THE Aga Khan’s contribution to Irish racing and breeding will continue to have an impact for generations after his death, which was announced this week.

One of the most successful owner-breeders in the history of horse racing globally, the Aga Khan died peacefully on Tuesday in Lisbon. He was 88.

World leaders joined racing and bloodstock figures in paying tribute to the Aga Khan this week. Although his influence in the sport was felt worldwide he was particularly involved in the development of Irish racing on several levels.

He was the largest shareholder in Goffs and a major employer in Kildare through his stud farms.

When the Aga Khan IV took over the studs from the estate of his father Prince Aly Khan in 1960, his inheritance included six farms in Ireland: Sheshoon, Ballymany, Ongar, Gilltown, Sallymount and Williamstown.

In the 1970s he sold Gilltown to Bertram Firestone but bought it back at a later stage when he sold Ballymany Stud to Sheikh Mohammed.

Gilltown Stud in Kilcullen is now his Irish base and home to Sea The Stars, one of the world’s elite thoroughbred stallions. Gilltown and neighbouring Sallymount Stud cover approximately 1,250 acres and he keeps, on average, 100 broodmares in Ireland.

Curragh Racecourse

The Aga Khan’s support for the Curragh Racecourse and locality has been immense.

In 2000, shortly after Sinndar had won the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Aga Khan said: “The Curragh Racecourse [...] deserves to be resuscitated not by the implementation of unavoidable improvements only, but a dramatic new grand plan.

“Irish racing should mark the beginning of this new century by honouring the Curragh with the best in environmental respect, the most forward-looking response to the needs of modern racing, and the creation of a new economic resource for the benefit of all within its catchment area.”

Three years later, the Aga Khan purchased the Stand House Hotel, which bordered the Curragh grandstand, for a reported €15 million and gave it to the Turf Club, as the first step in the masterplan to redevelop the racecourse.

The €81 million project had to overcome planning and financial problems before the new-look Curragh was opened in 2019. The grandstand in named in the Aga Khan’s honour.

In 1997 the Irish Thorougbred Breeders’ Association inducted the Aga Khan into its Hall of Fame. Just last year both the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners and Horse Racing Ireland honoured him with special awards. He was also presented with an honorary doctorate from Maynooth University in 2008.

In recent years the Aga Khan has been infrequently sighted on the racecourse and represented instead by his daughter, Princess Zahra Aga Khan.

Bedrock of operation

Accepting the HRI Contribution to the Industry Award on behalf of her father last December. Princess Zahra said: “Starting with my great grandfather [over 100 years ago], I believe Ireland has always been the bedrock of our breeding operation. Irish lands, the Irish farms, have always been the most wonderful place to breed horses. And my dad and his predecessors would never, ever think of not being in Ireland.”

HRI chairman Nicky Hartery described the Aga Khan’s impact on Irish racing as “unparalleled”. He said the Aga Khan was not just a valued partner of the Irish racing community, “He is one of us. We feel he is part of the very fabric of our industry and we have claimed him as one of our own.”

The list of top-class horses bred and raced by the Aga Khan in Ireland is a long one.

Shergar, trained in Newmarket by Sir Michael Stoute, remains the best-known by the general public to carry the iconic green and red silks.

That colt completed the Derby double in 1981 and retired to stand Ballymany Stud before being stolen by the IRA in a crime which has never been solved.

John Oxx trained Sinndar to complete the same Derby double in 2000 for the owner-breeder and that horse won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for good measure. Alamshar and Timarida were two other multiple Group 1 winners Oxx trained for His Highness.

The Aga Khan won the Prix de l’Arc on three other occasions, through Akiyda, Dalakhani and Zarkava, all trained in France.

In more recent times, the Dermot Weld-trained Tahiyra, Tarnawa and last year’s Epsom Oaks winner Ezeliya have registered important Group 1 success for the Aga Khan.

Spiritual leader

The Aga Khan was the spiritual leader of about 12 million people from the Ismaili sect of Islam, who live in over 35 countries. Throughout their 1,400-year history, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam.

