Shamardal

If there is one adjective that embodies everything about Shamardal, it would have to be 'class.' That magic yet highly elusive ingredient that separates a great Thoroughbred from the field has permeated every aspect of his being from the time his blue chip mating was planned, through to his own quartet of Group 1 successes on the racecourse and on to his sons and daughters, who made an immediate impact on the track with Classic winners in Europe and Australia in his first crop and whose dominance was emphasized last...

Dual French Classic winner and leading sire Shamardal (Giant's Causeway--Helsinki {GB}, by Machiavellian) has been euthanised at the age of 18 after dealing with "a range of health issues." Announcing the news on Thursday, Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, paid tribute to Kildangan Stud's flagship stallion. "Shamardal embodied mental and physical toughness—as a racehorse and as a stallion," he said. "As the racing world has seen over the past 15 years, he passed those qualities on to his progeny. "He contended with a range of health issues over...

Champion Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1 Investec Derby hero Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and MG1SW Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) have all had their first mares scanned in foal, Darley announced on Wednesday. A winner of the G1 Dewhurst S., Too Darn Hot stands alongside French G1SP Masar at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, while 2019 Cartier Champion Sprinter Blue Point, who won four Group 1 races and two at Royal Ascot last term, is at Darley's Irish base, Kildangan Stud. They command fees of £50,000, £15,000...

Charlie Appleby's champion juvenile Pinatubo (Ire) as well as Andre Fabre's Group 1 winners Earthlight (Ire) and Victor Ludorum (Ire), all sons of Shamardal campaigned by Godolphin, are among the 77 colts entered for the May 2 G1 2000 Guineas. Other Group 1 winners engaged include the Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and Phoenix S. winner Siskin (GB) (First Defence), while G2 Coventry S. winner and G1 Dewhurst S. runner-up Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) is a high-class entry from the Aidan O'Brien yard. Champion 2-year-old filly Quadrilateral...

You may not have met Ibrahim Araci. The Turkish businessman prefers to keep away from the spotlight. But when it comes to buying horses, he knows what he likes and rarely does things by halves. Flanked by his daughter Pinar and bloodstock advisor Rob Speers, Araci can often be found to the left of the rostrum in the Tattersalls sales ring, making bold plays for some of the choicest lots on offer at the yearling, breeze-up or breeding stock sales. Unafraid to see the hammer fall in his favour, Araci...

Second choice on the board, Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) just nipped heavy favourite Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) by a neck in a blanket finish in the $250,000 G2 Zabeel Mile going a mile over the Meydan grass on Thursday. It was a similar margin back to Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in third, with pacesetter Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) another neck behind in fourth. Charlie Appleby trained the first two home, with Saeed bin Suroor's Dream Castle giving Godolphin the trifecta. Content to race in fourth against the...

LONDON, UK—Godolphin's homebred Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) was officially named Europe's champion juvenile of 2019 on Wednesday when given the highest rating for a 2-year-old in 25 years. In fact, it was a clean sweep for Godolphin and Kildangan Stud-based sire Shamardal, who were also responsible for the joint runners-up in the category, Victor Ludorum (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire). The magic number for Pintaubo—also awarded to Enable (GB), Crystal Ocean (GB) and Waldgeist (GB) when topping the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings—was 128. One has to look back as far as...

Undefeated Cartier Horse of the Year and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) will visit Darley stallion Shamardal (Giant's Causeway) in 2020, Jour de Galop reported on Monday. A winner of five Group 1 races and currently carrying to Frankel (GB), she will produce a full-brother or full-sister to listed winner and G1 Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) this spring. Her best offspring to date has been G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud victor Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who currently stands under The Aga Khan...