The world lost one of its foremost thoroughbred stallions when Shamardal died on Thursday 16 April.
The eighteen year-old was euthanised due to a host of ongoing health issues, according to a press-release from Darley.
A son of triple US champion sire Giant’s Causeway (he was his sire’s best sire son by some way), Shamardal never lost on turf in six outings.
Shamardal, who suffered his only career loss when ninth in the 2005 G2 UAE Derby, was unbeaten in three starts at two, and culminated his juvenile campaign with a two and a half length defeat of the now Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm based Oratorio in the 2004 G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
Sarah Whitelaw writes that following his unplaced effort in the UAE Derby, Shamardal won his last three starts impressively,with his three G1 triumphs including both the 2005 G1 French 2000 Guineas and Derby.
Retired to stud in 2005, Shamardal has been consistently successful as a stallion.
To date, he has sired 146 stakes winners, of which 25 are G1 winners, and his current black type winners represent nearly 10% of his foal crops (it is worth remembering perhaps he has covered smaller books of mares than many prominent sires in recent times).
He enjoyed a particularly good year in 2019, with his son Blue Point (now standing at stud in Ireland) landing both the G1 King’s Stand Stakes and G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, daughter Castle Lady winning the classic G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas), and his sons Pinatubo, Victor Ludorum and Earthlight winning all of the G1 Dewhurst Stakes, National Stakes, G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park Stakes.
At the time of writing, Shamardal has been responsible for 21 G1 winners in the Northern Hemisphere as well as such Australian G1 winners as Captain Sonador, Faint Perfume, Maybe Discreet and Delectation.
Lope de Vega (Shamardal – Lady Vettori)
Shamardal has already left behind one successful sire son in the form of Lope De Vega, who, like his sire, won both the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) and G1 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby). Currently standing for a fee of 100,000 euros, Lope De Vega has already sired more than 60 stakes winners, with his 10 G1 winners headed by G1 Dewhurst Stakes/Lockinge Stakes winning sire Belardo and Irish 2000 Guineas hero, and Irish National Stud resident, Phoenix Of Spain.
Closely inbred to Machiavellian, Lope De Vega’s growing success at stud is also clearly reflected in his yearlings made up to 750 000 guineas in 2019.
Shamardal’s short-lived Racing Post Trophy winner Casamento (who hailed from the same family as outstanding Arc winner and sire Vaguely Noble) also had his moments as a stallion -Casamento’s notable progeny headed by G1 Turnbull Stakes winner Kings Will Dream, G2 Jockey Club Stakes/G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes winner Communique, and Oaks D’Italia heroine Lamaire.
Restricted in recent years to covering smaller books of mares, due to various health issues, Shamardal, nonetheless, looked poised for a big year in 2020 -before the advent of COVID 19 anyway.
Top-class Pinatubo
He had three individual G1 winning, unbeaten two-year-olds last season in the form of Pinatubo, Earthlight and Victor Ludorum, and that trio could well provide their sire with further glory when European racing commences after lockdown.
The regally bred Shamardal, whose dam Helsinki (Machiavellian) is an own sister to outstanding sire Street Cry, has already enjoyed notable success as a broodmare sire as the damsire of G1 winners Awtaad (Irish 2000 Guineas), Hello Youmzain (Sprint Cup), Latrobe (Irish Derby), Mighty High (Allan Robertson Championship), and Pretty Pollyanna (Prix Morny). His outstanding daughter Question Times is not only dam of Latrobe (Camelot) but also G1 Investec Oaks runner up Pink Dogwood (Camelot) and G3 Gladness Stakes winner Diamond Fields (Fastnet Rock).
