G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Casamento retires to Kildangan

Trained at two by Michael Halford, the powerful chestnut broke his maiden on debut before finishing second by only a head in the G1 National Stakes. Casamento then won the G2 Beresford Stakes by a scintillating four lengths before finishing his juvenile campaign by defeating four future Classic horses in the G1 Racing Post Trophy.

After wintering in Dubai, Casamento was among those unable to land a blow against Frankel in the Guineas, but he returned to Group-winning ways at Longchamp for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin in the autumn. Rounding the field with an impressive turn of foot he won the ten-furlong G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange, a race previously won by the likes of Triptych, In The Wings and, more recently, Cirrus des Aigles.

Casamento, who was afforded a Timeform rating of 118 at two, is the best juvenile by Shamardal who has already sired eight G1 winners – including three in 2012 – and, assessed by number of Stakes winners, has made the best start at stud of any current Irish stallion. By a European Champion two-year-old, Casamento is upholding a great tradition of juvenile class: he traces back to Northern Dancer through four stallions who were themselves the best two-year-olds by their sires: Shamardal, Giant's Causeway, Storm Cat and Storm Bird.

Sam Bullard, Darley’s Director of Stallions said, “Casamento was an extremely gifted racehorse, and is a particularly imposing type, too. He is strong and handsome and has a stallion's pedigree and we are particularly delighted to stand a son of Shamardal who heads our roster in Ireland. We look forward to showing him to breeders in the coming months.”

For further information please call Sam Bullard on +44 (0)1638 730 070.