National Defense Out for 2022 Breeding Season

National Defense , the sire of Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) winner Twilight Gleaming , will not return to the Irish National Stud for the 2022 season after sustaining an injury while on covering duties in Australia.

The first-crop sire found himself in the limelight thanks to the exploits of Twilight Gleaming, whose other notable efforts for Wesley Ward and Stonestreet Stables include a win in the listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge and a second in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. The filly, picked up for £75,000 (US$96,931) by Ben McElroy at the 2020 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, has earned $637,251 from her five trips to the post.

National Defense has sired five winners from 15 starters to date. In addition to Twilight Gleaming, he also has sired another stakes performer in Red Smile, who was fourth in the Aug. 21 Prix du Calvados (G2) in her most recent start for Frederic Rossi and Le Haras De La Gousserie, as well as other winners in Boracay, Don Kasters, and Filly of Malta. 

Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale said: "Unfortunately National Defense sustained an injury while on covering duties in Australia. He's recuperating well but on veterinary advice, and in the interest of the welfare of the horse, we have decided it would be prudent not to travel him at this moment in time.

"It's an unfortunate setback with his first crop having performed with such distinction, but we look forward to welcoming him to the Irish National Stud to resume Northern Hemisphere duties in 2023."

The son of Invincible Spirit  was bred by Ecurie Des Monceaux and Meridian International and sold to Sun Bloodstock for €280,000 ($311,052) at the Arqana August Yearling Sale in 2015. National Defense was a six-length winner on debut for Christiane Head before improving on his Prix des Chenes (G3) third when an easy winner of the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium (G1).

He was also second to Al Wukair  on his first start at 3 in the Prix Djebel (G3) before ending his career when running unplaced in the Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1).

Retired to the Irish National Stud for the 2018 breeding season, the 7-year-old had been due to stand the upcoming season for an increased fee of €8,000. He had shuttled to Australia for the 2020 and 2021 Southern Hemisphere breeding seasons.

National Defense is out of the unraced Kingmambo mare Angel Falls, a close relation to listed scorer Advice and a half sister to the group-winning Etihad Airways Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) runner-up Anna Salai  (Dubawi ), the dam of this year's Cazoo Derby (G1) and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) hero Adayar .