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A look back at another fruitful month on the track for Shadwell

Shadwell bade a fond farewell to our brilliant sprinter BATTAASH in July, following his retirement from a glittering racing career that brought 13 victories including four at the highest level, but we also welcomed many new exciting talents over the course of the month.

BAAEED might just be the next megastar to carry the operation’s prestigious blue and white silks judging by the manner in which he cruised to a four-length triumph in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes on July 8 and stormed to a stunning six and a half-length success in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on July 30.

The handsome three-year-old son of SEA THE STARS is now unbeaten in four starts for William Haggas, who reported after the latest win: “That was very impressive. I’m thrilled because I wasn’t sure about the ground but every time he runs he keeps putting in that sort of performance.”

BAAEED could now be stepped up to Group 1 company in the Prix Jacques le Marois or Prix du Moulin in France, or return to Goodwood for the Celebration Mile.

He was bred by Shadwell out of AGHAREED, a Listed-winning daughter of Kingmambo and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine LAHUDOOD, from the family of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan’s exceptional matriarch HEIGHT OF FASHION.

AGHAREED is really shining in her second career at stud, as she is also the dam of HUKUM, the four-year-old full-brother to BAAEED who was sent out by Owen Burrows to land the Group 3 Silver Cup Stakes at York on July 10 by clear water.

Fabulous four-timer

BAAEED was one of four winners for Shadwell at Glorious Goodwood this year, with MAYDANNY also striking in one of the meeting’s showpiece races as he scored in the hugely competitive Golden Mile Handicap.

It was a second consecutive success at the meeting for the Mark Johnston-trained five-year-old, and a third win overall. A step up in class could now be on the cards.

MAYDANNY is by DUBAWI out of the wonderful multiple Group 1-winning racemare ATTRACTION, and is thus a half-brother to ELARQAM, who won five times at stakes level for Shadwell.

Shadwell’s other winners at Glorious Goodwood came courtesy of QAADER (a Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old colt by NIGHT OF THUNDER from the family of SHIROCCO) and ANGHAAM (a Richard Hannon-trained three-year-old filly by FRANKEL out of 1,000 Guineas heroine NATAGORA).

MAYDANNY was not the only winner of a blue-chip handicap for Shadwell in the past month, either.

MOTAKHAYYEL, a five-year-old son of HEERAAT trained by Richard Hannon, made it back-to-back victories in the Bunbury Cup at the Newmarket July meeting on July 10 and DANYAH, a four-year-old by INVINCIBLE SPIRIT out of 1,000 Guineas runner-up CUIS GHAIRE, took the lucrative International Handicap at Ascot on July 24 for Owen Burrows.

Mehnah the marvel

Yet another Shadwell colour bearer who looks set to excel in higher grades is MEHNAH, who impressed many onlookers with her determined victory from an unpromising early position in the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney on July 14.

The Kevin Prendergast-trained three-year-old daughter of FRANKEL possesses significant scope for improvement as that was only her third start, and Group 1 assignments such as the Matron Stakes and the Sun Chariot Stakes were duly suggested after the race.

MEHNAH is a Shadwell homebred out of the Listed-placed SHAMARDAL mare ASHEERAH, who has also produced Irish 2,000 Guineas victor and Derrinstown Stud sire AWTAAD and the stakes-placed fillies ANEEN and ALGHABRAH.

Two-year-old talents

Kevin Prendergast also has in his care the exciting two-year-old MUDAMER, who showed a fine turn of foot to overcome a wide passage and win a hotly contested Fairyhouse maiden on July 11.

The DARK ANGEL colt, who was making only his second start, is out of MESADAH, an unraced daughter of RAVEN’S PASS and Group 3 winner ALBISOLA, from the family of Group 1 scorers ECTOT and MOST IMPROVED.

Another highly promising two-year-old who has recently emerged for Shadwell is EHRAZ. He improved on his debut second at Newmarket on July 9 to hose up by four and a quarter lengths in the often informative Crocker Bulteel Maiden Stakes at Ascot on July 23.

The Racing Post reported that “it was hard not to be impressed with the way he went about things, and he’s likely to hold his own in stronger company”.

The Richard Hannon-trained colt is by SHOWCASING, sire of Shadwell stars turned Nunnery Stud stallions MOHAATHER and TASLEET, out of EXRATING, an unraced EXCEED AND EXCEL half-sister to classy sprinter PEARL SECRET.

Names to note

July also brought a flurry of lightly raced three-year-old winners who look sure to claim more success in the coming weeks.

William Haggas sent out MAHRAJAAN, by KITTEN’S JOY out of LAHUDOOD, to win a Leicester novice stakes on July 15, and MOTAWAAJED, a son of DARK ANGEL descended from the great SHADAYID, to take a Lingfield conditions race on July 21.

ASJAD, a son of IFFRAAJ and Listed scorer RISKIT FORA BISKIT, remained unbeaten in two starts for Roger Varian with a smooth victory in a Doncaster novice stakes on July 8, while MUTASAABEQ, by INVINCIBLE SPIRIT out of 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes winner GHANAATI, romped home by four lengths in a Haydock conditions stakes on July 16 for Charlie Hills.

There was also WISHAAH, an OASIS DREAM half-brother to Italian Classic winner POETA DILETTO who won a Newmarket handicap by two lengths on only his third start for Owen Burrows on July 23.

The three-year-olds were also in fine form in France. SHAFAAF made it two from two for Jean-Claude Rouget by leading from pillar to post to win a Clairefontaine conditions race by three and a half lengths on July 12.

The Shadwell homebred is by MEDAGLIA D’ORO out of ATAYEB, a winning RAHY half-sister to GHANAATI.

BATTAASH might have bowed out, but his former Shadwell stablemates look set to continue representing the operation with distinction for the rest of the year and beyond.