A 1/50th share in the Aga Khan Studs' rising star Zarak topped the Arqana Online Sale Dec. 17 when selling to Alex Elliott for €800,000 (US$840,000, €1=US$1.05).
The son of Dubawi and Zarkava sired two new group 1 winners this year, Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) hero Metropolitan and the ill-fated Prix Ganay (G1) victor Haya Zark, taking his overall top-level tally to three.
His first group 1 strike came through 2023 Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) winner Zagrey, a gallant gray who was also third behind Equinox and Westover in the Sheema Classic (G1), and runner-up to the latter in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1). He takes up stud duties at Haras de Grandcamp for 2025, while Metropolitan does likewise at Haras d'Etreham.
Zarak is responsible for 42 individual black-type performers, headed by 18 group winners.
The soon-to-be 12-year-old was a group 1 winner for the Alain de Royer-Dupre yard, taking the 2017 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), while he also finished runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) and Prix Ganay (G1).
Zarak started at Haras de Bonneval for €12,000 in 2018. After four seasons at that level, his fee was increased to €25,000 in 2022, and it rose again the following year to €60,000. This coming season sees another increase, to a career-high €80,000.
Elliott said: "The share's been bought for a British breeder. Zarak is a sire whose star is very much in the ascendancy and we were keen to take a position on the horse. The two nominations every 'odd' year were particularly attractive.
"I've managed to buy a good few yearlings by the sire and also mares in foal to him, while I'm involved in a Zarak with Ralph Beckett called Square D'Alboni, who is potentially top-class, so I've been following him with interest for a while."
A 1/50th share in Etreham's promising first-season sire Hello Youmzain also proved popular, selling to the Broadhurst Agency for €250,000.
