Mehmas made history on Monday when Naughty Eyes scored at Wolverhampton to become his 62nd 2yo winner of the year, thereby surpassing the previous record set by Kodiac.
Making her debut for Maddi Bishop-Peack and George Boughey, Tally-Ho-bred Naughty Eyes was always travelling well for Grace McEntee and ultimately ran out the easy near four-length winner. The Racing Post commented: "The manner of her victory offers hope she can hold her own in stronger company."
The record milestone is just one of many highlights for Mehmas this season. Among his eight 2yo stakes winners are Scorthy Champ (pictured), a brother to the high-class Mehmas pair Malavath and Knight who won the National Stakes at the Curragh in September. The following month, Vertical Blue defied her 33/1 starting price to land the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp while several weeks later, Magnum Force took the Breeders’ Cup winner Juvenile Turf at Del Mar for Ger Lyons.
Breeze-up graduate Aesterius has also won four of seven starts for Archie Watson including the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg and Listed Dragon Stakes. Hugo Palmer has also fared well out of Mehmas this season as the trainer of Make You Smile, who made it two from two in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury, and The Waco Kid, whose defeat of Diego Ventura led home a Mehmas one-two in the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket.
Diego Ventura also subsequently contributed to a Mehmas quinella in the Listed Doncaster Stakes when chasing home La Bellota, who sold several days later at Tattersals for 425,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock. The filly Star Of Mehmas also won the Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr.
Overall, Mehmas has been represented by 12 stakes winners across Europe this season.
He will stand for €70,000 in 2025.
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