Shamardal (USA)

Shamardal ended up unbeaten in six runs on turf and he made of all of the running on each occasion; trained by Mark Johnston at two, he beat the subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on his second start and ended his 2004 campaign with a victory over Oratorio in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket; well beaten on dirt in the UAE Derby on his 3yo return and debut for Godolphin, he returned to his brilliant best back on turf, winning the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp (narrowly from Indesatchel) and then beat 16 rivals headed by Hurricane Run in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly (1m 2.5f); he again proved impossible to catch when beating Ad Valorem by an easy 3l in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, run at York, but suffered a career-ending fetlock injury on the eve of the Eclipse Stakes; effective from 6f to 1m2f, he handled a variety of ground.