Darley luminary Shamardal, sire of Blue Point and Pinatubo, dies

A leading light on the Darley stallion roster for over a decade, Shamardal was sadly euthanised at Kildangan Stud as a result of health issues on Thursday.

Champion two-year-old when in the care of Mark Johnston, Shamardal was transferred to Godolphin, and Saeed bin Suroor, at the end of his juvenile season.

After losing on the dirt at Nad Al Sheba, Shamardal returned to Europe to win the Poule d’Essai des Poulains - the French 2,000 Guineas - and Prix du Jockey Club at three.

He concluded his racing career at York (where Ascot’s Royal meeting was staged in 2005), seeing off another quality field in the St James’s Palace.

Sadly, injury meant he was not seen on the racecourse again, but Shamardal retired to stud not only unbeaten on turf, but never once even headed – a truly remarkable feat.

His greatest performer to date is of course Pinatubo. This outstanding colt carried all before him in 2019, winning all six of his starts including the G1 National and G1 Darley Dewhurst. His Timeform rating of 134 was the highest allotted to a two-year-old for 25 years.

His second highest-rated performer is another horse who was unbeaten in 2019, Blue Point. The outstanding speedster is the only horse ever to have won three G1 sprint races at Royal Ascot and only the third horse in almost 100 years to complete the King’s Stand/ Diamond Jubilee double in the same week.

His former trainer bin Suroor told Darley.com: “We were all very sad to hear of the passing of Shamardal. He was a Champion two-year-old and became one of Godolphin’s best horses, winning two Classics in France as well as the St James’s Palace Stakes.

“He went on to establish himself as a top sire, producing exceptional horses throughout the world, and everyone is going to miss him. It is a sad day but I am sure that his progeny will continue his legacy both on the racecourse and in the breeding sheds.”

Joe Osborne, Managing Director of Godolphin Ireland said: “Shamardal embodied mental and physical toughness – as a racehorse and as a stallion. As the racing world has seen over the past 15 years, he passed those qualities on to his progeny.

“He contended with a range of health issues over recent years and did so with fortitude and resilience. It’s a tough day for us saying goodbye to him. This is an appropriate time to thank our team of stallion personnel and support professionals who cared for him so well and so kindly throughout his time here at Kildangan Stud”.

Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions said: “Shamardal has been the mainstay of our Irish stallion roster for many years and will be sorely missed by the team at Kildangan.

“His record as a sire speaks for itself and we have enjoyed many great days on the racecourse courtesy of his sons and daughters. Led by the imperious Pinatubo, Shamardal’s juvenile crop of last year was truly outstanding siring three unbeaten G1-winning juvenile colts, a feat never achieved before since the start of the Pattern.”