Bikala

Bikala (12 March 1978 – 25 December 1994) was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Having been bought very cheaply as a yearling he developed into a top-class middle-distance performer and was rated among the best horses in Europe at three and four years of age. He won the Prix du Jockey Club in 1981 and Prix Ganay in 1982 as well as finishing second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. He was retired to stud at the end of 1982 and had some success as a sire of winners.

Background

Bikala was, a big, strong bay horse with a narrow white stripe, bred in Ireland. He was sired by Kalamoun who won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix Lupin the Prix Jacques le Marois in 1973 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. The best of his other runners was probably Kalaglow, Bikala's contemporary and racecourse rival. Bikala's dam Irish Bird, was a half-sister of Irish Ball, a colt who finished third in the Epsom Derby before winning the Irish Derby in 1971. A year after foaling Bikala, Irish Bird produced Assert, who won both the Prix du Jockey-Club and Irish Derby in 1982. Another of her foals was Eurobird, a filly who won the Irish St Leger.