MEHMAS had a busy campaign in 2016, winning four of his eight starts and finishing the year on a rating of 115. He looks set to be even busier in 2017 as he is about to start his first term as a stallion at Tally-Ho Stud.
He is by the sire of Dark Angel and, like that Group 1-winning Group 1 sire, he is also out of a daughter of Machiavellian (by Mr Prospector). The pair also have in common that they retired from the track at the end of their juvenile season.
Mehmas beat Madam Dancealot over five furlongs on his debut at Chester in early May, followed that with a three and a quarter-length defeat of Global Applause in a conditions race over six at Newbury, and was then runner-up to that same rival in the Listed National Stakes, back over five, before chasing home Caravaggio in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The following month he beat Intelligence Cross by half a length in the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket and then Blue Point by a neck in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, before chasing home Churchill in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh and taking third to The Last Lion in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes.
In addition to the aforementioned Dark Angel, Acclamation’s handful of sons at stud also include Group 1 star and Group 1 sire Equiano and last year’s freshman Harbour Watch, whose first crop featured the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin scorer Tis Marvellous.
Mehmas has his sire’s speed rather than the stamina of the distaff side of his family.
His unraced dam, Lucina, is a half-sister to the Group 1-placed multiple pattern scorer Blue Monday (by Darshaan) and she is a full-sister to Jakarta, the grandam of dual French classic heroine Avenir Certain (by Le Havre).
Third dam Lucayan Princess (by High Line) won the Listed Sweet Solera Stakes at two, but her top sons Luso (by Salse), Warrsan (by Caerleon) and Needle Gun (by Sure Blade) were all middle-distance stars, the first pair notching up eight Group 1 wins between them.
Her speedy daughter Luana (by Shaadi) is the dam of high-class middle-distance horse Hattan (by Halling) and of talented stayer Tastahil (by Singspiel), and others have produced the middle-distance pattern winners Laheeb (by Cape Cross) and Nideeb (by Exceed And Excel).
Best of her daughters, however, is the Group 1-placed Group 3 winner Cloud Castle (by King’s Best), whose blacktype descendants feature 2016’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen’s Trust (by Dansili).
Won four races, £305,953, from 5 furlongs to 6 furlongs, at 2 years including, Arqana July Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Qatar Richmond Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2, also placed second in Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, Curragh, Gr.1, Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, BetVictor National Stakes, Sandown Park, L, and third in Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1.
Retires to stud in 2017.
Stands at: Tally-Ho Stud, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Contact: Tony O’Callaghan, Roger O’Callaghan, Henry O’Callaghan
Telephone: +353 (0)44 9348450
Email: info@tallyhostud.com
Web: www.tallyhostud.com
Fee: €12,500