MANY readers may have, like me, been a little stumped to know that much about Shamalgan, sire at the weekend of the surprise, and record-breaking, Group 1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks winner Toskana Belle. However, it would almost take a book to tell his story in detail, and it might require being translated into a number of languages too.

The son of Footstepsinthesand (Giant’s Causeway) stands at Haras de Grandchamp, his fee this season being €4,000, and Toskana Belle is from his first crop conceived since he moved to that farm in Les Vignons. The then 10-year-old Shamalgan had been purchased by Simon Springer, owner of Ecurie Normandie Pur Sang, at the 2017 December Sale in Deauville for just €135,000, and sent to stand at his present base. Springer bred Toskana Belle from the Teofilo (Galileo) mare Tristane.