Coup for Clongiffen Stud as Shakeel joins its roster for 2018

Clongiffen Stud has landed a significant coup by acquiring Shakeel, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris for owner-breeder the Aga Khan in July, for its stallion roster.

The Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Shakeel broke his maiden over 1m2f in April and went on to finish third in the Group 3 Prix du Lys and second in the Group 2 Prix Hocquart, before bravely outbattling the teak-tough Permian to win the Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud.

An injury sustained in the Group 1 contest ruled him out of his intended target of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the victory proved to be his last race.

Shakeel is by Dalakhani, whose son Reliable Man has made a bright start with his first European two-year-olds this year, out of an unraced Medicean half-sister to Group 3 winner Shemiyla. His fourth dam is Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka.

The deal to purchase the three-year-old was brokered by Guy Petit, and new owner Michael Egan said: “Shakeel was a first-class racehorse with stunning good looks and he comes from a great Aga Khan family.

“It will be a privilege to stand him in Ireland and hugely exciting to watch his stallion career take off into the top echelon in time.”

Shakeel will stand at Clongiffen in County Meath alongside Laverock, Mamool, Mustameet and Pushkin.

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