Category Archives: Shamardal

Triple treat for Darley sires to start at Sandown

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Darley stallions made a brilliant start to Saturday’s Sandown Hillside meeting by producing the first three winners on a competitive day’s racing.

Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway – Helsinki, by Machiavellian) filly Bulbula (Shamardal – Taameer, by General Nediym) showed a terrific turn of the speed to become the 45th stakes winner for the European-based stallion in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m).

Bulbula surprised even her trainer David Hayes with her pace from the barriers before the two-year-old maintained the effort to score a strong debut win.

“It was really good. It surprised me she could lead so easily,” Hayes said. “She has always showed a bit of speed at home but she got her own way in front.

“It’s a long straight and she kept kicking all the way down the straight.”

Bernardini (A P Indy – Cara Rafaela, by Quiet American) filly Mediung (Bernardini – Amish, by Canny Lad) followed Bulbula’s performance with a big finish to claim the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m). Bulbula carried the Shadwell Australia colours to victory in the opening event but Meidung’s rider Kerrin McEvoy bore Darley’s maroon and white silks as Meidung recovered from initially appearing to be in trouble halfway up the running to score what turned out to be a comfortable win.

Ibicenco (Shirocco – Iberi, by Rainbow Quest) became the eighth stakes winner for Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud resident Shirocco (Monsun – So Sedulous, by The Minstrel) when the Luca Cumani-trained performer outstayed his opposition to win the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m).

The OTI Racing-owned stayer provided Shirocco with his first Australian stakes winner with his strong effort.

Darley sets Europe service fees

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Darley has set a €10,000 service fee Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel – Accessories, by Singspiel) when he begins his northern hemisphere stud career at Kildangan Stud in Ireland in 2013.

Helmet also won the Group 1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) as a juvenile but was retired after sub-par performances for Godolphin earlier this year.

Helmet commanded a $33,000 (inc GST) service fee for his first season at Darley’s Northwood Park operation.

Former star juvenile Sepoy (Elusive Quality – Watchful, by Danehill) will also shuttle to Europe after beginning his stud career at a fee of $66,000 at Kelvinside. Sepoy will serve his northern hemisphere mares at Dalham Hall Stud at a service fee of £15,000.

Dubawi (Dubai Millennium – Zomaradah, by Deploy) will be the most expensive European Darley stallion at a fee of £75,000.

Exciting stallion New Approach (Galileo – Park Express, by Ahonoora) will stand for £50,000 in 2013.

Click here for the full Darley Europe service fee schedule.

European Group double for Shamardal

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Shamardal’s (Giant’s Causeway – Helsinki, by Machiavellian) three-year-old son Amaron (Shamardal – Amandalini, by Bertolini) gained his first Group 1 victory when landing the Premio Vittorio di Capua at Milan on Sunday.

The Andreas Lowe-trained colt was recording his fourth career win and second at Group level, having won the Group 3 Dr Busch Memorial earlier this year.

Bred by Genesis Green Stud, Amaron is the first foal to race out of the Bertolini mare Amandalini, a half-sister to G2 winner and G1 performer Persianlux and a granddaughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Tropicaro.

Later on the same afternoon, Shamardal’s five-year-old daughter Calipatria (Calipatria – Golden Silca, by Inchinor) completed a Group race double for her sire when sweeping to victory in the Group 3 Preis von Jungheinrich at Hanover.

Settled off the pace, Alex Pantall’s charge came with a magnificent run down the home straight to win the 11-furlong contest by a length and three quarters. Bred by Aldridge Racing Partnership and now running in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, Calipatria is out of the talented performer Golden Silca, herself a full sister to G1 winner Silca’s Sister.

Shamardal has now sired eight individual G1 winners – three of whom have now won at the highest level this year, the others being Crackerjack King and Sagawara.

 

Elite filly becomes Shamardal’s 40th Stakes winner

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Exciting Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway – Helsinki, by Machiavellian) filly Elite Elle became the 40th individual Stkaes winner for the stallion with her comfortable win in the Listed Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

Injury has prevented Shamardal from shuttling to Australia in recent seasons. Elite Elle could earn the chance to join Faint Perfume (Shamardal – Zona, by Zabeel) and Captain Sonador (Shamardal – Pushing Daisies, by Kenny’s Best Pal) as a Group 1 winner in the Thousand Guineas (1600m) later in the spring.

