By Emma Berry
The Chehboub family's Haras de Beaumont has purchased a 50 per cent share in last weekend's G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) from his owner-breeder Alain Jathiere.
The three-year-old colt, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was unbeaten in three races as a juvenile and has now won five of his eight starts. He is likely to be seen next in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest in Deauville on August 4.
Last year, the Haras de Beaumont team made a similar strategic mid-season purchase when buying into Serge Stempniak's Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) following his victory in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. He subsequently won the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano and brought his unbeaten career to a close in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Installed at Haras de Beaumont for the 2024 season, Ace Impact was the busiest freshman sire in France this year, having covered 183 mares.
Nicolas de Watrigant, racing manager for Alain Jathiere, said of Puchkine, “He produced a remarkable performance last Sunday, finishing only 20/100ths of a second outside Too Darn Hot's race record. The offers for him, from both France and abroad, soon began to come in and, after reflecting on the matter, Alain Jathiere decided he wanted to enter into a partnership with the Chehboub family.”
He continued, “He is delighted that his horse will therefore remain in France and that, in time, he will stand as a stallion at Haras de Beaumont.”
A former TDN Rising Star, Puchkine is out of Vadyska (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}), an unraced half-sister to the Listed Diana-Trial winner Romina Power (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), and descends from Meon Valley's celebrated foundation mare Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}).
Mathieu Alex, stud director at Haras de Beaumont, said, “When the time comes we will be extremely happy to welcome Puchkine to Haras de Beaumont. Our policy is to do our best to retire high-level performers in France.
“Just recently in the Prix Jean Prat, Puchkine confirmed himself a top-class sprinter. Unbeaten at two and showing enormous speed, he boasts a wonderful profile for a stallion. Spoiler alert: Puchkine is a magnificent horse and by a top sire in Starspangledbanner.”
He added, “We are delighted to enter into partnership with Monsieur Jathiere, who has been so successful and who, like Haras de Beaumont, will support him as a stallion.”
Puchkine lands the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at @fgdeauville for Ioritz Mendizabal and Jean-Claude Rouget! pic.twitter.com/GUYUNj0Ttq
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 7, 2024
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