A statement issued on Tuesday evening by the Aga Khan Development Network said: “His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), passed away peacefully in Lisbon on 4 February 2025, aged 88, surrounded by his family.

“Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network. The announcement of his designated successor will follow.”

On Wednesday it was confirmed that his son, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V, is now the 50th hereditary Imam, following the unsealing of the will of his late father.

The new Aga Khan is the eldest son of his late father and Begum Salimah, a British woman who converted to Islam and changed her name from Sarah Croker Poole.

The US-educated, Swiss-based Rahim is deeply involved with the network of charities and agencies his father helped spearhead. Prince Rahim has two sons through his former marriage to Kendra Spears, an American.

Dermot Weld, trainer

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 1 races in four countries and were successful in classic races, like the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and Epsom Oaks, 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.

Suzanne Eade, Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive

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, trainer

I trained for him for over 40 years. I will never forget those two Arc wins, especially Zarkava because she came from Petite Etoile, the filly of the Aga Khan’s herself.

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.

The Aga Khan Studs

Everyone at the Aga Khan Studs, in Normandy, in Chantilly and in Ireland, send their sincere condolences to the family of His Highness the Aga Khan following his passing.

For 65 years, His Highness has been at the head of his family’s breeding and racing operation, which is today one of the most prestigious in Europe.

Guided by his passion for horses and the sport of horse racing, he has carefully developed and shaped his studs and bloodlines in a quest for excellence, whilst also playing a pivotal role in supporting the wider racing and breeding industries.

His memory will endure at the Aga Khan Studs through the horses he has bred and the families he has nurtured. Working under the direction of His Highness has been an honour and a privilege for all staff at his stud farms in Ireland and France and at the Aiglemont training centre, who benefit from his legacy of excellence that will continue to inspire for generations to come.

Henry Beeby, Goffs Chief Executive

His Highness was a wonderful man who made an enormous contribution, not just to the bloodstock industry but to the wider world through his philanthropy and humanitarian work.

As Goffs shareholder of reference, his unwavering support and investment in the company over many decades has provided Ireland with a world-class auction house to market and sell Irish thoroughbreds globally, and much of what we do would not have been possible without his backing.

He was generous with his time, wisdom and advice, especially to Eimear [Mulhern, chairman] and me in recent years, and was also a major vendor with so many of his incredible bloodlines at several sales each year. A truly remarkable man, may he rest in peace.

Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin, owner-breeders

He was not only a great leader for his people, but a true friend and an equestrian who loved and understood horses deeply. Above all, he stood as one of the world’s greatest philanthropists, whose life’s work was dedicated to relieving the hopelessness of poverty and promoting human development, building bridges between communities and working tirelessly in the cause of peace.

Coolmore Stud

HH Aga Khan. True visionary and breeder extraordinaire. European racing will be forever in your debt. RIP.

President Michael D. Higgins

As spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims and a dedicated philanthropist, the Aga Khan made an exceptional contribution across his life to the causes of education, health and development across the world.

The Aga Khan will of course be particularly remembered in Ireland for his deep connection with the sports of horse racing and showjumping, including his family’s long connection to the Aga Khan Trophy which is competed for each year during the Dublin Horse Show.

I was pleased to welcome the Aga Khan to Áras an Uachtaráin in 2018, when we had the opportunity to discuss the importance of supporting sustainable development and the strengthening of civil society to improve the quality of life of poor and marginalised communities.

As I noted on that occasion, at a time when many affect an indifference towards suffering, the Aga Khan endeavoured to address the root causes of conflict, promoting inter-cultural dialogue, pluralism, and the advancement of the status of women.

International Federation of Horseracing Authorities

The Aga Khan’s longstanding commitment to the sustainability and growth of global horse racing is epitomised by his investment in bloodstock and in racing infrastructure projects at racecourses such as Chantilly and the Curragh, and his patronage also contributed to the sponsorship and development of the weekend surrounding the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

He bred and raced horses in at least 15 different countries and won over 160 Group/Grade 1s around the world, leaving an indelible mark on our sport. He will be deeply missed.

