Almanzor | Haras d’Etreham
The Cartier champion 3-year-old colt and top-rated European horse of 2016 Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Darkova, by Maria’s Mon), will return to his breeders and stand at Haras d’Etreham in France in 2018, it was announced Thursday by the farm’s owner, Nicolas de Chambure. He will stand for €35,000, live foal.
De Chambure said that Gerard Augustin-Normand and Haras de Montfort & Preaux had elected to sell their shares and that the transaction “was done in a very friendly way, and they have decided to focus on their own stallions.”
“We are, of course, very happy Almanzor is retiring at Etreham but also very satisfied he can remain in France as a stallion,” he continued. “For many years, the best French-trained horses were all retiring to stud outside France, including the likes of Jockey Club winners Lawman (Fr), Lope de Vega (Ire), Intello (Ger) and New Bay (GB). Today, this trend is reversing. It’s a great satisfaction that the best European horse with a rating of 133 is retiring in France.”
Almanzor realized an unprecedented treble, winning the G1 French Derby, the G1 Irish Champion S., and the G1 Champion S. at Ascot in 2016. In Ireland, he beat an outstanding field of seven individual Group 1 winners that had collectively won 16 Group 1 races.
“Almanzor is not only a champion on the track, he is a magnificent horse with strength and class and he is almost free of Northern Dancer blood,” said de Chambure, who added that the group retaining ownership interest included SF Bloodstock. “Some of the partners decided to sell and some, like SF Bloodstock, are staying and we will give Almanzor great support. He will be syndicated and about 20 shares out of 50 will be offered to breeders. A lot of foreign breeders have already showed their interest confirming the great dynamism and appeal of the French stallions.”
His fee of €35,000 places him third in the ranks of French stallions in terms of fee, behind Le Havre (Ire), who stood for €60,000 in 2017 and Siyouni (Fr), who stood for €45,000.
De Chambure explained the thinking behind setting the fee at that price, saying, “He’s a gorgeous-looking horse, and that fact, combined with his amazing race record, makes him worth the price. He’s a complete outcross to Northern Dancer, so he can almost cover all the mares in Europe. If we think of all the good racehorses in Europe in the last few years, the likes of Kingman (GB), Golden Horn (GB), Australia (GB), Gleneagles (Ire) who have been standing at an initial fee for €50,000 to €80,000 after achieving similar racing success on the track, this makes him a good value.”
A five-time graded stakes winner, Almanzor retires with eight wins from 11 starts and earnings of $3,045,085. His book will be limited to 140 mares for the first four years.
fonte : TDN
