Almanzor Shuttling to Cambridge Stud in NZ

Cambridge Stud announced May 1 a major addition to New Zealand's stallion ranks with the purchase of the Southern Hemisphere breeding rights to European champion Almanzor.

The triple group 1 winner will be syndicated to stand in New Zealand, his arrival coming at a pivotal time for the famous nursery as it moves into its next phase with the recent sale of the property to Brendan and Jo Lindsay, according to a statement from the farm.

"Our purchase of Almanzor is a further vote of confidence in the New Zealand industry," stated Brendan Lindsay. "He will be the first European champion 3-year-old since Montjeu to stand in New Zealand, so having access to a horse with his credentials is hugely significant. We will be throwing our full support behind him."

Trained in France by leading conditioner Jean-Claude Rouget, Almanzor was a debut winner as a 2-year-old over 1,400 meters (seven furlongs) and progressed to win his first three starts, including a 1,600-meter (one-mile) listed event.

As a 3-year-old, he established his European champion credentials with group 1 wins in three countries. Almanzor's first top-level win came in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1) at 2,100 meters (about 1 5/16 miles) before defeating the best of the older generation at weight-for-age in Ireland and England.

In a vintage renewal of the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (G1), Almanzor swooped from near last to defeat seven individual group 1 winners. He then completed a five-win sequence in his campaign closer with another dominant performance in the QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot, downing a field that contained four group 1 winners.

"Almanzor was a truly outstanding racehorse. He was the highest rated turf horse in the world in 2016 alongside Winx with a Timeform rating of 133," commented Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre. "He displayed an exceptional turn of foot and also has an outcross pedigree, which is so sought after by Australasian breeders."

Almanzor is from the first crop of Iffraaj's champion 2-year-old son Wootton Bassett, who has quickly established himself as a leading sire in France. In addition to Almanzor, Wootton Bassett has produced the leading 2-year-old of 2017 in Wootton, the current favorite for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1).

Last week, the Lindsays, Plumptre, and stud manager Marcus Corban traveled to France to inspect Almanzor at Haras d'Etreham, where he is currently standing his first season.

"Almanzor is an imposing stallion with a remarkable temperament to go with his physical presence," said Corban. "He's an exceptionally good-looking horse. I couldn't fault him."

Almanzor will stand his first season at a fee of $30,000 + GST as he joins the Cambridge Stud stallion roster alongside champion sire Tavistock ($65,000 + GST) and leading second-crop sires Burgundy ($12,000 + GST), and Highly Recommended ($10,000 + GST).