First Mares In Foal For Sumbe New Recruits

The first five mares bred to Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe newcomers–multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire), and the pair of G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winners Angel Bleu (Fr) and Belbek (GB), are all in foal the operation announced on Tuesday morning.

Group 3 winner Tamarind (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), a winner of the G3 Give Thanks S. and the dam of three stakes-placed horses, is in foal to Mishriff, as is Labaaqa (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), who is the only one of the five not a member of Bizakov's broodmare band.

Albanka (Giant's Causeway), the dam of G3 Oh So Sharp S. heroine Altyn Orda (Ire) (Kyllach {GB}), who placed in a pair of Group 1 races, is pregnant to Angel Bleu.

Rounding out the quintet of in foal mares are the black-type producer Melilot (Fr) (Elusive City) and her daughter Mageva (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was third in the G1 French 1000 Guineas.

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‘We Stand Behind Our Customers’: Sumbe Launches Three New Stallions

For most farms it is enough just to be introducing one new stallion to the market in a season. For Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe, that task is multiplied by three as the Normandy-based operation launches homebred Belbek (Fr) and Angel Bleu (Fr) at the same time as relaunching Mishriff (Ire) after a false start.

It is unlikely that anyone has forgotten Mishriff but the stallion business is a fickle game. A misplaced kick to the wall of his stable at Haras de Montfort & Préaux at the beginning of the year left the multiple Group 1 winner with a foot injury which meant he was unable to start his new job in February. Instead, his covering debut will take place in February 2024.

Last week in Deauville, he was on show with all five Sumbe stallions at Clairefontaine racecourse, enabling breeders to call in while at nearby Arqana. They won't have been disappointed by what they saw. Mishriff, always a fine-looking horse in his days in training, has developed into a truly imposing specimen during his year of leisure. To this beholder, he comes very close to being a textbook example of a Thoroughbred.

“Mishriff, as everybody knows, had a setback last year,” says Sumbe manager Tony Fry.

“It seems such a long time ago now that he won the Prix du Jockey Club. He won on turf, dirt. There was a few races that he was unlucky in, but he was a true world champion.”

Fry notes that Mishriff is 1.66 metres tall – that's 16.3hh in old money – and it is easy to believe that breeders are renewing their initial interest in the horse, especially with his fee now reduced a little to €17,500 from what would have been his opening mark of €20,000.

Mishriff remains the sole Group 1 winner for his sire Make Believe (GB). On his top line he traces back through Makfi (GB) to Dubawi (Ire), the horse who became such an effective conduit for the blood of Mr. Prospector on this side of the Atlantic, ensuring that his ill-fated sire Dubai Millennium (GB) could at least be remembered in stallion terms as a one-crop wonder.

Underneath, Mishriff's family holds equally lofty claims to greatness. Bred by his owner Prince A A Faisal, he is a member of the family which has stood Nawara Stud in ample stead over the years. His dam Contradict (GB), by the increasingly useful broodmare sire Raven's Pass, fell just short of gaining black type herself but she has bred three black-type earners, with Mishriff, her third foal, way out in front. Contradict is out of the Group 3 winner Acts Of Grace (Bahri), making her a granddaughter of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}). The latter's success at stud has by now far outstripped her Classic credentials on the track, and through her sons Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) especially, her imprint can be found in reams of modern-day racehorses.

Mishriff makes his debut alongside a horse who has a special place in he heart of his owner: Belbek, a son of Showcasing (GB). His dam, the Makfi (GB) mare Bee Queen (GB), was purchased from Juddmonte and, as a granddaughter of Banks Hill (GB), represents one of that operation's key families. 

“He's a Sumbe homebred, so that gives him the pride of place,” says Mathieu Le Forestier, the former trainer who joined Sumbe last year. “It's very meaningful that the first stallion that we bred here in France in our first year here joins the roster as an exciting prospect. 

“He's been a champion two-year-old. And what's very interesting about him is that he started off in April, he was the first runner from André Fabre's yard. And even before the summer, he won the Prix du Bois. He clicked off fractions in the upper level of what's been seen in the last decade in France in this specific race. He went all through the year and picked up the crown in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, which is obviously an important race in the stallion business.”

He continues, “He's been around all year at three and he eventually bowed out with a nice Group 3 win, beating horses of Group 1, Group 2 level, older horses. So it's a good starting point for a future stallion. He comes from one of the deepest families in Europe and is the close relative of 12 other Group 1 winners.”

