Shalaa

Last updated
Shalaa
Owner Al Shaqab Racing.svg
Racing silks of Al Shaqab Racing
Sire Invincible Spirit
Grandsire Green Desert
DamGhurra
Damsire War Chant
Sex Stallion
Foaled23 February 2013 [1]
CountryIreland
Colour Bay
BreederMogeely Stud
Owner Al Shaqab Racing
Trainer John Gosden
Record8:6-0-0
Earnings£460,122
Major wins
July Stakes (2015)
Richmond Stakes (2015)
Prix Morny (2015)
Middle Park Stakes (2015)
Bengough Stakes (2016)
Awards
Top-rated British two-year-old (2015)

Shalaa (foaled 23 February 2013) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2015 he was beaten on his debut but won his next five races including the July Stakes, Richmond Stakes, Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes. His second season was badly disrupted by injury, although he did win the Bengough Stakes.

Contents

Background

Shalaa is a bay colt with a narrow white blaze bred by the County Cork-based Mogeely Stud. [2] He was sired by the Haydock Sprint Cup winner Invincible Spirit who has produced many other major winners including Kingman, Charm Spirit, Mayson, Fleeting Spirit, Moonlight Cloud and Lawman. [3] Shalaa's dam Ghurra won once in England and twice in California from twenty starts between 2004 and 2007. [4] Ghurra was a descendant of the broodmare Moonstone, making her a distant relative of Nocturnal Spree, Moonax and the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Even Star. [5]

As a foal in November 2013, the colt was sent to the Tattersalls sales and sold for 100,000 guineas. [6] In the following October he was again put up for auction at Tattersalls and bought for 170,000 guineas by the bloodstock agent Charles Gordon-Watson. [7] Shalaa entered the ownership of Joann Al Thani's Al Shaqab Racing and was sent into training with John Gosden at Newmarket, Suffolk.

Racing career

2015: two-year-old season

Spring

In his first season, Shalaa was ridden in all but one of his races by the Italian veteran Frankie Dettori. The colt made his debut in a six furlong race at Newbury Racecourse on 16 May and started the 7/2 second favourite in a field which included five previous winners. He swerved badly exiting the stalls, and was never in contention, finishing last of the eight runners behind Birchwood. Two weeks later he contested a maiden race over the same distance at Newmarket Racecourse and recorded his first success, taking the lead a furlong out and winning by two lengths from Fang. [8]

Summer

On 9 July, Shalaa was stepped up in class and started a 14/1 outsider for the Group Two July Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket. He was ridden by Robert Havlin as Dettori was partnering the more fancied Eltezam who was made co-favourite alongside Areen and Steady Pace (second and third in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot). Shala tracked the leaders before taking the lead approaching the final furlong and prevailed by a length from Steady Pace despite veering sharply to the left in the closing stages. [9] Havlin said "Before he ran this year we thought he could be a Coventry horse. He just needed a couple of days away from the yard to learn how to do everything right. He put it all together today and did it well. He travelled with a lot of ease through the race and it was just a matter of pressing the button. When he stopped quickening he started idling, so there was a bit left in the tank". [10]

Dettori was back in the saddle when the colt started 11/8 favourite for the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse on 30 July. Steady Pace was again in opposition, whilst the other contenders included Log Out Island (second in the Norfolk Stakes), Tasleet (winner of the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes) and Riflescope (Dragon Stakes). Shalaa led from the start, went clear of the field entering the final furlong and won by two and a quarter lengths from Tasleet despite being eased down by Dettori in the final strides. [11] After the race the colt was initially regarded as a 2000 Guineas prospect but Gosden explained that he was more likely to be campaigned over sprint distances. He commented "Thank goodness we resisted going to Royal Ascot for the Coventry Stakes because I don’t think he was ready for that, mentally. He reminds me a lot of Oasis Dream. I don’t see him being a miler, I see him staying at six and that wonderful new race, the Commonwealth Cup, as being a huge target for him next year. He's so fast and he enjoys sprinting, so let him sprint." [12]

