Sunday 12 June 2016
Hot on the heels of the Derby success of his son Harzand, SEA THE STARS was in the limelight a week later with a Stakes double thanks to MUTAKAYYEF and ZELZAL.
ZELZAL showed star quality at Chantilly on Saturday when he flew home to secure the Gr 3 Prix Paul de Moussac comfortably by two and a half lengths. The three-year-old colt, who had won his first two races of the season before disappointing when not suited by Deauville’s straight mile in the Gr 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, will now head for the Gr 1 Prix Jean Prat.
By SEA THE STARS and out of winning Kingmambo mare Olga Prekrasa, ZELZAL was bought by Al Shaqab racing for 180,000 Euros at Arqana’s August yearling sale in 2014. His trainer Jean-Claude Rouget feels that there is more improvement to come from this colt, who did not make his racing debut until this spring.
At York, the exceptionally consistent MUTAKAYYEF ran on well to secure the Listed Ganton Stakes over a mile, on his first run since being gelded. This was a well-deserved win as the five-year-old had never finished out of the first three in ten previous career outings, including seven at Group and Listed level. He should now progress back into Group company. This son of SEA THE STARS is out of Group 3 victrix Infallible (Pivotal), a 260,000 Guinea yearling at Tattersalls, he carries the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.
MUTAKAYYEF and ZELZAL became their in-form Gilltown Stud sire’s 26th and 27th Stakes winners. The winner of six Group 1 races including the Epsom Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, SEA THE STARS counts four Group 1 winners as a sire and his son Harzand is on track to attempt a Derby double in the Irish Derby on 25th June.
Updated on 13/06/2016.
