Meanwhile, the decision has been made to retire the powerful owner-breeder's flagship performer Jannah Rose, with a visit to superstar stallion Dubawi (Ire) pencilled in for the four-year-old this spring.

Lalor explained how retiring the Group 1-winning daughter of Frankel (GB) became one of the most difficult decisions he has faced as racing and bloodstock manager at Al Shira'aa but said the outfit still has so much to look forward to on the racetrack this season with Vespertilio primed to lead the team into battle. 

He said, “Jannah Rose has been retired. We made that decision in mid-January and I tell you, it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. Generally speaking, our fillies race on as four- and five-year-olds if they are sound but, aside from Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), she's our only Group 1 winner and is very important to us. 

“Not only that, but Dubawi is not getting any younger so we thought it was the right time to retire her. She's our first European Group 1 winner and has a very exciting future as a broodmare.”

Casting his mind back to that Saint-Alary victory, Lalor simply said, “Unbelievable. A day I will never forget. The fact that it was her first Group 1, it was very, very exciting. I remember being in Toronto for Mutamakina's EP Taylor. I was on my own and there wasn't another soul in the place because it took place during Covid. So, while that was our first Grade I, it was quite a lonesome celebration. We had some celebration after the Saint-Alary, though.”

Kieran Lalor with Jannah Rose's breeder John Hayes at Longchamp | Emma Berry

Vespertilio showed rare brilliance when coming from last to first in the matter of a few seconds to win the G2 Debutante S. at the Curragh last season. McCreery's ace performer followed up on that victory with a game second to Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the G1 Moyglare S. at the Irish Champions Festival, with the pair pulling well clear of their challengers. 

Lalor says that he is optimistic that Vespertilio can confirm herself a top-notch filly in the making this season and nominated the Irish 1,000 Guineas as her most likely destination before explaining why she may not need a prep for the race.

He said, “The way she won the Debutante was extremely impressive. She was so relaxed at the rear of the field and, without being insulting, made everything else in the race appear ordinary by the way that she quickened up past them in the finish.”

Lalor added, “She's so chilled out. Even in her training, she just drops her head and trucks along-she wouldn't jump out at you in her training. That's why we think she could go straight to a Guineas rather than taking in a trial. It will be ground depending. I think she likes a bit of fast ground, at least a bit of good anyway, so she could go straight to either the French or the Irish 1,000 Guineas. 

“She's obviously French-bred so there's definitely an attraction to that. But on the other hand, she loves the Curragh, and that would appear to be her main target at the moment. You know, that would be a safer bet as it's on home soil and it's essentially a trip across the road compared to travelling over to France.”

It is not the policy of the powerful owner-breeder Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan to race the colts that come through the system but, when Atlantic Coast (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) kicked a wall and was therefore forced to miss the Goffs Orby Sale in 2022, he was put into training with Joseph O'Brien. It has turned out to be for luck with the dual winner, including at Group 3 level, on course to take in the Irish or French 2,000 Guineas this season. 

Lalor said, “Atlantic Coast is doing great. He ran very well on Irish Champions Weekend when third behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}, who could be anything, before winning the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown. We're looking at either the French or Irish 2,000 Guineas and he can handle a bit of cut in the ground. He'll probably go for a prep beforehand.”

High-class older filly Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation) looks set to be on her travels, with top-flight races in America pencilled in for the Group 3 winner, with Lalor explaining that there are 13 two-year-olds that will be added to the system this year.

He said, “Ocean Jewel could run on the opening day at the Curragh but Willie and I have spoken about racing her in America where you are guaranteed nice ground. She's developed into a lovely filly and is from a very good family. I think she will get the mile pretty easily and we'd love to win a Group 1 with her.”

On the youngsters, he added, “We have 13 two-year-olds and shopped the sales pretty hard last year. It was a very difficult sales season and we might have ended the year as the champion underbidder! We bought five lovely fillies who will add to the nice group of homebreds that we will be putting into training. We're trying mostly to focus on those Classic types and, while we haven't picked trainers for the youngsters yet, we have some lovely types. 

