From Shergar to Zarkava: six of the best horses owned by the Aga Khan

The death of the Aga Khan, one of the most influential owner-breeders in international horseracing, has been announced at the age of 88.

• The Aga Khan, one of racing's most influential owner-breeders, dies aged 88 

• The Aga Khan: a spiritual leader to millions and one of horseracing's most distinguished figures 

• Tony Morris: why the Aga Khan was the pre-eminent owner-breeder over six decades 

Shergar

Since Shergar's awesome Derby-winning campaign in 1981, his name has been a byword for supreme excellence in the middle-distance thoroughbred.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he scored highly impressive victories in Sandown's Classic Trial by ten lengths, the Chester Vase by 12, the Derby by ten (a record), and the Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes both by four.

At Epsom his rapid, scuttling stride took him well clear in the straight, and his margin over Glint Of Gold might have been 12 lengths or more had Walter Swinburn not eased him in the final furlong. 

On his last start he could only finish fourth in the St Leger and his abduction in 1983 added mystery to his legendary status.

Daylami

The only truly great champion bred by the Aga Khan apart from Shergar, Daylami won seven Group/Grade 1 races and carried the breeder's colours for two seasons, landing the Poule d'Essai des Poulains in 1997. He was then sold to Sheikh Mohammed and ran for Godolphin, winning the Eclipse in 1998 and becoming the world champion of 1999.

The tough, powerful five-year-old grey crushed his rivals by five lengths in the King George and nine lengths in the Irish Champion Stakes. He also beat Royal Anthem in the Coronation Cup and Breeders' Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park, before retiring to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud.

Charlottesville

The Aga Khan inherited Charlottesville from his father, Prince Aly Khan, and the colt became perhaps the best horse to race anywhere in the world in 1960.

Trained by Alec Head and ridden by George Moore, he triumphed by three lengths in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris in the style of an exceptional middle-distance stayer. He started favourite for the Arc but finished only sixth on rain-sodden ground. He became champion sire in Britain and Ireland.

Had he not won France's two most important races for three-year-olds, his young owner might have sold up.

Sinndar: won a vintage Derby in 2000Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Sinndar

The only horse to win the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sinndar was a pure mile-and-a-half horse, the official world champion three-year-old of 2000.

In the Derby, he caught Sakhee – the brilliant 2001 Arc winner – inside the final furlong and scored by a length in one of the highest-quality runnings in the race's history.

He put up an even better performance when striding away for a nine-length victory in the Irish Derby and became the first Aga Khan colt to win the Arc. He was trained by John Oxx.

Zarkava

The world champion filly of 2008, Zarkava retired as an undefeated Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, and eclipsed her own fifth dam Petite Etoile as the best of all the Aga Khan's fillies.

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre and ridden in all her seven races by Christophe Soumillon, she was a champion in both her seasons, winning the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2007 and then the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches by two lengths from Goldikova, the Prix de Diane by three lengths, and the Prix Vermeille and the Arc by two lengths each.

Shahrastani

It would have been better for Shahrastani's reputation if he had lost the 1986 Derby instead of beating the luckless Dancing Brave by half a length. He would have been revered as one of the best ever Derby runners-up, instead of being among the race's least deserving winners.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of Nijinsky proved himself a genuine star with a spectacular eight-length demolition job in the Irish Derby, and was then fourth behind Dancing Brave in vintage editions of both the King George and the Arc. At his best, he was superior to most winners of those races.

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The Aga Khan, one of racing's most influential owner-breeders, dies aged 88