Autumn

On his next appearance, Shalaa was sent to France and moved up to Group One level for the Prix Morny over 1200 metres at Deauville Racecourse on 23 August. He was made the 1/2 favourite ahead of the Richard Hannon Jr.-trained Gutaifan who had won the Prix Robert Papin four weeks earlier, and the Prix de Cabourg winner Tourny. Shalaa and Gutaifan disputed the lead before the favourite moved away from his rival in the last 200 metres to win by one and three quarter lengths. [13] After the race, Dettori described Shalaa as "the best two-year-old I’ve sat on in my life... I am not exaggerating". Gosden commented "He has done it very well, he is very fast and he's beat Gutaifan, a good horse, in second. We will look towards the Middle Park. No curveballs, just the Middle Park, that will do us". [14] The runner-up went on to win the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

On 26 September, Shalaa started 1/2 favourite in a seven-runner field for the Group One Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. The best of his rivals appeared to be the Gimcrack Stakes winner Ajaya and the Coventry Stakes winner Buratino. Dettori sent him into the lead from the start before opening up a clear advantage a furlong out. He held off the late challenge of Buratino to win by half a length, with Steady Pace staying on to take third ahead of Ajaya. Dettori commented, "He's got tremendous speed and he is the fastest two-year-old I've ridden. I haven't met a horse fast enough to lead him" whilst Gosden said "He's very, very fast – the fastest two-year-old I've trained... He's got a good mind on him too, which is very important". [15]

2016: three-year-old season

As a three-year-old, Shalaa was trained to engage in a sprint campaign with the Commonwealth Cup as his major objective. On 15 April however it was announced that the colt had sustained a pelvic injury in a routine training gallop and would miss the first half of the season. Al Shaqab's racing manager Harry Herbert described the development as "immensely disappointing". [16]

More than a year after his last appearance, Shalaa returned with a win in the Listed Bengough Stakes over six furlongs at Ascot on 1 October, leading from the start and winning by a neck from the four-year-old filly Mehronissa. After the race Gosden said "He was just full of himself and I told Frankie he was carrying his stick just for balance – not to use it. He will come back for the Champion Sprint but we know softer ground compromises a horse who is all about pure speed". [17] In the British Champions Sprint Stakes two weeks later he started the 4/1 joint favourite in a thirteen-runner field. Racing on good ground he raced prominently on the stands-side but faded in the last quarter mile and finished tenth behind The Tin Man, beaten seven and a half lengths by the winner.

Assessment and honors

In January Shalaa was officially rated the second-best European two-year-old of 2015 and the best juvenile trained in Britain. His mark of 121 placed him three pounds behind the Irish-trained Air Force Blue and one pound ahead the filly Minding. [18]

Stud career

Shalaa acts as a shuttle stallion between Al Shaquab stud in France and Arrowfield Stud in Australia. [19]

Notable progeny

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

FoaledNameSexMajor Wins
2018 No Speak Alexander f Matron Stakes

Pedigree

Pedigree of Shalaa (IRE), bay colt, 2013 [1]
Sire
Invincible Spirit (IRE)
1997		 Green Desert (USA)
1983　		 Danzig Northern Dancer
Pas de Nom
Foreign Courier Sir Ivor
Courtly Dee
Rafha (GB)
1987　		 Kris Sharpen Up
Doubly Sure
Eljazzi Artaius
Border Bounty
Dam
Ghurra (USA)
2002		 War Chant (USA)
1997		DanzigNorthern Dancer
Pas de Nom
Hollywood Wildcat Kris S
Miss Wildcatter
Futuh (USA)
1988　		 Diesis Sharpen Up
Doubly Sure
Hardship Drone
Hard and Fast (Family: 4-g) [5]

Related Research Articles

Classic Cliche Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Classic Cliche, is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland and trained in Britain and the United Arab Emirates. In a career which lasted from August 1994 until September 1997, he ran sixteen times and won six races. He recorded his most important success when winning the Classic St. Leger Stakes as a three-year-old in 1995, the same year in which he won the Dante Stakes. In the following season he became the first Classic winner in fifty years to win the Ascot Gold Cup.

