Last year's Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) will stand at Gestut Ebbesloh next season, Nadine Siepmann, co-founder of ownership syndicate Liberty Racing, announced on Sunday. The son of Sea The Moon (Ger) will retire following his appearance in the G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo on Sunday, November 24.
Fantastic Moon was bred by Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg from the Jukebox Jury (Ire) mare Frangipani (Ger). He was bought by Liberty Racing for €49,000 at the BBAG September Yearling Sale and has subsequently won seven of his 14 starts for trainer Sarah Steinberg.
Unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old, notably winning the G3 Preis der Winterfavoriten, Fantastic Moon also won the G3 Derby Trial and G2 Prix Niel in a Classic campaign headlined by his emphatic success in the Deutsches Derby at Hamburg. This year he filled the runner-up spot in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen for the second consecutive year, before doubling his tally at the top level with victory in the Grosser Preis von Baden. He was last seen finishing ninth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.
In a statement, Siepman said, “Germany's best racehorse Fantastic Moon will retire to stud at Ebbesloh Stud following his engagement in the Japan Cup (G1). The colt will travel to Tokyo on November 13 to compete against renowned international rivals on November 24 and subsequently take up stud duty following his return.
“The four-year-old Sea The Moon son became a Derby winner and six-time Group winner for the syndicate Liberty Racing 2021. He was unbeaten as a group winner as a two-year-old and was 3YO Champion, Derby winner and Horse of the Year 2023. As a four-year-old, he documented his class and toughness with two group wins and the second G1 win in the Grosser Preis von Baden.
“Fantastic Moon remains the property of Liberty Racing 2021 and will be the first Sea the Moon son to stand stud in Germany.”
Fantastic Moon is one of two runners from three runners out of Frangipani, a winning half-sister to G3 Sveaas Minnelop victor Fearless Hunter (Ger) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and Listed Arnfinn Lund Minnelop third Fil Rouge (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}). His second dam Firedance (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) is a half-sister to G3 Rockfel Stakes victrix Germane (GB) (Distant Relative [Ire}) and the dual stakes-winning G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit runner-up Fabriano (GB) (Shardari {Ire}). Germane, in turn, is the dam of stakes-winning GI Hollywood Derby third Lucky Chappy (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Listed Kolner Stuten Meile runner-up Granted (Fr) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}).
A fee for Fantastic Moon in his first season at Gestut Ebbesloh is yet to be announced.
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