Sunday 19 October 2014
It was announced today that triple Group 1 winner Charm Spirit will be retired to Tweenhills Farm and Stud following his victory in the Gr. 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
Charm Spirit’s arrival at Tweenhills will coincide with the launch of a new, long-term agreement between Qatar Bloodstock and the Aga Khan Studs, the start of which will be marked by Makfi going from Tweenhills to Haras de Bonneval in Normandy for 2015. The move is part of an arrangement with the Aga Khan Studs through which Tweenhills stallions will be made available to French breeders.
David Redvers, Bloodstock and Racing Manager to Qatar Bloodstock, said: “Charm Spirit’s win at Ascot was a great advertisement for his qualities, highlighting his abundance of class and courage. In an exceptional year for milers he has proved himself time and again, rounding off his career with a hat-trick of Group 1 wins on three different tracks and on a range of going, but always with the same result.
“We are thrilled to be standing Charm Spirit at Tweenhills. Freddy Head considers him worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as Goldikova and Moonlight Cloud, which is some accolade. His sire, Invincible Spirit, has established himself not just as an exceptional sire but also increasingly as a sire of sires.
We are also very excited at the prospect of working with the Aga Khan Studs. Makfi’s progeny have already enjoyed a lot of success in France and we are delighted that under this new arrangement he will stand in Normandy and be more accessible to French breeders. We are committed to standing our best stallions in France at the Aga Khan Studs, as well as in Britain at Tweenhills. Next season Makfi will stand at Haras de Bonneval and in 2016 it will be Charm Spirit’s turn.”
Georges Rimaud, Manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France, said:
“We are delighted to be entering into a partnership with Qatar Bloodstock, which will be a source of great opportunities in the long term and we are very much looking forward to stand Makfi next season and Charm Spirit in 2016.
Makfi, who has sired 15 winners from his first crop, boasts a ratio of 40% winners to runners, making him one of the leading first crop sires in Europe. The future looks promising, as he himself had made only one start as a two-year-old, which he won, and went on to become the World Champion 3-year-old. It is a wonderful opportunity to give a direct access to French breeders to a 2,000 Guineas and Prix Jacques Le Marois winner, and in the near future, to the brilliant triple Group 1 winner Charm Spirit.”
Charm Spirit won six of his nine starts. His Group 1 victories over a mile comprised the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly, the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp, beating Toronado, and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, beating the 2014 2000 Guineas winner, Night of Thunder. Charm Spirit also won a Group 3 race over 7 furlongs at Maisons-laffite and a Group 3 over a mile at Chantilly. He won as a two-year-old and was placed in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.
Charm Spirit’s sire, Invincible Spirit, has enjoyed a remarkable year, not only as the sire of Kingman and Charm Spirit, but also of leading first-crop sire Zebedee, as well as established sire Lawman.
Dubawi’s son Makfi was the winner of his only start at two-years-old, before winning the Gr. 3 Prix Djebel by three lengths on his return at three. He went on to win the 2,000 Guineas in front of Dick Turpin, Canford Cliffs, St Nicholas Abbey, etc. before a devastating victory in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, defeating Champion Goldikova, Paco Boy and Fuissé.
He is the sire of 15 winners from his first crop and three stakes horses, including Moonlight Cloud’s half sister Stars And Clouds who was an impressive winner on her debut at Chantilly recently.
Makfi will stand alongside Siyouni and Sinndar at Haras de Bonneval, while Dalakhani and Sea The Stars will be standing at Gilltown Stud.
Updated on 19/10/2014.
