Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon poses with his trainer Alain de Royer Dupre (R) and the Aga Khan (L), owner of French horse Zarkava, after capturing the 87th Arc de Triomphe horsing race, the world's richest race on turf, at Longchamp Racecourse near Paris October 5, 2008.

H.H. the Aga Khan celebrates his win with Jockey at Longchamp Racecourse near Paris October 5, 2008.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan celebrates the win at Longchamp.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan (L) and the Aga Kahn owner of French horse Zarkava wave at the crowd after his horse won the 87th Arc de Triomphe horsing race ,the world's richest race on turf, at Longchamp Racecourse near Paris October 5, 2008. mbdartz

Zarkava's owner-breeder Karim The Aga Khan poses with a trophy after his three-year-old filly ridden by Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon won the 87th Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe race on October 5, 2008 at Longchamp racetrack in Paris . Zarkava produced one of the greatest performances in racing history here as she became the first winner to come from stall one since Prince Royale II in 1964 to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The owner of Zarkava his highness Aga Khan, center, his daughter Zahra Aga Khan and French jockey Christophe Soumillon hold their trophies after winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe horse race at Longchamp race track in Paris , Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008.

Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon after capturing the 87th Arc de Triomphe horsing race, the world's richest race on turf, at Longchamp Racecourse near Paris October 5, 2008.

Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon (2dR) poses with his trophy after winning the 87th Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe race riding favorite filly Zarkava, flanked by Zarkava's trainer Alain de Royer Dupre (R), owner of the horse the Aga Khan and his daughter Princess Zahra on October 5, 2008 at Longchamp racetrack in Paris . Zarkava produced one of the greatest performances in racing history here at Longchamp as she became the first winner to come from stall one since Prince Royale II in 1964 to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Longchamp: Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon celebrates aboard Aga Khan's French horse Zarkava

PARIS (AFP) — Zarkava became the first three-year-old filly since Akiyda in 1982 to win Europe's richest race, the four million euro Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, at Longchamp here on Sunday.

The Aga Khan's filly proved her brilliance and justified favouritism under cool handling from her jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre and running in the colours of the Aga Khan Zarkava beat last year's runner-up Youmzain.

On Sunday, Zarkava will put her unbeaten record on the line in attempting to become the Aga Khan's fourth winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, recognised as the pinnacle of achievement for middle-distance horses in Europe.

The Aga has raced some pretty special fillies in his time, including Aliysa, whose disqualification from the 1989 Oaks led to the owner boycotting British racing for some four years, but Zarkava looks like the best of them all.

Three-year-old Zarkava is The Aga Khan's unbeaten filly who faces males for the first time at Longchamp in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

2007, July 11: Golden Jubilee Inauguration Ceremony at Aiglemont

2007, July 11: gouvieux, France - Prince Amyn Aga Khan addressing guests, including leaders of the Ismaili Muslim community and senior AKDN personnel of the last 50 years, at a luncheon hosted by His Highness the Aga Khan on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee.
File size: 2.78MB / Photo credit: AKDN/Gary Otte (2007)

2007, July 11: Gouvieux, France - His Highness the Aga Khan addressing leaders of the Ismaili Muslim community who had come to pay homage on behalf of the community on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee.File size: 2.65MB / Photo credit: AKDN/Aziz Islamshah (2007)

2007, July 11: Gouvieux, france - His Highness the Aga Khan accompanied by members of his family outside his residence, waiting to welcome leaders of the global Ismaili Muslim community. From Left to Right: Ilian Boyden, Sara Boyden, Prince Aly Muhammad, Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, Prince Karim Aga Khan, Prince Amyn Muhammad, Prince Hussain, Princess Khaliya, Princess Aliya, Princess Yasmin
File size: 2.86MB / Photo credit: AKDN/Gary Otte (2007)

2007, July 11: gouvieux, France - His Highness the Aga Khan wearing ceremonial robe outside his residence as he greets the leaders of the global Ismaili Muslim community.
File size: 2.11MB / Photo credit: AKDN/Gary Otte (2007)

The Golden Jubilee Emblem

At the centre of the Emblem is the Imam's crest. The fifty crescents surrounding the Crest represent the half century of the spiritual leadership of Mawlana Hazar Imam. The outer ring embodies a verse from the Holy Qur'an (Surah 4, Ayat 1) rendered in calligraphy in the Fatimid Kufic script and reads as follows:

O mankind !
Be careful of your duty to your Lord
Who created you from a single soul
and from it created its mate
and from them twain hath spread abroad
a multiple of men and women

Paris, France: Princess Zahra's horse Mandesha won at Longchamp. HH Aga Khan attended with His daughter Zahra, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at the Hippodrome de Longchamp. Winning owner Princess Zahra Khan said, 'The Arc is a dream which will carry on to next year.' Winning breeder the Aga Khan said, 'We opted for the Opera instead of the Arc when we decided she would stay in training and besides three-year-old fillies don't have a good record in the race.'