G1 Winner Mare Australis to Haras de la Hetraie

Gestut Schlenderhan's Prix Ganay winner Mare Australis  has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duties at Haras de la Hetraie in Normandy for the 2023 breeding season. 

One of five individual group or grade 1 winners for Australia , Mare Australis won four of his 11 starts, with another of his other career highlights coming in this year's Grand Prix de Chantilly (G2).

A winner in Munich on his sole start at 2 for Jean-Pierre Carvalho in late 2019, he switched to Andre Fabre's stable the following spring and won on his second start in listed company before a close second in the Prix du Conseil de Paris (G2) at Longchamp that October. 

Returning the following April with a second to Skalleti in the Prix d'Harcourt (G2), Mare Australis defeated a Prix Ganay (G1) field at Longchamp that included subsequent Caulfield Cup (G1) second Gold Trip and dual group 1 winner Mogul. 

Bred by the Von Ullmann family, the 5-year-old is out of the listed stakes-placed Rainbow Quest mare Miramare, a half-sister to Prix de Pomone (G2) winner and Prix Royal-Oak (G1) second Macleya and Prix de Barbeville (G3) scorer Montclair. 

In a deal brokered by Richard Venn and Tina Rau, the chestnut will join another winner of the Ganay in Pastorius , a son of Soldier Hollow who sired his first top-level winner on the flat this year with Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) scorer Dalika .

The 2012 Deutsches Derby (G1) winner has also made a fine start with his jumps runners, operating at a 47% winners-to-runners strike rate in Europe.

His other leading flat runners include Grand Prix de Vichy (G3) winner Riocorvo and Grosser Preis der Wirtschaf (G3) victor Parol.  

Pascal Noue of Haras de la Hetraie said: "He's got everything physically. Group 1 winners over 2,100-2,400 meters have done well as the sires of jumpers, and we are particularly happy to welcome such a quality new stallion.

"He's also a winner of the Prix Ganay, like Pastorius, who has had plenty of success on both the flat and over obstacles this year with the likes of Dalika, Parol, Riocorvo, Josubie, Alycone Rouge, and Zenta."

Mare Australis joins a roster that also includes Kapgarde, Great Pretender, Gris De Gris, Bathyrhon, Nirvana Du Berlais, Born To Sea, Roman Candle, and For Fun.