Back on the Route

NORMANDY, France–The signs had accumulated two years of dust by the time they were taken out again to point towards the farms taking part in France's Route des Etalons. The many stallions who took up stud duties in the northwestern part of the country last year were deprived the chance to show off their credentials to a large number of breeders. There was, as a result, a palpable feeling of excitement when the gates were swung open for the 2022 renewal of the iconic event. Although Covid restrictions didn't allow it to be a fully singing-and-dancing edition, seeing young stallions in the flesh rather than through a computer screen provided widespread interest.

Having kicked off at dawn from Chantilly, with bloodstock agent Tina Rau behind the wheel and her pair of dogs on the back seat, we arrived at 9 a.m. sharp for the first show at Haras de Bouquetot, having duly given the four-legged companions a little walk beforehand. They call it German precision.

Bouquetot is still to celebrate its first decade of operation, and yet it has been one of France's fastest-growing stallion stations with eight sires currently on the roster. All of them, bar the fresh arrival Armor (GB) (No Nay Never), are Group 1 winners, and two share the distinctive feat of having landed one of Europe's most competitive mile contest in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. The first crop by Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead) included 15 winners at two and already two at three, including recent debut winner Hauran (Fr). Such a promising start has caused his fee to swing back to its initial level of €8,000.

Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who annexed the Marois on the back of a Classic triumph in the Irish 2000 Guineas, is still to have his first foal on the ground but he was the busiest stallion at Bouquetot last year with 127 mares. His starting fee of €7,000 has been maintained and seems excellent value, as Al Shaqab Racing's Sebastien Desmontils explained.

“Romanised is still owned 100% by Mr. Ng who raced him,” he said. “When stud plans were arranged, we offered him to syndicate the horse, arguing that it would guarantee him significant support. Mr. Ng, however, was keen to remain Romanised's sole owner but he suggested that we gave him a very affordable covering fee in order to make him an attractive proposition to breeders.”

Another stallion expecting his first foals is Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who ended a long drought for France when winning the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. He joined Almanzor (Fr) as the second son of Wootton Bassett to stand at stud in this country and, at €15,000, is the joint highest-priced sire at Bouquetot. He shares top billing with the eye-catching Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was one of the sensations of 2021, notably through the achievements of his listed-winning daughter Zelda (Fr). He also boasts a 92% fertility rate and has seen his fee more than double from €6,000.

The latest addition to the Bouquetot roster is Richard Hannon's former charge Armor (GB) (No Nay Never), who won last year's G3 Molecomb S. and ran third in the Middle Park. Still two months from his actual third birthday, the dark bay will be offered at €5,000.

“The plan is to try to replicate the success story that Al Shaqab has experienced with Mehmas. French breeders are always looking for speed and precocity, so we think he is a great proposition,” said Desmontils.

A little deeper into the Norman countryside, Haras de Bonneval is busy celebrating the 100th anniversary of His Highness the Aga Khan's breeding operation. (Click for Emma and John Berry's excellent three-part feature: Part I, Part II, and Part III.) And could there be a better advertisement than the excellent performances achieved by Zarak (Fr)'s first 2-year-olds? After all, the powerful bay traces back, through his illustrious dam Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), to Zahra (Ire) (Habitat), the sole daughter out of the champion Petite Etoile (GB) (Petition {GB}), herself a descendant of the “flying filly” Mumtaz Mahal (GB). One hundred years of breeding excellence summed up in one pedigree.

A son of Dubawi (Ire), Zarak has so far been represented by 18 2-year-old winners, the exact same number as his barn mate Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) achieved with his first crop. And his best offspring to date is the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Times Square (Fr), who is, fittingly, out of a daughter of Siyouni. Such eye-catching results have had a major impact on the stallion's worth and he now commands a covering fee of €25,000, doubled from his €12,000 starting price.

“There has been huge interest in Zarak,” explained nominations manager Fanny Cyprès. “He has covered a full book every season, and for 2022 he has been full since last October. Mares are coming from Germany, from Ireland and from the UK for him. His value has increased quite dramatically, as shown by the evolution of his share price: when we syndicated him, a share cost €60,000, while at recent auctions on Arqana Online, shares sold for €350,000 to €380,000.”

Full credit where it's due: the now 15-year-old Siyouni remains France's most expensive stallion at €140,000 and is expecting another stellar crop of foals including full-siblings to Sottsass (Fr) and Dream And Do (Ire), as well as youngsters out of Group 1 winners Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), Kitesurf (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and stakes winner Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}).

Cyprès added, “We have seen with Times Square that Siyouni is starting to make his mark as a broodmare sire, and we think he can follow in the footsteps of his own sire Pivotal in this respect.”