H.H. The Aga Khan – facts & figures

H.H. the Aga Khan IV, born in 1936, passed away peacefully in Lisbon on February 4th, aged 88, surrounded by his family.

He had been at the head of the Aga Khan Studs since 1960 when he took over the operation aged 23, following the death of his father Prince Aly Khan. He was awarded his first French owners’ championship that same year.

The European racing and breeding operation today known as the Aga Khan Studs was founded in 1921 by the Aga Khan III, grandfather of H.H. the Aga Khan IV, following the purchase of female yearlings at UK bloodstock auction houses. The operation passed to the Aga Khan III’s son, Prince Aly Khan, in 1957. The Aga Khan I owned racehorses from 1820 in India. Upon his death in 1881, he was succeeded by the Aga Khan II, but he died in 1885, when the title was inherited by the Aga Khan III.

H.H. the Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Asia and Africa, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender. The AKDN multifaceted development approach aims to help communities and individuals become self-reliant.

Today, the Aga Khan Studs comprises four properties in Ireland and five properties in France:

The studs employ approximately 150 members of staff, with around 60 members of staff in Ireland and 90 members of staff in France, split between the studs and the Aiglemont Training Centre.

The Aga Khan Studs currently stand one stallion in Ireland (Sea The Stars) and four stallions in France (Erevann, Siyouni, Vadeni and Zarak). Homebred stallion Siyouni has been the champion French-based stallion for the past seven consecutive years, while Zarak – a son of champion Zarkava – is one of the rising stars of the European stallion scene.

There are approximately 160 broodmares across the two countries, made up almost exclusively of horses bred by H.H. the Aga Khan, some of whom trace back 11 generations to horses purchased by his grandfather in the 1920s.

H.H. the Aga Khan secured the future of many historic thoroughbred bloodlines when purchasing the bloodstock operations of renowned breeders François Dupré (83 horses, 1977), Marcel Boussac (144 horses, 1978), Brook Holliday - successor to the late Major Lionel Holliday (1987) and Jean-Luc Lagardère (222 horses, 2005).

There are approximately 220 horses in training across three trainers in Ireland (Dermot Weld, Michael Halford and Johnny Murtagh) and two in France (Francis-Henri Graffard and Mikel Delzangles).

H.H. the Aga Khan has owned the winners of over 162 Group 1 races. These include:

Notable horses raced by H.H. the Aga Khan include European Horse of the Year winners Dalakhani (2003) and Zarkava (2008), European Champion Older Horses Azamour (2005) and Kalanisi (2000) and European Champion Three-Year-Old colts Sinndar (2000) and Vadeni (2022). His Highness is also renowned as the owner and breeder of Shergar, who still holds the record for the longest winning margin in the English Derby (1981); fellow classic-winning colts Darshaan and Kahyasi, who left indelible marks on the thoroughbred breed as sires and as broodmare sires; and as the owner of Champion Two-Year-Old Blushing Groom, whom he purchased as a foal and who also left a lasting legacy.

The most recent Group 1 winner in the silks of H.H. the Aga Khan IV was Ezeliya, winner of the 2024 Epsom Oaks.

Accolades awarded to H.H. the Aga Khan IV include:

His Highness was a key investor in the modernisation of Chantilly racecourse in the late 1990s, backing the plan to save the historic course from closure, and more recently in the redevelopment of the Curragh racecourse, which reopened in 2019. The main grandstand at the Curragh is named The Aga Khan Stand in his honour.

H.H. the Aga Khan played a pivotal role in the inception of Arqana, the leading bloodstock sales company in France, which was developed from the merger of previous sales companies Agence Française and Goffs France. His Highness is a majority shareholder in both Arqana and in Goffs, the leading bloodstock sales company in Ireland.

Together with Louis Romanet, Director of France Galop, His Highness was behind the origin of the now world-renowned Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend, which involves two days of racing including eight Group 1 races, headed by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself, Europe’s most prestigious horse race.

The meeting was sponsored for six years by His Highnesses’ Ciga hotels chain from 1988 to 1993, while the Aga Khan Studs also sponsored the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland for seven years from 1996 to 2002.