THE world champion older horse of 2020, Ghaiyyath raced in the Godolphin colours and was a group winner in each of his four seasons in training, scoring in four different countries over distances ranging from a mile to 12 furlongs

Altogether this son of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) won nine of his 13 starts and amassed earnings of just short of €1 million. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Ghaiyyath was placed on his debut at two, scored by five lengths at Newmarket in September, before comfortably adding the Group 3 Autumn Stakes, also at Newmarket, and in a new record time for that race. Although he had only one start at three, it brought him a three-length victory in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp.

Returning to France at four, Ghaiyyath began his third season with a comfortable success in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt, before running third to Waldgeist in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, also at Longchamp. Afterwards he was sent to Germany for the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, where he scored a sensational victory by 14 lengths, one of the largest margins ever in a race of that quality. That performance earned Ghaiyyath the distinction of being champion older horse in Germany.

It was as a five-year-old that Ghaiyyath hogged the headlines, starting with an eight-length success in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan. He was set a much stiffer task in the Group 1 Coronation Cup, run at Newmarket, but set another course record when coming home clear of Anthony Van Dyck and Stradivarius.

Going on to Sandown Park for the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes, Ghaiyyath defeated Enable by two lengths, with Japan and Magic Wand behind them, before yet another Group 1 win in the Juddmonte International at York, three lengths clear of Magical, Lord North and Kameko. Magical got her revenge in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but Ghaiyyath finished second, and ahead of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass and Japan.

Wonderful pedigree

Bought for €1,100,000 as a foal at Goffs, Ghaiyyath has a wonderful pedigree, with his sire being the dual champion Dubawi, who has more than 50 individual Group 1 winners to his credit, including such stars as Night Of Thunder, Too Darn Hot, Space Blues, Modern Games and New Bay.

Nightime, the dam of Ghaiyyath, is a daughter of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) and she won the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Among the other winners so far produced by Nightime is Zhukova (Fastnet Rock) whose seven wins included the Grade 1 Man O’War Stakes in the USA before she sold for 3,700,000gns. Ghaiyyath’s grandam Caumshinaun (Indian Ridge) was the champion older mare in Ireland in 2001.

Race record

GHAIYYATH (IRE), Bay 2015. Won nine races, £880,375, from 1 mile to 1½ miles, 2 to 5 years including, Coronation Cup, Newmarket, Gr.1, Eclipse Stakes, Sandown Park, Gr.1, Juddmonte International Stakes, York, Gr.1, Longines Grosser Preis von Baden, Baden-Baden, Gr.1, Prix d’Harcourt, Parislongchamp, Gr.2, Godolphin Autumn Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, Jaguar Dubai Millennium Stakes, Meydan, Gr.3, Prix du Prince d’Orange, Parislongchamp, Gr.3, also placed second in Irish Champion Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.1, and third in Prix Ganay, Parislongchamp, Gr.1.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2021. First crop are yearlings.

Information

Stands at: Kildangan Stud, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare W34 HR98, Ireland

Contact: Eamon Moloney, Anthony O’Donnell or Tom Fogarty

Telephone: +353 45 527600

Email: hello@darley.co.uk

Web: www.darleyeurope.com

Fee: €25,000