Dalakhani is a thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 race horse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 owned and bred by Aga Khan IV

Aga Khan IV

Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...

 and trained by Alain de Royer-Dupré

Alain de Royer-Dupré

Alain de Royer-Dupré is a leading French thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He grew up at the Haras de Saint Lô, a national stud farm in Normandy of which his father was Assistant Director and later Director, responsible for government-owned stallions based at farms in the local...

. He was sired by Darshaan

Darshaan

Darshaan was an French Thoroughbred racehorse and a Champion sire and broodmare sire. Bred and raced by the Aga Khan IV, he was out of the French mare, Delsy, a daughter of the 1961 Grand Critérium winner, Abdos...

 covering Daltawa (Miswaki

Miswaki

Miswaki was an American bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Group 1 winner in France as well as a stakes race winner in the United States...

) and is therefore half-brother to Daylami

Daylami

Daylami is a retired Thoroughbred Champion racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland, but trained in France, Dubai and the United Kingdom. In a career which lasted from 1996 and 1999, he raced in five different countries and won seven Group 1/Grade I races...

.

Dalakhani won four Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 races: Critérium International

Critérium International (horse race)

The Critérium International is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.-History:The event was introduced...

 as a 2-year old, Prix Lupin

Prix Lupin

The Prix Lupin was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in May....

, Prix du Jockey Club

Prix du Jockey Club

The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...

. He was beaten by half a length in the Irish Derby by another Aga Khan Studs horse, Alamshar

Alamshar

Alamshar is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won five of his nine races in a career which lasted from September 2002 to September 2003...

. He also won two G2 races; overall he won eight of nine starts.

In 2003, Dalakhani was voted European Horse of the Year

European Horse of the Year

European Horse of the Year is an award in European Thoroughbred horse racing. Since 1991 the honor has been part of the Cartier Racing Awards. It is presented annually by Cartier SA to a horse of any age racing in Europe.-Honorees:...

. In 2008, he was standing at Gilltown Stud. http://www.agakhanstuds.com/stallion/stallions.asp?hcode=20000061

Dalakhani is being mated to Zarkava, the never-defeated filly, who won the 2008 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She was subsequently named Cartier European Horse of the Year. Zarkava was the fourth Arc winner for The Aga Khan IV.

In 2008, Dalakhani's colt Conduit won the St. Leger Stakes, the third and longest leg of England's Triple Crown, as well as the Breeder's Cup Turf at Santa Anita.