Michel Monfort, the man responsible for breeding this year's G1 Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) (video), has described his graduate as “a warrior.”
Monfort bought Gold Trip's dam Sarvana (Fr), a daughter of Dubai Destination, before mating her with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip (GB), who now stands in Brazil having spent six seasons at Dalham Hall.
The resulting foal turned out to be Gold Trip, who made €60,000 at the Arqana August Sale from the Haras de Grandcamp draft to Gerard Larrieu.
Gold Trip won a Group 2 in his native France for Fabrice Chappet and changed hands to join Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's barn in Australia after he finished third behind Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last year.
But the undoubted highlight of Gold Trip's career came when he stormed to a two-length victory in Australia's most famous race and his breeder has backed him to be a continued success.
Monfort told Jour de Galop on Tuesday morning, “He could have continued to have a very good career in Europe. He's quite a warrior. Gold Trip won beautifully this morning in Australia, particularly given the weight he was carrying. It augurs well for the future.”
Back in 2020, Monfort told JDG about his approach to buying Sarvana, recalling how he overlooked her obvious flaws.
He said, “I bought Sarvana in almost a timid manner. She wasn't very expensive, but she was from a good Aga Khan family. She was by a stallion who has proven to be a good broodmare sire.
“These were the criteria upon which I was concentrating on during that time to buy a mare. I appreciated also that she had made it to the races, even though it was only one time.”
He added, “She proved that she had a good enough head on her and that she didn't have any hidden health problems. I envisioned the only start Sarvana had made and she wasn't at all defective. But the big outlets, if the horse didn't have a future in big races, didn't hesitate to turn the page.”
Sarvana was sold for €280,000 to David Redvers acting on behalf of Sheikh Fahad al Thani in the interim, but Monfort's interest in the family continues as he retained two fillies from the mare.
He added on Tuesday, “We have kept two fillies, of which Got Wind (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) has earned black type at two and three. In general, I think if you use mares with solid families, you increase your chances to produce good horses.
“I also try to have mares from good stallions or good broodmare sires. With a descendant of Mr. Prospector like Sarvana, using stallions from the Danehill line was an interesting option.
“I believe very much in the outcross, like in the case of Gold Trip. It was my idea, anyway. The fact of carrying a different blood, that's one of the factors of the success of sons of Dubawi (Ire) right now in Europe. You can also point to the purchase of Wootton Bassett (GB) by Coolmore.
“You can get a Grade 1 winner by Outstrip or by Hat Trick (Jpn). I think there is still a place for passionate breeders, people looking for good crosses. Even if it is surely more and more difficult, and more and more expensive, to stay competitive. I also think that Outstrip is a horse who could have stayed in Europe. Without getting good mares, he still produced horses who pleased a lot of riders.”
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