“We have the American Pharoah half-sister to Onesto (Ire), the Wootton Bassett (GB) out of a sister to Saxon Warrior (Jpn), the Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of Jumooh (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) and then we have a blast of our own homebreds who we are very excited about as well.”

Al Shira'aa has quickly established itself as a leading international player. The modus operandi is quality over quantity and, in a week where a host of Classic plans have been hatched for some of the less-exposed fillies in training in France and decisions made to send some of the more ground-dependant runners to continue their careers stateside, there seems to be unparalleled levels of excitement building for the upcoming campaign even in the absence of the star performer Jannah Rose. 

Lalor said, “We've Saadiyat (Ire), a lovely Lope De Vega (Ire) filly who is a sister to Broome (Ire), Point Lonsdale (Ire) and Diego Velazquez, who was with Carlos Laffon-Parias last year. She is going to head out to America this year to Christophe Clement. Foxtrot Zulu (Ire), a Saxon Warrior half-sister to Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), is going to join Christophe as well. I think they will prefer the ground out there.”

He added, “And then we have Rumi's sister Jannah Pearl (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) who is entered for the French Oaks. She is yet to run but we're not too far away with her. The Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Native Trail (GB), named Native Pearl (Fr), is actually a very good filly. We ran her once last year on bottomless ground and that was a mistake. She is a much better filly than that and will be entered in the French 1,000 Guineas and the French Oaks. 

“A filly we have a lot of hope for this year is [Waldgeist's half-sister] Caelestis (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). She's a filly who has just taken a bit of time mentally but she's won her maiden we're hoping for some good black-type from her this year. It's going to be very hard to match the achievements of last year but God loves a dreamer.”

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It's the kind of theme that could so easily see people cancelled these days, but there could be no erasing of Hayes's enthusiasm for the game. A small breeder with two mares in Co Tipperary, he is a self-confessed “pedigree nutcase” who claims to know nothing of conformation. He can rest assured that he has bred a pretty special animal in the unbeaten Jannah Rose, who meets all criteria in that important triumvirate of pedigree, physique and performance.

Hayes spent the flight from Dublin to Paris reading up on Chelandry (GB), Lord Rosebery's 1,000 Guineas winner and Oaks runner-up of 1897, from whom has sprung the likes of Lester's Piggott's first Derby winner Never Say Die, as well as the great High Chaparral (Ire), dual Classic winner Ravinella, and the Kentucky Derby heroes Tomy Lee, Genuine Risk, and Swale. Chelandry is Jannah Rose's 10th dam. This is deep-state research, reserved for pedigree lovers/nutcases (take your pick).

In the aftermath of Jannah Rose's imperious win, Hayes said of her dam, “Her first foal, [Group 2 winner] Creggs Pipes, was winning lots of races while my sister was dying from cancer, so it gave my sister some relief. Today is my mother-in-law's anniversary; she is looking down on us today, I know that.”

He added, “I'm a dairy farmer, and I wouldn't know the difference between a good-looking horse and a bad-looking horse. I don't know anything about conformation but I'm a complete nutcase for pedigrees.

“It's a big responsibility having a mare like that. It's all about the mare. That's all I have to do: do the right thing by her. We love her dearly, she's the boss. She's in foal to Kingman now and Shane [Horan] said, 'Next year, Frankel'.”

With Jannah Rose becoming Frankel's 27th Group 1 winner, Sophie Germain is now a deserved shoo-in for a return to his court. In the meantime, the 16-year-old mare will be eating from some pretty fancy tableware. Brandishing the silver salver he was presented with as winning breeder, Hayes added, “I'm going to take this home and put nuts on it for Sophie.”

Hayes had travelled to Longchamp with Kieran Lalor, who in January had spoken in TDN of his hopes for the then-maiden winner Jannah Rose to continue the solid start made by Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Al Shira'aa Farms. Abu Dhabi-owned, it has its headquarters at the Curragh-based property formerly known as Meadow Court Stud. Those hopes have now been realised, with the statuesque filly having remained faultless in winning the G3 Prix Vanteaux en route to her Group 1 success.

