Rimaud graduated from the Irish National Stud course in 1980 before gaining valuable experience while working at Spendthrift Farm in America before returning to his homeland and attaining a prized position at the Aga Khan, which is about to celebrate its centennial.
“There is good energy, the centennial is an interesting period to reflect on and to reorganise ourselves with all this history and ongoing legacy,” Rimaud said.
“It’s an amazing time when you reflect and go through all the studies and research on what has happened over the last 100-years as we are making a movie and it will come out in August before the Arqana Sale.”
“It’s an amazing time when you reflect and go through all the studies and research on what has happened over the last 100-years as we are making a movie and it will come out in August before the Arqana Sale.” - Georges Rimaud
Star stallions continuing the legacy
Rimaud touches on the success of the Aga Khan’s star stallions Sea The Stars (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr), saying that the latter’s ascension hasn’t come as a surprise.
“We always thought he (Siyouni) could be a good stallion, it’s about breeding mares of quality and we felt with the help of the shareholders we would have significant broodmares with quality that would give him a chance,” Rimaud said.
“Without thinking he would rise to where he is now we always felt there was a strong potential.”
Georges Rimaud | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The Arrowfield relationship
Rimaud touches on the Aga Khan’s relationship with Arrowfield Stud, which saw them produce multiple Group 1 winner turned Arrowfield stallion The Autumn Sun.
He said this type of venture is one of the ways in which they are able to fund the Aga Khan’s breeding and racing interests as they don’t sell yearlings.
“It was an opportunity that was offered by John Messara,” Rimaud said.
The Autumn Sun | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
“Australia was a very interesting and buoyant market. It has worked out quite well and it has been an interesting venture as we managed to expose our families elsewhere.
“The Autumn Sun is a very good stallion prospect, he is still very young but it will be interesting to see what happens and if it’s the legacy we can leave in Australia, it’s a very good one.”
