Europe’s leading first-season sire by prize money - Shamardal - increased his winners’ tally to 21 on 4 November when Burj Nahar made a very impressive racecourse debut at Nottingham, winning the eight-and-a-half furlong maiden by almost four lengths.
Settled just behind the early leader, the two-year-old colt travelled well and once asked to quicken inside the final two, easily drew clear and was eased down crossing the line to win by three-and-three-quarter lengths.
Burj Nahar certainly has the pedigree to progress, being out of the Stakes-winning Lammtarra mare Melikah – a half-sister to Cape Cross's outstanding six-time G1 winner Sea The Stars.
Shamardal has enjoyed an outstanding year with his first European crop, siring six Black type performers including the G3-winning duo Arctic and Shakespearean. He has also been impressing in the southern hemisphere, siring three Stakes winners and a further four Stakes performers to date including Faint Perfume who lines up in Thursday’s G1 VRC Oaks.
