Shalaa
Shalaa | |
---|---|
Al Shaqab Racing | |
Trainer | John Gosden |
Record | 8:6-0-0 |
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.
Background
Shalaa is a bay colt with a narrow white
As a foal in November 2013, the colt was sent to the
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
Summer
On 9 July, Shalaa was stepped up in class and started a 14/1 outsider for the
Dettori was back in the saddle when the colt started 11/8 favourite for the Group Two Richmond Stakes at
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
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
Foaled | Name | Sex | Major Wins |
2018 | No Speak Alexander | f | Matron Stakes |
Pedigree
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 |
Danzig | Northern 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] |
- Shalaa is inbred 3 × 3 to Danzig, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the third generation of his pedigree. He is also inbred 4 × 4 to the broodmare Doubly Sure and stud Sharpen Up.
References
- ^ a b "Shalaa pedigree". Equineline.
- ^ "Mark Gittins profile". NTRA. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Invincible Spirit – Stud Record". Racing Post.
- ^ "Ghurra – Statistics". Equibase.
- ^ a b "Queen Bertha – Family 1-w". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "Tattersalls December Foals Sale 2013". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.
- ^ "Tattersalls October Sale 2014 (Book 1)". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.
- ^ "Results From The 2.10 Race At Newmarket | 30 May 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Newmarket | 9 July 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ "Shalaa impresses to land July Stakes at Newmarket". RTÉ Sport. 9 July 2015.
- ^ "Results From The 2.35 Race At Goodwood | 30 July 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Greg Wood. "Shalaa will be a sprinter next year, says John Gosden after Richmond Stakes". The Guardian.
- ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Deauville (FR) | 23 August 2015 | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Chris Corrigan (23 August 2015). "Frankie Dettori says Deauville winner Shalaa is 'colt of a lifetime'". The Guardian.
- ^ Andrew Pennington (26 September 2015). "Newmarket Morny hero Shalaa adds Middle Park in style". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Stuart Riley (1 October 2016). "Ascot Shalaa strikes on return to maintain winning run". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016.
- ^ Lee Mottershead (19 January 2016). "American Pharoah named world's best racehorse of 2015". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Shalaa to shuttle to Arrowfield Stud". thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
External links
- Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart – Shalaa