Dalakhani Pensioned from Stud Duty

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Photo: Courtesy of the Aga Khan/Peter Mooney
Dalakhani at Gilltown Stud June 2015

The Aga Khan Studs announced July 26 the retirement of Dalakhani from stud duty. 

The 16-year-old winner of four group I races, including the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (both Fr-I) during his illustrious racing career, Dalakhani stood at Gilltown Stud in Ireland from 2004 until joining the Haras de Bonneval for his final season in 2016.

Dalakhani has sired eight group I winners. Among these are Moonstone, winner of the Darley Irish Oaks (Ire-I); Conduit, two-time Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner and victor in the St Leger Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (both Eng-I); and Reliable Man, who won the Prix du Jockey Club and the Santos Coffee Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Aus-I) at Randwick.

By Darshaan, Dalakhani represents one of the most prestigious Aga Khan families. His dam Daltawa (by Miswaki) also produced the top class racehorse and sire Daylami, the dam of grade I Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dolniya and the granddam of Prix de l’Opéra winner Dalkala.

"The quality of this maternal line shows through in Dalakhani’s talents as a sire and also as a broodmare sire," said a statement from the Aga Khan Studs. "His influence is already beginning to live on through his female progeny, as Dalakhani is the broodmare sire of 20 stakes performers, including recent Epsom Derby runner-up US Army Ranger, who is a son of classic winner Moonstone."

Dalakhani will be retired at the Aga Khan Studs in Normandy, alongside Linamix, who is now aged 29.