Harry Angel, the record-breaking World Champion sprinter at three and the best by Dark Angel, will become the highest-rated sprinter to retire to stud in Britain for more than 30 years when he stands at Dalham Hall Stud in 2019. His fellow Godolphin colour-bearer, Jungle Cat – the record-breaking sprinter who has won two G1s in 2018 – will retire to Kildangan Stud for the new breeding season. Fees will be set for the pair shortly.
In a dazzling season at three, Harry Angel won the G1 July Cup and then the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup by the widest margin in recent history. He had announced his sprinting prowess earlier in the year, with a four-and-a-half length triumph in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes in a new track record, and almost a second faster than any running of the Haydock Sprint Cup. He ended the year rated 132 by Timeform – level with Muhaarar and the best by any sprinter to retire to stud in Britain since 1985. He was assessed as the World Champion sprinter on the World Thoroughbred Rankings, two points or more above Battaash, Chautauqua, Lady Aurelia, Redzel and Caravaggio.
At two, Harry Angel had broken his maiden second-time-out in the G2 Mill Reef Stakes, earning a rating fully 9lbs superior to his sire Dark Angel’s win in the race. Trained throughout his career by Clive Cox, he returned this year at four in the G2 Duke Of York Stakes, again retaining his outstanding Timeform mark of 132 when accounting for Brando by two lengths, conceding 5lb.
Harry Angel is the best by leading speed sire Dark Angel out of a daughter of fellow July Cup winner Cadeaux Genereux and owns an outcross pedigree with just one line of Danzig in the fifth generation. He's the best horse on his page, superior to all the stallions on his chart.
Jungle Cat joins him on the Darley roster in 2019. He’s the fastest by Iffraaj and a winner at the highest level against world class sprinting opponents in both Dubai and Australia. Having broken his maiden at Goodwood at two, Jungle Cat was in the frame in all four of the big G2 six-furlong races for two-year-olds at Britain’s summer racing festivals: third in the G2 Coventry at Royal Ascot, second in the G2 July Stakes beating future Champions Belardo and Muhaarar, third again in the G2 Richmond, then second in the G2 Gimcrack, going down by just a nose to subsequent Champion sprinter Muhaarar.
Always a high-class performer, as a four-year-old Jungle Cat also finished second to fellow Kildangan stallion Profitable in the G3 Palace House Stakes, beaten half-a-length.
Jungle Cat again carried all before him during this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival. Opening his 2018 campaign with an impressive victory in the seven-furlong G2 Al Fahidi Fort, he then broke the Meydan track record when landing the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, beating local hero, the 129-rated Ertijaal.
On Dubai World Cup night, Jungle Cat kicked off a Godolphin G1 four-timer, coming with a perfectly timed move close home to take the six-furlong Al Quoz Sprint.
Jungle Cat headed to Australia this autumn extending his unbeaten record for 2018 with another thrilling G1 victory, getting up fast and late to beat the local speed horses in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. It is testament to his toughness and ability that he earned his highest rating – Timeform 123 – in this his 31st start.
Charlie Appleby stated 'He’s a model of consistency at the top level and a straightforward horse to train, good minded and very sound. The G1 Darley Classic over six furlongs at Flemington on Saturday, 10 November will be his final start’.
By leading sire Iffraaj – whose first stallion son sired Almanzor in his debut crop – Jungle Cat’s first three dams all performed at Stakes level. He’s bred on a similar cross to Iffraaj’s leading daughter Rizeena, and he is free of both Danzig and Sadler’s Wells blood.
Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions said of the two new recruits, 'Jungle Cat is every inch his father’s son. Like him, he was tremendously fast, and with G1 form from five to seven furlongs. To be a nose behind Muhaarar at two and yet be at his very best in his 31st start as a six-year-old just goes to show what an utterly admirable racehorse he was. Meanwhile, watching Harry Angel in full flight was quite a sight, and, even in this golden age of sprinters, we’ve seen very few horses with his outright speed and class. He’ll be a very easy stallion for breeders to use, thanks to his outcross pedigree. It’s an enormous honour for the Darley team to be entrusted with managing their stallion careers and we are delighted to continue our policy of offering a limited number of breeding rights in two outstanding prospects’.
