Group 1-winning juvenile Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}–Small Sacrifice {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) has been retired and will stand at Al Shaqab Racing's Haras de Bouquetot in 2023. The 'TDN Rising Star' will stand for €6,000 on their nine-strong roster next season and will be available for viewing at Bouquetot during the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale.
Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, the colt was named a 'Rising Star' after his debut win at the Curragh and claimed the G1 National S. in his next outing before running third in the G1 Dewhurst S. Owned by Mrs. C C Regalado-Gonzalez, the Joseph O'Brien trainee was only a head shy of adding the G1 Prix Jean Prat to his resume at three, and he was also third in the G3 Gladness S. this term. He retires with a mark of 13-2-2-2 and $365,398 in earnings.
“Thunder Moon was defined by his natural class and strong turn-of-foot,” said O'Brien. “His performance in the G1 National S. really showcased this and his brilliance as a 2-year-old beating a field packed with Group 1 winners and future group performers. He also came within a whisker of winning the Prix Jean Prat the following year. We are really looking forward to training his progeny in the years to come.”
The son of Small Sacrifice is a half-brother to stakes winner Table Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). His third dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Trusted Partner (Affirmed), dam of GI Matriarch S. heroine Dress To Thrill (Danehill) and her full-sister, the blue hen Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), the dam of eight stakes winners.
Haras de Bouquetot's Stud Manager Benoit Jeffroy said, “We're delighted to welcome Thunder Moon at Haras de Bouquetot for 2023. He is a precocious horse of 1m60 (15.3 hh) who has shown plenty of speed winning the National S. like Dubawi (Ire), Danehill Dancer (Ire) and Teofilo (Ire) did before him. We were looking for a Group 1 winner at two excelling over seven furlongs, not dissimilar to the profiles of recent French successes Wootton Bassett (GB) and Siyouni (Fr).”
Leading the Haras de Bouquetot roster is Zelzal (Fr), who has sired three stakes winners led by multiple graded winner Dolce Zel (Fr) and GIII Sweet Life S. heroine Ouraika (Fr), and is priced at €15,000. G1 Prix de l'Abbaye hero Wooded (Ire) has his first yearlings in 2023 and is €12,000. As previously announced, Group 1 sire Galileo Gold (GB) has moved to Bouquetot in a joint-venture with his former home, Tally-Ho Stud, and he will stand for €7,000, the same price as G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Romanised (Ire), who has his first yearlings. Group 1 winner and stakes-siring Al Wukair (Ire), G3 Molecomb S. scorer and G1 Middle Park S. third Armor (GB) expecting his first foals, and multiple Group 1 winner Ectot (GB) will each command €5,000. Rounding out the roster is Olympic Glory (Ire), the sire of 13 stakes winners, at €4,000.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