Hayes said on Sunday, “I'm delighted for Kieran in particular, that his judgement has been vindicated. It's a big decision to make to advise somebody to spend €650,000 on a yearling. He's the one who should take the credit.”

Lalor himself had been quick to praise the breeder. “Coming from an operation, a pedigree guru like John, the foundation is all there,” he said. “She's an absolutely lovely filly, the biggest heart I've ever seen. I'm delighted for the boss, and it's an absolute pleasure to be a part of this journey. I personally think her 4-year-old career will be even better.”

He continued, “I always go back to the day I saw her at Goffs. I've never fallen for a horse like I fell for her. Everything about her was as cool as a breeze.

“The most important thing is the breeder, as it's the hardest thing in the world to breed a filly like that, and that's what we want to do.”

Back at the farm, Al Shira'aa already has in its paddocks another daughter of Frankel, the Group 2 winner Rumi (Fr), who was also trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias. The trainer usually gives himself a special treat each Sunday by riding Jannah Rose. This week he left the job to supersub Christophe Soumillon.

“She always showed me she was good, but between good and Group 1 is a big step,” said Laffon-Parias. Now he knows, and the next stop is Chantilly.

“That's the target, the Prix de Diane,” he confirmed.

Next Run for the Roses

In the Diane, Jannah Rose will meet the other female star of Sunday at Longchamp, the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). She also represents an up-and-coming breeding operation, this one the Spanish-owned Yeguada Centurion.

The man behind it, Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals, has put his faith in some young members of the French racing and breeding scene to fulfil his dreams and they are making a damn good fist of it. In the winner's circle after the race, Blue Rose Cen's trainer Christopher Head chatted with Guillaume Garcon of Haras de l'Hotellerie, who is entrusted with boarding the Yeguada Centurion mares. Despite demonstrating a little more Gallic cool than our Irish friends, the delight on their faces was plain to see.

Garcon said of Blue Rose Cen's dam Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy), “She will return soon from Coolmore and she is back in foal to Churchill–of course! We love Churchill, we've sent him lots of mares.”

He boards 30 mares for the same owner-breeder, including Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the sister to dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire) and dam of Prix du Jockey Club favourite Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who is also trained by Head.

“Both mares were bought quite inexpensively and it is wonderful to see him have this success,” Garcon noted.

When your surname is Head, there's a fair chance that the racing world will sit up and take notice. Christopher Head is the son of legendary former jockey and trainer Freddy, and is the cousin of Patricia Laffon-Parias, the wife of Jannah Rose's trainer. He would certainly not have struggled to have broken into this sphere, but nevertheless he started his training business in modest circumstances. When TDN first encountered Head four years ago, he was sweeping the yard outside the handful of boxes he rented in Chantilly from Pascal Bary.

“I still sweep the yard,” he said on Sunday. Now, however, it is the yard vacated by his father on his retirement and bought by Christopher earlier this year.

Blue Rose Cen, his first Group 1 winner last season in the Prix Marcel Boussac, is now his first Classic winner, as she was for jockey Aurelien Lemaitre. It would be no surprise to see her stablemate Big Rock become their second on June 4.

Marching Orders for Epsom

Not since Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, in 1896 and 1900, have full-brothers won the Derby. At Lingfield on Saturday, a tantalising prospect was suggested by Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) that he could follow his brother Adayar (Ire) to Epsom after winning the Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial.

His success brought up a trial double for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby after Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who only made her debut on February 13, took the Oaks Trial.

Adayar was only second in the Lingfield Derby Trial two years ago but his early career took a similar path to his younger brother, with two runs as a juvenile at the back end of the season before a seasonal resumption at the end of April.

Military Order now shares the top spot in the Derby betting with Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Not far behind them is Arrest (Ire), bred by Des Leadon and Mariann Klay at Swordlestown Little, who sparked a fine week for Frankel when winning the G3 Chester Vase by more than six lengths. Juddmonte's star stallion has already been responsible for the 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) this season and it would be no surprise to see him feature as the sire of another Derby winner, too.

