it was one of the best Boussac lines going, having provided him with his dual Arc heroine Corrida and Derby winner Galcador.

By the time Denia was foaled, the Boussac bloodstock empire was in decline, but she had a connection to one of his later stars in his 1969 Prix de Diane heroine Crepellana, one of his last good homebreds who was Rose Ness’s half-sister. Like Denia, Crepellana was a daughter of the Derby winner Crepello, one of the few British-based stallions with whom Boussac enjoyed success. 

Listed winner Dastaan was the most accomplished of Denia’s foals but it is through Damana that the line today runs particularly strongly. The Listed-placed daughter of Crystal Palace foaled Listed winner Daltawa, herself something of a blue hen as the dam of champions Daylami and Dalakhani, between them the winners of 11 Group/Grade 1 races; Daylami’s record included the Eclipse Stakes, King George and Poule d’Essai des Poulains while Dalakhani won the Arc and Prix du Jockey Club. Both later sired Group 1 winners from their time at Gilltown Stud. 

More recently, Daltawa has also featured as granddam of the Aga Khan’s Group 1-winning homebreds Dolniya (Dubai Sheema Classic) and Dalkala (Prix de l’Opera). Dolniya was joined at stud by her daughters, Dolia and Doulama.