Following Almanzor's remarkable Sydney Cup quinella, industry news outlet "The Thoroughbred Report" reminisces on another Cambridge Stud luminary, the legendary Zabeel (NZ), whose lineage consistently graced the winner's circle, shaping a rich heritage of racing success.
This is an intriguing read containing a sprinkle of history and promise for the future which we would like to share, as we agree with the essence of this article which was also our motivation back in January to buy a son of ALMANZOR from ANCHOVY a daughter of GALILEO and we all now know that is the same way Gr1 Sydney Cup winner CIRCLE OF FIRE is bred – by Almanzor from a Galileo mare.
Please enjoy this news story written by Kristen Manning:
A Gr1 Sydney Cup quinella puts Almanzor (Fr) in the spotlight, bringing back memories of another Cambridge Stud star who provided more than his fair share of big race first/second finishes.
CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) Winning the Gr1 Sydney Cup
We are of course talking about the mighty Zabeel (NZ) who was represented not only by a number of feature race quinellas but also by trifectas including a particularly memorable Gr1 Caulfield Cup - the 1999 edition which saw Sky Heights (NZ) digging deep to hold off Laebeel (NZ) and Inaflury (NZ).
He replicated that feat as a broodmare sire in the 2013 Gr1 Underwood S. in which Dundeel (NZ) defeated Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) and Dear Demi (Dehere {USA}) - all out of Zabeel mares.
Almanzor (Fr) has a long way to go but with his achievement last Saturday, it is timely to have a look to how he compares with Zabeel.
Zabeel retired to stud in August 1991 and assessing a comparable timeframe in his career to Almanzor’s current date, takes us back to April 1997.
At that time, Zabeel had 198 runners for two Group 1 winners - Octagonal (NZ) and Mouawad (NZ) - both out of the legendary Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces of Eight {Ire}); one in his first crop and one in his second, and 12 stakes winners.
The legendary Zabeel (NZ)
Almanzor served his first book of New Zealand mares in 2018, and to date from his 361 runners (globally) has also produced two Group 1 winners - Circle of Fire (GB) and Manzoice (NZ), with 15 stakes winners in total and 23 stakes placed.
Zabeel's progeny would continue to get better with time, a distinctive trait of the sire, and his first crop would ultimately add Jezabeel (NZ) and Cronus (NZ) to his Group 1 produce tally.
When comparing staying-type stallions it is the bigger picture that matters - the long term.
With Almanzor's first overseas crop five and his New Zealand-born only four, we have a few crops to analyse and compare.
As a dual hemisphere stallion, Almanzor has the advantage of numbers - 361 runners so far whilst at the same stage of his career Zabeel had been represented by 198.
His winners-to-runners strike rate was 56.5 per cent; Almanzor's is 51.2 per cent.
Almanzor has sired 15 stakes winners (4.1 per cent), three more than Zabeel at the same stage.
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Almanzor (Fr) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
Worthy of comparison to a four-time Grosvenor Award (NZ earnings) winner and a 15-time Dewar Award (NZ & Australian earnings) winner, from these statistics Almanzor appears to be a stallion of considerable promise.
But this has not passed the eye of many top judges, with his New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale and Magic Millions Yearling Sale 2024 yearlings selling for up to $400,000 to the likes of Ciaron Maher, Dynamic Syndications, Kris Lees, Annabel Neasham, Roger James & Robert Wellwood, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Cambridge Stud's CEO Henry Plumptre was delighted with the reception Almanzor enjoyed at those sales... “the fact that the market is still supporting him, that trainers are paying good money for them is a most encouraging sign,” he said.
Henry Plumptre
"Whilst Almanzor is clearly capable of siring a nice sprinter, including unbeaten Nucleozor (NZ), they are at their best over middle distances and up,” Plumptre noted.
“He has a few quick ones but not many,” he said, "something which makes his sales results all the more satisfying; the knowledge that there are still plenty of owners and trainers out there keen to chase the big 2000-metre and up races.
“We know that the Australian currency is 1000-metre to 1600-metre races, but we still have some great staying events worth a lot of money.”
And Almanzor is shaping as a horse able to provide horses for those races. His progeny are doing nicely at three, but as the Sydney Cup quinella show, they are all the better at four and five.
Several lightly-raced Almanzor’s are showing ability, with Plumptre noting: “they just need to covert that promise into results, and he is home and hosed.”
“Almanzor's results over the past year have been strong,” Plumptre said, “and we feel that he is teetering on the edge of becoming a very good stallion.”
Positivity (NZ) is Gr1 Queensland Oaks-bound on the back of her Gr1 New Zealand Oaks second, and Nucleozor's sister Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) - the New Zealand Oaks third placegetter, is being aimed towards the Adelaide classic contests.
Cambridge Stud's own Holymanz (NZ), a four-time winner, was a game Gr2 Blamey S. second to Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) in early March.
The Liam Howley stable has El Poder Del Sol (NZ) who impressively broke his maiden over 2200 metres at Geelong just recently.
Imported gallopers Circle Of Fire (GB) and Athabascan (Fr) were the Sydney Cup quinella.
