A CLASSIC-placed group winner in Europe who went on to be a champion in Hong Kong, Xtension came back to cover at Rathbarry Stud in 2015, recording over 83% fertility in that first season. This handsome son of dual European champion Xaar will have his first yearlings at the sales this year.

Rated 116 in Timeform’s Racehorses of 2009, Xtension scored first time out at Goodwood, before running second to Canford Cliffs in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. He comfortably won the Group 2 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes and then ended his first season with a close third to Beethoven in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. He was only 1lb below Showcasing and Siyouni.

Xtension increased his rating to 117 as a three-year-old after finishing a close fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket behind Makfi, Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs, with St Nicholas Abbey behind him. After that he was fifth to Canford Cliffs in the Irish 2000 Guineas and third to Dick Turpin and Siyouni in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly in July, beating Lope de Vega.

Sent to race in Hong Kong, Xtension proved himself to be an outstanding miler there, winning the Group 1 BMW Champion Mile at Sha Tin in both 2011 and 2012. He was also second in the Hong Kong Derby, the Hong Kong Gold Cup, the Hong Kong Classic Mile and the Stewards’ Cup. By the time he returned to Europe he had increased his earnings to a massive £2,584,572, equivalent to over €3,400,000.

Xaar was the champion at two and three in Europe, when his wins included the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. A son of Zafonic (also sire of Iffraaj), from the Mr Prospector male line, Xaar sired 31 individual blacktype winners, including the multiple stakes winners Balthazaar’s Gift, The Cheka and Wake Up Maggie (all Group 1 placed), and he is also the maternal grandsire of Harzand, successful in both the Epsom and Irish Derby last year.

Great Joy, the dam of Xtension, was a winner in Germany and second in a listed race. She produced three winners and she is also the grandam of Harry Angel, who won the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury in 2016. Great Joy is a half-sister to A La Carte, winner of the Listed October Stakes at Ascot, and also to the dam of the speedy Wathab, who won the Round Tower Stakes and was second in the Group 1 National Stakes.

Won four races, £2,584,572, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, 2 to 5 years including, The BMW Champions’ Mile, Sha Tin, Gr.1, The BMW Champions’ Mile, Sha Tin, Gr.1, Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2, also placed second in Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Mercedes Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile, Sha Tin, L, Mercedes Benz Hong Kong Derby, Sha Tin, L, The Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup, Sha Tin, L, The Sha Tin Trophy, Sha Tin, L, The Stewards’ Cup, Sha Tin, L, and third in Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile, Sha Tin, Gr.1, Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Prix Jean Prat, Chantilly, Gr.1, Bochk Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile, Sha Tin, Gr.2, etc.

Retired to stud in 2015, first crop now yearlings.

Stands at: Rathbarry Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland

Contact: Catherine Cashman, Paul Cashman, Francis Woods

Telephone: +353 25 36362

Email: rathbarr@iol,ie

Web: www.rathbarrystud.com

Fee: €4,000