Elite Elle’s trainer Tony Vasil said the three-year-old could tackle another Group 1 target, the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) in mid-September, but he wanted to keep his options open.

“Do we look at the 1000 Guineas, put our eggs in one basket and focus on that? Or do you make hay while the sun shines and run on the wet tracks while they are around,” Vasil said.

“She’s done what she has done so far but she has never run beyond 1200 metres. Being by Shamardal, you would assume she would (be effective over more ground) but she’s quite brilliant and sometimes those brilliant horses don’t get the mile.”

 

37 for Shamardal after Grafton Cup success

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Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway – Helsinki, by Machiavellian) gelding Shamardashing (Shamardal – Beaux Art, by Nomrood) led home a Patinack Farm quinella in Thursday’s Listed Grafton Cup (2350m).

Shamardashing, a $220,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase, tracked the pace in fourth position before sprinting too quickly in the straight to provide his sire with his 37th individual Stakes winner. Shamardashing’s stablemate Saint Encosta (Encosta De Lago –St Katherine, by Barathea) ran home well from the back of the field to finish 1-1/4 lengths from the winner.

“His run last start was full of merit when he was wide all the way. Today he had a good run, he sprinted well and put paid to them easily,” Patinack Farm representative Brett Killion told Sky Racing World.

“If ever a horse deserved this it’s him. He’s so honest, he’s a real warhorse.”

Shamardashing is one of five winners from six horses to race out of former high-class stayer Beaux Art (Nomrood – Ballyman’s Girl, by Call Report), who won the Group 1 WATC Derby (2400m) as well as three Group 2 races in her racetrack career.

Beaux Art has continued to be a terrific performer as a broodmare. Shamardashing became the third Stakes winner out of Beaux Art, joining Imaginare (Fusaichi Pegasus – Beaux Art, by Nomrood) and Proart (Rock Of Gibraltar – Beaux Art, by Nomrood).

 

Italian star provides Aussie owners with Group 1 return

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An Australian syndicator has plenty to look forward to in the spring after Crackerjack King (Shamardal – Claba Di San Jore, by Barathea) took out the Group 1 Premio Presidente della Repubblica GBI Racing (10f) on Sunday.

Victorian-based operation Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock bought a major share of the stallion in recent weeks. Crackerjack King provided his new part owners with an immediate return on their investment with his Group 1 win at Cappanelle.

Crackerjack King stepped out for the first time since his disappointing effort in the Group 1 Prix Du Jockey Club (11f) in France, which was the grey’s only defeat in seven starts.

The four-year-old settled well off the pace before finishing strongly over the concluding stages to defeat Afsare (Dubawi – Jumaireyah, by Fairy King) and Quiza Quiza Quiza (Golden Snake – Quiz Chow, by Pelder).

Crackerjack King will move from the Stefano Botti stable to the Newmarket operation to continue his campaign, which is geared toward the Melbourne spring carnival.

“Kieren Fallon was very strong on the second horse and took the race by the scruff of the neck, this was a real test for Crackerjack King and he really is a champion,” Stefano Botti said. “

I’m very emotional because he’s going to leave soon – I am broken-hearted.”

Crackerjack King boasts a win over last year’s decisive Arc winner Danedream (Lomitas – Danedrop, by Danehill) in last year’s Group 2 Italian Derby. Crackerjack King finished 4-1/2 lengths ahead of Danedream at the meeting on May 7 last year.

 

Sunline’s little brother wins again

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Sunline’s (Desert Sun – Songline, by Western Symphony) little half-brother Daline (Shamardal – Songline, by Western Symphony) continued his ride through the grades with another win at Friday’s Canberra meeting.

Sunline was the Australian Racehorse of the Year three times and the New Zealand equivalent on four occasions during her illustrious career, which yielded two Cox Plates and two Doncaster Handicaps among her plethora of Group 1 wins.

The champion is clearly a freak of nature with Songline (Western Symphony – McAngus, by Alvaro) producing one winner from six foals in the 12 years between Sunline’s birth and Daline’s foaling.

Portelli Racing paid $380,000 for Daline at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but the now four-year-old has raced as part of the Guy Walter stable throughout his career.

Daline broke his maiden at Canberra on March 11 before going on with the job to record a decisive success in the ACTTAB Benchmark 60 Handicap (1400m).

Daline’s second win from seven starts provided the first leg of a Canberra double for the Darley sire Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway – Helsinki, by Machaivellian).

