Norfolk Winner Shareholder Retired to Tally-Ho Stud

2024 Norfolk Stakes (G2) winner Shareholder has been retired from racing and will stand at Tally-Ho Stud next year. A €460,000 (US$495,481) purchase by Blandford Bloodstock from the 2024 Arqana May Breeze Up Sale, Shareholder struck on his debut over 5 furlongs the following month at Beverley Racecourse. The Wathnan Racing-owned colt then made it two wins from as many starts when blitzing to victory in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. Among those the Karl Burke-trained colt defeated was subsequent 2025 Flying Five Stakes (G1) scorer Arizona Blaze (GB) and Prix Morny (G1) victor Whistlejacket (IRE). Shareholder made just two more starts that year in the Prix Morny and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T). Tally-Ho's Roger O'Callaghan said: "It takes a special 2-year-old to win at Royal Ascot and Shareholder was brilliant the day he won the Norfolk Stakes. We remember seeing him breeze at the Arqana May Sale, where he was one of the top lots, and he justified that reputation only weeks later by winning the Norfolk Stakes, one of the most competitive 2-year-old races of the year in which he defeated the subsequent group 1 winners Arizona Blaze and Whistlejacket. "He's an extremely good-looking horse and by one of the best young Kentucky sires in Not This Time. We look forward to supporting him strongly." Wathnan's Richard Brown added: "When I looked at the horses before they breezed, he was one of my picks as he's such a good-looking horse. He went on to do an exceptional breeze for Gaybrook Lodge Stud, very natural and very stylish, and I was delighted to add him to the Wathnan team. "Just six weeks later, he gave Wathnan one of its most memorable successes in the Norfolk Stakes. It's a shame we didn't get to see the best of him afterwards but given his speed, precocity, good looks and breeding, as a son of leading sire Not This Time from a fast European family, he has every chance of being a success at stud." Shareholder is the first son of brilliant Taylor Made Stallions' Not This Time to stand at stud in Europe. From smaller fees early on, Not This Time now ranks as one of the world's leading sires with 79 stakes winners, including 15 grade/group 1 scorers. Among them are grade 1-winning turf sprinters Cogburn, Cy Fair, and Troubleshooting. The 4-year-old is out of the Invincible Spirit mare Cloudy Dancer, a daughter of listed winner Ronaldsay. The Stowell Hill Stud-cultivated family is also responsible for this year's Epsom Derby (G1) winner Christmas Day (IRE) as well as top-class juveniles Bianca Nera and Simply Perfect. Shareholder joins 2025 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) winner Zavateri (IRE) on Tally-Ho's roster for 2027. Fees for both will be announced in due course.