Tributes pour in for the Aga Khan, breeder of ‘almost perfect equine athletes’

Chris Hayes paid tribute to the “almost perfect equine athletes” developed by the Aga Khan through generations of breeding, having partnered Ezeliya to the famed owner-breeder’s final Classic success in last year’s Oaks.

Like so many of the Aga Khan’s great horses, Ezeliya was homebred from a line which has been in his family’s care for decades.

The previous season, Hayes also rode Tahiyra to an Irish 1,000 Guineas win and multiple Group One victories in the famous green silks with red epaulettes.

The jockey said: “It’s obviously the end of an era, the Aga Khan and the whole team have been nothing but supportive of me; with his help, it’s taken my career to another level.

“I’m proud that I was associated with those colours and I’m proud that I’ve been able to win some big races.

“To ride his last Classic winner, that is a bit extra special as well.

“It goes without saying how good their pedigrees are, how they just keep improving and evolving.

“It was special to win an Oaks and I was lucky to have Tahiyra before that, plus I was associated with Tarnawa in her early days as well.

“I’ve ridden some of his very, very good fillies and you could just feel it in them – the effort that has gone in through generations and generations to get them to almost perfect equine athletes.

“It was definitely a pleasure to be associated with them and every time you put on those colours, whether it was a maiden or a Group One or a Classic or whatever it was, I always felt proud to wear them anywhere.

“It was a privilege to have anything to do with them.”

Dermot Weld said the Aga Khan – who died on Tuesday evening at the age of 88 – left an “indelible mark on the sport”.

Weld trained some truly great horses in the famous green and red colours, winning the Derby, Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Turf in the process.

In recent years the likes of Tarnawa and Tahiyra helped both trainer and owner remain at the top of the game and Weld says he will be a huge loss to the sport.

“I am deeply saddened to hear that His Highness the Aga Khan has passed away and I would like to send my sincere condolences to Princess Zahra and family at this incredibly difficult time,” said Weld in a statement.

“It has been a great honour and pleasure to train for His Highness and we enjoyed many great days together.

“We won 10 major Group One races in four countries and were successful in Classic races, like the Epsom Derby and Irish Derby, which were obviously so important to him as one of the world’s most influential and successful breeders of thoroughbreds.

“I was also fortunate to train three champions for him, including Harzand, who was the champion three-year-old colt in Ireland. Tahiyra, also a Classic winner at three, who was the two-year-old champion filly of Europe and Tarnawa who was the joint highest-rated older filly in the world after winning the Prix Vermeille and the Breeders’ Cup Turf and who was only beaten half a length in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“He took great interest in all of his horses and played not just a huge part in my career but left an indelible mark on the sport and the breeding industry. He will be very much missed by all of us.”

Paying tribute to the Aga Khan, Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “We are greatly saddened to learn of the passing of HH the Aga Khan.

“His Highness was an iconic figure in the global racing industry. He was recognised the world over as a champion breeder and a champion owner and he made his mark in many countries with Ireland playing a significant role in his family’s renowned operation for over 100 years.

“On so many levels, Irish racing and breeding will forever be in his debt. We were honoured to present His Highness with Horse Racing Ireland’s Contribution to the Industry Award last December. We hope that recognition went some way towards acknowledging his immense contribution, wonderful generosity and unwavering support of our industry for so many years.”

Alain de Royer-Dupre provided the Aga Khan with two Arc winners in Dalakhani and Zarkava but he is under no illusions about which was the best.

“I trained for him for 42 or 43 years,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“I will never forget those two Arc wins, especially Zarkava because she came from Petite Etoile, the filly of the Aga Khan’s herself.

“Zarkava was the best, I’m not sure Dalakhani was of the same quality. He was a good Arc winner, but for me he was not of the same level.

“I had great admiration for His Highness because he worked so hard and he had so many other responsibilities.

“He was passionate about the racing but especially as a breeder. He was interested in identifying the level of each horse.

“It was easy to work with him because he would only make a decision once he had all the information to hand. He could judge a gallop in the morning, he had a very good eye for that.

“We had a very good connection. He leaves a big legacy because of the quality of his mares, they will be around for many years.

“He was the best owner you could have, when they are a breeder they understand everything, he never put you under too much pressure.”