Well-deserved first Group 1 winner for Derrinstown Stud resident Awtaad as Anmaat proves gritty in Prix d'Ispahan

Derrinstown Stud's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and consistent sire Awtaad was provided with his maiden Group 1 scorer when the thoroughly likeable Anmaat struck in the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on Monday. 

The son of Cape Cross had been represented by two individual Group 2 winners from four Group winners to date, Anmaat among them after landing last autumn's Prix Dollar as well as the Rose of Lancaster Stakes in three 2022 runs for Shadwell and trainer Owen Burrows. 

The five-year-old, who has six wins and five placings from 11 starts, was bred by Ringfort Stud and sold to the late Hamdan Al Maktoum's operation for 140,000gns from the 2018 Tattersalls December Foal Sale. He is the sixth foal out of the Halling mare African Moonlight, a full-sister to Group 3 winner Mkuzi. 

Anmaat is himself a half-sibling to a number of winners including American Grade 3 winner Syntax. 

His sire is a Shadwell homebred, being out of the Listed-placed Shamardal mare Asheerah, making him a relation to a number of black-type winners and performers, including stakes winner and Group 3-placed Mehnah (by Frankel), Listed-placed Aneen (Lawman) - the dam of recent smart debutante winner Al Asifah - and Group-placed Alghabrah. 

Awtaad was a top-class performer in the Shadwell silks, winning on his second of two starts at two for Kevin Prendergast, before winning his first three starts at three, including his standout success in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, in which he defeated Newmarket hero Galileo Gold by two and a half lengths. He was also second to that rival in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. His other success came in the Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown. 

He retired to Derrinstown for the 2017 season for a fee of €15,000, one which has been reduced to €5,000 for the last two years. His other leading progeny include Prix Chaudenay scorer Al Qareem and Desmond Stakes victress Create Belief. 

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