shamshir made her first appearance of 1991 in the musidora stakes (a trial race for the oaks stakes) over ten furlongs at york racecourse on 14 may. she started the 11/4 joint favourite but finished third, beaten a length and a head by gussy marlowe and dartrey. she was then moved up in distance for the oaks over one and a half miles at epsom downs racecourse on 8 june and started 6/1 second favourite behind shadayid. after turning into the straight in seventh place she made steady progress in the last quarter mile to finish second to the 50/1 outsider jet ski lady. apart from shamshir, the other beaten fillies included jaffa line, magnificent star and dartrey. in the ribblesdale stakes at royal ascot twelve days later shamshir started favourite but finished unplaced behind third watch. on 3 august the filly was brought back in distance for the ten furlong nassau stakes at goodwood racecourse and finished second to the four-year-old ruby tiger with gussy marlowe in fourth. later that month she contested the yorkshire oaks and finished third behind magnificent star and jet ski lady.