Sweet success for Shamardal

Ihtimal, a juvenile daughter of Shamardal, broke her maiden in style on Saturday August 10 when impressively taking the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket. She came into the race after a series of creditable placed efforts including a third in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out. Never far off the pace, she ran on up the hill to win going away by two-and-three-quarter lengths in the style of a very nice prospect.

A Darley homebred, Ihtimal's dam Eastern Joy was in a winner in France and a half-sister to French Oaks heroine West Wind. From the family of Balanchine, Eastern Joy also has a yearling filly by Cape Cross, a filly foal by Teofilo and has been tested in foal this season to Helmet.

Ihtimal is one of 28 Stakes horses for Shamardal in 2013, with seven of those winning at Group level. He has a pair of G1-winners in Dan Excel (registered as Dunboyne Express) and Maybe Discreet; Mukhadram, who won the G2 York Stakes and will be heading back for the International Stakes later this month; German classic-winner Akua'da and Puissance de Lune, a G2-winner in Australia and favourite for the Melbourne Cup.