MGSW Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}-Attraction {GB}, by Efisio {GB}), who ran third in the G1 Juddmonte International in 2019 for Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell, has been retired and will stand at Haras de Saint Arnoult in partnership with Shadwell next year. The three-time group winner will command €6,000. The partnership to stand the dark bay son of Classic heroine Attraction was brokered by Richard Venn.
“We are extremely excited to be standing Elarqam in France from next season, in partnership with Haras de Saint Arnoult,” said Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster. “He was a prolific racehorse having won or placed in group races at two, three, four, and five years old. In an industry that is centred around genetics, the quality of his pedigree speaks for itself.”
Bred by Floors Farming, the colt was snapped up by Shadwell for 1.6 million gns out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and sent to the yard of Mark Johnston. A winner of his debut at York, he captured the G3 Somerville S. next out. At three, he added a group placing in the G2 York S., and went two better at four, taking the York S. outright, one start prior to his Group 1 placing in the Juddmonte International, as well as two listed stakes wins. Kept in training this term, from four starts he added the G3 Legacy Cup at Newbury in September and was a nose second in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. earlier in the season. Rated at 120, he retires with a mark of 17-6-1-3 and $462,032 in earnings.
“We are absolutely delighted to be able to get such an exciting stallion,” added Haras de Saint Arnoult's Larissa Kneip. “He's got the looks, the pedigree, and he's proven on the racetrack that he's not just a “specialist” in a particular restricted field, but a proper racehorse, able to adapt to any distance, any tactics, at any age, and deliver top-class performances with great regularity.”
Elarqam's dam struck four times at the highest level, including the G1 1000 Guineas and Irish equivalent, and has already thrown the MGSP Cushion (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and G3 Sapphire S. hero Fountain of Youth (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
Elarqam will be joined at stud by GSW and fellow newcomer Yafta (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}-Swiss Dream {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) at €2,500. The former Shadwell runner was purchased from Shadwell through Richard Venn, with breeding rights available.
“Yafta has been bought from Shadwell through agent Richard Venn by an owner of mine who has been wanting to invest in a speed sire for a while now, but it was hard to find the right profile,” said Kneip. “It's the type of stallion that was missing from our roster here at Haras de Saint Arnoult, and the type of sire that we are in desperate need of here in France.”
A £280,000 yearling from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, the Lordship Stud-bred won the G3 Hackwood S. as a sophomore and was also placed another three times a group level for Richard Hannon and Shadwell. The 5-year-old's record stands at $181,511 with four wins and eight placings from 18 starts. Yafta is out of three-time listed winner Swiss Dream, herself a half-sister to French MGSW Swiss Diva (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Group 3 winner and sire Swiss Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the MGSP Swiss Franc (GB) (Mr. Greeley). The quartet were produced by MSW and G2 Flying Childers S. runner-up Swiss Lake (Indian Ridge {Ire}).
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