Alamshar (foaled 18 April 2000) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won five of his nine races in a career which lasted from September 2002 to September 2003. He is best known for his performances as a three-year-old when he overcame chronic injury problems to win the Irish Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Background Alamshar, a "neat" bay colt with a diamond-shaped white star, was bred in Ireland by his owner, the Aga Khan. He was sired by the Kentucky bred Key of Luck, the winner of the Prix d'Arenberg. His dam Alaiyda, was a minor winner and a daughter of the disqualified Oaks "winner" Aliysa. He was therefore a product of one of his owner's most successful dam-lines, tracing back to the influential Mumtaz Mahal. Like many of his owner's horses, he was sent into training with John Oxx at the Curragh. He was ridden in all his races by Johnny Murtagh. Racing career 2002: two-year-old season Alamshar made in his debut in September 2002 with a comfortable win in a maiden race at Listowel. He was obviously well-regarded, as he was immediately moved up to Group Three company for the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh the following month. He showed himself to be a promising colt by finishing strongly to catch the Aidan O'Brien-trained favourite Brian Boru close to the finish and win by a head. The form of the race was made to look even better when Brian Boru won the Group One Racing Post Trophy two weeks later to become winter favourite for the Derby, a race for which Alamshar had not been entered. 2003: three-year-old season Spring Before he raced as a three-year-old, Alamshar's connections demonstrated their confidence in the colt by paying a £9,000 supplementary charge to add him to the entries for the Derby, and he appeared in the betting for the race at 14–1. Alamshar's 2003 debut in the Ballysax Stakes was rather unsatisfactory. The race was expected to be a contest between Alamshar and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Alberto Giacometti, with a second O'Brien colt, Balestrini regarded as a pacemaker. Balestrini, however, having gone ten lengths clear, did not stop as expected. Alamshar finished strongly, but failed by half a length to catch the leader. His impressive performance in making up so much ground in the closing stages, led to Alamshar being made