Shayem wins another Stakes race for King

Another month, another Stakes winner by Tweenhills' new stallion King of Change. Fresh from Coedana winning a Listed race at Pontefract in June, another horse by King of Change struck in Listed company when Shayem won the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

Shayem was one of King of Change’s four Stakes winners in 2025 when he landed the Silver Tankard Stakes at Pontefract. He returned to the winner’s enclosure in Stakes company when coming late to land the 7-runner Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes over 1m on Newmarket’s July Course. 

The 3yo colt had also finished runner-up in the Gr.2 German 2000 Guineas to Title Role, who has since won the Gr.1 Belmont Derby. 

Shayem has now won Stakes races on ground ranging from heavy to good to firm, and he has proven extremely genuine. He has been ridden to both his Stakes victories by Clifford Lee and trained by Karl Burke. 

He was bred by his owner, Mr Abdulrazaq Mohamdi, out of unraced Exceed And Excel mare Sounds of April. Intriguingly, 2 of King of Change’s 3 juvenile winners this year (from only 3 runners) are out of Exceed And Excel mares. 

King of Change covered another big book of mares in his first season at Tweenhills in 2026 and will have a large crop of 2yos to race in 2027.