Darley stallion Shamardal once again took the lead in the race to be Australia’s leading first-season sire, increasing his winners’ tally to ten when St Clements Danes won at Wyong on 2 July.
Trained by Peter Snowden for Sheikh Mohammed, the juvenile colt took the 1350m maiden by a length-and-a-half, justifying his favouritism in the race.
Bred by Toorak Park Stud, he is out of the G1-winning mare St Clemens Belle and was purchased for $325,000 at the 2008 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. The mare, who sadly died in 2007, has a yearling filly by fellow Darley stallion Exceed And Excel who made $320,000 at this year’s Inglis Easter Sale.
Shamardal is also sire of the G2-placed filly Marquardt and Premardal, who was third in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot.
On the same day, Shamardal took his total of European winners to three when Arctic made a successful debut at Bellewstown in Ireland.
Despite missing the break, the Tracy Collins-trained colt recovered quickly and taking the lead with two furlongs left to run, stayed on well to win by a length. His trainer indicated after the race that he will step up in class next time out in the Listed Curragh Stakes on 26 July.