Buyers are impressed by their looks, conformation and talent.
They are better as geldings, and they are not fast to mature - they just need that bit of time but they are lovely looking types.
It is from French based stud Haras D'Etreham that Almanzor shuttles to New Zealand and it was there that his Sydney Cup quinella were conceived. As were another six of his stakes winners, leaving seven in New Zealand.
This poses the questions: "Are the mares he has enjoyed success with different types of mares in the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere?"
And "is he producing different profiles with said mares?"
None of his Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winners are sprinters and overall, they come out of stouter mares and families.
Eight of Almanzor's first 15 stakes winners are out of Danehill (USA)-line mares; four in each hemisphere.
“Danehill works with everything!” Plumptre said, but it is interesting to note that Almanzor likes other Northern Dancer strains as well.
He is also picking up well with stamina influence with five of his stakes winners line-bred to the legendary Mill Reef (USA) whose son Doyoun (Ire) is Almanzor's third dam sire.
Though he is another horse who cannot be pigeon-holed into any distance category, Plumptre fondly remembers seeing Mill Reef before he had even raced, in a school excursion to the Balding yard!
“Mill Reef won over trips but I think it was more a case of him just being the best horse at the time, he was a champion.”
It is always nice for a stud when the genes of two of their stallions combine well and the Almanzor/Zabeel combination is looking good so far; the four stakes winners coming from 61 runners.
It is early days to compare Almanzor to Zabeel, and not really fair to him, but there is no doubt that Cambridge Stud have another exciting sire of middle-distance and staying-types gracing the paddocks once trod by legends.
“He has enough around showing talent to suggest that he is really going to make it and we can't wait to welcome him back this spring,” Plumptre said.
A DYNAMIC Review:
Race Record: ALMANZOR (FR)
11 Starts 8-0-1 £737,230, €1,901,600.
Champion 3YO Colt in Europe in 2016, Champion 3YO in Ireland & France in 2016 (Int.). 8 wins-3 at 2-from 1400m to 2100m, £737,230, €1,901,600, Chantilly Prix du Jockey Club, Gr.1, Leopardstown Irish Champion S., Gr.1, Ascot Champion S., Gr.1, Deauville Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, Gr.2, Chantilly Prix de Guiche, Gr.3, Grand Criterium de Bordeaux, L, 3d Chantilly Prix de Fontainebleau, Gr.3.
He entered stud in France in 2018. (oldest 5yo's)
He entered stud in NZ in 2018. (oldest 4yo's)
Leading First Season Sire in NZ in 2021-22.
Sire of 361 progeny to race, 185 winners, earnings of over $17 million, 15 stakes winners, 23 stakes placegetters.
Dynamic Syndications at the Magic Millions in 2024 purchased Lot 429 a fantastic staying prospect.
Is this a coincidence we purchased our colt? ….. No way!
Bred in NZ and offered by Cambridge Stud, we purchased a son of
OUR COLT
ALMANZOR (FR) from ANCHOVY (IRE) a daughter of GALILEO to be trained by ….. CIARON MAHER !
The colt comes from one of the BEST FEMALE FAMILIES in Europe.
He has crystal clean X-Rays and a perfect Grade 1 Endoscopic evaluation.
Even before the win of CIRCLE OF FIRE – we knew this was a sensational mating offering a Score of A+++ and a Q6 Rating.
We bought him to aim at Derbies; Cups and the $1m Magic Millions Stayers Race.
See For Yourself: Under Saddle
Almanzor x Anchovy from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
Whilst there has been three stakes winners bred on this cross to date producing three (3) Gr1 Winners:
AL RIFFA, (Gr1),
ZELLIE (Gr1) and
CIRCLE OF FIRE (Gr1).
Interesting statistics reveal two Gr1 Winners won their Gr1 races as 2yo’s over 1400m - 1600m whilst Circle Of Fire has won his Gr1 at 3200m.
Now here we are in April, three months after purchasing our colt, and Ciaron Maher has trained the Winner of the Gr2 Chairman’s Hcp over 2600m on Day 1 of the Championships and the horse lined up seven days later in the Gr1 Sydney Cup and won with ease!
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Dynamic Syndications paid $125,000 + GST for our colt and placed him into the care of CIARON MAHER.
AT THE SALES:
Lot 429 - Almanzor (FR) x Anchovy (IRE) from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
Magic Millions Lot 429 - Almanzor (FR) x Anchovy (IRE) colt - Auction Video from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
At play in the paddock
We have some exciting updates with the colt, who is now broken-in and moves beautifully under saddle.
First Ride
Shares will be offered later in the year.
Keep an eye out for this potential CUPS KING !
Hoofnote: We have not created a website for this Colt at this date.
We were planning to bringing him to market in the second half of 2024.
However he has been well found already with many of our VIP Owners having secured shares.
If you wish to find out more - chat with ADAM WATT on 02 9540 1511 or 0409 464 378.
If you harbour a dream of Blue Riband Classic Races such as Derbies and Cups this is your colt!