Shadwell

NEWMARKET, UK--Comparisons from year to year can be tricky in an ever-changing sales programme but to put the first day of trade at Park Paddocks into some sort of context, an 11,000gns median bounced back almost to the pre-Covid level of 2019, with the average of 25,114gns surpassing that year's tally. Fears early in the pandemic that bloodstock sales would suffer have been largely unfounded. It is true that most have suffered from disruption over the last 15 months but not from lack of participation, as a 93% clearance rate...

A year that began with the loss of two of the most lavish, Prince Khaled Abdullah and Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, is aptly measuring the reinvigoration of the breed achieved by modern investors from the same deserts where it first took root. Godolphin owes Derby wins at both Epsom and the Curragh to colts by Prince Khaled's greatest bequest, Frankel (GB); while its U.S. division laid down a marker of continuity and vitality when Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) won the G1 Dubai World Cup just three days after its founder's brother...

Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum, daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will continue her father's legacy at Shadwell Estate, with Angus Gold, Shadwell's longtime racing manager, telling Racing Post that Sheikha Hissa will take over as head of the powerful racing and breeding operation. The news comes on the heels of Monday's announcement that Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster would step down. "We've been communicating with Sheikha Hissa over the past couple of months since Sheikh Hamdan sadly died and I'm currently on my way back...

Denied a tilt at the G1 Epsom Derby due to the eve-of-race downpour, Shadwell's Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) had luck on his side on Thursday and after the overnight thunderstorm had bypassed Ascot duly showed his wares in the G3 Hampton Court S. Anchored towards the back early by Jim Crowley, the 11-8 favourite had to come five-wide on the home bend but had the engine to get to the front passing two out as Roman Empire (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) stuck close by. Drifting away from the whip and across...

Shadwell's Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was taken out of Saturday's G1 Cazoo Derby due to the ease in the going and will head to Royal Ascot, trainer William Haggas explained. Visibly disappointed as he made the declaration on ITV Racing, the Newmarket-based handler was not happy to chance the Listed Newmarket S. winner on the good-to-soft ground following Friday's heavy rain. "After lots of soul searching and discussion, we have decided to scratch and go to Ascot," he said. "It was a decision that essentially was left by Sheikha Hissa...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a half-sister to a Classic winner. 1.55 Doncaster, Mdn, £5,800, 2yo, f, 6f 111yT ALLAYAALI (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a half-sister to the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Just the Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) who cost Shadwell €575,000 when the top-priced filly at the 2019...

Freshman stallion Mohaymen got off the mark as a sire when Whistlewhileyoumow won a maiden special weight at Prairie Meadows in a dead heat Monday. The 2-year-old gelding, gray like his sire, was making his first career start in the 4 1/2 furlong contest after being purchased earlier this year at the OBS March sale for $37,000 by John Ballantyne/NBS Stable. He had worked a furlong in :10.2 at the sale and had since been gelded. Whistlewhileyoumow broke from the inside and was quickly up with the leaders. Before the...

Sandown's Listed Heron S. on Thursday offered some Royal Ascot clues, with Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) maintaining his unbeaten record on his first try on turf for the John and Thady Gosden stable. Having scored on debut on Newcastle's Tapeta Mar. 16 and over this mile trip on Kempton's Polytrack Apr. 5, the half-brother to last year's G1 Sun Chariot S., G1 Falmouth S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was restrained in rear early by Jim Crowley having been drawn widest of...

The scene is set for an electrifying 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast, May 25-27. The appearance of record-breaking mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands (Aus) was announced earlier this year, and she will be joined by a host of other top-class mares and fillies. The sale will also feature the Shadwell Australia dispersal for mares and weanlings. TDN's Gary King caught up with Barry Bowditch before the action kicked off in Queensland. GK: Congratulations on putting together such a strong catalogue. It must be an extremely...

Shadwell's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is aiming to defend his G1 King's Stand S. title at Royal Ascot and is training well trainer Charlie Hills reports. The 7-year-old gelding is thriving at Hills's yard in Lamborne after recovering from a small fracture sustained in the off season. The bay was undefeated in three starts last term, beginning in with the King's Stand in June, followed by the July 31 G2 King George Qatar S. and the Aug. 21 G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. "Battaash has been back with us a...

William Haggas could not have hoped for a better warm-up for the June 4 G1 Coronation Cup for the apple of his eye Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), with Shadwell's deeply-promising 4-year-old going through Saturday's G3 Al Rayyan S. at Newbury like a routine piece of work. Treating Juddmonte's 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as a mere lead-horse, the 10-11 favourite who had won comfortably on fast ground in the course-and-distance G3 John Porter S. Apr. 18 sauntered by that rival two out. Unextended...

There are many things that Aidan O'Brien has managed to do in his 25-year tenure at Ballydoyle, but winning a G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas with a once-raced maiden winner would be something else despite all the raging excitement surrounding 'TDN Rising Star Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Even the 2009 heroine Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway), whose son Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was such a key member of the 2000 cast on Saturday, came to Newmarket with two starts behind her so we are in to the realms of the unusual...