Shahtoush (foaled 29 April 1995) was an Irish

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse and

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than f ...

best known for winning The Oaks in 1998. In a racing career which lasted from August 1997 to September 1998 the

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

ran eleven times and won three races. Shahtoush won only one minor race as a two-year-old, but showed top-class form when she finished third in the

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern race system introduce ...

Moyglare Stud Stakes The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is schedul ...

. In 1998 she finished second in the 1000 Guineas at

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

and then returned to England to win the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a '' ...

Oaks over one and a half miles at

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. ...

. She was beaten in her two remaining races, finishing unplaced in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Irish Champion Stakes.

Background

Shahtoush is a bay mare with a small white

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth make ...

bred in Ireland by a partnership between the Barronstown Stud and Ron Con Ltd. She was sired by Alzao, a son of

Lyphard Lyphard (10 May 1969 – 10 June 2005) was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and an important sire. Background American bred in Pennsylvania, Lyphard was a son of Northern Dancer out of the mare Goofed. He was auctione ...

who never won above Group Three level, but became a successful breeding stallion, his progeny including Maraahel (

Hardwicke Stakes The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and ...

Second Set ''Second Set'' is a live album by pianist Cedar Walton recorded in Denmark in 1977 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label.Alborada. Shahtoush's dam Formulate, was a successful racehorse, whose wins included the Fillies' Mile and the May Hill Stakes. At stud she produced several winners including Game Plan, a filly who finished second in the Oaks in 1990. As a descendant of the broodmare Double Life, Shahtoush was related to horses such as Meld,

Charlottown Charlottown (1963 – 1979) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from 1965 until 1967 he ran ten times and won seven races. He is best known for winning the 1966 Derby. Background Charlottown was bred in England by his ...

and Kalaglow. In October 1996, the yearling filly was consigned to the Goffs sales where she was bought for IR£60,000 by the bloodstock agent John O'Byrne. During her racing career she was owned jointly by the Barronstown Stud's Diana Nagle and Susan Magnier, representing the Coolmore organisation. Like most Coolmore horses, Shahtoush was sent into training with

Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA ...

at Ballydoyle.

Racing career

1997: two-year-old season

Shahtoush began her racing career by finishing fifth in a twenty-runner

maiden race In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...

at Leopardstown in August 1997. She was the second choice of the Ballydoyle entry that day, starting at odds of 10/1, whilst her stable companion, Mempari, finished second as the 7/4 favourite. She was then moved up in class for the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh two weeks later. As in her debut, she was not the stable's favoured runner, starting a 16/1 outsider whereas Heeremandi started 3/1 favourite. Ridden by

Seamie Heffernan James Anthony "Seamie" Heffernan (born 17 July 1972) is an Irish flat racing jockey who rides mainly for horse racing trainer Aidan O'Brien. From a family with no racing connections Heffernan was introduced to the sport when he took a summer ...

, Shahtoush finished strongly to take third, beaten less than a length by the winner Tarascon, and one place ahead of Heeremandi. Shahtoush was dropped back to maiden company for her next race, and started 7/4 favourite, but was beaten a short head by Wish Me Luck. In October, Shahtoush contested the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and finished fourth to the English-trained filly Alborada. Later that month, Shahtoush won a race at the fifth attempt when she was sent to

Gowran Park Gowran Park is a horse race course in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the Annely Estate near the village of Gowran.The first meeting was held in 1914. and the first ever racecourse commentary in Ireland took place here in 1952. Gowra ...

for a maiden race. Starting at odds of 1/2 against moderate opposition, she won easily by four and a half lengths.

1998: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Shahtoush started evens favourite for the April Fillies' Stakes at the Curragh She was rated fifteen

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s superior to her opponents and recorded a predictably easy three and a half length win.

Christy Roche Christy Roche (born 3 December 1949 in Bansha, County Tipperary) is a retired Irish flat racing Champion Jockey and racehorse trainer. Over his thirty-year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Irish Derby three times, in 1982, 1992 and 19 ...

