MONSUN (by Konigsstuhl) was one of the great German stallions of modern times. In addition to his string of major winners on the track, and Group 1 success at stud for his sons Manduro (sire of Vazirabad, Ultra, Ribbons and Mandaean), champion sire Samum and Shirocco, he is also becoming one of the most sought-after sources of National Hunt sires.
Network and Shirocco, responsible for the brilliant duo Sprinter Sacre and the recent Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power respectively, are among the top 20 in the National Hunt sires’ championship title race, Shirocco is also sire of the Grade 1 winning hurdler Lac Fontana. Manduro and rising star Arcadio have current graded winners to their name, while Samum, Gentlewave and September Storm are among those also represented in the winners’ enclosure this season.
The Monsun stallions also include Getaway, whose four-year-old first-crop son Agamemmon won a point-to-point in England recently, and Retirement Plan, a regally-related new addition to the covering shed in Ireland.
Bred by Juddmonte Farms and trained in Newmarket by Lady Cecil, Retirement Plan won a 12 furlong Doncaster maiden on just his second start, followed-up in an 11-furlong Goodwood handicap, and won the Shergar Cup Stayers over two miles at Ascot. He was only beaten by four and a quarter lengths when fifth in the Ebor Handicap at York, and he was runner-up in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster; after which Timeform rated him 110.
He is the first foal out of Passage Of Time (by Dansili), the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer whose additional Group 1 form included third place finishes in each of the Nassau Stakes, Prix Vermeille and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Her third foal is Time Test (by Dubawi) who won last year’s Group 2 Joel Stakes and Group 3 Tercentenary Stakes, finished fourth in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, and earned a Timeform rating of 125.
Passage Of Time is a full-sister to the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes winner Father Time and to listed handicap scorer Continuum, she is a half-sister to the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes heroine Timepiece (by Zamindar), and her dam Clepsydra (by Sadler’s Wells) is out of Quandary (by Blushing Groom), the stakes-winning half-sister to classic-placed Group 1 star All At Sea (by Riverman). The latter mare is the grandam of the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Mutual Trust.
Clepsydra is also a half-sister to Double Crossed (by Caerleon) who is the stakes-winning dam of Twice Over (by Observatory), the joint champion older horse in Europe in 2009 and winner of the Eclipse Stakes, Juddmonte International, and two Champion Stakes hero. The Klawervlei Stud stallion has his much anticipated first crop of yearlings in South Africa.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
There are many other notable performers in the various branches of this famous family, including Group/Grade 1 winners Mutual Trust (by Cacique), Hilda’s Passion (by Canadian Frontier) and the brilliant Banshee Breeze (by Unbridled).
Retirement Plan represents a major sire line, has a Timeform 125-rated half-brother who is entered in both the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes and Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in the coming weeks, and he represents a powerful distaff line that continues to excel on the international stage.
He is one of the best-bred National Hunt stallions at stud and he looks sure to be very popular.
Won three races, £49,458, from 1 mile 3 furlongs to 2 miles, at 3 and 4 years. Retires to stud in 2016.
Stands at: Tullaghansleek Stud, Castletown Geoghegan, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Contact: Timothy Carey
Telephone: +353 (0)57 9335119 or +353 (0)86 8353415
Email: claire.carey9@gmail.com
Fee: on application