Champion and four-time Group 1 winner Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}-Mujarah {Ire}, by Marju {Ire}) will shuttle to Haunui Farm for the first time in 2020, the New Zealand nursery announced on Monday. The G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero replaces his 19-year-old sire at the stud, who shuttled to Haunui for 12 seasons.
“Who better to replace Iffraaj on the Haunui stallion roster than his best son,” said Haunui Farm Managing Director Mark Chitty. “We're very excited to have Ribchester coming to Haunui in 2020, especially given we were very keen to secure him for New Zealand stud duties when he was initially retired.”
Ribchester's oldest Northern Hemisphere foals are yearlings. The G1 Lockinge S. victor shuttled to Darley's Kelvinside Stud in New South Wales in 2018 (A$24,750) and 2019 (A$22,000). In New Zealand, Ribchester, also a winner of the G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, has been priced at NZ$15,000. He will be joined by Darley's champion and MG1SW Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) at NZ$10,000.
Added Darley Australia Managing Director Vin Cox, “Haunui have managed the Southern Hemisphere stud career of Iffraaj in exemplary fashion so it is fitting that Ribchester can fill the gap he will leave. We are extremely confident of the prospects for the stallion–he has covered good quality mares in each of his two seasons at stud to date.”
Iffraaj leaves behind 26 Southern Hemisphere-foaled black-type winners (12 at group level), among them Group 1 winners Turn Me Loose (NZ), Gingernuts (NZ), Jon Snow (NZ) and Wyndspelle (NZ).
“After lengthy discussions with the team from Darley, we have made the decision to retire Iffraaj from Southern Hemisphere serving duties after 12 years,” said Chitty. “At 19 years of age, the decision was made solely in Iffraaj's best interests.
“I'd like to take this opportunity to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and his entire team at Darley for entrusting us with Iffraaj for so many seasons. He has certainly made his mark in the Southern Hemisphere and his results here have helped lift him to the elite echelon of stallions and, his legacy is certainly set to continue in Australasia.
“Iffraaj will be sadly missed by all of us here at Haunui and we wish the Darley team every success with him as he continues his career in the Northern Hemisphere.”
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