Larissa Kneip's Haras de Saint-Arnoult is steadily making a name as a source of affordable speed, and she currently has six stallions who all performed over middle to short distances. The good-looking Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) currently stands out as the sole son of Frankel at stud in France. The Group 2 winner will have his first foals on the ground this season and remains available at an attractive €5,000. The first crop by Seabhac (Scat Daddy) are now 2-year-olds, while Group 1-winning juvenile Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) is the newest recruit.

Only minutes away, Julian Ince's Haras du Logis is home to an impressive line-up of former Godolphin colourbearers, with the notable exception of the infamous globetrotter Tiberian (Fr) (Tiberius Caesar {Fr} ). For the coming season there has been another extremely classy addition to the roster in the dual Group 1 and Classic winner Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal). The handsome bay boasts a special pedigree as he is not only by 'sire of sires' Shamardal, but also from the family of Shamardal–he is inbred 3×3 to Helen Street. Victor Ludorum's placid demeanour and solid constitution guarantee him strong support at €15,000. Another popular young sire is Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), whose first yearlings sold extremely well and whose fee remains unchanged at €7,000.

Leaving Calvados for the Orne area, we reach Haras du Petit Tellier. Patrick Chédeville's historical farm stands the dual Classic winner The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Masterscraftsman {Ire}), whose first crop already includes six winners and made him one of the 'talking horses' of the winter.

Driving back to Deauville, one notices a sign indicating where the Greenwich meridian crosses through Normandy. Indeed, this part of France should effectively follow the GMT schedule, and it is no wonder days are so dramatically short at this time of year, which make the Route des Etalons an inevitable rush as breeders try and see as many stallions as possible in a limited amount of time. It is a real shame to have to give the likes of Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre), Galiway (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) or Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) a miss, and only minor solace comes from the existence of online stallion books.

The post Back on the Route appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Follow ‘La Route’ Online For 2021

The Route des Etalons was established in 2010 in an attempt to stimulate a flagging French stallion scene. A little over a decade on, it could be said that it's 'job done'. That doesn't mean that the annual open weekend of Normandy studs has been shelved. Its popularity has grown year on year for breeders and bloodstock pilgrims alike, and it is only a global pandemic that has stopped it run in 2021. It will, however, be staged online across this weekend, with videos of the 108 stallions involved shown on the official website from 9am local time.

The A to Z of the region's stallions, from Almanzor (Fr) to Zelzal (Fr), has a price range from €1,000 to €140,000, the latter commanded by France's champion sire, Siyouni (Fr), sire of last season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr). Between those two figures can be found a horse to suit just about every breeder's budget and, as has increasingly been the case in recent years, a number of high-profile young stallions have joined the French ranks for 2021.

There's quite a leap in price from Siyouni down to the next most expensive stallion in France at €40,000, the established Classic sire Le Havre (Ire). His best runner last year was the dual Group 1-winning filly Wonderful Tonight (Fr), who was bred at Haras de Montfort et Préaux, where her sire stands under Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbé banner. Le Havre has recently been joined by new recruit Golden Horde (Ire). The G1 Commonwealth Cup-winning son of Lethal Force (Ire) whose grandam is a half-sister to champion racemare and producer Serena's Song (Rahy), makes his debut at €10,000.

“It's always very nice to meet the breeders, especially when you have a new horse, but we were lucky that we were able to bring Golden Horde in to Deauville during the sales so plenty of people saw him there, and he has had visitors every day,” said Mathieu Alex of Sumbé. “But of course there is always a great atmosphere for the Route des Etalons, when you can welcome people, and breeders meet, but this year we have to be sensible and be careful.”

He added, “We obviously liked Golden Horde a lot physically but it's always nice to get feedback and to hear that people agree with us. He's going down well and it's obviously important to get the support from the breeders. Mr Bizakov will support him with mares also.

“It's also an exciting year for Recorder (GB) with his first runners. We've worked for three years for that and he has 100-plus horses in training, in France and some abroad. We have 15 that were bred here that we've sent to good trainers, so fingers crossed.”

While its flagship stallion Wootton Bassett (GB) has moved to stand at Coolmore in Ireland, Haras d'Etreham has an exciting year in store with the arrival of two new Group 1 winners, Persian King (Ire) and Hello Youmzain (Fr), each being the sole French representative of their popular respective sires Kingman (GB) and Kodiac (GB). Furthermore, once the Flat season starts, Wootton Bassett's champion son Almanzor (Fr) will be represented by his first runners, while the first foals of his fellow Etreham resident City Light (Fr) will be arriving over the next few months.

Camelot (GB) enjoyed a terrific season with his runners in 2020 and two of his sons join French studs this year. Etreham's National Hunt wing, Haras de la Tuilerie, welcomes the Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire), while among Haras d'Annebault's new faces for the season is Fighting Irish (Ire). Breeders using the Group 2 winner in his first season will be eligible for a €50,000 bonus if they are fortunate enough to breed Fighting Irish's first Group winner in France, Britain or Ireland.

