Against the odds: Aspetar becomes a first Group 1 hero for subfertile Al Kazeem

Al Kazeem's remarkable stallion career took another major twist on Sunday when Aspetar became the Oakgrove Stud sire's first Group 1 winner with a clear-cut success in the 57th running of the Preis von Europa at Cologne.

Fittingly trained by Roger Charlton, who oversaw the entirety of Al Kazeem's unorthodox but hugely successful racing career, Aspetar hails from his sire's debut crop, who were conceived at The Royal Studs at a fee of £18,000 and amid high expectations after the son of Dubawi landed three Group 1s, namely the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.

However, having been bought by the Queen and syndicated, with Sheikh Joaan Al Thani taking a significant share and committing some of his best mares to the horse, Al Kazeem was found to be subfertile, with his first crop of foals numbering just 22.

Aspetar, pictured winning the Cocked Hat Stakes, supplied his sire with a breakthrough Group 1 victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Such limited numbers have not been a barrier to success for Al Kazeem, though, with 50 per cent of his debut crop winning, with Aspetar, who also won the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, joined by the likes of three-time winner and Listed-placed Golden Spell and the useful dual scorer Alexana.

Aspetar's pedigree perfectly illustrates the esteem in which Al Kazeem was held when he first took up covering duty, as Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani's homebred is the first foal out of the blue-blooded Bella Qatara.

A winning daughter of Dansili, the dam is the second foal out of three-time Group 1 winner Alexandrova, a daughter of Sadler's Wells who landed the Oaks and the Irish and Yorkshire equivalents while in training with Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners.

This lineage means that Bella Qatara is a half-sister to three stakes winners, namely Group 2 Prix Kergorlay scorer Alex My Boy, Group 2 Dahlia Stakes victress and Tattersalls Gold Cup runner-up Somehow and Happen, who landed the Group 3 Athasi Stakes.

Alexandrova is also a sibling to Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Magical Romance and the smart pair Washington Irving and Masterofthehorse, who was third in Sea The Stars' Derby and now stands at Haras du Mazet.

Following an abortive first attempt at stud, Al Kazeem was the subject of an insurance claim, after which his former owner and breeder John Deer bought the horse back and returned him to Charlton.

It is a testament to his owner's sporting inclination and his trainer's immense skill that Al Kazeem rediscovered his old form to spectacular effect, winning the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes and the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt before he added a fourth Group 1 to his CV with a second win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Having suffered a suspensory branch injury, Al Kazeem was retired for a second time and took up residency at Deer's Oakgrove Stud near Chepstow. Aspetar's top-level triumph will no doubt offer encouragement to Deer and those outside breeders who have continued to patronise Al Kazeem, with the horse covering select, carefully selected books in a bid to manage his fertility issues.

As well as Aspetar and his first-crop peers flying the flag for Al Kazeem, he also has 23 Oakgrove-conceived two-year-olds on the ground. Although this crop has yet to yield any winners, the likes of Jeff Smith's homebred Arabian Moon and Cheveley Park Stud's Finery seem certain to be scoring before too long.

Though he seems destined never to have numbers on his side, Sunday's result highlights that what he lacks in quantity, Al Kazeem more than makes up for in quality.

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