A NEW arrival at Kildangan for the 2019 stud season is Jungle Cat, who had some very good form in England, particularly as a two-year-old, before becoming a Group 1 winning sprinter in both Dubai and Australia, beating Stormy Liberal who won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in both 2017 and 2018. One of nine Group 1 stars sired by the outstanding speed sire Iffraaj, he comes from a strong American family and is covering at a very fair fee in his first season.
One of the best two-year-olds in England in 2014, Jungle Cat won by two lengths at Goodwood and was placed second or third in four Group 2 events against top-class opposition.
Third to The Wow Signal in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Kodi Bear behind, Jungle Cat was second to Ivawood in the July Stakes at Newmarket, beating Muhaarar and that season’s juvenile champion Belardo. Muhaarar took his revenge by just a nose in the Gimcrack Stakes at York. In between, Jungle Cat was third to Ivawood in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.
After that Jungle Cat raced mainly at Meydan in Dubai, though he also spent enough time in England to win by five lengths over seven furlongs at Haydock Park. He was also second in the Group 2 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket, as well as a close second to Profitable in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes and fourth to him in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Jungle Cat was also winning five high-class sprints in Dubai, at four, five and six years of age, including the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (in which he was also placed twice), beating US Grade 1 star Stormy Liberal and Librisa Breeze, the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort Stakes and two runnings of the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.
Then late in 2018 he was sent to race in Australia where he won the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Invitation Stakes over seven furlongs at Caulfield and was third to Santa Ana Lane in the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington, his final start.
Jungle Cat’s sire Iffraaj was a top-class performer over seven furlongs and this son of dual champion Zafonic has sired the winners of over £20 million, including champions Ribchester and Wootton Bassett (sire of champion Almanzor). Iffraaj stands at Dalham Hall at a fee of £35,000, while a Ribchester covering costs £25,000.
The pedigree of Jungle Cat is completely free of Danzig blood, as his dam Mike’s Wildcat is a daughter of Storm Cat’s excellent son Forest Wildcat, a track record breaking sprinter in Maryland. Mike’s Wildcat won the Listed Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park as a two-year-old and she is the dam of eight winners, including Texas Wildcatter, third in both the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct and the Grade 3 Canadian Derby. This is an old established American family with many stakes winners to its credit.
JUNGLE CAT (IRE). Won eight races, £1,288,200, from 6 furlongs to 7 furlongs, 2 to 6 years including, Azizi Developments Al Quoz Sprint, Meydan, Gr.1, Sir Rupert Clarke Invitation Stakes, Caulfield, Gr.1, DP World UAE Region Al Fahidi Fort, Meydan, Gr.2, also placed second in Irish TB Marketing Gimcrack Stakes, York, Gr.2, Portland Place Properties July Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, Arabian Adventures Meydan Sprint, Meydan, Gr.3, Betway Criterion Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, Friday Meydan Sprint, Meydan, Gr.3, Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, SportingBet City Plate Stakes, Chester, L, Toronado Carnarvon Stakes, Newbury, L, and third in Darley VRC Sprint Classic, Flemington, Gr.1, Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Qatar Bloodstock Richmond Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2.
Retires to Stud in 2019.
Stands at: Kildangan Stud, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Contact: Eamon Moloney, Anthony O’Donnell, or Caoimhe Doherty
Telephone: +353 (0) 45 527600
Email: enquiries@darleyireland.com.
Web: www.darleystallions.com
Fee: €8,000 SLF