Al Shaqab Racing

Zelzal has been deemed fully fit to cover mares in 2026 following an examination. The Haras de Bouquetot resident's 2025 season was disrupted due to health reasons. Amelie Lemercier, sales manager at Haras de Bouquetot, said, "Leader among sires of two-year-olds in France and responsible for 10 black-type performers in 2025, Zelzal confirms his position as one of the most dependable stallions in France thanks to the quality and consistency of his progeny, both on the track and in the sales ring. There are very few proven stallions, in France...

   Zelzal, who will stand for an unchanged fee of €10,000, anchors Al Shaqab Racing's Haras de Bouquetot roster next year. Jour de Galop first reported the news. The 12-year-old son of Sea The Stars has sired 11 stakes winners to date and has a trio of Group/Grade 3 winners to his credit in Dolce Zel, Short Final and Ouraika. Wooded, who sired G1 Prix Jean Prat hero Woodshauna this season, will also stand for his 2025 price at €7,000. Priced at €5,000 in his first year at stud, Al...

There was much consternation when only three new Flat stallions retired to stand in Britain for the 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this was a blip, but if it becomes a trend then obviously it is cause for concern. It is easy to understand why, in an increasingly commercial sphere, breeders would either flock to the proven elite (for those with mares good enough and pockets deep enough) or to the next first-season sire on the block who may be forgiven for a year or two until...

Coming into Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp very much under the radar, Al Shaqab's Sahlan (Wootton Bassett) became the latest of Francis Graffard's brigade to enter the spotlight during the trainer's unforgettable year. Edging a tight photo ahead of Rosallion (Blue Point), the highly-regarded three-year-old whose finest hour prior to this had been a latest win in the G3 Prix Daphnis landed odds of 16-1 from racing's relentless hard-luck story. Securing an unexpected eighth top-level victory for the stable in 2025, Mickael Barzalona thrust him to a...

Al Shaqab Racing and Trevor Stewart's 2-year-old colt Andab (Saxon Warrior), a full-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Victoria Road, made a winning debut in Monday's Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden over six furlong at the Curragh. Let go at odds of 8-1, he pulled clear in the closing stages to register an impressive 4 3/4-length success.   👀 Andab (Saxon Warrior) is a brother to @BreedersCup Juvenile winner Victoria Road and makes a very likeable start in the @AlShaqabRacing silks for the @JosephOBrien2 team @curraghrace |...

New Al Shaqab stallion Al Hakeem (GB) has six of his first seven mares bred scanned in foal, Al Shaqab Racing announced on Wednesday. The multiple group-winning son of Siyouni (Fr) is standing his first season at Haras de Bouquetot in France for €5,000 this year. Among the first mares in foal is Al Johrah (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), placed at group level and a half-sister to multiple Group 1-placed Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic). Cacimar (Fr) (Cacique {Ire}) is another confirmed in foal. She is out of the stakes...

The first reported foals for multiple group winner Lusail (Ire) have arrived, Al Shaqab Racing revealed on Friday. A filly out of Evertogether (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was the initial arrival and was bred by Haras de Castillon. She is from the family of group performers Mind Of Madness (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Dragon Pulse (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}). SCEA des Prairies welcomed a filly out of War Story (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}), who is a stakes producer. Breeder Thomas Jeffroy said, "War Story's Lusail filly is splendid. Given the mare's previous...

Group 1 winner and G1 2000 Guineas third Al Wukair (Ire) will stand at Yeguada La Serreta in Spain, the stud announced on X on Wednesday. The son of Dream Ahead was previously based at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot. Trained by Andre Fabre, the bay won both of his starts at two including the Listed Prix Isonomy. At three, he added the G3 Prix Djebel, before running third to Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2000 Guineas. Second in the G3 Prix Messidor later that summer, he added the...

This year's Prix du Jockey Club winner Look de Vega (Fr) will join his sire Lope de Vega (Ire) on the stallion roster at Ballylinch Stud next season, the operation announced on Monday. He has been introduced at a fee of €20,000. Look de Vega was bred by Joelle Mestrallet of Haras De La Morsangliere and Lucien Urano of Ecurie des Charmes, who raced him in partnership with his trainers Carlos and Yann Lerner, as well as Patrick Madar, before it was announced in July that Ballylinch--in association with Al...

The eight-strong roster at Haras de Bouquetot will be led by Zelzal (Fr) at €10,000, Al Shaqab racing announced on Friday. A pair of Group 3 winners are among his eight lifetime stakes winners, and the son of Sea The Stars (Ire) has 57% winners to runners worldwide. Both Group 1 winners Wooded (Ire) at €7,000 and Romanised (Ire) at the same fee, have first 3-year-olds next year. The former has nine winners to his name, while the latter has sired 10 scorers. Roster veteran Olympic Glory (Ire), the sire...

The Curragh's Tuesday card started with a bang as Al Shaqab Racing's newcomer Saracen (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Soteria {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) made an impressive start to his career in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Restrained behind the front pair by Dylan Browne McMonagle throughout the early stages, the Joseph O'Brien-trained 3-1 shot who was a €500,000 purchase at Arqana Deauville August moved to the long-time leader Pickersgill (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining before staying on to score by four lengths. "He was impressive, he's a...

Multiple group winner Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) has been retired and will stand at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot in 2025. A fee will be announced later. A homebred for Al Shaqab Racing, he won the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, although an early 2023 injury delayed his return last year. He would go on to finish fourth in both the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This term, the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron and Listed Prix de Suresnes went his way while under the...