3 minute read

Shalaalaa salutes judge at Fairyhouse

The Ger Lyons-trained Shalaalaa (2 c ex Cheap Thrills by Bertolini) prevailed in a close finish to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden (6f) at Fairyhouse on Thursday and in the process handed Arrowfield Stud shuttler Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) with his second first-crop winner. 

The two-year-old stayed on bravely to beat Twilight Heir (Twilight Son) by a short-head with another by a length and a half back to the winner’s stablemate Colour Sergeant  (Kingman) in third. 

Purchased for 70,000gns by BBA Ireland at Book 2 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Shalaalaa is out of three-time winner Cheap Thrills, who also produced Listed-placed Expensive (Monsieur Bond) and a further three winners. 

Cheap Thrills herself is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Muarrab (Oasis Dream) and Group 3 and now sire Bungle Inthejungle (Exceed And Excel) and Listed-placed Waveband (Exceed And Excel). 

There was been much anticipation surrounding Shalaa's first runners in Europe and his first yearlings were well received in both hemispheres, with 65 yearlings in Europe selling for an aggregate of €7,420,000 at an average of €114,000 last year, with his most expensive yearling to sell being a colt who was bought by Narvick International for €600,000. 

Meanwhile in Australia, Shalaa has been equally well-received, with 59 yearlings selling for a total of $9,786,500 at an average of $165,872 this year, while a colt who was purchased for $600,000 by John Sadler was the most expensive of his first crop to sell in the southern hemisphere. 

The colt joins Cherie Amour as the stallion’s other winner and Shalaa will stand the 2020 season at Arrowfield for a fee of $33,000 (inc GST).