MARKAZ was a high-class racehorse in three seasons on the track and, with his freshman year behind him, his stallion career is progressing as one might expect.
He won his two-year-old maiden in July and crowned that season with a second-place finish in the Group 3 Somerville Tattersalls Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket. His celebrity full-sister was a dual stakes-placed dual sprint winner at two, one of those wins achieved by 12 lengths, whereas their dam, Folga (Atraf), won once at that age before going on to add five more and earn blacktype.
Although their grandam, Desert Dawn (Belfort), won the Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg, the established family tendency is for a winning two-year-old season to be the bonus on top of what they go on to achieve at three and beyond.
Markaz is among the freshmen of 2020 who notched up a double-digit tally of winners. Gotixtix struck twice in Italy, 91-rated Mark Of The Man won twice over seven furlongs for the Richard Hannon stable, and the Charlie Hills-trained and 94-rated Snash was not disgraced when finishing out of the frame behind Master Of The Seas in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on the final of his three starts.
A full-brother to the champion and dual Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Mecca’s Angel, Markaz was best at six and seven furlongs. He won the Group 3 Criterion Stakes by almost two lengths at Newmarket as a three-year-old and chased home Limato in the Group 2 Park Stakes over the same trip at Doncaster.
He just missed out on another Group 2 placing when fourth to Adaay in the Sandy Lane Stakes, and again in a strong edition of the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, won by Cable Bay, finishing only a short head and a neck behind third-placed Belardo.
Markaz also finished fourth in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes as a four-year-old but his best performances that year came over six furlongs. He won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle and was a three-quarter-length runner-up to Donnerschlag in the Group 2 Goldene Peitsche, Germany’s top sprint. His best form was on good ground or better.
Markaz is, of course, among the string of young stallion sons of leading sire Dark Angel (Acclamation). Lethal Force had Group 1 winner Golden Horde in 2020, Gutaifan had the Group 2-winning juvenile Fev Rover, each of Alhebayeb, Heeraat and 2020 freshman Estidhkaar are off the mark as blacktype sires, while brilliant sprinter Harry Angel’s first crop will be at the yearling sales this year.
MARKAZ (IRE), Grey 2012. Won three races, £169,645, from 6 furlongs to 7 furlongs, 2 to 4 years including, Betfred Chipchase Stakes, Newcastle, Gr.3, John Sunley Memorial Criterion Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, also placed second in Goldene Peitsche powered by Burda@turf, Baden-Baden, Gr.2, Saint Gobain Weber Park Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.2, Somerville Tattersall Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, and third in Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes, Haydock Park, L, mazerattan.com King Charles II Stakes, Newmarket, L.
Retired to Stud in 2017, and sire of the winners of 13 races, and £113,614.
Stands at: Derrinstown Stud, Maynooth, Co Kildare, W23 KX82, Ireland.
Contact: Stephen Collins, Enda Stanley or Rosie Kane
Telephone: +353 (0)1 6286228
Email: nominations@derrinstown.com
Web: www.derrinstown.com
Fee: €3,000