Shalaa

NEWMARKET, UK--There are plenty of troubling stories out in the big wide world at the moment, but buyers at the yearling sales so far this season appear not to be concerned or affected by a cost-of-living-crisis, with the Tattersalls Somerville Sale the latest to benefit from a boom in demand for young stock. The Somerville is only in its second year but it has already been pegged as an important fixture in the run of yearling sales and the 2022 renewal posted huge gains in all sectors. Four six-figure lots...

Jean-Claude Rouget is not prone to hyperbole so, when the decorated French handler compared the unexposed Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) to his only G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) earlier this week, some people did a double take. Not Benoit Jeffroy, who manages Haras de Bouquetot on behalf of the Al Shaqab operation. Jeffroy has long been aware of the standing in which the multiple Classic-winning trainer has held Al Hakeem and, when the colt won the Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly on...

Haras de Bouquetot has released its stud fees for 2022, and announced that Shalaa (Ire), who got his first Group 1 winner this autumn when No Speak Alexander (Ire) won the G1 Matron S., will remain at Arrowfield Stud in Australia. The Bouquetot roster is headed by Zelzal (Fr) and Wooded (Ire), who will each stand for €15,000. The G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Zelzal has been represented by 10 first crop winners thus far, headed by the Listed Prix Saraca scorer Zelda (Fr). The G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner...

While 2021 marks the end of an era for Australia's Arrowfield Stud, with the last yearlings by its breed-shaping sire Redoute's Choice (Aus) going through the ring, it has likewise signaled the start of another, with young shuttler Shalaa (Ire) getting off to a bright start with his first Southern Hemisphere-bred crop headed by the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Shaquero (Aus). Arrowfield will offer yearlings by both at the upcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on Apr. 6 and 7, and we caught up with Arrowfield's John Messara to...

Arqana will offer four horses in training through its online platform on Mar. 26. Three-year-old colt Miami Voice (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) is being offered off a debut score at Fontainebleau on Mar. 12 for owner Tom Whitehead and trainers Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti. Miami Voice is the first foal out of Lou (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), a half-sister to Charm Spirit (Ire) also from the family of 2020 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Dream And Do (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). A debut winner in November, 3-year-old colt Sotoro (Fr) (Toronado {Fr})...

Chris Waller snapped up the golden ticket into next Saturday's G1 Golden Slipper S. with Shaquero (Aus) (Shalaa {Ire}) after his victory at Rosehill. The Waller-trained Shaquero was successful in the G3 Bowermans Commercial Furniture Pago Pago S. Shaquero won the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January and in one subsequent appearance since a break had finished sixth in the G2 Skyline S. Improved for that outing, he settled in the trail and once into the clear 200 meters off the post he accelerated...

The latest installment of our values sires series brings us to the second-crop sires of 2021. While there was a runaway leader, this group gave us plenty to unpack. A handful of rising star sires were crowned, and a few remain on the bubble with plenty to entice us with this year as their first crops prepare for their crucial 3-year-old campaigns. The race for champion first-season sire honours was not much of a competition at all last year, with Mehmas (Ire) jumping out of the gate with a pair...

One day after racing resumed in Britain on June 1, Mehmas (Ire) notched his first winner in the country less than an hour after he had recorded his first ever winner, in Italy. From thereon, the Tally-Ho Stud resident was pulling double all season, opening up an easy lead over his fellow European freshmen and bossing his way to a new first-season sire record which, with 56 winners, was 17 clear of that previously held by Iffraaj (GB). It is, frankly, a staggering tally, with 101 of his 121 named...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a highly regarded maiden coming off a Royal Ascot placing. 1:15 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT SAEIQA (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) comes back to competitive maiden company after a third placing in the G2 Coventry S. for Al Shaqab and John Gosden, with the relative of...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the first runner for highly anticipated first-season sire Shalaa (Ire). 10.10 Deauville, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, 5fT Lady Bamford's €250,000 Arqana August acquisition CHERIE AMOUR (FR) (Shalaa {Ire}) becomes the first representative for Haras de Bouquetot-based freshman sire Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in this five-runner...

Monday heralded the first day of perhaps the strangest turf season any of us will ever witness. From Wednesday, Ireland has gone from racing behind closed doors to joining the rest of the Europe in learning to cope with no racing action at all. There is now uncertainty over when the next 2-year-old race will take place but three of this year's 30 first-season sires in Europe are already off the mark with a first runner, with Buratino (Ire), Prince Of Lir (Ire) and Markaz (Ire) each having been represented...

In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we hear from Whatton Manor's Ed Player. TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year? EP: I'm a big fan of Shalaa (Ire). He has it all; good looks, racing ability and he bred a fantastic first crop of mares. TDN: Have you raised/bred many by Shalaa? Does he typically stamp his stock? EP: We sold an outstanding yearling colt by him, out of...