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Late Darley stallion represented by four stakes winners
The late Darley stallion Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) enjoyed an incredible day in Europe when he was represented by four stakes winners, once again highlighting the indelible mark the son of Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat) has left on the breed.
Three Godolphin-owned sons of Shamardal showed their class at Deauville on Sunday, as the returning Earthlight (3 c ex Winters Moon by New Approach) retained his unbeaten record in the Prix Kistena (Listed, 1200m), while Pinatubo (2 c ex Lava Flow by Dalakhani) put his two past defeats behind him in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr 1, 1400m) and Royal Crusade (3 c ex Zibelina by Dansili) added a 148th stakes winner to the stallion’s CV when he landed the Prix de Ris-Orangis (Gr 3, 1200m).
Injury meant that Earthlight’s seasonal reappearance had been delayed, but he showed he had retained the talent that saw him win all five of his starts as a two-year-old, headed by to top-flight victories in the Prix Morny (Gr 1, 1200m) and Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f), when he defeated Wanaway (Galiway) by two and a half lengths with another length and a half back to Crew Dragon (Poet’s Voice) in third.
Trained by Andre Fabre, the three-year-old colt is out of Winters Moon (New Approach), who finished third in the Newmarket Fillies’ Mile (Gr 1, 1m).
Winters Moon herself is out of Group 3 winner Summertime Legacy (Darshaan), making her a half-sister to Group 1 winners Mandaean (Manduro) and Wavering (Refuse To Bend).
Fabre said after the race that options were open regarding the colt’s next engagement.
“It was a good performance. He travelled nicely and showed good speed, so I’m happy.
“We have two options – we either go for the Prix Maurice de Gheest or we step up in distance. We will discuss it with Sheikh Mohammed and see where he wants to go.”
Two races later, the Charlie Appleby-trained Pinatubo showed he appreciated the drop back to seven furlongs, having surrendered his perfect two-year-old record when coming home in third in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m), before he finishing second St James's Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) on his next start.
However he added third Group 1 to his CV, to go with his victories in National Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f), when defeating Lope Y Fernandez (Lope De Vega) by three-quarters of a length with another two and a half lengths back to Malotru (Casamento) in third.
The colt is out of Listed winner Lava Flow (Dalakhani), who is herself a daughter of Listed winner Mount Elbrus (Barathea).
Under the colt’s third dam is Group 1 winner Rafha (Kris) - the dam of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) and Group 3-winning pair Sadian (Shirley Heights) and Acts Of Grace.
Further back, Pinatubo’s pedigree features last week’s Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m) winner Mishriff (Make Believe), while dual Group 1 winner and now Coolmore Stud sire Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) also features on the page.
Appleby said: "I'm delighted for Pinatubo and delighted for his highness Sheikh Mohammed, who has had a lot of faith in this horse and the team.
"When you get turned over in those first couple of races, having been favourite for the Guineas, it's hard to take, but we've always felt he's a very courageous horse. Even over a mile, I'll take nothing away from the winners, they outstayed us on the day and we were always confident coming back to seven furlongs.
"He's a multiple Group 1 winner at two and now he's won one at three, so I'm delighted for everybody involved. He can have a little rest now and then we'll decide where he goes next."
Earthlight and Pinatubo are two of 25 Group 1 winners for Shamardal.
In the next race, Royal Crusade made amends for his sixth place finish in the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) when he drafted Glen Shiel (Pivotal) by a length and a quarter with another head back to Dubai Station (Brazen Beau) in third.
Royal Crusade is out of Prix de Lieurey (Gr 3, 1600m) winner Zibelina (Dansili), who is herself a half-sister to Floristry (Fasliyev), who in turn produced Listed-winning duo Inspiriter (Invincible Spirit) and Lazuli (Dubawi).
Further back this is family of Talented (Bustino) - the dam of Dante Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) winner Carlton House (Street Cry), who also finished second in the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Listed winner Friston Forest (Barathea).
Shamardal’s good day didn’t stop there as Half Light (4 f ex Northern Melody by Singspiel) followed up her last-start victory in the Prix Storm the Stars (Listed, 2000m) with a win in the Sparkasse Holstein-Cup (Gr 3, 1600m) at Hamburg.
Trained by Henri-Alex Pantall, the four-year-old beat Song Of Life (Poet’s Voice) by a length and a half with another head back to Sanora (Soldier’s Hollow) in third.
Half Light is out of unraced mare Northern Melody (Singspiel), who is herself out of Group 3 winner Allez Les Trois (Riverman) - a half-sister to great breed-shaping mare Urban Sea (Miswaki) - who produced the likes of Group 1 winner and now top-class sires Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) and Sea The Stars (Green Desert).
Allez Les Trois herself produced Prix Du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m) Anabaa Blue (Anabaa), while Group 1 winner and successful sire Tamayuz (Nayef) and Santiago (Authorized), who won this year’s Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) also feature on the page.
Shamardal, dual Champion racehorse and a leading light on the Darley stallion roster for well over 10 years, was euthanised at Kildangan Stud earlier this year as a result of health issues.
Shamardal is represented in Australia by his sire son Puissance De Lune, who will stand at Swettenham Stud for a fee of $18,000 (plus GST) in 2020, while Blue Point will stand his first season at Darley’s Northwood Park base for a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).
