Angus Gold On Shadwell Rebuilding And Aiming High

Gold is finally back at his desk after a fast and furious Royal Ascot week, but another day of racing is never far away.

On this occasion, the racing legend is taking a pause to chat about the road he foresees their Royal Ascot horses will take over the remainder of the year.

He also reflects on their current focus on maximising the potential of existing talent while identifying promising young horses to rebuild Shadwell's racing legacy with a small but powerful team, this year headlined by Alflaila and Israr.

Both wins for Mukaafah have come over six furlongs but he dropped back to 5 furlongs this time. He stayed in the middle all through his Royal Ascot run, what do you think happened and what is the plan for him over the summer?

We decided to test him over five furlongs, because of his sprinter-like characteristics, but he seemed to lack the necessary speed for that distance. He still displays some mental immaturity by lacking focus, which may have contributed to him being slowly away from the stalls, we may need to consider gelding him in the future – regardless of that I still believe he still has the potential to be a good horse.

Mostabshir weakened just a little bit in final furlong finishing fourth. He did really well considering his position and the competition. What did you think of his performance and what is the target for him over the summer?

He's a highly capable horse based on his homework. His performance at York last year was truly impressive, and I still believe he demonstrates strong potential during training. I actually consider his recent race to be one of his best runs in the past eight months. He looked set to finish second, but unexpectedly weakened towards the end, almost as if he couldn't handle the seven furlongs, although we know he can. We'll have to wait and see.

However, the winner was exceptionally strong, and it was unlikely that he would have been able to defeat him. Nevertheless, if he had finished a strong second to him, I would have considered it an exceptional race.

Fakhama and Naqeeb did a great job. What next?

Fakhama is physically delicate, and she has plenty of potential; she excels on softer ground, and we hope to win a decent race with her in the fall with some ease in the ground.

Naqeeb hasn't progressed as expected from three to four. His recent races haven't been impressive, but he still has the ability to win. We need to find a less competitive race to get him back on track.

Congratulations on getting Alflaila back on the track. He aquitted himself really well. What did you think of his performance? Do you think he will ever head back to the Gulf again?

It was quite a challenge to get him back on the track after a small fracture he had at the end of last year. Given his previous injury, there was uncertainty about his mental and physical recovery. However, he's a resilient horse and loves his work. We provided him with the necessary time for recovery, and his team did a great job in bringing him back. It was indeed a significant task to enter a Group One race upon his return.

We unexpectedly had the opportunity to win with Israr, and as a result, we opted for a smaller field to assess Alflaila's performance. Despite his speedy pedigree, he performs well at a mile and a quarter, and there are even suggestions that he could excel at a longer distance, which is unusual but indicative of his great attitude.

I want to find some races for him to win as a reward for his bravery and consistency. After that, we can consider races for him in the Gulf. We need to monitor his performance for the rest of the season and then plan the upcoming events. He's a true warrior who always gives his best.

Rowayeh performed well, looking back, what are your thoughts? And what are your plans for her over the summer?

She's a very interesting one. Last year, she showed potential but was quite keen. She's strong-willed and has difficulty settling in races. Despite suggestions that she would perform better at a mile and a quarter, she's not allowing herself to adapt to it at the moment. When she worked at Kempton, I was impressed with her through the line, indicating the potential for a mile and a quarter. The mile handicap race at Ascot had a good pace, which was promising.

Jim blamed himself for getting held up and believed that if he had been able to make his move earlier, she would have been a good third. She lacks the speed for top-mile races, but if she settles well, she could race at a mile and a quarter and potentially win a good handicap or even a listed race.

Is there any particular race you're looking at over that distance?

We're still evaluating her options after the race. She's a very talented filly and based on her performance during her workout at Kempton, I believe she has the potential to compete at a group level. Our goal is to ensure everything aligns for her.

How did Israr's performance in the Wolferton Stakes compare to your expectations?

He was the top-rated horse in the race, and we were optimistic about his performance. Fortunately, everything went smoothly this time. Although he won a mile-and-a-half race last year, in hindsight, attempting longer distances may have been a mistake. He is best suited for a fast pace over a mile and a quarter, and he found the perfect position in the race last week. At times, he seemed to pull himself up when taking the lead too early, but he had to seize an opportunity when a gap opened and ran impressively all the way to the finish line this time.

