THIS is proving to be quite a year for Study Of Man (Deep Impact), based at Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud. He has shown, time and again, that he is a quality sire, but he has had to prove it with relatively small books of mares, and this despite having one of the best pedigrees of any sire at stud. He is also a winner of the stallion-making Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby.

Kalpana, from his first crop, is a perfect advertisement for the quality of runners he can sire, and with his yearling crop coming from 123 mares covered, and his foal crop resulting from a full book of 140 mares, Study Of Man’s growing success story is set in the years ahead to take him to another level. Not only is he due to be represented by more runners, but the quality of the mares he has been covering of keeps getting better, and some 40% of last year’s book is made up of stakes performers.

It is no surprise that breeders have woken up to the excellence of Study Of Man. Consider this. His first crop of just over 50 foals has resulted in eight stakes winners and two group-placed horses. With almost one in five of that crop being stakes horses, and eight winning at that level, it is clear that he is passing on his quality in spades. Well capable too of getting two-year-olds, his first crop contained Group 2 winner Deepone, Study Of Man’s stock improve with time.

Anyone who knows Kirsten Rausing will appreciate that she is someone who ardently supports her own stallions, and she has done so in spades with Study Of Man. Last year, as a perfect example, she sent him more than 20 mares, and she was in good company.

The best breeders in the world also supported him, the Aga Khan Studs with a number of mares, Juddmonte, the Wertheimer brothers, Ben Sangster, George Strawbridge, Shadai Farm, Airlie Stud, James Hanly with partners, Newsells Park, Roundhill Stud, Haras d’Etreham, Watership Down, Cheveley Park, Ballylinch Stud – the list goes on and on.

The initial spurt in support for Study Of Man resulted from a hugely encouraging first season with his runners. That crop included nine individual juvenile winners and two stakes horses. That promise is now being fulfilled.

Race record

Study Of Man himself won a mile newcomers’ race at Saint-Cloud on his only start at two. On his second start at three he advertised his classic potential with an impressive performance in the 10 and a half-furlong Group 2 Prix Greffulhe, winning by three and a half lengths. He followed it with his classic victory. He would go on to chase home Waldgeist in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, and was runner-up to Zabeel Prince in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. Study Of Man was only beaten four and a half lengths by Enable in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his only attempt at a mile and a half.

The Lanwades sire is the best of six winners out of Second Happiness (Storm Cat) who, like her half-sister Monevassia (Mr Prospector), was placed. The latter is dam of juvenile champion and dual Group 1 winner Rumplestiltskin (Danehill), and grandam of Group 1 standouts Tapestry (Galileo), Real Steel (Deep Impact) and Loves Only You (Deep Impact).

Study Of Man’s grandam Miesque (Nureyev) was among the all-time great racemares before she became one of the most influential broodmares of the modern era. Kingmambo (Mr Prospector), her son, was a hugely successful stallion. In addition to Kingmambo, Second Happiness is half-sister to East Of The Moon (Private Account), a dual classic heroine and grandam of Group 1-stars Alpha Centauri (Mastercraftsman), Alpine Star (Sea The Moon) and Discoveries (Mastercraftsman). Miesque’s descendants include French classic winner Karakontie (Bernstein).

Juddmonte’s honour list is star-studded

WORDS cannot accurately credit the enormity of the influence Juddmonte has had on the thoroughbred breed. It is a story of consistent top-class success, and stands as an enduring tribute to Prince Khalid Abdullah.

With more than 150 Group and Grade 1 winners attributable to the firm, it is an incredible tale of racing and breeding accomplishments. Some 118 Juddmonte homebreds have carried their silks to top-level success, another 15 they bred have done likewise for others, while another 20 of their Group and Grade 1 stars have been acquired at public auction. The latter list started with classic winner Known Fact (In Reality), includes the 1985 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Rainbow Quest (Blushing Groom), and the following year’s winner of the race, Dancing Brave (Lyphard), and the Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song).

More recent racing stars who were purchased at auction include current Banstead Manor stallion Chaldean, a son of their outstanding Frankel (Galileo), new sire for 2027 Field Of Gold, by another Banstead sire in Kingman (Invincible Spirit), and the recent Falmouth Stakes winner Blue Bolt (Blue Point). What a tribute that is to their team’s judgement. It is interesting to note that of the 15 horses they sold who went on to top-flight success, none were fillies or mares.

As I mentioned earlier, 118 Juddmonte homebreds have shone at racing’s elite level, and 54 of these were fillies and mares. The organisation gives them an equal chance to shine on the track, and most have later made a mark at stud. Standing tall is Troussard (El Gran Senor), Grade 1 winner of the Gamely Handicap. She went on to produce four Grade 1 winners, all by different sires.Chester House (Mr Prospector) won the Arlington Million and became a Grade 1 sire, Honest Lady (Seattle Slew) won the Santa Monica Handicap in the same year and later bred the Grade 1 winner and Group 1 sire First Defence (Unbridled’s Song), Chiselling (Woodman) won the Secretariat Stakes, while Empire Maker (Unbridled) won three Grade 1 races, the Belmont Stakes, Wood Memorial and the Florida Derby, and is a Grade 1 sire.

Hasili

If that achievement is amazing, how do we describe what Hasili (Kahyasi) did? She was ‘just’ a listed winner, but would go one better in the breeding shed, with five Group/Grade 1 winners.

Only three mares in history have achieved this feat. Not only did she breed European champion Banks Hill, dual Grade 1 winner and Group 1 sire Cacique, champion and dual Grade 1 winner Intercontinental and Horse of the Year, multiple Grade 1 winner and Group 1 sire Champs Elysees, all by Danehill (Danzig), and Heat Haze (Green Desert), a dual Grade 1 winner and dam of Group 1 winner Mirage Dancer (Frankel), but her son Dansili (Danehill) is a 24-time Group 1 sire, and the damsire of Kalpana.

Throw into the mix outstanding young mares such as Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winners Bluestocking (Camelot) and Enable (Nathaniel), five-time Grade 1 winner Idiomatic (Curlin) and more, and there is so much to look forward to in the next decade, and no doubt beyond that.