Buttsworthwile (Shamardal – Rosnaree, by Danehill) completed the sire’s double with his success in the Seears Workwear Class 1 Handicap (1000m).

Epaulette and Hood head Darley stakes double

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Darley stallions had a lucrative Sunday at the Canberra track with a stakes double. Epaulette, a son of Commands, winning the $250,000 Kamberra Wine Company  Black Opal Stakes and Hood, by Shamardal, leading all the way to win the $100,000 National Sprint over 1400m.

A three-quarter brother to Gr 1 winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel), Epaulette showed plenty of speed to race in second place behind  Later Gator (More Than Ready) in the early stages of the 1200m contest. Later Gator was clear in the straight but Epaulette came with a strong run to wear her down, Faustus (More Than Ready) running on hard in the closing stages to get within a half-head of Epaulette at the finish.

“I know there‚Äôs a good bit of fitness in him,‚Äù trainer Peter Snowden said. “I had him as good as I could today but I‚Äôm sure there‚Äôs still a bit more to go in the horse.There will need to be but all the signs are at this stage are good.‚Äù

“I had him at the head of our two-year-olds and he hasn’t disappointed me. I think he’s a Slipper horse.”

“We had a couple of game plans but he began really well so I was able to use that speed to get across,‚Äù winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy told Sky Racing World.”He wasn‚Äôt really enjoying that ground [slow] from half way, he got on the wrong leg around the bend so I was a little bit worried but he battled it out really well.

“There‚Äôs no doubt he‚Äôs going to have to improve again to be in Slipper contention but there‚Äôs every chance that he could.‚Äù

The Tait family-homebred Hood won his first stakes race with an all the way win in the $100,000 Listed Magnet Mart National Sprint (1400m). Bounced out of the gates and¬†ridden to the front by Blake Shinn, Hood (5 g Shamardal – Whisked, by Whiskey Road) made all the running, clear into the straight and scoring a comfortable win, defeating the fast finishing Onethelookout (Beautiful Crown) by one and a quarter lengths with Alma’s Fury (Refuse To Bend) a half-neck back in third.

Hood  now has 4 wins 18 starts for earnings of $149,680 and is the 34th stakes winner for his sire.

Al Sharood wins in debut at Meydan

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Doug Watson saddled three of the five thoroughbred winners at Meydan on Friday afternoon as Al Sharood (3 f Shamardal – Massomah, by Seeking The Gold) made a winning debut in the UAE in the Ford taurus Trophy (1400m).

The three-year-old, who was the only filly in the race, was winning in her third different country having won in the UK for Godolphin and France for John Hammond.

She was ridden by Tadhg O’Shea who kicked her for home over two furlongs out in what proved a decisive move and the pair never looked likely to be caught.¬†”She is a filly we really like and hope will be very competitive at the carnival. The mile of the Cape Verdi, on turf, would look a great target for her.” O’Shea said.

O’Shea was also in the saddle on Mark To Market (4 g Clodovil – Genetta, by Green Desert), also trained by Watson, who prevailed by a nose in a thrilling conclusion to the 1400m Ford Fusion Trophy Handicap on the all-weather,

The only time the pair led was on the line and O’Shea said, “I knew it was close but was not sure if we had made it or not. To be honest I would probably have settled for a dead-heat!”

They can’t catch Gingerbread Man

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Former champion three-year-old Gingerbread Man (Shamardal – Quaffle, by Hurricane Sky) scored his first success as a four-year-old on Sunday at Kranji in Singapore, bringing up his score to 10 wins from 16 starts.

Having captured the imagination with his cleansweep of all three Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge earlier in the year before losing narrowly at the hands of Always Certain in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1800m), trainer Bruce Marsh then gave Gingerbread Man a well-deserved break only to bring him back two weeks ago when he ran a creditable fourth to Super Easy in a 1400m race despite not being 100% ready.

With that run under the belt, Gingerbread Man was expected to strip even fitter second-up, even if he was dropped back in distance in Sunday’s $125,000 Open Class race over 1200m.

Marsh said there is still some work to be put into the gelding ahead of a possible tilt at the Dubai riches next March. “The Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge is further down the road but before that, we are considering sending him to Dubai. This is why we are racing him now and we will look at some races in January for him. Ideally we will be looking at the 1800m race in Dubai (Dubai Duty Free) but nothing is for certain yet.”

With Sunday’s 10th win, Gingerbread Man has now racked up prizemoney close to $1.1 million for the Gingerbread Stable.