Our goal is to secure wins for Sheikha Hissa and her family on the big stage, which is why having top older horses in training is crucial. Relying on younger horses involves risks, so we were fortunate that he won impressively. He comes from a strong pedigree, being by champion out of a champion, and is a beautiful and tough horse. Winning at Royal Ascot was a fabulous achievement.

What attributes do you believe Muhaarar and Taghrooda have passed down to Israr that make him such a talented performer?

Muhaarar was the champion sprinter but many of us felt he was more of a miler and was just winning sprints due to his exceptional class. The only time we ran him over a mile was in the French Guineas, where he was drawn on the wrong side. When we brought him back to sprinting, he won well with Dane O'Neill on him. He then went on an impressive winning streak, showcasing his speed at the end of the year.

Taghrooda was an exceptional filly, winning the Oaks and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Israr, with champion parents, inherited their good looks, class, and speed.

How significant is this win in the context of Israr's racing career so far?

His performance has been truly significant, having travelled the world and excelled on various stages for us. It's a pleasure to have him around, and it's great to see his continuing enthusiasm. He made a fantastic comeback this year as a 5YO, showcasing his talents once again. He's a good-looking horse, with a Group Two win and a victory at Royal Ascot. His consistency throughout his career has been remarkable. Hopefully, there's more racing left in him under the right conditions.

He's a very talented horse, and we just need to find the right race for him. We entered him in the Juddmonte International at York, but we'll wait and see. We only have a few racehorses, and our best ones are Alflaia and Israr. They're both suited for a mile and a quarter, and we'll try to find the right races for each of them.

Do you have any specific goals in terms of coming to the Middle East with Israr?

It's only June, but our primary focus is racing in Europe. However, Dubai racing is a significant part of Sheikha Hissa and her family's life, and there are also races around the Gulf. Later this year, we will definitely be looking for races out there for both Israr and Alflaila.

Have you purchased any nice horses so far? What sales are you planning to attend over the summer?

We haven't purchased any horses this year. We're anticipating the upcoming yearling sales and will be attending various sales, including Arqana in France, the major Newmarket sales, and Goffs in Doncaster and the UK. We'll explore our options and hope to find a worthwhile purchase in due course.

And have you had any new horses come out from the Shadwell stables? You've said that when the new horses come out after the long winter, it's like an early Christmas for you. So, what has Santa brought for you this year?

Father Christmas hasn't arrived yet! There are always young horses emerging in this industry, and we recently celebrated a Stakes win with a homebred Bluepoint filly.

We're waiting to find the right race for her while focusing on maximizing the potential of our horses. Although we haven't raced many two-year-olds yet, we won with a nice colt called El Burhan recently.

We hope to start racing more 2YOs from August onwards in preparation for the autumn and winter races, aiming to identify those with the potential to become prominent 3YOs.

What are Shadwell's plans or 'big goals' for 2024? Which horses are being targeted for this?

Following Sheikh Hamdan's sad passing, his family chose to downsize the organization, resulting in the sale of numerous horses. Despite anticipating a decrease in the number of winners, we were fortunate when Baaeed emerged as a champion at three years old and continued his success at four. Furthermore, four of our 14 older horses in training won a Group One race last year, defying initial expectations for a quieter period.

Hukum returned from injury to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Mostahdaf the previous year was remarkably impressive as a mature horse. Al Husn, initially a tough little filly, achieved great things despite her small stature. All three horses mentioned have retired to various studs.

We're in a rebuilding phase, which won't happen overnight. It will take a few years to get back to where we want to be. However, Sheikha Hissa and her family still love to see their colours represented, and our goal is to ensure their representation globally.

Sheikha Hissa’s family's commitment to horse racing is unwavering, with determined plans to rebuild and secure global representation of their colours. Shadwell is currently focused on identifying talented young horses and maximizing the potential of their current runners. With experienced trainers and promising young horses, Shadwell is poised to make a strong impact in the world of horse racing.