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EBN's Laura Joy sits down with Carol Palfeyman to peek into the mating plans for Shadwell’s select band of quality mares.

European Bloodstock News, 10.02.26

It’s an intimidating thing to sit down and interview your mentor. That is what Shadwell’s longstanding resident pedigree research specialist Carol Palfreyman is to me, having spent over three years attempting to soak up as much of her expertise in the realm of pedigrees as possible. Three years is not nearly enough time to absorb the knowledge Palfreyman has amassed, nor is an hour to peek into the mating plans for Shadwell’s select band of quality mares, but we’ll do our best. As we saw Mostahdaf strut around the Tattersalls ring last week, he seems a good place to start, with Shadwell supporting him once again with two mares. “He arrived here about ten days after he had run at the Breeders’ Cup back in 2023, so it’s great for breeders to see him now as he looks fantastic,” Palfreyman said. “I encourage people to come out and see him if they haven’t yet. We are supporting him again this year with two nice mares. He’s a good-looking horse and the foals sold very well.” It is an important year for the Shadwell stallions, both at Beech House in Newmarket and Derrinstown Stud in Ireland. The latter houses this year’s leading fancy for Champion First Season Sire honours, Minzaal, whilst anticipation is palpable ahead of the six-time Gr.1 winner Baaeed’s debut crop. Having supported the home stallions heavily, as is tradition, there is an undeniable nervous excitement for the rapidly approaching turf season. The team have shown unwavering belief in their young stallions and as you will shortly read, their support is ample evidence of such. There are also a number of choicely-bred and accomplished mares booked into the recently crowned Champion Sire Night Of Thunder, as well as a number of proven matings going back to the well that served them. Here is just a selection of some of Shadwell’s mating plans:

ALAFLAAK (2015 War Front - Lahudood by Singspiel) Empty and visiting NIGHT OF THUNDER in 2026 An unraced half-sister to the Listed winner Aghareed (Kingmambo), dam of the Gr.1 winners and sires Baaeed and Hukum, both by Sea The Stars. Her first foal is the Listed winner Falakeyah (New Bay), who remains in training with Owen Burrows in the hope of landing a Group race. Carol Palfreyman: She’s a big mare and the best daughter we have from the family. Her first foal Falakeyah is still in training and hopefully she can progress this year. She was barren to Night Of Thunder last year. Sticking with the Dubawi sire line makes sense so we’re going to try Night Of Thunder again. New Bay has worked well and Night Of Thunder is the new Champion Sire so hopefully she goes in foal this year. 

ALANDALOS (2016 Invincible Spirit - Ghanaati by Giant’s Causeway) Empty and visiting BAAEED in 2026 A winner of a novice over a mile at three, she is the last daughter out of the Gr.1 1,000 Guineas and Gr.1 Coronation Stakes victrix Ghanaati (Giant’s Causeway). Her second foal to race is a Dubawi filly named Khafar with Charlie Hills. She was second on debut at Newbury last season at two and was purchased by Paddy Twomey at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. CP: She’s the only mare out of Ghanaati that we have and actually the only filly out of Ghanaati. She was barren to Baaeed last year so she is going back to him again and hopefully we can find something to keep that line going because Ghanaati has been retired now. 

AL ASIFAH (2020 Frankel - Aneen by Lawman) In foal to BAAEED and visiting NIGHT OF THUNDER in 2026 A winner of her first two starts, including the Listed Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes, she is from the family of Ireland’s widely-recognised value Gr.1 sire Awtaad. CP: She was probably better than she had the chance to show but she got hurt early in her four-year-old season and didn’t get a chance to run again. She’s going to Night Of Thunder, he’s a good match for her physically. She’s a lovely mare. 

AL HUSN (2019 Dubawi - Hadaatha by Sea The Stars) In foal to WOOTTON BASSETT and visiting FRANKEL in 2026 A winner at two, she progressed from handicaps at three to Pattern company at four, landing a trio of Stakes in the summer, the best of which was the Gr.1 Nassau Stakes. She is out of the homebred Listed-winning Sea The Stars mare Hadaatha. CP: The filly foal she had last year by Frankel was one of the best foals that we had last year. She’s definitely worth that type of stud fee and given how nice her yearling is, it makes sense to repeat the mating. She’s one of the most accomplished mares we have on the track. We’re looking forward to the Wootton Bassett, we have three due to him this year I believe.