His own sire Galileo (Ire) could yet have a say in this season's Classics, with his daughter Savethelastdance (Ire) having routed her rivals by 22 lengths in the Cheshire Oaks. If she makes it to Epsom, one hopes that the new Oaks favourite has a less dramatic experience there than her dam Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), who bolted to post for the Oaks during a lightning storm, causing jockey Olivier Peslier to bail out in an alarming incident.

Quote of the Week

You can always rely on the inimitable Richard Kent to come up with a good line or two, and the Mickey Stud maestro didn't disappoint in his interview after the success of the Dave Evans-trained Radio Goo Goo (GB) at Chester last week.

Kent could take particular delight in this result, as he bred both the filly's sire, Havana Grey (GB), with the late Lady Lonsdale, and her dam, Radio Gaga (GB), who is by the former Mickley resident Multiplex (GB). But he reserved the greatest praise for grand-dam Gagajulu (GB) (Al Hareb), the roach-backed mare who proved that handsome is as handsome does. Among her 16 runners were 11 winners and the black-type quartet of Ardbrae Lady (GB), One Gold (GB), Under My Spell (GB), and the aforementioned Radio Gaga.

Recalling Gagajulu with fondness, Kent said, “[She] won five races in 11 weeks for Dave as a 2-year-old. She's been a fantastic mare: she paid for two barns and a divorce…I could have built 10 barns with [what it cost for] the divorce.”

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16.45 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, f, 8fT
SILVER LADY (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is the third foal out of the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal) who particularly excelled at Newmarket and has already produced Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who captured the Listed Feilden S. on this card two years ago. Trained like that useful type by Charlie Appleby, Godolphin's March-foaled homebred is met by another intriguing newcomer by Sea The Stars in Sunderland Holding's Sea Claret (GB), a William Haggas-trained relative of the recent G3 Prix Vanteaux winner Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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It was hard not to be impressed by the seasonal debut of Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has raced only twice for two wins, and looked a proper Classic prospect for Al Shira'aa Farms and Carlos Laffon-Parias when winning the G3 Prix Vanteaux.

When TDN spoke to Al Shira'aa's manager Kieran Lalor back in February, the regard in which he held this three-parts-sister to the Group 2 winner Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was clear and he recalled her purchase at the Goffs Orby Sale for €650,000.

“Jannah Rose was quite possibly one of the nicest yearlings I've ever seen at a sale,” he said. “She was a fantastic-looking individual, and she moved great. She was one horse I said to the boss, 'We just have to own her, whatever it takes.'”

Lalor added, “She's one we'll be very excited about.”

The excitement levels have undoubtedly moved up a level following Sunday's black-type victory, both for the Al Shira'aa team and for breeder John Hayes, who was in Paris to cheer on the daughter of his broodmare Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

On Monday, Lalor confirmed that Jannah Rose had come out of the race in good order and will now be aimed at the G1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, which is run on the same card as both French Guineas on May 14, en route to the G1 Prix de Diane. While her dam Sophie Germain was unraced, as explained in a TDN feature of 2021, there are plenty of Classic heroes to be found deep in this family, which pedigree expert Hayes will no doubt have ascertained before purchasing the daughter of Indian Ridge as a foal in 2007. Jannah Rose's grand-dam Nydrion (Critique) won the Oaks d'Italia, and the extended dynasty also includes Derby winners Never Say Die and High Chaparral (Ire), Kentucky Derby winners Swale and Genuine Risk, as well as Ravinella, who won the 1,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for Alec Head, the grandfather of Patricia Laffon-Parias, who is married to Jannah Rose's trainer.

All of those named, along with many more horses of note, trace back to Lord Rosebery's 1,000 Guineas winner and Oaks runner-up Chelandry (GB). Foaled in 1894, the influential mare was a member of the sole British crop of Goldfinch (GB), a son of the Triple Crown winner Ormonde (GB) who continued his stud career at Rancho del Paso in California and Kentucky's Elmendorf Stud.

