Champion 2YO to stand at Haunui Farm
Haunui Farm will welcome Champion European 2YO, Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega) to their stallion roster in 2017.
A multiple Group One winner, Belardo’s juvenile season culminated
in an explosive victory in the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) at Newmarket, which
saw him crowned the top juvenile of 2014.
However, it was arguably last season’s victory in the Gr.1
Lockinge Stakes (1600m) at four, that was his finest moment leaving no less
than eight Group One performers in his wake, seeing him retire with a Timeform
rating of 126.
A debut winner at two, Belardo built toward his Dewhurst
victory with a four-length demolition of his rivals in the Listed Washington
Singer Stakes (1400m) at Newbury before capturing his first Group One.
His three-year-old season was marred by near-misses. Belardo
finished fourth in the Gr.1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas, less than two lengths
behind winner Gleneagles. The son of Lope De Vega also finished third in the
Gr.2 Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Newmarket and second in the Gr.1 Queen
Elizabeth II Stakes (1600m) behind Solow at Ascot.
Belardo’s four-year-old season saw him kick off with a win
in the Listed Doncaster Mile, with his preparation gaining momentum before his
triumph in the Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes, where he vanquished included Group One
winners Limato, Toormore and Euro Charline.
A return to Ascot in June saw Belardo put in the best male
performance of Royal Ascot 2016 when a closing second in the Gr.1 Queen Anne
Stakes (1600m) to the outstanding American mare Tepin.
Haunui Farm will once again join forces with Darley to bring
Belardo to New Zealand, the continuation of a partnership that has been so
successful with Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic).
"We are very excited to have been offered the opportunity to
stand Belardo and look forward to joining forces once again with Darley to
introduce another exciting young sire to the New Zealand stallion ranks,” Haunui
Farm’s Managing Director Mark Chitty said.
"We’ve had great success with Iffraaj and will follow a very
similar strategy in getting Belardo’s stud career off to the best possible
start here in New Zealand.
"We have been looking to source a new stallion for a number
of seasons and when Belardo became available, it was an easy decision to make. We
are grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and his team for giving us the opportunity to
stand Belardo at stud and look forward to assisting in the development of his
stallion career as we have with Iffraaj.”
Godolphin’s Managing Director in Australia, Henry Plumptre, is
pleased to once again partner with one of New Zealand’s leading nurseries.
"On
behalf of Sheikh Mohammed and everyone at Godolphin, we are delighted that
Champion two-year-old Belardo will stand at Haunui Farm in 2017,” Plumptre
said.
"As
a dual Group One winner and grandson of the prolific sire Shamardal, we hope
that Belardo will be embraced by New Zealand breeders in the way that they have
supported Iffraaj.
"Darley's
continuing support of the New Zealand industry is based on the success of New
Zealand-bred horses on the race track at the highest level and is endorsed by
Sheikh Mohammed. Belardo joins a growing number of Darley stallions in New
Zealand and we wish Haunui and their clients every success with him.”
Belardo will stand at Haunui Farm in 2017 for a fee of
$12,000 + GST.
-NZ Racing Desk