ANEEN (2014 Lawman - Asheerah by Shamardal) In foal to BAAEED and visiting MINZAAL in 2026 A Stakes-placed half-sister to the Gr.1 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and Gr.1 sire Awtaad. CP: She is on a late service as she had a bit of bad luck last year after a minor operation. We’re very happy inside and outside of camp with the Minzaals. From what we can see at home, they have very good temperaments and the same is being reported by the people breaking them in and handling them. It’s the same with Baaeed. All of the pre-trainers are telling us they are saints and have fantastic temperaments, which is no surprise really when you know Baaeed himself. He is so intelligent. If you’re talking about him, you can see him eyeing you up. Minzaal has an equally placid nature. I remember Jim [Crowley] saying that he had to keep him moving behind the stalls or he would try and put his head down to pick grass. That’s how relaxed he was. I just hope the market isn’t too expectant of early speed because he was a very good three- and four-year-old as well as being precocious. He won the [Gr.2] Gimcrack [Stakes] at two but then went on to place in Gr.1 company against his elders in the British Champions Sprint Stakes at three and land the Gr.1 Sprint Cup as a four-year-old. In all his starts, 11 I think, he only missed once. He was a talented racehorse and we like what we have seen. We have three other mares for him as well.

ENBIHAAR (2015 Redoute’s Choice - Chanterelle by Trempolino) In foal to DUBAWI and visiting BAAEED in 2026 A five-time Gr.2 winner from 1m4f to 2m, she was a €500,000 yearling purchase from the Arqana August Yearling Sale. CP: She hasn’t had much luck yet but her best foal so far is her two-year-old by Baaeed, who is going into training with John and Thady Gosden. John Gosden trained Enbihaar, she was around at the same time as Enable (Nathaniel) but thankfully stayed further so they never had to meet. She only tried one Gr.1 and was third, not beaten far, to Anapurna (Frankel) in the Prix de Royallieu. Given how nice the Baaeed two-year-old filly is, it makes sense to go back again. It’s his fourth season and we are continuing to support him as we have the whole way through. She’s a good-sized mare. 

ESHAADA (2018 Muhaarar - Muhawalah by Nayef) In foal to CITY OF TROY and visiting CAMELOT in 2026 From the Allez Les Trois dynasty, she won her only start at two and returned with victory in the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes at three. Narrowly beaten in the Gr.2 Ribblesdale Stakes, she struck at the highest level in the Gr.1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. She returned at four and was twice placed in Gr.2 company. CP: Camelot is very reasonably priced. Eshaada is a big mare and he is all quality. He was a very good Derby winner and he won a Guineas too, he was a brilliant racehorse and he suits her physically and her pedigree as well. 

MALATHAAT (Ire) (2018 Frankel - Sweepstake by Acclamation) In foal to NIGHT OF THUNDER and visiting DUBAWI in 2026 A €500,000 yearling purchase from Goffs Orby, she was placed in a Newmarket novice. She is a full-sister to the Gr.1 winner and new sire Diego Velazquez and a half-sister to the Gr.1 winner Broome and Gr.2 winner Point Lonsdale, both by Australia. CP: It was a good pedigree anyway but Diego Velazquez winning the Gr.1 Prix Jacques le Marois was a good boost. She’s in foal to Night Of Thunder and now is the time to send her to Dubawi. 

MALATHAAT (USA) (2018 Curlin - Dreaming Of Julia by A P Indy) In foal to INTO MISCHIEF and visiting NOT THIS TIME in 2026 A $1.05m purchase from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she justified her price tag in no uncertain terms on the racetrack. Earning close to $4m in prize money, she won ten of her 14 starts and placed in the other four. She won six Gr.1s, including the Kentucky Oaks and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Her dam Dreaming Of Julia (A P Indy) was also a Gr.1 winner. CP: Her Into Mischief two-year-old filly is gorgeous and she is back in foal to him again. That filly is her first foal and she has a lovely yearling colt by Justify. Not This Time just keeps doing it so it makes sense for her.

MEHNAH (2018 Frankel - Asheerah by Shamardal) In foal to DUBAWI and visiting NIGHT OF THUNDER in 2026 A Listed winner and Gr.3-placed, she is another half-sister to Derrinstown resident Awtaad. CP: We believe she was better than she showed on the track. I’m not saying she was a Gr.1 horse but she was better than Listed. Night Of Thunder suits her well. Hopefully we can get a Guineas winner from this type of mating. The Frankel ex Dubawi cross is proven. I don’t see why Night Of Thunder won’t continue his ascension. 

NAZEEF (2016 Invincible Spirit - Handassa by Dubawi) In foal to WOOTTON BASSETT and visiting BLUE POINT in 2026 A half-sister to Mostahdaf, she is a dual Gr.1-winning miler and Royal Ascot winner, having landed the Gr.2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes, the Gr.1 Falmouth Stakes and Gr.1 Sun Chariot Stakes. CP: She is a Gr.1 winner and Blue Point has done very well. We are looking forward to seeing her Wootton Bassett too. She was a very talented filly and is very well-bred so she deserves every chance. 

