Shalaa notches up his third winner

There’s been great enthusiasm for Shalaa’s first crop yearlings in both hemispheres, with 127 sold worldwide in 2019 and 2020 for an average price of $A174,000.

And already his first European 2YO runners include three winners and a Group placegetter at Royal Ascot. 

Shalaa’s third winner, No Speak Alexander scored by 6.5 lengths over 7.5 furlongs at Roscommon, Ireland on Tuesday for  her owner-breeders the O’Callaghan family and trainer Jessica Harrington.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said,“We thought she was one of our real early fillies. She was ready to run just before Covid hit and then all she did was grow and grow. She was a real pocket rocket originally but has grown. She really enjoyed that and saw out the trip well.”

No Speak Alexander is the first winner for Rapacity Alexander (by Elusive Quality), a Listed winner at two and a full sister to Champion Hong Kong Sprinter Peniaphobia.

Related to Hong Kong Group One winner Peniaphobia, No Speak Alexander shows a sparkling turn of foot to continue the fine form of @Jessica_Racing & Shane Foley with success second time out at @RoscommonRaces

Results ➡ https://t.co/sBcsavHpYf pic.twitter.com/TcwT3ixkyL

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 7, 2020

Shalaa’s first winner, the Andre Fabre-trained filly Cherie Amour (ex Angel Falls by Kingmambo), scored in France on 4 June and was followed two weeks later by the colt Shalaalaa (ex Cheap Thrills by Bertolini). 

It’s interesting to note that all three winners feature Nureyev in the bottom half of their pedigrees, through his sons Wolfhound & Great Commotion, and his champion daughter Miesque.

#R1Clairefontaine
Chérie Amour (#Shalaa / @mickaelbarzalon / A. Fabre) ouvre son palmarès dans le Prix des Colonnes Morris. Les inédites, Chiri Tsubaki et Perfect, s’emparent, dans cet ordre, des accessits. pic.twitter.com/4i36FwXo7d

— Equidia (@equidia) June 4, 2020

Shalaa rounded out a productive five weeks with his first Group performer, the colt Saeiqa (ex Present Danger by Cadeaux Genereux) who put in a solid effort to finish third behind upset winner Nando Parrado in the Royal Ascot Coventry S. G2 on 20 June. Saeiqa is trained by John Gosden for Al Shaqab Racing, the team that also achieved dual Group 1 2YO success with Shalaa. The son of Invincible Spirit is completing his fourth European season at Al Shaqab’s Haras de Bouquetot at a fee of €25,000.

150/1! Nando Parrado causes a massive upset in the Coventry! #RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/ytPJxVyhMI

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2020

In a year of  seriously disrupted racing and sale schedules, these results have maintained the demand for Shalaa’s northern hemisphere progeny. His 2YO son out of the stakeswinner Besotted (by Dutch Art) achieved the 4th-highest price  of  at the Arqana 2YO Breeze Up Sale on 1 July when he was knocked down to Trimblestown Stud for €506,000.

Six days earlier at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale the Shalaa-Lauren Louise colt was purchased for 250,000 guineas by Blandford Bloodstock. 

Shalaa’s first Australian yearlings have averaged $162,000 (61 sold), and up to $450,000 (for the Joy Ride filly) and $600,000 (for the Jemison colt) and will debut this coming season from many of Australia’s leading stables.