IT WAS exactly the right time for Denis Hickey when the Group 1 star Sageburg was purchased to come from France to Ireland to stand at Garryrichard Stud, because since then he has proved himself to be a top sire under both rules, with three individual Group 2 winners on the flat and a similar number over hurdles.

Racing in the colours of the Aga Khan and trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Sageburg did not see a racecourse until halfway through his three-year-old season.

On his debut he romped home eight lengths clear of 19 rivals in a maiden over nine furlongs, then a month later added to that at Longchamp. Only two weeks after that Sageburg completed his hat-trick in the Listed Prix Ridgway at Deauville.

Sageburg was third to Duke of Marmalade in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on his reappearance at three, before defeating the brilliant filly Darjina in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. A close sixth on the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, he completed his illustrious racing career with a fourth to Tamayuz in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, third to Goldikova in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin and second in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein.

Sageburg had his first runners in 2012 and his daughter Peace Burg scored in the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham and the Group 3 Prix d’Aumale, both at Chantilly, besides running third in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. Another daughter, Spain Burg, defeated Frankel’s daughter Fair Eva in the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket last September. Spain Burg sold for €1.5 million last October.

At Santa Anita, Sageburg had another Grade 2 winner in the Charles Whittingham Stakes with Si Sage, who also won the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes there.

Over jumps, Sageburg is sire of Ch’tibello, who scored in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle, while at Auteuil in France Fou Et Sage won the Listed Prix Fifrelet Hurdle, while Ange d’Amour took the Listed Prix Marc Antony Hurdle and the Listed Prix General Donnio Chase. Last Saturday, his son Pyromane easily won the Listed Prix General de Rougemont Hurdle at Auteuil.

Johannesburg was the champion two-year-old on both sides of the Atlantic in 2001, when he won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He has sired 64 stakes winners, including Scat Daddy, the sire of champion No Nay Never.

Sageburg’s dam Sage Et Jolie won the Group 2 Prix de Malleret and she is an own-sister to Sagamix, winner of the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a successful sire in France.

Won four races, £262,214, from 1 mile 1 furlong to 1 mile 2 furlongs, at 3 and 4 years including, Prix d’Ispahan, Longchamp, Gr.1, Prix Ridgway, Deauville, L, also placed second in Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein, Longchamp, Gr.2, and third in Prix Ganay - Anniversaire Air Mauritius, Longchamp, Gr.1, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Longchamp, Gr.1.

Retired to stud in 2009, and sire of the winners of 143 races, and £2,555,492, including SI SAGE (FR), SPAIN BURG (FR), PEACE BURG (FR), Zafiro (FR), Starsic (FR), Passing Burg (FR), Sage Melody (FR), Adele Star (FR), Burger And Fries (FR) and sire of the winners of 68 races, and £1,632,676 under N.H. Rules, including CH’TIBELLO (FR), PYROMANE (FR), ANGE D’AMOUR (FR), FOU ET SAGE (FR), MAGIE DU MA (FR), Rouge Et Sage (FR) , King Of War (FR).

Stands at: Garryrichard Stud, Foulksmills, Co Wexford, Ireland

Telephone: +353 (0) 51 565611 or (mobile) +353 087 917 5744

Contact: Denis Hickey

Email: lucyhickey@gmail.com

Fee: €5,000