Rock On

A member of the Head dynasty also featured in the success of the other Classic trial winner on Sunday, when Christopher Head saddled Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) to land the G3 Prix la Force in gutsy fashion.

Big Rock continues the burgeoning partnership between Head and owner-breeder Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals of Yeguada Centurion, who struck at the highest level last season with G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

With Big Rock on course for the Prix du Jockey Club, Blue Rose Cen looks set to have her Classic aspirations put on trial in Sunday's G3 Prix de la Grotte.

Big Rock's unraced dam Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was bought for €72,000 at Goffs when carrying him and, as her name implies, the fourth-generation Aga Khan-bred mare hails from the family which is also responsible for dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire), who is by the same sire as Hardiyna and is a half-brother to her Group 3-winning dam Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

Yeguada Centurion is listed as the biggest owner in Head's stable, with 10 horses in training there, including recent Chantilly winner Mr Melbourne Cen (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) and Sabio Cen (Fr) (ZaraK {Fr}), who won last week's Prix Tourbillon. 

Chappet Eyes Classic Prize

Fabrice Chappet generally has his horses pretty forward and he has made another good start to the season, saddling two stakes winners in the last week.

Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), singled out by the trainer as a juvenile to follow last season, duly won his first two starts at two and was later Listed-placed at Deauville. The Cheveley Park Stud-bred colt, who races for Hisaaki Saito, stepped up another level when landing last Thursday's G3 Prix Djebel, with the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) behind him in third. 

The grandson of 1,000 Guineas winner Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo) and relation to Irish Oaks winner Alydaress (Alydar) will now have his own shot at a Classic in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

On Sunday, Plesant Jane (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) landed the biggest win of her career on the same turf that one of her most celebrated relatives, Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), won last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The 4-year-old's victory in the EBF-sponsored Listed Prix Zarkava brought her tally of wins to three, and she is the sole winner so far for her dam Jane The Star (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), both of whom were bred by and race for Rashit Shaykhutdinov. Grand-dam Jane Eyre (GB) (Sadler's Wells), a half-sister to Alpinista's dam Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) raced just once for Aidan O'Brien after topping the Goffs Orby Sale of 2007 at €2.4 million when sold by her breeders Kirsten Rausing and Sonia Rogers.

Honour and Glory

While we await the Craven meeting, William Haggas and his team have been keeping us entertained with further Group 1 exploits in Sydney. This has given rise to the trainer considering operating a satellite yard in Australia. 

The very idea should make local trainers quake, for Haggas has targeted The Championships is Sydney with a sniper's precision. Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) followed Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in landing the Group 1 double of the Ranvet S. and the Longines Queen Elizabeth S., and the 5-year-old looks likely to take in the G1 QEII Cup  in Hong Kong at the end of the month on his way home. Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) have also landed Australian group races for Haggas.

There has been only disappointment so far this year for the former Haggas trainee Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who won last year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and left Newmarket for Mike Moroney's stable following a ninth-place finish in the Arc. The 5-year-old has finished last in both his Australian starts to date, including behind his former stable-mate Dubai Honour on Saturday.

Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who topped last year's Tattersalls December Sale at 5.4 million gns when sold to Yulong Investments, was also underwhelming in her Australian debut when tenth in the G1 Sydney Queen of the Turf S. for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. A Group 1 winner at two, three and four for Andrew Balding, Alcohol Free 'won' her barrier trial at Randwick on 21 March after arriving in Australia, having spent the winter in light exercise in Newmarket.

It was good to see New Zealand breeding to the fore on the second day of Sydney's Championships with the G1 Sydney Cup going to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack (NZ). The winner two years ago of both the Australian Derby and South Australian Derby, the 5-year-old Explosive Jack is by the globetrotting Jakkalberry (Ire), who was trained by Marco Botti to win the American St Leger and G2 Dubai City of Gold. The son of Storming Home (GB) was also third in the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic before standing at Novara Park Stud in New Zealand, where he died in 2018 from a gut infection.

