Swettenham Stud has tapped into the all-conquering Shamardal sireline with its exciting new signing Puissance De Lune (IRE).
Shamardal is blazing a trail at breakneck speed towards 100 individual stakes winners since his first runners appeared in 2009. The 77th arrived last Friday when Sperry claimed the LR Michael Seely Memorial (1600m) at York.
Sheikh
Hamdan's progressive filly holds a Group 1 nomination for the Coronation Stakes
at Royal Ascot. That performance followed Shamardal's Group 1 wins with
the John Moore trained duo Able Friend and Dan Excel earlier this month.
Able Friend is rated the world's best racehorse after trouncing his rivals in the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin. The strapping chestnut didn't come off the bridle for jockey Joao Moreira at Sha Tin.
Trainer John Moore and owner Dr. Cornel Li will give him the chance to win a fifth Group 1 at Royal Ascot next month.
"They're going to stretch him to make sure he really is the champion," Moore explained. "He's only going to England for one race and that's (G1) Queen Anne Stakes."
Dan Excel defended his Group 1 Singapore International Cup (2000m) last Sunday to become the first horse to win Singapore's richest race twice since it was launched in 2000.
"We have been approached by Royal Ascot," Moore said. "Obviously, we will be there with Able Friend so we may consider a race like the (G1) Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July."
Shamardal (Giant's Causeway) shuttled to Australia until 2010 and sired 4 of his 13 Group 1 winners out here headed by Epsom Hcp winner Captain Sonador. He retired to stud in Queensland and is making a big impression with his first two year-olds this season, however, he died before they hit the track.
Loup De Vega is another Shamardal stallion unavailable to local breeders in 2015. His first crop are also up and winning this season but he won't be shuttling from Ireland this year.
Puissance De Lune (Ire) is ready to fill the breech at Swettenham Stud for an introductory service fee of $11,000 (inc gst) this year. Lifetime breeding rights are also available for $25,000.
He won the G2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington and G2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield as well as finishing second in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes and G1 Turnbull Stakes before injuring a tendon when sent out favourite for the 2013 Cox Plate.
"We never saw the best of Puissance De Lune," Swettenham owner Adam Sangster said. "Glen Boss said he had the speed to win a Newmarket and could have been a superstar but for that tendon injury."
Puissance De Lune is a half-brother to the dam of Group 1 filly Rizeena who won last year's G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Their second-dam is a sister to Serena's Song who was the Champion 3YO Filly of her generation in the USA winning the G1 Beldame Stakes, G1 Hempstead Hcp and G1 Haskell Invitational.
For further information and bookings to Puissance De Lune, please call Sam McMillan on 0437 666 281 or Chris Belli on 0417 514 552.
