A perennial leading sire, Shamardal has sired 165 Stakes winners in his illustrious career and now his exceptional sons are beginning to show their worth.
One of four sons on the European Darley roster is Blue Point, and his first runners have hit the ground running in 2023, with his six winners making him Europe’s premier first-crop stallion. Many will have Royal Ascot on the agenda, a meeting where their sire excelled, and include unbeaten colts On Point, Valour And Swagger, Sir Bolton, and Blue Storm.
Could be smart! Blue Point colt Valour And Swagger does it really well on debut at @WindsorRaces for @neilcallan78 and @karl_burke... pic.twitter.com/uRmQATOiIV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 17, 2023
The three further sons of Shamardal on the roster were all unbeaten G1-winning juveniles.
One that matched Shamardal’s victory in the G1 Dewhurst is Pinatubo, who was crowned Horse Of The Year as a juvenile. A Royal Ascot track record holder, he went six-for-six at two, and by the end of the season, he was rated a phenomenal 134 by Timeform, making him the best horse in the stallion-making family of Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.
The highest-rated juvenile for a quarter of a century! 🌋
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 1, 2020
When racing resumes we'll have our 2019 Darley Dewhurst Stakes hero - Pinatubo - to look forward to 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8EblQzAvkl
Pinatubo’s first crop are yearlings of 2023, and his first foals were well received in the ring, averaging £141,000 with a top price of 270,000gns (bought by Godolphin).
Standing at Haras du Logis in France is Victor Ludorum, who landed the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two before emulating his sire when winning the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains in his Classic season.
A descendant of the great Helen Street, Victor Ludorum is not only by Shamardal but from his female family which also includes Street Cry and Territories. Victor Ludorum’s first crop are foals this year and he covered an excellent book of over 150 mares in his first season in 2022.
Haras du Logis resident and Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Victor Ludorum, whose first foals are on the ground this season. The son of Shamardal is a half-brother to Irish Oaks third Mary Tudor and is from the family of Street Cry. pic.twitter.com/BofIONBFms
— Racing Post Bloodstock (@rpbloodstock) January 23, 2023
Completing the quartet is Earthlight who went five-from-five at two including breaking the track record in the G1 Middle Park. His victory in the G1 Prix Morny honoured him with French Champion juvenile status. His first foals were very well received in the ring last season, with 17 making €50,000 or higher with a 94% clearance rate.
#Earthlight: G1 precocity, record-breaking speed and a Classic pedigree 👏
— Darley in Europe (@DarleyEurope) December 15, 2022
Won each of his five races at two, including:
🥇 G3 Prix de Cabourg
🥇 G1 Prix Morny
🥇 G1 Middle Park Stakes pic.twitter.com/fqm7PmIFUP
Blue Point and Earthlight are both full for 2023 but there is still time to book a late-foaling mare into Pinatubo or Victor Ludorum.
