Haras de la Barbottière

Haras de la Barbottiere resident Donjuan Triumphant (Ire) (Dream Ahead) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when Florian Guyader trainee Snow Ghost (Fr) (Donjuan Triumphant {Ire}--Snow Spirit {GB}, by Verglas {Ire}), an €8,000 Osarus purchase last August, graduated over five furlongs in Saturday's €23,000 Prix de Gennetines at Moulins. Handily placed behind the leaders after an alert getaway in this second start, the 24-1 outsider quickened smartly to challenge inside the final furlong and was ridden out to deny stablemate Gotta Skedaddle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB})...

Fewer than 10 new Flat stallions have been retired to stand in France for this season, a low number compared to recent bumper years. The two Group 1 winners among the intake, Robin Of Navan (Fr) and Donjuan Triumphant (Ire), have both found themselves at the Werle family's Haras de la Barbottiere in the Sarthe region of the Pays de la Loire. To the south of the country's renowned breeding heartland of Normandy, it is nevertheless an area with a rich Thoroughbred history, with Haras du Mesnil perhaps the most...