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'His star is very much in the ascendancy' - share in Zarak sells for €800,000 to Alex Elliott at Arqana Online sale
![Zarak](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F9e3f08cb6b4d-gakphfxwoaa3bv9.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
A 1/50th share in the Aga Khan Studs' rising star Zarak topped the Arqana Online Sale on Tuesday when selling to Alex Elliott for €800,000.
The son of Dubawi and Zarkava sired two new Group 1 winners this year in the form of Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Metropolitan and the ill-fated Prix Ganay victor Haya Zark, taking his overall top-level tally to three.
His first Group 1 strike came through 2023 Grosser Preis von Baden winner Zagrey, a gallant grey who was also third behind Equinox and Westover in the Sheema Classic, and runner-up to the latter in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. 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.
Among them are Group 2 winners and Group 1-placed performers Straight, Zarakem and Purplepay, along with Saratoga Grade 2 scorer Parnac and Group 3 winners including Village Voice, Crown Princesse and Lavello.
The soon-to-be 12-year-old was a Group 1 winner himself on the racecourse for the Alain de Royer-Dupre yard, taking the 2017 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, while he also finished runner-up in the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Ganay.
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.
![Alex Elliott](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2Ff97a3cec2d93-elliott.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
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.
The dual Group 1-winning sprinter by Kodiac has made a positive start with his first runners this year. Among them are Group 3 winners Misunderstood and Electrolyte, the former also Group 1-placed when third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
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