WHAT a year the veteran Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) has been enjoying. On Sunday he sired his latest classic winner when Castle Lady, carrying the Godolphin blue silks, landed the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp.

The filly was always travelling well under Mickael Barzalona and she quickened impressively a furlong and a half out before finally displaying battling qualities for such an inexperienced runner to hold on by a nose. Trained by Henri-Alex Pantall, the three-year-old remains unbeaten having won her maiden at Chantilly in March, and then earning her place in the starting line for the classic when landing the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte.

Castle Lady is out of the unraced Elusive Quality (Gone West) mare Windsor County, a full-sister to another Darley stallion in Raven’s Pass who is based, alongside Shamardal, at Kildangan Stud. Windsor County is also dam of a second stakes winner in Top Score, a son of Darley America’s Hard Spun (Danzig).

Castle Lady has a fascinatingly named two-year-old half-brother in Eton College (Invincible Spirit), while her yearling sibling is a colt by Dark Angel (Acclamation).

Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality) finally got his Group 1 winner last year when Royal Marine won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend. The champion miler of his generation in Europe at three, he won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on his way to capturing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. Raven’s Pass has a stakes-winning sibling in the Grade 3 Miami Mile Breeders’ Cup Handicap scorer Gigawatt (Wild Again).

Raven’s Pass and Castle Lady’s dam Windsor County are out of the smart US juvenile Ascutney (Lord At War). The highlight of her two-year-old season came at Hollywood Park when she won the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes.

Ascutney is an own-sister to Words Of War, a multiple stakes winner who sold for a bid short of $2 million having produced Grade 1 winner No Matter What (Nureyev) and Grade 2 winner and sire E Dubai (Mr Prospector). Following her sale, Words Of War became the grandam of champion European two-year-old filly and Group 1 Matron Stakes winner Rainbow View (Dynaformer).

Shamardal was the best in class at two in Europe following his victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, beating Oratorio. At three he completed the classic double of Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains – French 2000 Guineas and Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club – French Derby, while also capturing the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes.

Shamardal has sired six group winners in 2019, while Castle Lady became his 22nd Group 1 winner. In a marvellous weekend he also sired a pair of group-winning Aga Khan homebreds in Hazapour and classic possible Tarwana. Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Stakes winner Blue Point is another 2019 star.

Back in January Godolphin added to their team with the acquisition of a half-share in Persian King, an investment well rewarded when he have Sheikh Mohammed a classic double in France, scoring in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains. From the first crop of Kingman (Invincible Spirit), the colt capped an impressive juvenile campaign for Andre Fabre when beating the subsequent Group 1 winning two-year-old and now classic winner Magna Grecia in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.

Prior to his part-acquisition by Godolphin, Persian King raced for the Wildenstein family’s Ballymore Thoroughbred, and is from a dam line cultivated over many years by the leading French owner-breeders.

Persian King is the second foal for his winning dam Pretty Please, a daughter of Dylan Thomas (Danehill). She won on her debut at Chantilly at three. Her first offspring is the now four-year-old Pretty Spirit (Invincible Spirit) who was runner-up on her debut, the best of her three starts last year. Consigned to the Arqana December Sale, she was sold for €150,000.

Pretty Please is a half-sister to stakes winners Planteur (Danehill Dancer) and Pilote D’Essai (Oasis Dream). Planteur won the Group 1 Prix Ganay, was runner-up in the French Derby, and is at stud in France.

Planteur’s unraced dam Plante Rare (Giant’s Causeway) is a half-sister to two horses who stand or stood in Ireland. Noteworthy is Policy Maker (Sadler’s Wells) who is at Blackrath Stud and this multiple Group 2 winner has made a good start at stud, recently siring the mightily impressive Chacun Pour Soi who won the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown. His dam was a half-sister to the Arc winner Peintre Celebre (Nureyev).

Kingman notched up a sixth stakes winner this year at York when, on the opening day this week, his daughter Nausha won the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes. His son Calyx remains unbeaten in three starts and is one of the most exciting prospects in training.