CLONGEEL Stud and the Vaughan family have a long tradition of serving breeders in Munster, and nationwide, with stallions, and this year Edmund and Marita Vaughan are offering two new stallions, both possessing exceptional pedigrees.

A listed winner at Chester over a mile and a half, placed at group-level in England, and stakes-placed also for Jamie Osborne in Meydan, Alignak was well regarded by his trainer, who said of him: “His attitude to life and work was astounding. He didn’t miss a beat and was a pleasure to train. He would have gone close to winning the [Group 2] Dubai Gold Cup if it had been run at a true gallop.

“He had stamina in abundance, but was far from slow. He’s a typical example of the type of animal this pedigree produces – classy horses with great minds that are as hard as nails.”

The pedigree Osborne refers to is that descending from Alruccaba (Crustal Palace), nurtured for generations by Kirsten Rausing at Lanwades Stud.

She stands Alignak’s sire Sea The Moon (Sea The Stars), the sensational Group 1 German Derby winner who is now among that elite group of stallions, siring Group 1 winners on the flat and a Grade 1 National Hunt winner, and he is related to some fine runners from his female line.

Last year was an unforgettable one for the dam side of Alignak’s pedigree. Two of his half-sisters, stakes winners themselves, bred Group 1 winners.

Alwilda (Hernando), is the dam of Alpinista (Frankel), and she gained the tenth and final victory of her career when she raced to victory in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and six of her successes were at Group 1 level.

That win in ParisLongchamp came soon after Eldar Eldarov (Dubawi) added the Group 1 St Leger to an earlier win at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 Queen’s Vase, and he is out of Alignak’s stakes-winning half-sister All At Sea (Sea The Stars).

Alignak is one of four stakes winners, among nine successful offspring in all, from the triple Group 1 winner Albanova (Alzao), and that quartet also includes Group 3 winner Algometer (Achipenko). Alignak was no inbreeding in five generations and is an ideal cross for mares with Sadler’s Wells in their immediate pedigree.

This dam line is exceptional. Alrucabba, in addition to the top-level winners already named, is taproot of winners such as Albanova’s full-sister and dual Group 1 winner, Alborada (Alzao), classic winner Aussie Rules (Danehill), Coronet (Dubawi), St Leger winner Galileo Chrome (Australia), Allegretto (Galileo), full-sisters Yesterday (Sadler’s Wells) and Quarter Moon, and Diamondsandrubies (Fastnet Rock).

Alignak’s sire Sea The Moon was installed as favourite for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after he routed the opposition in the Group 1 Deutsches (German) Derby, and he has sired Group 1 winners Alpine Star (Coronation Stakes) and Dunston (Caulfield Cup) on the level, while is son Allmankind is a Grade 1 winner over jumps.

There is more to come from him, as he is still at an early stage of his stud career, and having a stakes-winning son now at stud is a welcome development.

ALIGNAK (GB), Grey 2016. Won three races, £121,098, from 1 mile 3 furlongs to 1½ miles, at 3 and 4 years including, Stand Cup, Chester, L, also placed second in Al Khail Trophy, Meydan, L, Tapster Stakes, Haydock Park, L, and third in Geoffrey Freer Stakes, Newbury, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2023.

Stands at: Clongeel Stud, Boherbue, Mallow, Co Cork P51 N529, Ireland

Contact: Edmund or Marita Vaughan

Telephone: +353 86 8916449 (Edmund) or +353 86 3870010 (Marita)

Email: clongeelstud@yahoo.ie

Fee: On application