Darley homebred Jungle Cat to join Kildangan roster after Australian adventure

Darley have made a noteworthy addition to their Irish stallion ranks, with dual Group 1 winner Jungle Cat joining the roster at Kildangan Stud. The son of Iffraaj is due to have his final start in the Group 1 Darley Classic at Flemington on November 10.

The Darley homebred has proved to be a tough and talented performer, having won eight of his 32 starts, including a brace of Group 1 events on two different continents, namely the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan and the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said of the six-year-old: "Jungle Cat is every inch his father's son. Like him, he was tremendously fast, and with Group 1 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."

Jungle Cat's race record is one of steady but relentless progression. Having broken his maiden on his second start at two, he reached the frame in four juvenile Group 2s, most notably when behind Ivawood in the July Stakes and just a nose in arrears of Muhaarar in the Gimcrack Stakes.

He continued to show smart form at four and five, including when half a length behind current Kildangan resident Profitable in the 2016 Palace House Stakes, but it was as a six-year-old that Jungle Cat flourished.

He rattled off a four-timer that began in Meydan and comprised of wins in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort and the Al Quoz Sprint, before being shipped to Australia to land his second elite race in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Jungle Cat has spent much of his racing career under the care of Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, who said of the horse: "'He's a model of consistency at the top level and a straightforward horse to train, good-minded and very sound."

Jungle Cat is out of Mike's Wildcat, a stakes-winning two-year-old by Forest Wildcat, meaning he shares his damsire with the likes of Lady Aurelia and Foxwedge.

Sons of Iffraaj have enjoyed promising starts to their stud careers, with Haras D'Etreham's Wootton Bassett siring European champion Almanzor and fellow Kildangan resident Ribchester covering 154 mares during his debut season on stallion duty.

Jungle Cat is not the only newcomer to the Darley roster, with champion sprinter Harry Angel joining the ranks at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket.

Bullard added of the new recruits: "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."

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