VALE AGA KHAN 05 Feb 2025 11:56
The death of the Aga Khan, one of the most influential owner-breeders in international horseracing, has been announced at the age of 88.
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, was the spiritual leader to 20 million Nizari Ismaili Muslims and a major investor in European racing, with a number of highly prestigious equine and bloodstock properties in France and Ireland. He died on Tuesday, peacefully in Lisbon surrounded by his family.
The Aga Khan owned some of the sport’s true greats, most notably the legendary Shergar. Alongside Shergar, he owned four other dual Derby winners in Shahrastani, Kahyasi, Sinndar and Harzand, and won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe four times with Akiyda, Sinndar, Dalakhani and the unbeaten wondermare Zarkava.
The Aga Khan’s main focus was in France, where he was the perennial champion breeder and owner and owned Haras de Bonneval breeding farm at Le Mesnil-Mauger, Haras d’Ouilly as well as properties in Saint-Crespin and Tupot. He was also the majority shareholder of French horse auction house Arqana. In Ireland he owned four studs in Kildare, Gilltown Stud, where Sea The Stars stands, as well as Sallymount, Sheshoon and Ballyfair Studs.
The Aga Khan inherited his worldly and spiritual duties at 20 when his grandfather, Aga Khan III, died in July 1957. He was just 23 when his father died in a car crash in Paris and he inherited the family’s racing empire. His first two winners came at Longchamp on May 22, 1960 when Istanbul and Charlottesville, both trained by Alec Head, were successful.
The multimillionaire, perhaps billionaire, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, characterised by private jets, a $200m (R3.7bn) superyacht and a private island in the Bahamas.
Estimates of his wealth varied from $800m (R14.9bn) to $13bn (R243bn), with his money coming from his family inheritance, his horse breeding business and personal investments in tourism and real estate.
The international jet setter, who held British, French, Swiss and Portuguese citizenship, poured millions into helping people in the poorest parts of the world.
