Al Wukair

THIS is an important year for Al Shaqab Racing and Haras de Bouquetot – on the track there is the first crop of champion twoyear-old Shalaa, while in the sales ring the first crops of Al Wukair, Brametot, Ectot and Zelzal are coming under the hammer at Europe’s yearling sales with the first foals by Mekhtaal to follow in the winter.

A good-looking son of multiple Group 1 winner Dream Ahead, Al Wukair brought a winning bid of 200,000gns from Nicolas de Watrigant’s Mandore International for Al Shaqab Racing.

Two runs as a two-year-old produced two wins for Al Wukair, including the Listed Prix Isonomy over a mile at Deauville.

He began his three-year-old season defeating the Group 1 winner National Defense in the Group 3 Prix Djebel over 7f, and then was only a length and neck behind Churchill and Barney Roy in the 2,000 Guineas. A second place in the Prix Messidor followed before his breakthrough success at Group 1 level came in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

Al Wukair raced just once more in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes before retiring to Haras de Boquetot for the 2018 breeding season.

Sire Dream Ahead’s stallion career has blossomed recently and in 2017 moved to stand at Haras de Grandcamp, the year Al Wukair.

Last year Donjuan Triumphant and Glass Slippers became Group 1-winning sprinters for Dream Ahead, while Dream Of Dreams and Forever In Dreams were both placed in Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, with Forever In Dreams following up her Commonwealth Cup second with third place behind Donjuan Triumphant in the British Champions’ Sprint (G1).

Al Wukair is a full-brother to the Group 3 Autumn Stakes second Dream Today and a half-brother to Witches Brew, a Listed-placed daughter of Duke Of Marmalade, who is the dam of Group 3 Prestige Stakes winner Antonia De Vega.

Their dam Macheera was successful at two and is a daughter of the Prix de Diane (G1) winner Caerlina. Macheera is also a half-sister to the Classic-placed La Nuite Rose and to Star Mie by A.P. Indy, who is a successful broodmare in Japan where her offspring include the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Curren Mirotic and the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Hikaru Amaranthas.

Al Wukair shares his broodmare sire Machiavellian with the top-class stallions Shamardal, Dark Angel and Zoffany.

Amongst the 116 mares that Al Wukair covered in 2018 was Al Thakhira (Dubawi), winner of the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes, and from the family of 2019 Group 1 Commonwealth Cup winner Ten Sovereigns – she has a yearling filly by Al Wukair.

Of his first crop, a dozen foals were offered for sale last year at Arqana’s December Breeding Stock Sale and Goffs November Foal Sale. The highest price achieved was €70,000 at Arqana for a colt out of Felcine, a Listed and Group 3-placed daughter of Duke Of Marmalade. The colt was consigned by Haras de Bourgeauville and purchased by Alain Decrion.

Also sold at Arqana in December was the most expensive filly foal from his first crop, that title going to Haras de Castillon’s foal out of Pacific Queen, a Sunday Break half-sister to the dam of Al Shaqab’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) winner Style Vendome.

She was bought by pin-hooking team Fairway Partners for €40,000 and is likely to be amongst Al Wukair’s progeny in the yearling sales.

Racing Form

Seven runs, four wins, two places | Best Timeform Rating: 124 | Average winning distance: 7.50f

Stakes form

AT 2 Won Prix Isonomy, Deauville, L., (8f. beating Gold Luck (FR) and Hebah (IRE)).

AT 3 Won P. Fresnay le Buffard Jacques Le Marois, Deauville, Gr.1, (8f. beating Inns of Court (IRE) and Thunder Snow (IRE)), Prix Djebel, Maisons-Laffitte, Gr.3, (7f. beating National Defense (GB) and African Ride (GB)), second in Prix Messidor, Maisons-Laffitte, Gr.3, (to Taareef (USA)), third in Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, (to Churchill (IRE)).