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Shamardal pair make four-runner race a case of quality over quantity

Shamardal: book now restricted to Maktoum-owned mares
Shamardal: book now restricted to Maktoum-owned maresCredit: Darley

Two Shamardal fillies, both half-sisters to Group 1 winners by Dubawi, take each other on in the fillies’ novice stakes for three-year-olds and upwards at Chelmsford on Tuesday ().

Monteja, a half-sister to last season’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Nezwaah, represents the same owner-trainer combination of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and Roger Varian as her Dubawi half-sister.

Bred by Darley, Monteja is the third foal out of Dansili mare Ferdoos, who cost 200,000 guineas as a yearling at Tattersalls Book 1 in 2008. Ferdoos was initially trained by the late Michael Jarvis who purchased her for Sheikh Ahmed and won the Listed Pinnacle Stakes over 12 furlongs at Haydock when Roger Varian took over when Jarvis retired due to ill-health.

Ferdoos is a three-parts sister to Brusco, by Rock Of Gibraltar, who was trained in Germany by Andreas Wohler to win Listed contests over 1m6f to 1m7f.

Monteja faces three rivals in the mile contest including another Shamardal filly Ummalnar, who has the eye-catching jockey booking of Ryan Moore. Trained by William Haggas, Ummalnar impressed when making a winning debut in a mile maiden at Newmarket last month.

Ummalnar is a half-sister to classy stayer Sheikhzayedroad, by Dubawi, who won the Group 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine and was third to Order Of St George in the 2016 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He also won the Group 2 Doncaster Cup and British Champions Long Distance Cup that season.

Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock out of the Highest Honor mare Royal Secrets, Ummalnar runs in the colours of Mohammed Jaber. Royal Secrets was bred by Barronstown Stud and Orpendale and made €180,000 at the 2005 Arqana August Yearling Sale to Gainsborough Stud. Successful over a mile at three, Royal Secret is a half-sister to the Listed winner Vernoy and City Maiden, the dam of Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes winner and Group 1 Falmouth Stakes runner-up First City.

Royal Secret’s dam Marble Maiden is a stakes winner in France and America, taking the Grade 2 All Along Stakes at Laurel Park and the Group 3 Prix Sandringham at Chantilly.


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Published on 13 August 2018inNews

Last updated 18:58, 14 August 2018

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