'They're carbon copies' - Lusail emulates sire Mehmas in July Stakes

It was a case of like father, like son in the Tattersalls July Stakes at Newmarket with a result that will have been particularly satisfying for connections of Lusail.

The sharp juvenile has exactly the same owner (Al Shaqab) and trainer (Richard Hannon) as his sire Mehmas, who rewrote the records for European first-season stallions last year as he churned out the winners.

Hannon noted plenty of similarities with the pair, having prepared 170,000gns Tattersalls Craven breeze-up purchase Mehmas to land not only this event but the Richmond at Goodwood and two Group 1 placings before he headed to Tally-Ho Stud.

Lusail was bred by Tally-Ho but did not breeze, being instead bought by Charlie Gordon-Watson Bloodstock on behalf of Al Shaqab for 160,000gns as a yearling at Tattersalls Book 2.

He is the second foal of Diamond Green mare Diaminda, a two-year-old winner for Alan Jarvis who is more significantly a half-sister to the hard-knocking Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Fayr Jag.

Already successful in a York maiden and a novice on the July course, Lusail is now a sixth Group or Graded winner for a stallion who is proving himself to be anything but a one-hit wonder.

Bumped up to a 2021 fee of €25,000 from €7,500 last year, Mehmas was receiving a first stakes strike from his second crop and has continued to be very well rewarded through his first too, with the likes of an Italian Guineas winner in Fayathaan and Going Global in a Grade 3 at Santa Anita.

Mehmas in his paddock at Tally-Ho StudCredit: Tally-Ho Stud

His first Group 1 hero from last year's Middle Park, Supremacy, bids for redemption in Saturday's Darley July Cup.

Hannon explained that Lusail was bigger in stature than the famously pint-sized Mehmas and is optimistic that his current squad member could last longer than just one season on the track but explained that the pair possessed similar temperaments.

"He's very like his dad who won the same race, he’s asleep all the time, you can get on with him and he does his job," Hannon told Racing TV.

"It's a stallions' race this, a very important race. Mehmas is doing really well, his results are unbelievable - I can’t get enough of them. They’re carbon copies of each other."

Diaminda's first foal, Kodiac filly Illuzzi, is still a maiden but Tally-Ho has another yearling daughter of its flag-bearing sire to come and welcomed in a filly foal by Cotai Glory in March this year.

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