Nicolas de Chambure

SF Bloodstock is one of the largest and most successful investors in stallions in the Thoroughbred business worldwide. So when SF throws it support behind a young sire, it's worth taking notice. SF owns stallions in the U.S., Australia and Europe, and this year the group will find out if its backing of the 2016 champion 3-year-old Almanzor (Fr) will bear fruit, with that three-time Group 1 winner soon set to be represented by his first runners. Meanwhile, SF has continued its patronage of the French breeding business, and in...

Breeders and buyers anticipating the upcoming first 2-year-olds by Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Europe were provided a boost in recent weeks at the sales in Australia and New Zealand, where the triple Group 1 winner's first Southern Hemisphere yearlings were warmly received. After his three yearlings sold at Magic Millions averaged A$506,666 with a top price of A$800,000, Almanzor went on to be leading first-season sire at Karaka Book 1 with 43 sold for an average of NZ$190,698. Almanzor, who is based at his birthplace Haras d'Etreham in...

It has been a year of change at Haras d'Etreham. In August it was announced that the farm's flagship stallion Wootton Bassett (GB) had been sold to Coolmore. The dominant Irish operation was wise to catch a rising tide but it is Etreham, and in particular Nicolas de Chambure, who must be credited with establishing the increasingly popular stallion.  If we accept the conservative estimate that only one in ten stallions really make it, then it is clear that finding Wootton Bassett's replacement will be no easy task. Perhaps Etreham...

Champion and MG1SW Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who will have his first 2-year-olds in 2021, leads the Haras d'Etreham roster at €30,000, the French stud announced on Sunday. Also a shuttle stallion to Cambridge Stud in the Southern Hemisphere, a 1/50th share in the Cartier champion 3-year-old colt of 2016 was bought for €310,000 at the Arqana Online Sale this past Wednesday and his yearlings have been well received, selling for up to €280,000. Joining him at €30,000 is  Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}-Pretty Please {Ire}, by Dylan Thomas...

After Uni (GB) (More Than Ready)'s five-year-old campaign which concluded in the Champion Turf Female award, bloodstock advisors suggested to the partners in her ownership group that it might be time to retire and sell her. After all, the owners had probably already gotten more than they had bargained for: they  had campaigned her at 3, 4, and 5, and watched her win three Grade I stakes as well as Grade II, Grade III and Listed events. But, "Sol and I are and Bobby are racing guys," said Michael Dubb...

More than ever, in the commercially unforgiving world of bloodstock, getting off to a fast start is crucial. Wootton Bassett (GB) did that twice, both as a racehorse and as a stallion. And in a particularly noteworthy year for his runners, the 12-year-old arrived in Ireland on Sunday to start the second phase of his stud career, having been bought by Coolmore from the farm that started him off so successfully, Haras d'Etreham. The standard-bearer for the first crop of his popular sire Iffraaj (GB), Wootton Bassett sailed unbeaten through...

Coolmore has purchased champion racehorse and sire Wootton Bassett (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}-Balladonia {GB}, by Primo Dominie {GB}) to join its stallion roster. The 12-year-old has stood at Haras d'Etreham in Normandy since retiring to stud in 2012. Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud, Wootton Bassett was a £46,000 yearling purchase by Bobby O'Ryan from the St Leger Sale in 2009. Trained by Richard Fahey, he went unbeaten through his first four starts in the UK before capping his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and thus...

Haras d'Etreham will offer its support to Au-dela des Pistes, a non-profit organisation that assists with the welfare and re-homing of ex-racehorses. "Racehorse re-homing is essential in our industry and a responsibility for all of us involved," said Haras d'Etreham General Director Nicolas de Chambure. "Overall, it is our passion and our love for horses that unites us. This is the reason why we must be aware of their lives after they serve us as the athletes of our sport. As a breeder and owner, it felt natural for us...

With France on Tuesday placed under a mandatory 15-day lockdown, whereby all but 'essential' outings are prohibited, the likelihood of the Thoroughbred breeding season continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic has been called into question. Though government directives are changing day-to-day-and rumours are spreading as quickly as the coronavirus itself-as of Wednesday afternoon it was business almost as usual at major studs in the Normandy region. "Things tend to change very quickly and there is a certain amount of [speculation] going around on Twitter and elsewhere suggesting the breeding season should...

As Siyouni (Fr) embarks on his 10th season at the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval, his fee has increased in line with his profile. From a relatively lowly €7,000 starting price to being France's most expensive stallion at €100,000, it is a rise closely mirroring that of his own very successful sire Pivotal (GB). As of this year, Siyouni now has two sons at stud—Le Brivido (Fr) at Overbury Stud in Britain and City Light (Fr) at Haras d'Etreham in his native France. They will doubtless be joined in the...