THE Irish National Stud announced, earlier this week, that Royal Ascot hero Free Eagle has made the perfect start at stud with his first three mares scanned in foal. The son of the late great High Chaparral has been hugely popular, and is to be extremely well supported by a high class syndicate of international breeders.
Mares visiting Free Eagle this season include Blue Rhapsody, dam of another top class performer by High Chaparral, Western Hymn.
Velvet Star, a half-sister to Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad; Sharapova, dam of the high class pair, Lottie Dod and Rockaway Valley; as well as Nitya, a full-sister to Breeders’ Cup Mile winner, Domedriver.
The Irish National Stud flagship mare Nebraas, dam of the highly talented pair Seeharn and Yellow Rosebud will be among a number of visitors to Free Eagle.
John Osborne, CEO of the Irish National Stud, commented: “Free Eagle has impressed since his racecourse debut and that is borne out by the number of people who have invested in him.
“It is a who’s who of international breeders committed to supporting him in his new career.”
Free Eagle showed his class early with a scintillating six length victory on debut.
He went on to confirm his ability by winning the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes by seven lengths.
His finest hour came on his seasonal reappearance in a commanding performance at Royal Ascot winning the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
Free Eagle is out of the Stakes-placed mare Polished Gem, by Danehill.
Also dam of multiple Group winners Custom Cut and Sapphire, she is an own-sister to Dress To Thrill, winner of the Group 1 Matriarch Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes.
Their dam, Trusted Partner, was a classic-winning Champion at two and three in Europe and their third dam, Talking Picture was Champion two-year-old in America.
Free Eagle stands at the Irish National Stud at a fee of €20,000 (1st October terms).