Tajaanus stokes the embers for exiled sire

As so often happens, banishment from these islands has proved the cue for another stallion to produce potentially his smartest prospect.

Arcano had been reduced to a book of just 27 mares by the time Derrinstown Stud gave up on him after the 2015 covering season. An unbeaten Group 1 winner at two, his stud record had compounded the disappointments of his subsequent racing career. Though causing a stir with his first crop of yearlings in 2013, his reputation had dwindled in polar contrast to that of Showcasing, another son of Oasis Dream he had beaten a head on their mutual debut at Newbury.

Two of only three Group 3 winners for Arcano have come in Italy, and he was sent to the lovely Besnate Stud in 2016. That, to be fair, the kind of exile that might well be envied by many more successful sires. The expertise of Shadwell's partners there can be measured by another migrant in Mujahid, who has proved a huge success in the local market.

Anyhow, it now turns out that among his penultimate crop of Irish foals was Tajaanus, who on Saturday took her record to three wins in four starts with a game success in a highly competitive race for the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Tajaanus is the first foal of Rayaheen, who won first time out but proved very disappointing thereafter. She was one of the first horses sent to the Hannons by Sheikh Hamdan, and a conduit of precious blood as a daughter of two outstanding runners in Nayef and Natagora.

The latter, winner of the 1,000 Guineas in 2008, represented a promising outcross as a daughter of the Sunday Silence sire Divine Light. But whatever it must have cost to add her to the Shadwell broodmare band - rather more, no doubt, than she had fetched as a €30,000 Arqana October yearling - she has not proved terribly productive as yet.

Tajaanus had already shown her good attitude with a first stakes win at SandownCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Raaqy, her daughter by Dubawi, did win first time out and made the frame in Listed company on her next start, but went into reverse thereafter. And Mankib, her son by Tamayuz, was given his chance in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains after winning for a second time on his reappearance this spring, albeit unable to get involved in the Classic.

But Sheikh Hamdan knows how to play the long game with families and Rayaheen's daughter is showing herself both progressive and committed. Her solitary defeat came when meeting traffic on her second start, and she has already earned her place in the Shadwell breeding programme.

It was a good afternoon at Newmarket for the Maktoum family's youngsters. Peace Trail, who rallied professionally to win the opening maiden for Godolphin, is a son of Cheveley Park veteran Kyllachy bought by John Ferguson for 230,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in April. The colt was pinhooked by Willie Browne of Mocklershill, who had bought him in the same ring for 120,000gns out of Book 2 the previous October.

Bred by Lennie Peacock of Tirol fame, Peace Trail is out of a Rock Of Gibraltar mare who was – most unusually – given the same name as her fourth dam, Path Of Peace. The first version, born in 1934, was an important Yorkshire mare.

Her daughter Colombelle was a prolific source of winners, and produced not only champion two-year-old filly Lindsay but also Arrangement, dam of the ground-breaking Kentucky Derby runner-up Bold Arrangement.

Arrangement had another daughter by Persian Bold, named Persian Song – whose progeny include Cherry Hinton winner Please Sing; another smart juvenile in Mountain Song, beaten under a length when third to King Of Kings in the National Stakes; and the second Path Of Peace. The latter's previous winner, an Equiano filly named Belvoir Bay, a Grade 3 winner in California.

Peace Trail's trainer Charlie Appleby continued his prolific run with juveniles when saddling a homebred Street Cry colt, Gold Town, to win the nursery. This is the second foal out of the Invincible Spirit mare Pimpernel, a Listed winner out of a half-sister to some genuine top-notchers in Derby runner-up Eagle Mountain, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Dank and multiple Group 1-placed Sulk.

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