Haras de Grandcamp

Group 1 winner Whistlejacket has had his first mares scanned in foal. The son of No Nay Never, who stands at Haras de Grandcamp, commands €14,000 this year. The Prix Morny hero has multiple stakes-placed Epson Blu Cen (Blue Point) in foal, as well as Flame Of Fame (Shakespearean), the dam of stakes winner Feel Your Power (Captain Marvelous). Another mare in foal to the chestnut is U.S. stakes winner Barleysugar (Kyllachy), the dam of stakes performer Lord Wootton Cen (Wootton Bassett). Eric Lhermite said, "We are very pleased with...

From the storied history of Haras de Bonneval to the beginning of a new chapter at Haras de Castillon, the 17th edition of La Route des Etalons had something to satisfy the curiosity of all who flocked to Normandy and its surrounding areas on Friday and Saturday. Among the overseas visitors taking part in the two-day event for the first time was renowned auctioneer John O'Kelly, just a few short weeks after bringing the curtain down on his time on the rostrum at Tattersalls. In any other year, O'Kelly would...

It might be over-egging the pudding a bit to describe this year's Prix Morny as a familiar tale of woe for the home team. However, in order to understand why the 2024 winner, Whistlejacket, is such a welcome addition to the Normandy stallion ranks for next season, it's important to acknowledge the gaping void that necessitated his purchase in the first place. Increasingly, France seems to be falling behind its British and Irish counterparts when it comes to producing top-class, sprinting juveniles. This struggle was depicted in no uncertain terms...

Group 1 winner Whistlejacket has been acquired by a group of breeders led by Jean-Philippe Dubois and will stand for €14,000 at Haras de Grandcamp next year, France-Sire reported on Friday. The full-brother to fellow juvenile top-level winner Little Big Bear will have his stallion career and syndication managed by Jean Daniel Manceau of Capucines Bloodstock. Dubois said in a statement, "I had the opportunity to follow the two-year-old season of Whistlejacket, a true model of precocity and courage. His victory in the Prix Morny made an impression, It has...

Group 1 winner Big Rock will stand his second season at Haras de Grandcamp at an unchanged fee of €12,000, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday. The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes victor is expecting his first foals in 2026. He covered 159 mares in 2025, including the dam of Group 1 winner Woodshauna (Wooded); group winner Gregarina (De Treville); a sister of Different League (Dabirsim); and Frasque (Iffraaj), dam of two group horses; as well as Baine (Country Reel), runner-up in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. His compatriot and...

Group 1 winner Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) will stand at Haras de Grandcamp beginning in 2025, Jour de Galop reported on Friday. A fee for the 2023 G1 Queen Eliazabeth II Stakes victor will be announced in due course. The Yeguada Centurion homebred, the first foal out of Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), also won the G3 Prix de Guiche, G3 Prix la Force, and the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault at three. He was second in the 2023 editions of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club,...

Filippo Ezri and Jean-Pierre Djian's Une Pointure (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}--Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), a Marcel Rolland trainee, backed up a debut third at Saint-Cloud last month with an impressive seven-length tally over six furlongs in Tuesday's Prix de la Verrerie at Chantilly. 3rd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 7-2, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.57, g/s. UNE POINTURE (FR) (f, 2, Dabirsim {Fr}--Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), who hit the board going seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud in her June 4 debut last time, broke in mid division and moved forward to stalk the leaders in third...

Group 1 sire Lawman (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has been transferred to Haras du Mazet for the 2024 breeding season, Jour de Galop reported on Thursday. His fee will be €4,000. A winner of both the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and the G1 Prix Jean Prat in 2007, the 19-year-old has sired 38 stakes winners. Of his 22 group winners, six have scored at the highest level, including Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Just The Judge (Ire), 2020 Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Pretty Gorgeous (Fr), Most Improved (Ire), Law Enforcement...

Patrice Cottier trainee Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}--Sweet Alabama (Fr), by Enrique {GB}) took his tally to a perfect two-for-two when annexing Monday's Listed Prix Delahante at Marseille-Borely. The gelded 2-year-old had posted a five-length debut win at Salon-de-Provence last month and bounded to another wide-margin triumph on black-type bow in the 8 1/2-furlong juvenile contest. Foiling a Cottier exacta, Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) nailed Horizon Dore's stablemate Cambronne (Fr) (Alex The Winner) on the line for second. Monday, Marseille-Borely, France PRIX DELAHANTE-Listed, €60,000, Marseille-Borely, 10-24, 2yo, 8 1/2fT,...

Putting two agonising defeats in the 2019 and 2020 renewals of Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. behind him on Saturday, Saeed Suhail's Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) was in front before the line this time to issue a 82nd Royal winner to Sir Michael Stoute. Last year's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G2 Hungerford S. winner was able to take his time among the group racing up the centre and when delivered by Ryan Moore wore down Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) inside the final 150 yards for...

G2 Railway S. winner Van Beethoven (Scat Daddy-My Sister Sandy, by Montbrook) has been retired from racing and will stand at Haras de Grandcamp in 2021. Van Beethoven ran eight times at two for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Michael Tabor silks, winning twice including the Railway. He was second, beaten a length, in the GI Secretariat S. at Arlington Park the following summer and hasn't run since the 2019 GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. Van Beethoven is out of a full-sister to the dam of triple Grade I-winning...

DEAUVILLE, France—The prices may have dipped significantly at Arqana on the Thursday but the activity at the sales grounds did not. If anything there were more people in attendance than on previous days, with the boost in French 2-year-old premiums to 70% perhaps acting as an incentive for owners to take a chance on a prospect for next season. Certainly buyers were out in force and the clearance rate climbed again for this third tier of the sale, though it has to be said that not many below the top...