Metropolitan (Fr)

Metropolitan (Fr), who began his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham earlier this year, has his first mares in foal, the stud announced on Tuesday. The G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero has successfully covered Sand Rose (Fr) (Aussie Rules), the dam of the multiple group-placed Royal Dubai (Fr) (Seahenge), as well as Oubliette (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), a sister to two group performers including G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches scorer Tie Black (Ire) (Machiavellian). Another mare in foal to the son of Zarak (Fr) is Nao Victoria (GB) (The Gurkha {Ire}),...

Where to start on the first morning of the Route des Etalons? It was a decision which would have been easy to rush into, what with so many enticing options to choose from, all of them immaculately presented, ready and waiting to welcome the first guests of the day. 'Pace yourself,' I reminded myself. 'There's always tomorrow for anything you don't get to today.' Anyway, that's enough about the breakfast buffet at the hotel. Suitably fueled with a pile of crepes, cakes and pastries that would have made my dentist...

Friday will be a day of milestones in the life of this scribe, with the first day of Normandy's Route des Etalons set to coincide with the one-year anniversary of my first day as a member of team TDN. And boy, what a year it's been. One of the highlights from 12 months spent in the job came in August when I had the opportunity to sample the delights of Deauville for the first time. Equally, one of the low points then came in December when poor organisation on my...

Like any vibrant metropolis, Haras d'Etreham is somewhere that embraces the diversity of its inhabitants. At one time the roster featured everything from a dual Group 1-winning sprinter in Hello Youmzain (Fr), now one of the most expensive Flat stallions in France, to the leading National Hunt sire Saint des Saints (Fr), who in October this year was pensioned from stud duties. "We just need as many options as possible," says Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure, speaking more generally about the evolving stallion scene domestically which, in his words, had a...

Classic hero Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who will stand at Haras d'Etreham beginning next year, will be available for viewing at Haras du Thenney on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 7, during the Arqana Vente d'Elevage from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Metropolitan won the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and was third in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was also a close second in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, and will be available for €15,000 in 2025. Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure said,...

Hello Youmzain (Fr), the leading first-season sire in France this year, has had his fee increased to €40,000 as he prepares to stand his fifth season at Haras d'Etreham in 2025. The sire of two black-type winners from his first crop, namely the G3 Prix des Chenes winner Misunderstood (Fr)--who also finished third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere--and G3 Prix Eclipse scorer Electrolyte (Ire), Hello Youmzain was introduced at a fee of €25,000 back in 2021. He remained at that level the following year, before being dropped to €22,500...

This year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham next season, the stud announced on Wednesday. He will stand for a fee of €15,000, with a small number of shares available in the son of Zarak (Fr). Bred by Stuart McPhee, Metropolitan was bought by Alessandro Marconi for €78,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale. He was trained for owners Peter Bradley and Scuderia Scolari by Mario Baratti, who saddled him to win three of his seven career starts. The Classic winner...

His Highness The Aga Khan's homebred Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) is progressing well toward a start in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on Oct. 19, according to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. The gelding, a winner of the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and a strong second in the G1 International Stakes behind City Of Troy (Justify) at York, is fresh and well ahead of his QIPCO British Champions Day assignment. He will likely face William Haggas trainee Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) the winner of...

A total of 775 lots have been catalogued for the Arqana October Yearling Sale, including a Romanised (Ire) half-brother to this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was bought by Alessandro Marconi for €78,000 at this very sale in 2022. The five-day fixture takes place from Tuesday, October 22 to Saturday, October 26. The Romanised colt (lot 23) will be one of the early lots to go under the hammer during Part 1 of the October Yearling Sale, with lots 1 to 208 set...

While Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was blowing her history bid at the start of Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville, Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) was getting ready to do his thing and wrap up another top-level triumph in contrastingly straightforward fashion. After Cheveley Park Stud's mare had forfeited several lengths out of the gates, this was down to who would profit and the answer was the 9-10 favourite as he supplemented his...

Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will face seven rivals as she bids for a historic treble in Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Aided by Ryan Moore for the first time, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 5-year-old will upstage fellow dual winners Miesque, Spinning World and Palace Pier (GB) if successful in the prestigious mile feature where last year's runner-up Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) is set to re-oppose. Yeguada Centurion's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero Big Rock has...

A majority share in French 2000 Guineas hero Metropolitan (Fr)'s stallion rights has been purchased by Haras d'Etreham, the stud announced on Wednesday. The 3-year-old will stand alongside Almanzor (Fr), City Light (Fr), Hello Youmzain (Fr), Onesto (Ire), Persian King (Ire), and Victor Ludorum upon retirement. Bred by Stuart McPhee and raced by Peter Bradley and Scuderia Scolari, the son of Zarak (Fr) was unbeaten in a pair of juvenile starts, and won the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains second up in May. Third in the G1 St James's Palace...