RAABIHAH (2017 Sea The Stars - Garmoosha by Kingmambo) Empty and visiting FRANKEL in 2026 A Gr.2 winner and Gr.1-placed, she was kept in training as a four-year-old after an excellent fifth in the Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at three and justified the decision when running a career-best in the Gr.2 Prix de Pomone. She is a granddaughter of the Gr.1 Oaks winner Eswarah (Unfuwain) and a half-sister to the Gr.3-placed Alshinfarah (Noble Mission), who visits St Mark’s Basilica this year. CP: She has a two-year-old filly by Frankel who is very nice. She was a gorgeous yearling and is still lovely, so it makes sense to go back to him again as she was barren to him last year. Her two-year-old is going to Roger Varian. 

SAHLABIYA (2019 Medaglia D’Oro - Orchard Beach by Tapit) In foal to NOT THIS TIME and visiting JUSTIFY in 2026 A $1.6m purchase from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she won a maiden for Brendan Walsh. She is a half-sister to the 2024 Champion First Season Sire in Britain and Ireland, Sergei Prokofiev. CP: Given her pedigree, it makes sense to send her to Justify as Sergei Prokofiev is by his sire Scat Daddy of course.

TAGHROODA (2011 Sea The Stars - Ezima by Sadler’s Wells) Empty and visiting MUHAARAR in 2026 The Gr.1 Oaks winner and dam of the Gr.2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes winner Israr (Muhaarar). CP: She is going back to Muhaarar. Israr was the most gorgeous horse and she hasn’t had the best luck so it makes sense to go back to him, he was a Gr.2 winner and her best to date, quite simply. He has a lovely temperament, he’s a saint. Muhaarar is very popular in France, he has moved up to Haras de Montaigu for this year and is €18,000, which is great because we are obviously still involved in him. 

TANTHEEM (2015 Teofilo - Riqa by Dubawi) In foal to BAAEED and visiting BLUE POINT in 2026 A dual Gr.3 winner over 6f, she is another from the Allez Les Trois dynasty that has served Shadwell so well. CP: Hopefully this Baaeed arrives without complications as she hasn’t had much luck. She’s not very big and Blue Point is a big strong horse and he is speed so he suits her. He’s a very goodlooking horse and we like what he has done so far.

TATWEEJ (2016 Invincible Spirit - Beach Frolic by Nayef) In foal to NIGHT OF THUNDER and visiting BAAEED in 2026 A winning half-sister to the multiple Gr.1 winner and promising young sire Palace Pier, who is by Invincible Spirit’s son Kingman. CP: Everybody was down on Palace Pier and he has done better than people thought he would. Baaeed was a very sound horse and she only ran three times. Palace Pier was a brilliant miler and so was Baaeed. 

TAWKEEL (2017 Teofilo - Rafaadah by Oasis Dream) In foal to DUBAWI and visiting DUBAWI again in 2026 A Gr.1 winner over 1m2f and out of a Listed-winning miler. Her first foal Elwateen (Dubawi) was an impressive debut winner at two and finished fourth in the Gr.1 1,000 Guineas on her next start. She earned much-deserved black type on her final start last season when second in the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes and has been kept in training for a four-year-old campaign. CP: Elwateen is a gorgeous filly and she can run, she had a fullbrother to her the following year and he was also very nice but sadly died in a paddock accident. So we are keeping her with Dubawi, it is a proven formula and hopefully we can get a Guineas winner and stallion from her while he is still around. 

ZANBAQ (2019 Oasis Dream - Princess De Lune by Shamardal) In foal to KINGMAN and visiting NIGHT OF THUNDER in 2026 A three-time winner from only six starts, she won the Listed Rosemary Stakes at three and was second in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot. She also won her only start at two. She is a half-sister to last year’s Gr.1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and Gr.1 St James’s Palace Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Kingman). CP: We bought her as a yearling at the Orby Sale the year it was at Doncaster for £450,000. Sheikh Hamdan insisted we buy her. She has a two-year-old colt by Frankel and we went to Kingman last year for obvious reasons. Night Of Thunder will give her an excellent chance of producing a Guineas winner!

ZEYAADAH (2018 Tamayuz - Masaafat by Act One) In foal to NIGHT OF THUNDER and visiting BAAEED in 2026 A winner of her first three starts, including the Listed Montrose Fillies’ Stakes, she was second in the Gr.1 Nassau Stakes and added the Gr.3 Hoppings Stakes to her record at three. CP: She was the last foal out of her dam, who only had one eye and then started to lose sight in her other eye so was retired. She’s a Stakes winner and Baaeed should suit her well. We wanted to continue to give him nice mares this year. In fairness, breeders have been doing so too. He’s going to cover 150 mares this year I would think.