European champion 2-year-old Air Force Blue (War Front–Chatham, by Maria's Mon) will shuttle to Coolmore Australia for the 2017 Southern Hemisphere breeding season later this year, where he will stand for A$16,500. The three-time Group 1 winner is currently standing his first season at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Bred by Stone Farm and purchased by MV Magnier for $490,000 at Keeneland September, Air Force Blue won four of five starts as a juvenile for trainer Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, his lone loss coming when second in his second start in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. He rebounded to win three consecutive Group 1s–the Keeneland Phoenix S., Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and Dubai Dewhurst S.–and was rated 128p by Timeform, making him the highest-rated 2-year-old in Europe in 20 years with the exception of Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).
Coolmore Australia Sales and Nominations Manager Colm Santry said, “I am a strong believer in the best racehorses making the best sires, and Air Force Blue was an incredible 2-year-old. We have received an overwhelming response to American Pharoah, with great breeders like John Camilleri, Gerry Harvey, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Gooree, George Altomonte and many more booking quality mares within hours of his announcement. He is now fully booked with plenty of others on a waiting list. There is a real appetite amongst breeders for these elite racehorses, and Air Force Blue sits comfortably in that category.”
Santry added, “I was very excited to travel to see Air Force Blue this week and couldn't have been more impressed with him. He's got a great hind part with a massive hip, plenty of strength and real quality. He is a lovely walker and given how important action is at yearling sales, I think commercial breeders here will be very taken with him when they see him in the spring.”
“He has got an ideal profile for Australia,” added Coolmore Australia Bloodstock Sales Manager Shane McGrath, who also travelled to Ashford to inspect Air Force Blue this week. “It is the Holy Grail for commercial breeders in Australia to produce a racehorse like Air Force Blue. War Front is the most potent source of elite 2-year-old speed in the world and it's going to be a great opportunity to have his best juvenile son available to breeders in Australia.”
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