Shahama Leads Coolmore-Sired 1-2 in UAE 1000 Guineas

Brilliant filly Shahama (3f Munnings x Private Feeling, by Belong To Me) kept her undefeated record intact at Meydan on Friday night when Lookin At Lucky’s half-sister won the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas.

Stretching to a mile for the first time, Shahama showed the distance was no worry. The filly was easy to spot at the back of the field early on with her big blaze as Cupid’s Minwah set a reasonable pace in front. The pace was too slow for Shahama, who quickly raced up alongside Minwah to add a bit more speed to the race.

It was clear before they even left the backstretch that Shahama was going to be difficult to beat and jockey Adrie des Vries sitting as still as a statue as they raced into the final quarter showed nothing had changed by that point. Shahama’s best was never asked for with the filly given a strong hand ride to win by 3 ¾ lengths. It was another second behind Shahama for Minwah, who was 11 ½ lengths clear of the third place finisher.

Trained by Fawzi Nass, the KHK Racing representative has won her three starts by 15 ¼ combined lengths.

Nass bought Shahama for $425,000 at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds from Eddie Woods. The SF Bloodstock-bred bay is the second classic winner from two-time winner Private Feeling alongside two-time champion Lookin At Lucky, who stands beside Munnings at Ashford. They are joined by multiple graded stakes winner Kensei as the three stakes winners for their dam.

Private Feeling is a half-sister to Grade III winner Grand Charmer, who is the granddam of another champion in Wait A While.

Munnings’ four stakes winners in 2022 is the best of any Northern Hemisphere stallion so far this year with the stallion tied alongside Into Mischief, Medaglia d’Oro, and Tapit for the lead by stakes performers at five each.