Tony Fry adds, “Belbek is a Juddmonte-bred through and through. Showcasing was Juddmonte and Bee Queen was Juddmonte. So, thank you to Juddmonte. 

“You can't make somebody use your stallion. All you can do is show them and say, 'Here they are. What do you think?' And people can stand in front of you for ten minutes and pick out faults and positives and whatever. But he's an exceptionally good-looking horse, a nice-moving horse with a great disposition. He took his racing well, he took everything well. And the mare is a very kind mare as well. She's just one of those sweetheart mares. And again, she'll always be special to us for providing Nurlan with his first Group 1 winner. So we're very hopeful. We'll send a good selection of mares to him, as we have with all our stallions. You can't ask people to use them unless you believe in them and follow it through yourselves.”

Sumbe has somewhat cornered the market in winners of the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagradère as joining Belbek is the previous year's victor Angel Bleu, who should be a valuable addition to the French stallion ranks. Though he went off to be trained in England by Ralph Beckett, the son of Dark Angel (Ire) was bred in France by Pan Sutong at Ecurie des Monceaux, and he recorded his two most significant wins there in the Jean-Luc Lagardère followed by the G1 Criterium International. His other five wins included the G2 Vintage S. and, at four, the G2 Celebration Mile and Listed Spring Trophy for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen.

Though they both won France's major two-year-old contest for colts, Belbek and Angel Bleu are very different types, with the latter a smaller and more compact individual than the tall Belbek.

“He's 1.61 metres, a deep horse with a strong neck and very strong shoulder,” says Le Forestier of the dapple grey Angel Bleu. “He really looks to be the early-maturing, strong, sturdy type that may be very appealing to breeders.”

Adding a bit of oomph to a decent race record is the fact that Angel Bleu's dam, Cercle De La Vie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is a full-sister to the Group 1-winning stallions Highland Reel (Ire) and Idaho (Ire) from the family of the top Australian broodmare Circles Of Gold (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}), who in turn produced the stallions Haradasun (Aus) and Elvstroem (Aus).

While the first books for the trio are being drawn up, there is also the anticipation next season of the first runners for Sumbe's G1 Commonwealth Cup-winning stallion Golden Horde (Ire), who, as a son of the G1 July Cup winner Lethal Force (Ire), also represents the Dark Angel sire-line. Then there's De Treville (GB), who doesn't have quite the same lofty race record but has the distinction of being the first foal of the great Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). A dual winner, he managed Group 3 placings on three occasions, and the stallion's family has been given a major boost by his high-flying half-brother Too Darn Hot (GB), both on the track and through the exploits of his first crop of runners in 2023.

“We try our best to address every segment of the market,” says Le Forestier. “We have De Treville at entry level and then up to Mishriff at the top end. We have sprinters, we have middle-distance horses.”

Tony Fry, who started his association with Nurlan Bizakov in England as manager of Hesmonds Stud, has seen plenty of change during his tenure. He says, “It's been 13 years now. When we started, it was six mares that we bought in December back in 2010. And now we're up to 55 mares, new stallions and two farms in France and still a farm in England. We have Haras de Montfort & Préaux and Haras du Mézeray in France, and Hesmonds in England. Montfort is the stallion station and we board mares here. Mézeray is more Nurlan's private farm, and we take in boarders there as well. They're only six kilometres apart.”

He continues, “I remember we were we were driving out of Hesmonds one day and he said, 'One day I'd like to to buy a farm in France.' And I said, 'I hope you do. If you do, it means you enjoying the industry. It means you're having success. It means you want to expand.' So that was 12 years ago and it did happen. He still enjoys it. As we all know, with horses, there's plenty of downsides. It's normally more bad news than good news. But he's taken the bad news. We move on and he still wants to succeed and breed Group 1 winners, be in Group 1 races, be in the best races. So the ambition is still there.”

Bizakov's ambition is plain to see, not least in naming Sumbe after his birthplace in Kazakhstan. The operation took on its first major sponsorship earlier this year when backing the G1 Prix Morny and the entire undercard on one of Deauville's major summer Sundays.

“The long-term plan is to establish it as a top-tier brand,” says Le Forestier. “First of all, the boss sees himself as a breeder, and every venture he makes into the business is breeding-orientated. He has a very long-term view about things and it impacts everything in the company, be it horses in training or stallions. For instance, when we take in a new stallion prospect, the first client, the first user of the stallion would be Mr Bizakov himself. We're trying our best to make people understand that the brand is a multi-dimensional operation and that we stand behind our customers in the stallion business because we are our primary customers.”