The retirement of Kendargent (Fr) to stud in 2010 coincided with the first year of the Route des Etalons initiative. Breeders who viewed him and perhaps used him then at his introductory fee of €1,000 will have enjoyed the success he has had in the ensuing years, which has really put Haras de Colleville, the farm of his owner Guy Pariente, firmly on the map of Normandy's leading studs. The grey, now 18, was joined at stud in 2017 by his son Goken (Fr), who was France's leading first-season sire in 2020, and their stud companion Galiway (GB), has also made a pleasing start to his career, most notably as the sire of G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Sealiway (Fr).

Another son of Kendargent returns to France this year. The former Godolphin campaigner Jimmy Two Times (Fr) spent his first two seasons in Germany at Gestut Hofgut Heymann but is now resident at Haras de Montaigu alongside the popular young National Hunt stallions No Risk At All (Fr) and Beaumec De Houelle (Fr).

“Jimmy Two Times is small and compact but he is very well-balanced, strong horse,” said Sybille Gibson of Haras de Montaigu. “I took him to the Hippodrome de Clairefontaine during the sales in December and lots of people came to see him then. We just hope he will do as well as Goken has done. 'Jimmy' was the best colt by Kendargent so we dream.”

The offspring of No Risk At All include the reigning Champion Hurdler Epatante (Fr), while Beaumec De Houelle, who now has yearlings on the ground, is a son of the late Montaigu resident Martaline (GB).

Gibson continued, “No Risk At All and Beaumec De Houelle are both fully booked, with mares from all the best breeders in France, and more and more people from abroad. The English are just mad for No Risk At All. Both horses are limited to 150 mares and they were full in November.”

Breeders going both ways across the Channel this year face increased expense and paperwork in the wake of the end of the Brexit transition period, which is understandably causing a few headaches for stud owners.

“We have had received a few mares from England and we have already had one or two cancellations,” Gibson said. “And for us it's the same, we don't know if we are going to send all our mares that were due to go to England because with Brexit the transport is now quite complicated.”

She added, “We will really miss the Route des Etalons this year. We have had a few breeders come to the farm but I think some people don't really want to travel too much at the moment. Normally we would have between 200 and 300 people visit us over the weekend. They came not only to see the new stallions but to see us and to see how the horses were changing. We had more and more people coming from a long way, not just Normandy. We will just have to look forward to next year.”

The burgeoning stallion unit at Larissa Kneip's Haras de Saint Arnoult has been extended again this year to include newcomers Elarqam (GB)—a son of two champions in Frankel (GB) and Attraction (GB)—and Yafta (GB), a Group 3-winning son of Dark Angel (Ire).

Kneip said, “Elarqam is very well booked, which is not surprising. He's the only son of Frankel in France and he was Frankel's second-highest rated runner after Cracksman. Yafta already has about 50 mares booked to him. Until recently we didn't have too many speed stallions in France but there are a few more now and obviously there was a demand for them. But none of them seem to have the sort of pedigree Yafta has, because it is really speed throughout, back to the fifth generation, and that's quite a rarity.”

The farm with the largest roster of nine stallions is Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot, which this year has signed up Robert Ng's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois winner Romanised (Ire) as well as the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded (Ire), a son of Wootton Bassett. They join Shalaa (Ire), who has recently returned from Arrowfield Stud in Australia, where his first crop includes the Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Shaquero (Aus), and Al Wukair (Ire), who has first-cop runners in Europe this season.

Sea The Stars (Ire) has two young sons at stud in France, Bouquetot's Zelzal (Fr), who his first runners this year, and Haras du Logis resident Cloth Of Stars (Ire), the G1 Prix Ganay winner who was placed in two Arcs and has his first yearlings at the sales of 2021. Another young stallion taking that next important step in his career this year is Recoletos (Fr), the winner of seven of his 14 starts including two Group 1s. He stands alongside the Derby winner Motivator (GB), sire of the mighty Treve (Fr), at Haras du Quesnay.

Plenty will be expected from the first-crop runners by Zarak (Fr) when they take to the track this year. Not only is he a Group 1-winning son of Dubawi (Ire), whose sons Night Of Thunder (Ire) and New Bay (GB) have made encouraging starts to their own stud careers in the last two seasons, but he is out of the brilliant Arc winner Zarkava (Fr) and shares his broodmare sire Zamindar with Kingman. Ordinarily, a visit to the Aga Khan's Haras du Bonneval is one of the highlights for travellers on the route. This year Zarak, Dariyan (Fr) and their illustrious stablemate Siyouni must be admired from afar.

Videos and further information on the stallions from the 28 participating studs will de displayed online over the weekend and, when the world returns to some sort of normality, be sure to brighten up next January with a trip around the picturesque farms of Normandy.

The post Follow ‘La Route’ Online For 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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