A TOP-CLASS performer, Derrinstown Stud’s Awtaad is one of the most eye-catching stallions at stud, and he is outstanding value at just €5,000. He won five races and was only once out of the first four in nine starts, and he is consistently delivering winners, nine of them at stakes level, from his first three crops.
Furthermore, his excellent pedigree makes him a good outcross for most Irish broodmares. Last year his yearlings were in great demand, his colts averaging over €39,000, and his fillies almost €34,000. His best-priced filly sold by Camas Park Stud to Ollie Sangster brought 120,000gns, while his top two colts sold to Richard Hughes and Peter and Ross Doyle for €90,000 and €87,000 respectively. In December his four-year-old daughter Bellosa realised 300,000gns.
On Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp, Awtaad had a memorable few days, recording a Group 2 double with Anmaat winning the Prix Dollar and Al Qareem capturing the Prix Chaudenay. He is also responsible for Group 3 winners Create Belief and Diamil, and last season’s juveniles included the Group 2-placed Austrian Theory.
Trained by Kevin Prendergast for his owner-breeder, the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Awtaad raced just twice at two, finishing third of 16 at the Curragh before winning a maiden race over seven furlongs at Leopardstown by two lengths. He reappeared in March, coming home five lengths clear in the Madrid Handicap, carrying 9st 10lbs, before adding the Listed Tetrarch Stakes, also at the Curragh, by two lengths from Blue De Vega.
In May Galileo Gold was expected to complete a classic double in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, but he never looked like beating Awtaad, who surged away to score by over two lengths, with Blue De Vega four lengths back in third, ahead of the champion two-year-old of 2015, Air Force Blue.
His best
Galileo Gold took his revenge at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes, in which Awtaad was a close third, The Gurkha between them, and with Awtaad five lengths clear of the other runners. He returned to his best in the Group 2 Boomerang Solonaway Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown, winning by a length and a half. Awtaad ended his racing career in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, a creditable fourth to champions Minding and Ribchester.
Cape Cross, the sire of Awtaad, was a champion miler and this son of Green Desert (Danzig) has sired more than 120 blacktype winners, including Sea The Stars and Golden Horn, both of whom completed the Group 1 Epsom Derby and Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe double.
Awtaad’s dam Asheerah (Shamardal) was a listed-placed winner in Ireland and four of her six winners are blacktype horses, including the stakes winner Mehnah (Frankel). The next dam, Adaala (Sahm), was a listed winner at the Curragh, and her seven winners also include the group-placed Aaraas (Haafhd), the dam of Group 1 winner and Group 1 Derby runner-up Madhmoon (Dawn Approach)
Race record
AWTAAD (IRE), Brown 2013. Won five races, £365,769, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Curragh, Gr.1, Clipper Logistics Solonaway Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.2, Power EBF Tetrarch Stakes, Curragh, L, also placed third in St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1.
At stud
Retired to Stud in 2017, and sire of the winners of 166 races, and £2,598,799, including AL QAREEM (IRE), ANMAAT (IRE), DIAMIL (IRE), CREATE BELIEF (IRE), BELLOSA (IRE), CALITHEA (GB), PRICHI (IRE), PRIMO BACIO (IRE), EBEKO (IRE), Austrian Theory (IRE), Shahaada (IRE) and A Taad Moody (IRE)
Information
Stands at: Derrinstown Stud, Derrinstown, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 DP93, Ireland
Contact: Stephen Collins, Joe Behan or Kay Skehan
Telephone: +353 1 6286228
Email: nominations@derrinstown.com
Web: www.derrinstown.com
Fee: €5,000