Commonwealth Cup hero Eqtidaar retired to stand at Nunnery Stud

Eqtidaar, who followed in the footsteps of Muhaarar, Quiet Reflection and Caravaggio by winning the Commonwealth Cup in 2018, has been retired and will start his stallion career under the Shadwell banner at Nunnery Stud in Norfolk next year.

The colt, trained by Sir Michael Stoute for owner-breeder Hamdan Al Maktoum, beat a host of talented runners at Royal Ascot that day including Group 1 winners Sands Of Mali, Sioux Nation and Unfortunately.

He was also an impressive winner of a Nottingham maiden on debut in the August of his juvenile season and ran second in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes, though he failed to recapture his best form in three starts subsequent to his Commonwealth Cup heroics.

Eqtidaar holds significant appeal on pedigree as he is by Invincible Spirit, whose sons Kingman and I Am Invincible rank among the world's most in demand young sires. Another son, Cable Bay, has made a good impression with his debut two-year-old runners this season.

Eqtidaar is also a half-brother to Hungerford Stakes winner and Dewhurst and 2,000 Guineas runner-up Massaat, while his dam – the winning Acclamation mare Madany – is a half-sister to Listed winner Zeiting, who produced Pattern winners Combat Zone, Royal Empire and Scottish as well as the Group 3-placed dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Precieuse.

Shadwell Stud director Richard Lancaster said: “Eqtidaar is an outstanding model, who really fills the eye. He's a good-looking, well-balanced horse with great length.

“There's no denying that in recent years there has been a seismic shift towards speed and speed-orientated stallions. The Commonwealth Cup has become one of the most important races in the calendar – there’s no doubt it has become a stallion-making race – and Eqtidaar won it very well, beating several high-class performers in the process.

“He has all the attributes to meet the demands of commercial breeders: he’s a Group 1-winning sprinter by one of the hottest sire of sires in Europe.”

Stoute paid tribute to his former charge by saying: “This well balanced, quality son of Invincible Spirit had a great temperament, and was at his best when winning the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in 2018.”

Eqtidaar will be available to view at Beech House Stud in Newmarket during the Tattersalls December Sales.

A fee for him and other Nunnery Stud stallions in 2020 will be announced at a later date.

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