From today's EBN:
RIP old man
The dual Gr.1 Derby winner Shahrastani (Nijinsky) was put down yesterday at Walton Fields Stud in Leicestershire, as a result of accumulating infirmities of age.
After winning the Gr.2 Dante Stakes, Shahrastani won the 1986 Gr.1 Derby at Epsom for His Highness The Aga Khan, Sir Michael Stoute and Walter Swinburn, timing his run for home perfectly to hold off the late surge by Dancing Brave. Considered by some to have had luck on his side that day, he was nevertheless the Derby winner and went on to win the Gr.1 Irish Derby by eight lengths. He was favourite to defeat Dancing Brave again in the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes but was off colour and failed to fire. Dancing Brave established himself as one of the greatest post-war racehorses and in one of the best of races of all time, the 1986 Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Shahrastani finished a gallant fourth in a field which included Bering, Tryptich, Shardari, Acatenango and Saint Estephe.
Syndicated at three to Kentucky, Shahrastani was only moderately successful, faring better when standing in Ireland, siring 13 black-type winners. Sold to Japan in the mid 90s, he was repatriated after a Hokkaido visit by David Allan, with the help of Kerr and Co’s Bert Kerr. In a partnership between Allan and Islanmore Stud, Shahrastani covered over 200 mares, mostly National Hunt, in Co Limerick over three seasons.
Transferred to Britain, he became a much-loved talisman for Allan and for Walton Fields, where he has lived since, retiring a few years ago, popping up as a broodmare sire, including of a Gr.1 winner. “He was a kind horse but easily wound up, needing expert handling,” commented Allan. “Wayne Hutchinson has been brilliant with him at work and in retirement, and it has been such a pleasure to have been associated for 14 years with this special racehorse”.
After winning the Gr.2 Dante Stakes, Shahrastani won the 1986 Gr.1 Derby at Epsom for His Highness The Aga Khan, Sir Michael Stoute and Walter Swinburn, timing his run for home perfectly to hold off the late surge by Dancing Brave. Considered by some to have had luck on his side that day, he was nevertheless the Derby winner and went on to win the Gr.1 Irish Derby by eight lengths. He was favourite to defeat Dancing Brave again in the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes but was off colour and failed to fire. Dancing Brave established himself as one of the greatest post-war racehorses and in one of the best of races of all time, the 1986 Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Shahrastani finished a gallant fourth in a field which included Bering, Tryptich, Shardari, Acatenango and Saint Estephe.
Syndicated at three to Kentucky, Shahrastani was only moderately successful, faring better when standing in Ireland, siring 13 black-type winners. Sold to Japan in the mid 90s, he was repatriated after a Hokkaido visit by David Allan, with the help of Kerr and Co’s Bert Kerr. In a partnership between Allan and Islanmore Stud, Shahrastani covered over 200 mares, mostly National Hunt, in Co Limerick over three seasons.
Transferred to Britain, he became a much-loved talisman for Allan and for Walton Fields, where he has lived since, retiring a few years ago, popping up as a broodmare sire, including of a Gr.1 winner. “He was a kind horse but easily wound up, needing expert handling,” commented Allan. “Wayne Hutchinson has been brilliant with him at work and in retirement, and it has been such a pleasure to have been associated for 14 years with this special racehorse”.
RIP old man
