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