Shamardal
| Shamardal | |
|---|---|
| Sire | St. James's Palace Stakes (2005) |
| Awards | |
| Cartier Champion Two-year-old Colt (2004) | |
| Last updated on 18 September 2007 | |
Shamardal (27 March 2002 – 16 April 2020) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United Kingdom and in France and was voted the 2004 European Champion Two-Year-Old.
Background
Bred at Watercress Farm in
In November 2002, his breeders put him up for sale at the
Richard Ketch, a former show horse trainer and farrier, became involved with the case as an adjuster for the insurers. As someone very familiar with the disease, he believed that there were alternative treatments that might save the colt's life. On Ketch's initiative, an agreement was reached with the insurance company to turn the colt over to him and his associate Herwig Schoen, a self-proclaimed "energy healer". Some call their treatment program "voodoo medicine", pointing out that research has shown that in about ten percent of these cases within twelve to fifteen months a horse will recover on its own. Nonetheless, under Ketch and his associates the colt made a full recovery.
Certified sound by multiple professionals, Ketch sent him to the October 2003
Racing career
2004: two-year-old season
Because the Maktoum family has such large worldwide racing stables, they sometimes follow the industry practice of leasing out some of their horses. Shamardal was one. Leased to businessman Abdulla Buhaleeba, the colt was prepared for racing by trainer Mark Johnston.
Shamardal first raced in 2004 at age two, winning a six-furlong maiden at Scotland's Ayr Racecourse in which he ran away from the field and won by eight lengths. He then was entered in the 28 July Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in Chichester, England. He won that seven-furlong race by 2+1⁄2 lengths and in the process defeated Wilko, who went on to win that autumn's Breeders' Cup Juvenile in the United States. Following the race, the lease arrangement between Gainsborough Stud and Abdulla Buhaleeba was terminated for reasons that have never been made public.
Racing under the Gainsborough Stud banner, Shamardal ran into training problems that kept him out of racing until the 16 October Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. In what is considered England's most important race for two-year-olds, Shamardal easily won the Group One event by 2+1⁄2 lengths. Undefeated after three races, he was voted the 2004 European Champion Two-Year-Old.
2005: three-year-old season
Competing at age three under the Maktoum family's
Returned to England for his next start at
Stud career
He stood at stud at Sheikh Mohammed's Kildangan Stud near Kildangan, Ireland. As a stallion, he is the sire of Mukhadram, Dan Excel, Able Friend, Lumiere, Lope de Vega, Pinatubo and Tarnawa.
Shamardal was euthanized at Kildangan Stud on 16 April 2020 following health issues.[3]
Major winners
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
References
- ^ "Shamardal Horse Pedigree". Pedigreequery.com. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ Moss, Randy. "ESPN.com – Horse Racing – After a shaky start, Shamardal looks for a rosy future". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ Baxter, David (16 April 2020). "Multiple Group 1 winner and top-class stallion Shamardal dies aged 18". Racing Post.