Pennyweka (NZ) and her Rich Hill Stud-based sire Satono Aladdin (Jpn) were previously mentioned in a recent instalment of Seven Days, and since then Jim Wallace's homebred stable star has added victory in G1 Australian Oaks to her G1 New Zealand Oaks victory. That notable double was most recently achieved by NZ Horse of the Year Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) in 2017.

Calyx and Blue Point Off The Mark

In France last week Calyx (GB) joined his stud-mate Magna Grecia (Ire) as another of this year's freshmen to have notched their first winner. His daughter Classic Flower (GB), bred by Petches Farm, is one of three runners for the son of Kingman (GB) and scored on debut for trainer Patrice Cottier at Salon-Provence.

Joining the party at Kempton on Monday was Darley's Blue Point (Ire), whose son Action Point (Ire), trained by Archie Watson, became his first winner from two runners to date.

An Extra Special Coronation?

As most people who followed the racing interests of Queen Elizabeth II will recall, the Derby loomed large in the preparations for her coronation in 1953, with Aureole (GB), bred by her father King George VI, one of the leading fancies for Epsom that same week and ultimately finishing second to Pinza (GB).

Now the prospect of the King and Queen Consort having a runner in a Classic on their coronation day edged a step closer on Monday when Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) remained unbeaten in two starts. 

It is a long shot, but not impossible, that he will head to Newmarket for the 2,000 Guineas, with co-trainer John Gosden appearing to prefer the option of the Heron S. on May 16 before a possible tilt at the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. Either way, on the available evidence, Slipofthepen looks a special colt.

For those hoping to see the Royal Studs continue to in the long term, it was encouraging to read the comments of the King and Queen Consort's racing manager John Warren after Slipofthepen won at Kempton.
He said of a possible Guineas run, “As far as the owners are concerned they won't be able to think of anything else but the coronation but they would never prevent the horse participating if we recommended that is where he ought to go.

“It would be an added bonus and they would watch after the event. The King has had very good osmosis in tuning into the bloodstock side of The Queen's life.

“He has always said when he had the responsibility of taking the bloodstock portfolio on he would take it seriously and he has, wonderfully supported by the Queen Consort at the same time. It is a wonderful thing for racing they have both taken such an interest.”

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The success of the colt, who was also runner-up to the great Sea-Bird in the Derby and went on to give Lester Piggott his first success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., prompted his legendary trainer Paddy Prendergast to rename his stables in his honour. The property at Maddenstown, on the Curragh, subsequently passed into the hands of John and Eimear Mulhern, before being sold in 2016 to Abu Dhabi's Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The experienced equestrian is the eldest daughter of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the younger brother of the current president of the United Arab Emirates and the son of the founder and inaugural president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Beyond the sheikha's equine interests she has recently launched the Fatima bint Hazza Academic Scholarship Fund, aimed at encouraging and enabling Emirati women to take advantage of higher education.

The Thoroughbred arm of Sheikha Fatima's global equine operation known as Al Shira'aa is managed by Lalor, who returned home to Ireland after a long stint in the Bluegrass at Ashford, Castleton Lyons and WinStar, and has overseen significant investment and development at the storied farm over the last six years.

A nod to the multi-national ties of the property is provided by the welcome signs at the entrance, which are printed in Arabic, Gaelic and English. Once inside, a glance at the newly constructed stable yards and offices confirms the blending of styles: plenty of stylish modern glass melded with the grey native stone of Ireland.

At a time when Sheikha Hissa has stepped modestly into the limelight in her aim to continue the Thoroughbred breeding tradition of her late father Sheikh Hamdan at Shadwell, it is heartening to find another Arab woman at the helm of a relatively new enterprise with horses in training in Ireland, France and America. The seeds of Sheikha Fatima's equine interests were sown first in the sport horse world and Al Shira'aa has been the title sponsor of show jumping's iconic Hickstead Derby since 2017, as well as backing the British Young Horse Championships at Bolesworth.

It is a name which is gradually seeping into the consciousness of the racing world. Lalor has been busy on behalf of “The boss” through recent yearling sale seasons, buying selectively with an eye very much on the long-term future of the farm.

