Shalaa and El Campeon in the winner's enclosure
We’ve enjoyed some good results on the track this week thanks to one of last season’s yearling sales graduates and also one of our homebreds.
On Saturday, two-year-old Shalaa (pictured below, red cap) made his second start at Newmarket for John Gosden and was the impressive winner of the six-furlong EBF Maiden under Frankie Dettori.
Bred by Aisling Kinane and Mark Gittins, the son of Invincible Spirit was offered for sale as a foal at Tattersalls, where William and I bought him for 100,000gns. We took him back there last October and Charlie Gordon-Watson bought him on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for 170,000gns.
Shalaa is not the only son of Invincible Spirit that we've sold to Al Shaqab, as Sheikh Joaan's operation also owns Karar, who was fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains in May. Both colts look to have very bright futures and we wish their owner the very best of luck with him.
On Monday, Jenny and I headed to Lingfield where two of our homebreds were in action. Heavenlyfriendship didn't trouble the judge on her first run back after a break but El Campeon, a three-year-old gelding by Multiplex out of my Hernando mare Villabella, made our trip worthwhile when winning the ten-furlong handicap in fine style. He too looks like there’s plenty more to come and he brought up a double on the day for his trainer Simon Dow.
Unfortunately I have decided to reduce my mare ownership in the coming months, so Villabella is being consigned to the July Sale at Tattersalls. She’s done me proud: her first foal Vallila has won at two, three and four, including the Spanish 1,000 Guineas, and El Campeon is only her second foal and her second runner so she has a 100 per cent strike-rate to date. Her third foal, a colt by Equiano, was recently sold at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale and he has joined Vallila for the same owner in the stable of Oscar Anaya.
