The results of the G1 Levin Turf Classic in New Zealand this week certainly made me pause and think "gee, what COULD this stallion have gone on to achieve in this part of the world?"

Almutawakel (Machiavellian ex Elfaslah, by Green Desert) was a dual G1 winner of the 1999 Dubai World Cup and Group One Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly (running second in the Group One Grand Prix de Paris and continuing his career in America, finishing second in two Grade One events). He retired with prize money of $3.6 million. He shuttled South from Sheikh Hamdan's Derrinstown Stud in Ireland on only one occasion for the Triumph Joint Venture partnership of Haunui Farm and Trelawney Stud in New Zealand.

His one and only southern hemisphere crop have certainly stamped their mark however. This week his 3 year old son Wahid won the Levin Turf Classic (in doing so becoming his sire's first G1 winner); another of his offspring - Izzat - securing third place in the same race, just half a length behind the winner.

Wahid was the 3rd highest-rated juvenile in NZ last season and now has 5 wins (and 2 Gr1 placings last season) to his name. Izzat, meanwhile, had last season's tag of becoming the fourth stakes performer for his sire in the southern hemisphere when he finished third in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Castletown Stakes (1200m). The sires other stakes performers in NZ include Alma June and Iguana. Almutawakel is currently Europe’s Leading 2nd Crop Sire in 2005.

Injury ruled out the stallion from future sojourns South. He may have shuttled only once but the news he won't be returning is on par with the disappointing news a few months back about Montjeu.

If you want to check out where the stallion is now - Derrinstown Stud has all the details (as an aside - great website, but do UK studs not appreciate the additional marketing benefits to promoting a sire's achievements outside the boundaries of the EU? What makes this even more odd is that the stud DO promote the stallion's results in NZ in their advertising in European Bloodstock News - perhaps the stud's IT team are just a tad behind their ad team).