Shahrastani
Encyclopedia
Shahrastani is a Europe
an Thoroughbred
racehorse
. Owned and bred by HH Aga Khan IV
, he was sired by Nijinsky
and out of the mare Shademah.
Trained at Newmarket by Michael Stoute
, and ridden by Walter Swinburn
, in 1986 Shahrastani won April's Sandown Classic Trial
and May's Dante Stakes
. He then won June's Epsom Derby
by a neck over a field that included Dancing Brave
. Sent to the Curragh Racecourse
in Ireland
, Shahrastani won his fourth straight race in capturing the Irish Derby by eight lengths.
After his win in the Irish Derby, Shahrastani was never the same. In July, the colt finished fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
and fourth in October's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
at Longchamp
.
At the end of the 1986 racing season, Shahrastani was retired to stud. He has stood with limited success at Three Chimneys Farm
in Kentucky
as well as at Clashmore Stud in Ireland and breeding farms in France and Japan. He currently stands at Walton Fields Stud, Grimston
, Leicestershire
. He is the damsire of Alamshar
, whose victories include the 2003 Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. Owned and bred by HH Aga Khan IV
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
, he was sired by Nijinsky
Nijinsky II
The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
and out of the mare Shademah.
Trained at Newmarket by Michael Stoute
Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
, and ridden by Walter Swinburn
Walter Swinburn
Walter R. Swinburn is a retired flat racing jockey who competed in Great Britain and Ireland as well as internationally.Swinburn was born in Oxford...
, in 1986 Shahrastani won April's Sandown Classic Trial
Sandown Classic Trial
The Sandown Classic Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April.The event was established in 1953, and it...
and May's Dante Stakes
Dante Stakes
The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
. He then won June's Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
by a neck over a field that included Dancing Brave
Dancing Brave
Dancing Brave was a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1983, a bay colt sired by Lyphard out of Navajo Princess. He was purchased as a yearling by Khalid Abdullah for US$200,000 in Kentucky....
. Sent to the Curragh Racecourse
Curragh Racecourse
The Curragh Racecourse, usually abbreviated to The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred race track. It is situated on the Curragh plain near Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.- History :...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Shahrastani won his fourth straight race in capturing the Irish Derby by eight lengths.
After his win in the Irish Derby, Shahrastani was never the same. In July, the colt finished fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
and fourth in October's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
at Longchamp
Hippodrome de Longchamp
The Longchamp Racecourse is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes in the Bois de Boulogne at Paris, France. Built on the banks of the Seine River, it is used for flat racing and is noted for its variety of interlaced tracks and a famous hill that provides a real...
.
At the end of the 1986 racing season, Shahrastani was retired to stud. He has stood with limited success at Three Chimneys Farm
Three Chimneys Farm
Three Chimneys Farm is an American thoroughbred race horse breeding farm in Midway, Kentucky established in 1972 by Mr. & Mrs. Robert N. Clay. Widely known as one of the world's preeminent horse farms, Three Chimneys has been home to a number of famous horses including U.S. Triple Crown champion...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
as well as at Clashmore Stud in Ireland and breeding farms in France and Japan. He currently stands at Walton Fields Stud, Grimston
Grimston, Leicestershire
Grimston is a village and a civil parish in the Melton District, in the English county of Leicestershire.-Amenities:Grimston has a pub, a place of worship and once also had a railway station called Grimston railway station.-External links:...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. He is the damsire of Alamshar
Alamshar
Alamshar is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won five of his nine races in a career which lasted from September 2002 to September 2003...
, whose victories include the 2003 Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.