, who had ridden Shahtoush in both her wins, was replaced by

Mick Kinane Michael J. Kinane (born 22 June 1959, Killenaule, County Tipperary) is an Irish former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009. A prolific winner of the Irish, English and French Classic ra ...

when the filly was sent to England for the 1000 Guineas four weeks later. Starting at odds of 9/1, Shahtoush was unable to compete with Cape Verdi, but stayed on strongly in the closing stages to take second place, five lengths behind the Godolphin-trained winner. Shahtoush was expected to be a leading contender for the

Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled ...

three weeks later, starting 5/1 third favourite, but ran poorly, weakening in the closing stages to finish tenth behind Tarascon. With Cape Verdi aimed at the

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gain ...

, the

Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a British flat racing horse trainer. Cecil was very successful, becoming Champion Trainer ten times and training 25 domestic Classic winners. These comprised four winners ...

-trained Midnight Line was made favourite for the Oaks ahead of Godolphin's

Musidora Stakes The Musidora Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at ...

winner Bahr, with Shahtoush starting at odds of 12/1. Kinane restrained the Irish filly in the early stages before moving forward in the straight and accelerating past Midnight Line and Bahr a furlong from the finish. As the favourite weakened, the closing stages of the race devolved into a contest between Shahtoush and Bahr, with the Irish filly prevailing by three quarters of a length. Shahtoush's finishing burst appeared to catch Bahr's jockey

Frankie Dettori Lanfranco Dettori (; born 15 December 1970), better known as Frankie Dettori, is an Italian horse racing jockey based in the United Kingdom. Dettori has been British flat racing Champion Jockey three times and h ...

by surprise and Kinane's ride on the winner was described as a "tactical masterclass" by ''

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''. Aidan O'Brien, who was winning the Oaks with his first ever runner at the course, explained Shahtoush's improvement by stating that she had been unable to show her best on firm ground in her previous race. Shahtoush missed a run in the Irish Oaks, O'Brien deciding that the filly needed more time to recover after Epsom. After a break of two and a half months, Shahtoush returned in the Yorkshire Oaks at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...

in August. After briefly challenging the leaders she weakened and finished a remote fifth of the six runners behind the unbeaten

Catchascatchcan Catchascatchcan (foaled 4 February 1995) was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Owned and bred Lord Howard de Walden and trained by Henry Cecil she was unraced as a juvenile before winning a maiden race on her first appe ...

, having been eased down in the closing stages by Kinane, who reported that the filly was unsuited by the firm ground. On her final appearance, Shahtoush raced against

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: * Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People *Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places * Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United State ...

s for the first time in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, she was never in serious contention and finished last of the eight runners behind

Swain Swain, Swains or Swain's may refer to: Places * Swain Islands, Antarctica * Swain's Island (Newfoundland and Labrador), Canada * Swains Island, an atoll in the Tokelau chain, American Samoa * Swain County, North Carolina, United States * Swains ...

, ending her racing career with two consecutive defeats.

Assessment and honours

The independent

Timeform Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by ...

organisation gave Shahtoush a rating of 120. In their book, ''A Century of Champions'', based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Shahtoush an "inferior" winner of the Oaks.

Stud record

Shahtoush was retired to become a broodmare for the Coolmore Stud. Her record at stud was disappointing, with only one minor winner, a filly sired by Danehill named Satine. Foals * 2000 SATINE (IRE): Bay filly, foaled 6 January, by Danehill (USA) – won 1 race and placed twice; 4th G3 1000 Guineas Trial S, Leopardstown; 4th LR Ruby S, Tralee from 13 starts in Ireland * 2002 SEA OF MOYLE (IRE): Chesnut colt (gelded), foaled 28 January, by Giant's Causeway (USA) – unplaced in 2 starts on the flat in Ireland 2005 and three starts over hurdles in Ireland 2007 * 2006 CUSTODY (IRE): Bay colt (gelded), foaled 21 January, by Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) – placed five times from 9 starts in England 2008-9 * 2007 SWEET DREAMS BABY (IRE): Bay filly, foaled 22 February, by Montjeu (IRE) – unraced, dam of winner Roxy Star (IRE) (2012, by Fastnet Rock )

Pedigree

References

{{Epsom Oaks Winners 1995 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in Ireland Thoroughbred family 2-i Epsom Oaks winners