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Here, we take a look at some of his best. Shergar is one of the most famous racehorses in the world, and not just because of his 10-length romp in the 1981 Derby. Ridden by teenage jockey Walter Swinburn and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Shergar was something of a freak.
His record Derby win preceded a victory in the Irish version and he then beat his elders in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. His sole defeat at three came in the St Leger. However, it was off the track that Shergar came to wider prominence, when in 1983 he was kidnapped from his Irish stud by men thought to be from the IRA.
His remains have never been found. "The invincible Zarkava" – a spellbinding performance from the wonder-filly in the 2008 Arc! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) Zarkava was arguably the Aga Khan’s greatest equine achievement. Homebred, from a long list of his own mares, she was a little out of the ordinary.
Having made her debut in the September of her two-year-old season, she went on to win a Group One on just her second start. She won her trial for the French Guineas easily before beating none other than Goldikova in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Further victories in the Prix de Diane and Prix Vermeille followed, before her finest hour, a two-length victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
She went unbeaten throughout her career. The Aga Khan struck up a very useful partnership with Irish trainer John Oxx and Sinndar perhaps does not get mentioned when recalling the greats as much as he should. He was only defeated once in eight races, winning the English and Irish Derby, the Prix Niel and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
He had also won the National Stakes as a juvenile. He beat Sakhee at Epsom, who would win the Juddmonte International and Arc the following year, while at stud he went on to produce Youmzain, famously second in three Arcs. Another top-class colt trained by Oxx for the Aga Khan, Alamshar won both his starts, including the Beresford Stakes.
Beaten on his return at three in the Ballysax, he won the Derrinstown Derby Trial but was third at Epsom behind Kris Kin. Sent to the Curragh for the Irish Derby he was running in the Aga Khan’s green and brown second colours, with Dalakhani, the French Derby winner, the odds-on favourite. Alamshar won by a length, though.
His best performance was undoubtedly on his next start at Ascot in the King George, however, as he left a top-class field that included Sulamani, Nayef, Bollin Eric and Falbrav trailing in his wake. Back in third was Kris Kin. In later years the Aga Khan had a large majority of his horses in Ireland trained by Dermot Weld, with Tarnawa proving the best of them.
Only 11th in the Oaks at Epsom at three, she looked a long way from the star she would eventually become at that stage. Given a break by Weld, she hinted at what was to come in the second half of the season when winning the Blandford Stakes. But it was as an older horse she thrived, although not out until August when she won a Group Three.
She went on to complete a Group One hat-trick in the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l’Opera and Breeders’ Cup Turf. Returning as a five-year-old with the sole aim of winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, she narrowly came up short when second to outsider Torquator Tasso..