Jack Hobbs (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Jack Hobbs is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile, he established himself as a potentially top-class colt with a twelve length win in a race at Sandown on his three-year-old debut. He finished second to his stable companion Golden Horn in both the Dante Stakes and The Derby before winning the Irish Derby by five lengths. He ran twice more in 2015, winning the September Stakes before being beaten when favourite for the Champion Stakes. His 2016 season was badly disrupted by injury and he ran only twice, failing to complete his first start and being beaten on his eventual reappearance. However, he rebounded in 2017 by winning the Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on Dubai World Cup Night.

Excellent Art was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old he was trained in England and showed good form, winning the National Stakes and the Mill Reef Stakes and being placed in both the Prix Morny and the Railway Stakes. In the following year he was moved in Ireland and was even better: he won the St James's Palace Stakes, finished second in the Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf and was rated one of the best three-year-old colts in the world. He was then retired to stud and had some success as a sire of winners before being exported to India in 2013.

Lake Coniston was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After being sold as a yearling for 22,000 guineas he was sent to be trained in England by Geoff Lewis. Unraced as a juvenile, he established himself as a top-class sprinter as a three-year-old with wins in the Hackwood Stakes, Prix de Meautry and Diadem Stakes. He was even better at four, winning the Abernant Stakes, Duke of York Stakes and July Cup. His performance in the last-named race saw him regarded as one of the best British sprinters of modern times. He stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand, Italy and South Africa with limited success. He died in South Africa in 2014 at the age of 23.

Carry On Katie is an American-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was undefeated in three races as a juvenile in 2003 when she was one of the best two-year-old fillies of her generation in Britain. After winning by twelve lengths on her debut she won the Group Two Lowther Stakes and the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes. After being transferred to the ownership of Godolphin Racing for the 2004 season, she was well-beaten in the 1000 Guineas and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, and was retired from racing. She has made no impact as a broodmare.

Donna Blini is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was one of the best juvenile fillies of her generation in Britain in 2005 when she won three of her four races including the Cherry Hinton Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year she was mainly campaigned in sprint races and won one minor race from seven starts. She was retired from racing having won four of her eleven races and exported to become a broodmare in Japan. She made an immediate impact as a dam of winners, producing the outstanding racemare Gentildonna.

Galileo Gold British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Galileo Gold is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he won the Vintage Stakes and finished third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. On his three-year-old debut he won the classic 2000 Guineas and went on to finish second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before winning the St James's Palace Stakes.

Dutch Art is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was rated the best British two-year-old of 2006, when he was unbeaten in four races including the Norfolk Stakes, Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes. In the following year he failed to win but finished second in the July Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest and third in the 2000 Guineas. Since retiring to stud in 2008 he has had considerable success as a breeding stallion.

Wings of Desire (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Wings of Desire is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a juvenile he made a considerable impact in the spring of 2016 by winning the Dante Stakes on his third appearance. He finished fourth when second favourite for the 2016 Epsom Derby. This was followed by a second place in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Rajeem is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for her 50/1 upset win in the Falmouth Stakes. As a two-year-old she showed little early promise but improved towards the end of the season to win her last two races including the Listed Montrose Stakes. In the following year she was unplaced in her first four races but then defeated a top-class field to win the Falmouth Stakes. She never raced again owing to injuries and was retired in 2007. She has made little impact as a dam of winners.

Diktat is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He spent most of his racing career at distances of around seven furlongs but recorded his two biggest wins when dropped to sprint distances. Unplaced on his only start as a two-year-old in 1997 he showed improved form in 1998, winning his first three races including the Jersey Stakes but missed the second half of the season. He returned as a four-year-old to win four major races from five starts: his victories came in the Shergar Cup Seven Stakes, Criterion Stakes, Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Haydock Sprint Cup. He failed to win in 2000 but finished second in the Yasuda Kinen and third in the Prix du Moulin. He stood as a breeding stallion in England, France, Japan and Spain and sired several important winners including Dream Ahead and Rajeem.

Goodricke is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist sprinter who excelled over six and seven furlongs and recorded his biggest win in the 2005 William Hill Sprint Cup. He showed some promise as a two-year-old, winning two minor races, but missed the second half of the year after running poorly in the Coventry Stakes. In the following year he competed in handicaps and minor stakes before emerging as a top class performer with a second place in the Prix Maurice de Gheest followed by his win in the Spring Cup. He remained in training as a four-year-old but ran only twice and failed to recover his best form. He was retired to stud but has had very little success as a breeding stallion.

