Prix Jean Prat victory for Pinatubo caps smashing day for Shamardal

Last year's European champion juvenile Pinatubo got back to winning ways with a comprehensive victory in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday, capping an outstanding day for his sire Shamardal.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt set the world alight when unbeaten in six races at two, including the National Stakes and Dewhurst, but had not got his head in front in two previous starts at three, running third in the 2,000 Guineas and second in the St James's Palace Stakes.

However, he was back to something near his best at Deauville as he stayed on strongly to defeat Ballydoyle raider Lope Y Fernandez by three quarters of a length, with the Marco Botti-trained Malotru two and a half lengths back in third, completing a clean sweep of the places for overseas runners.

Godolphin homebred Pinatubo is among 25 top-level winners by former Kildangan Stud stalwart Shamardal, who died in April aged 18.

He was one of an unprecedented three unbeaten Group 1-winning two-year-olds by the sire in 2019, along with Middle Park Stakes hero Earthlight – an impressive winner of the Listed Prix Kistena on his three-year-old debut earlier on the Deauville card – and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere scorer Victor Ludorum, who has won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and run third in the Prix du Jockey Club this season.

Royal Crusade later brought up a stakes race treble for Godolphin-owned sons of Shamardal at Deauville, striking in the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis.

And it was four black-type victories on the day for progeny of Shamardal carrying the royal blue silks, as daughter Half Light won the Group 3 Hamburger Stutenmeile on the German Derby card at Hamburg.

Moreover, Shamardal appeared as damsire of yet another Godolphin homebred winner at Deauville on Sunday – Listed Prix Amandine scorer Althiqa, a daughter of Dark Angel and the classy Mistrusting.

Shamardal will be sorely missed by breeders but there are plenty of his sons at stud to choose from – headed by Lope De Vega, the sire of Prix Jean Prat runner-up Lope Y Fernandez.

Others include Amaron, Bow Creek, Dariyan, French Navy, Mukhadram and Sommerabend, while Pinatubo, Earthlight and Victor Ludorum can expect to be in strong demand from mare owners when they are retired from racing.

Pinatubo is the third foal out of the Dalakhani mare Lava Flow, a Listed-winning half-sister to Gran Criterium runner-up Strobilus and useful hurdler Hunterview.

Lava Flow is in turn out of Mount Elbrus, a Listed-winning Barathea half-sister to Fringe, the dam of French Group 3 scorer Master Carpenter.

Further back it is the family of Prix de Diane heroine Rafha and her prolific sire sons Invincible Spirit and Kodiac, as well as last Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club victor Mishriff.

Read more...

July Cup hero Oxted gives value sire Mayson his Group 1 breakthrough

Master Of The Seas looks a new two-year-old superstar for Dubawi

Carlos Felix follows the script for owner Darren Yates at Ascot