FRENCH SIRES TO THE FORE

It is a remarkable sign of the transformation of breeding in France that at the end of the Deauville August meeting four of the top five stallions in France stand in Normandy. The Haras de la Cauviniere’s Le Havre leads by money won from the Haras de Bonneval’s Siyouni, followed by Darley’s Dubawi and then the Haras d’Etreham’s Wootton Basst and the Haras de Colleville’s Kendargent.

All four of the French based sires had big performances during the month. Le Havre’s unbeaten dual Classic winner La Cresonniere was an unchallenged winner of the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette, while he also had several promising two year old winners including Normandel, La Cochere and Rymska. Siyouni enjoyed a Group race double at the last weekend with Siyoushake and Finsbury Square winning the Group 3 Prix de Quincey and de Meautry while his three year old fillies Volta and Spectre were both Group 1 placed. Kendargent’s runners were headed by the Haras de Saint Pair’s Jimmy Two Times, third in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, as well as the two year old Listed winner Xaarino.

The latest French stallion to make headlines is Wootton Basset. Like the Jacques le Marois winner Ribchester Woottton Basset is a Group 1 winning son of Iffraaj. His small first crop includes Almanzor (photo) an excellent winner of the Prix du Jockey Club in June and an even more impressive winner of the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano in Deauville.

The Haras de Saint Pair is happy to support all four of the new generation of top international sires, who stand in France.