Half-sisters to Classic winners Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), and to Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) were recruited in 2021. The first of that trio, Ocean Jewel (Ire), was one of the first-crop winners for Sioux Nation when striking for Willie McCreery last September before adding some black type to her name with a runner-up spot in the Listed Ballyhane Blenheim S.

“It's easier to go to a sale, and you're seeing the select drafts of all these top breeders are putting on the market, but our ultimate goal is to breed our own Group 1 horses. We try and breed everything to be a racehorse first and foremost,” Lalor says.

“We want those Classic types, the mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse, that's our ultimate goal. Now, we do go and buy some speed, like the Sioux Nation filly Ocean Jewel, but with the background of Mother Earth being a top-class, sound filly that ran in so many Group 1s and never threw in the towel. But the ultimate goal with her is to come to back to the broodmare band to be bred to try and produce a miler or a mile-and-a-quarter type of horse.”

Kieren Lalor | Zuzanna Lupa

He adds of Sheikha Fatima, “She's very passionate about all breeds of horses. She was very successful at show jumping and dressage herself, and she has a big show jumping team competing all around Europe and the UAE.”

Her black-and-red racing silks have already been carried with some distinction in the Thoroughbred world, with Al Shira'aa celebrating its first top-level success in 2021 with Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the GI EP Taylor S. at Woodbine.

“She's going to Wootton Bassett. We're very excited, she's a fabulous filly,” says Lalor of the 7-year-old mare who started out in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias, for whom she won a listed race in Vichy, before being transferred to Christophe Clement and winning four graded stakes in North America.

Laffon Parias, who, along with Pascal Bary, trains the French-based horses for Al Shira'aa, also oversaw the racing career of Rumi (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), a Group 2 and Group 3 winner who heads this year to be covered by Kingman (GB). Also heading to the Juddmonte covering shed is Jannah Flower (Ire), runner-up in the G1 Prix de Royallieu last year for Pascal Bary and, like Rumi and Mutamakina, bought by Shawn Dugan.

“She was twice a listed winner, second in a Group 2 and second in a Group 1 on the day before the Arc, and she's going to Frankel,” Lalor adds of Jannah Flower.

The prefix of Jannah, which translates to paradise, is likely to be seen more widely in the coming years. This season, Sheikha Fatima and her team at Al Shira'aa will have high hopes for Jannah Rose (Ire), a Frankel filly bred by John Hayes and bought for €650,000, who has raced just once and won at Chantilly. She now holds entries for the French Classics, as does Saadiyat (Ire), a Lope De Vega (Ire) half-sister to Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire).

“Jannah Rose was quite possibly one of the nicest yearlings I've ever seen at a sale,” Lalor recalls. “She was a fantastic-looking individual, and she moved great. She was one horse I said to the boss, 'We just have to own her, whatever it takes.' In her debut victory, she had to overcome quite a bit in that race to get out into the open. She was very green but when she engaged that run before the finish line, it really got the heart going. That was only a maiden win, but it was quite an emotional win, because she was a very expensive filly. A lot of things can go wrong, but she's one we'll be very excited about.”

He adds, “Our main focus has always been France. They have a great system, that really rewards breeders and owners.”

The operation currently boards a group of mares in France with Julian Ince at Haras du Logis, which includes Celestial Beast, a full-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner and sire Bobby's Kitten. Three of them are booked to Logis resident Victor Ludorum (Ire) and another three to Galiway (GB).

In America, the mares are entrusted to Gainesway, and the four being covered there this year are booked to the smart names of Uncle Mo, Into Mischief, American Pharoah and Justify.

“[Gainesway manager] Brian Graves has been a good friend of mine for a long time. They are part-owner in Miss Jessica J (Empire Maker), and so it was just an organic kind of relationship that started there. We've tried to have one every year from Europe go over there [to race]. Geoff and Sandra Mulcahy do all of our lay-ups over there and they do a great job, and once they go into the breeding arena they go to Gainesway.”

