Shamardal was produced from the Machiavellian mare Helsinki, who is a full sister to young Darley stallion Street Cry.
Godolphin's champion Shamardal will begin his stallion career at Darley Australia in the Hunter Valley region of Australia this year. The 3-year-old son of Giant's Causeway was retired from racing the eve of the July 2 Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) because of a leg injury. His fee will be $55,000 (approximately $41,000).Bred in Kentucky by Brilliant Stable, Shamardal earned a Cartier Award as Europe's best 2-year-old male and was England's champion juvenile male. This year, he won the Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-I), Gainsborough Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Fr-I), and St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) to run his career earnings to $1,931,770. His sole career loss in seven starts came on dirt in Dubai this year.