Markaz a high-class brother to sprint star Mecca's Angel

MARKAZ (IRE) - 2012 grey horse

The rise of Dark Angel (by Acclamation) to become a leading European sire has been something of a surprise and he already has a string of sons who at stud. Those include Group 1 star Lethal Force, the pattern scorers Alhebayeb and Heeraat, and Group 1-placed Tough As Nails, each of whom has sired winners, although without getting anything of note, yet.

Markaz is among those at earlier stages of their career and the young Derrinstown Stud team member has 74 registered foals in his first crop. In addition to having the considerable attraction of being a full-brother to the Timeform 130-rated dual Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Mecca's Angel, he has the distinction of having been a notably talented performer in his own right, a dual Group 2-placed six and seven-furlong pattern winner.

He was a pattern-placed winner as a juvenile and at three he won the Group 3 Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket, was beaten by less than three lengths when fourth to Adaay in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock, and chased home Limato in the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster.

At four, he won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes over six furlongs on the tapeta at Newcastle, he was fourth to Richard Pankhurst in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes over seven at Newbury, and was a three-quarter length runner-up to Donnerschlag in the Group 2 Goldene Peitsche over six at Baden-Baden on what was to be his final start. He was awarded that race in the stewards' room, but that decision was later reversed on appeal.

A good-looking horse who made £200,000 in Doncaster as a yearling, Markaz is out of the prolific sprint winner Folga (by Atraf), a daughter of the pattern-winning sprinter Desert Dawn (by Belfort), whose offspring also include the listed scorer Desert Kaya (by Bikala). The next dam is a four-times winner called Cast Pearls (by Cutlass).​

This is a weak family for a prospective stallion, but his talent (Timeform-rated 121), and that of his brilliant sister, combined with being a son of the hugely popular Dark Angel and having got good-sized books in his first two seasons, make him an interesting member of the ranks. He looks like a potential source of sprinters and milers.

MARKAZ (IRE) – gr.2012 – Dark Angel – Folga, 3 wins inc Criterion Stakes (Gr3), Chipchase Stakes (Gr3), 2nd Goldene Peitsche (Gr2), Park Stakes (Gr2), Somerville Tattersall Stakes (Gr3), 3rd King Charles II Stakes (L), Spring Trophy Stakes (L). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2018.

FOALS CATALOGUED:
Bf - All Fur Coat (by Multiplex)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Grc - Am I (by Thunder Gulch)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bc - Arianrhod (by Duke Of Marmalade)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bc - Balladiene (by Noverre)     Tattersalls     November     25,000gns
Grf - Blue Ciel (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs     November     €11,000
Bf - Boston Ivy (by Mark Of Esteem)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Grc - Bunditten (by Soviet Star)     Tattersalls     November     60,000gns
Grc - Cape Joy (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls     November     40,000gns
Bl/grf - Carsulae (by Marju)     Tattersalls     November     10,000gns
Grf - Cesca (by Fastnet Rock)     Tattersalls     December     not sold
Brf - Counter Ridge (by Tiger Ridge)     Goffs     November     €6,000 (p/s)
Grc - Elegant Peace (by Intense Focus)     Goffs     November     €6,000
Bf - Estonia (by Exceed And Excel)     Tattersalls     November     24,000gns
Grf - Flame Of Ireland (by Fasliyev)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bf - Goldthroat (by Zafonic)     Goffs     November     not sold
B/brc - Green Chorus (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     November     25,000gns
Brc - Heartstrings (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Grc - Hollybrowne (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Goffs     November     €16,000
Grc - Hurricane Irene (by Green Desert)     Goffs     November     €6,000
Br/grc - Indian Belle (by Indian Ridge)     Goffs     November     €7,500
Bc - Isolde’s Return (by Avonbridge)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grc - Jealous Beauty (by Lawman)     Goffs     November     €11,000
Grf - Kristal Xenia (by Xaar)     Goffs     November     €17,000
Bf - Lucky Date (by Halling)     Goffs     November     €1,500
Grc - Luxuria (by Kheyelf)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bc - Music Pearl (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     November     14,000gns
Brc - On The Dark Side (by Kheleyf)     Tattersalls     December     6,000gns
Bf - Oriental Melody (by Sakhee)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grf - Perruche Grise (by Mark Of Esteem)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grf - Petite Cherie (by Fasliyev)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grf - Red Fuschia (by Polish Precedent)     Goffs     November     €3,500
Bf - Rien Ne Vas Plus (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs     November     €8,000 (p/s)
Grc - Rockabout (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bf - Rockrunner (by Duke Of Marmalade)     Goffs     November     withdrawn
Bc - Saxum (by Whipper)     Tatts IRE     November     €10,000
Grc - Sayrah (by Sakhee)     Goffs     November     €4,800
Bf - Seeking Dubai (by Dubawi)     Goffs     November     €1,200
Bf - Spirit Of Alsace (by Invincible Spirit)     Tatts IRE     November     not sold
Grc - St Athan (by Authorized)     Tattersalls     November     not sold
Bf - Star Kodiak (by Kodiac)     Tattersalls     December     2,500gns
Bf - Sweet Sioux (by Halling)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grc - Tooley Woods (by Cape Cross)     Goffs     November     €26,000
Bf - Vera Lilley (by Verglas)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grc - Whisper Dance (by Stravinsky)     Goffs     November     ​€65,000