 

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Mishriff Leads Trio Of New Sumbe Stallions As 2024 Fees Announced

Following the news that a pair of Group 1-winning juveniles will be joining the Sumbe roster in 2024 earlier this month, multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) anchors the five-strong Sumbe roster at Haras de Montfort et Preaux, Nurlan Bizakov's operation announced on Tuesday morning. The three-time top-level scorer will stand for €17,500 in his first season, after a setback ruled him out of the 2023 covering season.

A winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic, Prix du Jockey Club and International S. to go with five other Group 1 placings, the 7-year-old is joined by French Champion Juvenile Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Criterium International among other contests. He will stand for €9,000. The second Group 1-winning juvenile and third new stallion overall is Sumbe homebred Belbek (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who also triumphed in the Lagardere. His fee has been set at €7,000.

Rounding out the roster is G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}), who has first yearlings next year at €6,000; and De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a half-brother to leading first-season sire Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will hold court for €3,000. The latter has already sired the stakes winner Gregarina (Fr), who was second in the G3 Prix Quincey and two other group horses.

“I am proud to announce that in 2024 Sumbe will offer two new exciting stallions Angel Bleu and Belbek,” said Sumbe's Nurlan Bizakov. “They are both champions by proven sires of sires and with deep, distinguished pedigrees. Mishriff needs no introduction and I am confident that he will receive strong support from French and international breeders in the new season. We have also adjusted the fees for Golden Horde and De Treville to make them even more attractive. The Sumbe team will be happy to show all our stallions and discuss any potential plans with breeders.”

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Sumbe’s Belbek In Successful Farewell At Saint-Cloud

Winless since capturing the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere 12 months ago, Nurlan Bizakov's Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) thrived back on a deep surface to sign off with a win in Sunday's G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud. Showing he retained his ability when third in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp on Arc Saturday, the Andre Fabre trainee was kept fresh in the interim and raced a touch freely early anchored in fourth against the rail by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.

One of five who stayed far side swinging for home, the 4-1 shot subdued stablemate Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) passing two out and kept on to secure the success by half a length from the stand's-side group's “winner” The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as the 9-10 favourite Tribalist wound up two lengths further away in third.

Bizakov and Sumbe's racing manager Mathieu Le Forestier revealed that Belbek is off to the Stud now. “He's been unlucky at times and it's lovely that he bows out with a thrilling win,” he said. “He was our first group 1-winning homebred and is the first Showcasing and first stallion from the Hasili line to stand in France. Hats off to Andre, as he instructed his jockeys to stay on the inside rail even though all the races so far had been won on the stand's side–it was the right decision.”

 

Pedigree Notes
Belbek, whose record also includes a win in the six-furlong G3 Prix du Bois at two, is the second foal out of Bee Queen (GB) (Makfi {GB}) who was an inspired purchase at just 50,000gns from Juddmonte's draft in the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. A daughter of Trojan Queen (Empire Maker), she is therefore a half-sister to the talented G3 Hampton Court S. winner Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial-placed stakes producer Emergent (GB) by Showcasing's sire Oasis Dream (GB).

Trojan Queen is a daughter of Fabre's triple top-level-winning champion and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill), who produced the G1 Prix Prix Jean Romanet winner Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the dual listed scorer and G2 Prix Niel runner-up Ideal World (Kingmambo). As Le Forestier pointed out, the fourth dam is the legendary producer Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), responsible for so many of Juddmonte's stars including the GI Beverly D. S. winner Heat Haze (GB) by Oasis Dream's sire Green Desert. Bee Queen's unraced 2-year-old colt Baysangur (Fr) is by Gleneagles (Ire).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PERTH-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:43.93, vs.
1–BELBEK (FR), 123, c, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
     1st Dam: Bee Queen (GB), by Makfi (GB)
     2nd Dam: Trojan Queen, by Empire Maker
     3rd Dam: Banks Hill (GB), by Danehill
O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Sumbe (FR); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 12-4-0-2, €385,863. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Revenant (GB), 127, g, 8, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €16,000.
3–Tribalist (GB), 129, c, 4, Farhh (GB)–Fair Daughter (GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (130,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €12,000.
Margins: HF, 2, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.30, 5.60, 0.90.
Also Ran: Anthorus (Fr), Gregarina (Fr), American Flag (Fr), Arnis Master (Ger), Miramis (Ire), Nano Nagle (Ire), Foniska (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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