Shalaa Speed at Arrowfield….by Bernard Kenny

SHALAA, jockey Robert Havlin, wins the July Stakes at Newmarket

Shalaa, the Champion 2YO Colt of Great Britain and France in 2015 descends on Arrowfield this season as a son of the new-age European sire-of-sires in Invincible Spirit.

Shalaa had ‘speed-to-burn’ in winning five two-year-old starts including the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes 6f, Gr1 Prix Morny 1200m, Gr2 Richmond Stakes 6f and Gr2 July Stakes 6f.

Rated a highly impressive 123 by Timeform as a mid-season two-year-old, Shalaa went onto win the Gr3 Bengough Stakes 6f in his only two starts at three year’s.

Retireing to his owner’s Haras de Bouquetot, France earlier this year Shalaa’s first book including the World Champion and duel Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve.

Invincible Spirit, Shalaa’s sire, was Ireland’s 2001 Joint Champion Older Male Sprinter in winning the Haydock Sprint Cup. He is by the champion British sprinting sire Green Desert.

An immediate success at stud Invincible Spirit was Britain’s Leading 2YO Sire in 2012 and third leading British and Irish General Sire that year. Now the sire of 902 winners and a 68% winner to runners, he has gross earnings of $90 million and 100 stakes winners.

The Champion European Sprinter Moonlight Cloud lead’s Invincible Spirit’s success as the three times winner of the Prix Maurice de Gheest. His European sire sons include Kingman the 2014 Horse of The Year and Irish 2000 Guineas winner, triple Group 1 winner Charm Spirit, Lawman the French Derby winner, Mayson the July Cup and Zebedee.

Invincible Spirit shuttled to Chatsworth Stud, Victoria for four seasons from 2003 siring I Am Invincible to be Australian Champion First Season Sire in 2013-14, triple Group 1 winner Yosei and Spirit Song twice winner of the Sunline Stakes.

Shalaa is the third winning foal of US Group 3 winning mare Ghurra, by War Chant. Futuh, his granddam, is a stakes placed winning daughter of Diesis, and is dam of Middle Park Stakes winner Hayil and six winning stakes place getters.

Shalaa joins Snitzel at Arrowfield, who as the season’s Australian Champion Sire and also established a record earning’s title as Champion 2YO Sire and Leading Sire of 3YOs.

The Gr1 Doomben 10,000 winner Redzel is the best of Snitzel’s five season Group 1 winners while he sired 28 stakes winners world-wide. At the Inglis Easter Yearling and Magic Millions Yearling Sale’s prime sessions his 80 yearlings averaged $429,000.

Redoubt’s Choice legacy as king of Australian sires was boosted again this season with sons Redoubt’s Choice, Not A Single Doubt and Stratum finishing in the top 10 Australian sires.

Now the sire of a record 32 Group 1 winners, more than any active sire in Australian, with full-brothers Mustaaqeem and Rafeef winning Group 1 events on 6 May in South Africa.

Not A Single Doubt has sired 15 stakes winners this season with Clearly Innocent, Extreme Choice, Scales of Justice and Secret Agenda being his Group 1 winners. At the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale his Colorado Claire colt sold for $850,000.

Last season’s Champion First Season Sire Smart Missile had a successful second season with three stakes winners including the Group 3 winners Debellatio and I’ll Have A Bit, plus five stakes placegetters.

The Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom has six winners and seven placegetters, rating him amongst the leading First Season Sires. Lord Cecil is a winning Group 3 placegetter and Royal Phoenix a late season Flemington winner.

 

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