He adds, “The two Triple Crown winners have both started well. American Pharoah has had some good winners here as well. I'd be all for them, and the boss, thankfully, feels the same. She jumped at the chance of using Justify.”

While Al Shira'aa is very much an owner-breeder operation, all breeders have to sell some stock to keep the numbers at a reasonable level, and David Cox of Baroda Stud is called upon when required to offer youngsters for sale.

“Everybody has that decision, and it's a very difficult decision to make because inevitably you're going to sell a really good horse, but our limit is 30 mares,” Lalor says.

“Until we expand to the level where we could have more flexibility we try to stay strictly to that number. The grand scheme is to improve on all this, so we have 28 [mares] at the moment, and when one comes in, one goes out.

“Obviously we do want to grow and expand, but that comes with time. We can't just go and buy a broodmare band in one or two years. We've obviously a lot of families in the racing stable and most of them will come into the breeding operation, but we have some flexibility in that regard because if they are doing well and they are healthy and enjoying it they will continue racing. The boss likes to keep them in training, so we race as 4- or 5-year-olds. Mutamakina was six when she retired.”

Mares and foals at Meadow Court Stud | Al Shira'aa

Classic relations loom large on the lists of horses of various ages on the walls of Lalor's office. Lady In Lights (Ire), a Dansili (GB) half-sister to the Guineas winners Magna Grecia (Ire) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr), was bought in December 2020 carrying to No Nay Never, and her resultant foal, now two and named Spirit Lady (Ire), is one of an illustrious group of 12 juveniles currently being broken in by Ian McCarthy. Also among that intake is the Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Native Trail (GB), named Native Pearl (Fr); Jannah Pearl (Fr), a Galileo (Ire) sister to Rumi; and Crimson Tide (Fr), a full-sister to Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), all of whom were purchased at Arqana last August.

“The first thing we do when we buy a yearling, they come back here, and they go out together in the field for three months,” Lalor notes. “So they detox from the sales, all of that prepping at such a young age can be quite a lot for them. We try to let them go back to being a horse, as opposed to going straight to a breaker or pre-trainer and then getting turned out in January for a month or so. And our first instruction to Ian is to let them do it in their own time, as individuals.”

He continues, “It's the same with all the trainers. There's no pressure to push them.

“Like with Caelestis, the Dubawi [half-sister to Waldgeist], there was probably a lot of expectation for her to come out last year. But she was immature and green, and Pascal [Bary] said, 'No, she's not going to be ready until next year.'”

For someone who has cut their teeth with sport horses, as Sheikha Fatima has, waiting an extra year between a youngster's 2- and 3-year-old season clearly doesn't rankle. And, after all, with the earlier purchases now embarking on their broodmare careers, and the early drafts of homebreds in the paddocks, there is much to occupy the team's thoughts at all levels.

“Sheikha Fatima is very much involved,” says Lalor. “We spent hours on the phone in December going over matings. I go and short-list at the sales, but she sees everything and makes the final decisions. She loves coming to the farm and seeing the foals, the development, how they grow. She has a really good eye for a horse, and with the matings, as I say, we spend hours going over them.”

He adds, “Sometimes I wonder whether we are raising horses or trees. We've planted more than 2,000 trees on the farm and it's an organic farm, so we don't spray with chemicals, we use seaweed. It's going to be fabulous in 10 or 20 years when all these trees grow. Everything on the farm is done with the wildlife in mind.

“The boss is really passionate about it, and it's more fun when they're as involved as Sheikha Fatima is. That kind of makes it all worthwhile, and when you get to work with horses like this, trying to develop our own product.”

At a time when the demise of the owner-breeder is much rued, it is indeed encouraging to see an historic farm rejuvenated, from the paddocks to the stock therein.

“I remember the first time we met the boss, and we spoke about what she wanted out of this,” says Lalor. “We looked about, at all those Classic breeders. Coolmore are probably the best in the business, they're just exceptional, and Juddmonte, too. And so with the same goals and mindset, we dove into this. Hopefully I think we're on the right path, but we will keep trying to improve and try to keep moving in the right direction.”

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