Japan-bound Alamshar set for Champion finale
An agreement for the sale of the brilliant Budweiser Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner has been reached between his owner the Aga Khan and the Japan Racing Association.
And he now looks likely to bow out over 10 furlongs in the the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.
The Key Of Luck colt met with defeat on his latest start in the Ireland The Food Island Champion Stakes at Leopardstown but Oxx reports him fit and ready to do himself justice on his final outing.
"He's in super form at the moment, we had him ready to run in the Arc as a stand-by, and if he stays like that he'll run in the Champion Stakes, there's no other race on the agenda for him," he said.
"He's not running in the Breeders' Cup and there were complications about the Canadian International because of his export then to Japan.
"The Champion Stakes wasn't our first choice, it's a bit short for him, but it's there and I'm sure he'll put up a good run in it.
"He's in top form and he's very, very well."
Oxx has taken the news of the sale of his stable star with his usual good grace.
"That's the way it goes. We can't expect to have these horses forever, they have to go on to another career," he said.
The superb success of his owner's Dalakhani in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere showed just what an outstanding performance Alamshar put up in the Irish Derby to hand the French colt his only defeat to date.
"They are two very, very good horses and the three-year-old form has stood up well in the King George and the Arc," Oxx said.
"Dalakhani is a terrific horse, he goes on any ground and nothing really stops him."
Prior to his success over Dalakhani, Alamshar had finished third to Kris Kin in the Vodafone Derby.
But he comprehensively turned around the form with Sir Michael Stoute's charge when winning the midsummer showpiece at Ascot a race that contained no less than 10 individual Group One winners.
Among the others behind him that day were Sulamani and Falbrav, both winners at the top level since.
Commenting on his sale, the owner's stud manager Pat Downes told agakhanstuds.com: "Alamshar is an outstanding racehorse and particularly at Ascot, when taking on the older horses for the first time, he showed us what a champion he is.
"However, we must on occasion capitalise on our Group One colts. We wish the JRA great success and are confident Alamshar will be an exciting addition to the Japanese breeding industry."