Persuasive (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Persuasive is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning her only race as a juvenile she ran up four consecutive wins in the following season including the Sandringham Handicap and the Atalanta Stakes before her winning streak was ended by Alice Springs in the Matron Stakes. In 2017 she was placed in both the Matron Stakes and the Sun Chariot Stakes before recording her most significant victory when she became the first horse of her age and sex in more than 40 years to take the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Arcano is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the best European colts of his generation in 2009 when he was unbeaten in three races including the July Stakes and the Prix Morny. He failed to win in two races as a three-year-old and was retired at the end of his second season. He has stood at a breeding stallion in Ireland and Italy and has had some success as a breeding stallion.

The Wow Signal was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He raced only as a juvenile in 2014 when he won his first three races including the Coventry Stakes and the Prix Morny. He ran poorly on his only subsequent start and was retired to stud duty. He had fertility problems and sired relatively few foals before dying at the age of six.

Too Darn Hot (horse) Thoroughbred racehorse

Too Darn Hot is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a short racing career lasting less than a year he ran nine times and won six of his races, including three at the highest Group 1 level. As a two-year-old in 2018 he was rated the best of his generation in Europe, winning the Solario Stakes, Champagne Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. He was beaten when favourite or joint-favourite in his first three races in 2019 but returned to form when winning the Prix Jean Prat and Sussex Stakes in the summer. His career was ended by an injury sustained during his final race.

Advertise (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Advertise is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2018 he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe, winning three of his five races including the July Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes. In the following year he developed into a top-class sprinter, recording major victories in the Commonwealth Cup and the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Unfortunately, is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed top class form as a two-year-old in 2017 when he won the Prix Robert Papin and the Prix Morny. In the following year he struggled to reproduce his best form but ended his track career with a victory in the Renaissance Stakes.

Coronet is a British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2016 she won both of her races including the Listed Zetland Stakes. In the following year her only win came in the Ribblesdale Stakes but she also finished second in the Yorkshire Oaks, third in the Prix Saint-Alary and the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and fourth in the Irish Oaks. As a four-year-old she won the Middleton Stakes and was placed in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Yorkshire Oaks, British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. She had her greatest success as a five-year-old when she recorded Group 1 victories in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix Jean Romanet.

Campanelle (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Campanelle is an Irish-bred, American-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2020 she won her first race in the United States and was then sent to Europe where she won the Queen Mary Stakes in England and the Prix Morny in France.

References

  1. 1 2 "Shalaa pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ↑ "Mark Gittins profile". NTRA. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23.
  3. ↑ "Invincible Spirit – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  4. ↑ "Ghurra – Statistics". Equibase.
  5. 1 2 "Queen Bertha – Family 1-w". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Tattersalls December Foals Sale 2013". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 2015-09-27.
  7. ↑ "Tattersalls October Sale 2014 (Book 1)". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2015-09-27.
  8. ↑ "Results From The 2.10 Race At Newmarket | 30 May 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Newmarket | 9 July 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Shalaa impresses to land July Stakes at Newmarket". RTÉ Sport . 9 July 2015.
  11. ↑ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Goodwood | 30 July 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  12. ↑ Greg Wood. "Shalaa will be a sprinter next year, says John Gosden after Richmond Stakes". The Guardian .
  13. ↑ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Deauville (FR) | 23 August 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  14. ↑ Chris Corrigan (23 August 2015). "Frankie Dettori says Deauville winner Shalaa is 'colt of a lifetime'". The Guardian .
  15. ↑ Andrew Pennington (26 September 2015). "Newmarket Morny hero Shalaa adds Middle Park in style". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 1 October 2015.
  16. ↑ David Milnes (15 April 2016). "Sprint star Shalaa to miss Royal Ascot with pelvic injury". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 19 April 2016.
  17. ↑ Stuart Riley (1 October 2016). "Ascot Shalaa strikes on return to maintain winning run". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 18 October 2016.
  18. ↑ Lee Mottershead (19 January 2016). "American Pharoah named world's best racehorse of 2015". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 27 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Shalaa to shuttle to Arrowfield Stud". thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.