FLAG Of Honour is an intriguing prospect and, although some view him as an ideal National Hunt one, flat breeders should not overlook the chance to breed to this Group 1-winning son of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) for just £2,500.

He has two half-brothers who have achieved useful results as flat sires, one of them getting a Group 1 scorer in France and the other a source of prolific and durable sprinters. How prolific and durable? We’re talking about a long list of horses who have won between four and 13 races on the flat, not all of whom are among the long list who have raced between 25 and 87 times.

That stallion is Misu Bond (Danehill Dancer), a Group 3-placed six- and seven-furlong listed scorer who finished fifth to George Washington in the Group 1 2000 Guineas. His Group 1-placed, Group 3-winning full-brother Air Chief Marshal stood in France for several years and has supplied Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud scorer Mont Ormel (aka Helene Charisma). That seven-figure earner is backed up on his sire’s roll of honour by several others who have earned six-figure sums.

Their sprinter full-brother Foxtrot Romeo chased home Power in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, whereas their Group 3-placed, dual stakes-winning half-sister Slip Dance (Celtic Swing) was a capable sprinter who stayed a mile and is the grandam of the Grade 1-placed dual stakes winner Awesometank (Intense Focus).

Flag Of Honour showed his sire’s stamina, which is hardly a surprise for a grandson of Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer), but depending on what he inherited from his dam, Hawala (Warning), he could sire more eight-to-10-furlong horses than some might expect. He won over seven and nine furlongs at two, the latter the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown, but never returned to those distances.

His next pattern success was a defeat of Giuseppe Garibaldi in the Group 2 Curragh Cup over 14 furlongs, the same margin and rival as at Leopardstown, and he followed up with defeat of Twilight Payment in a Group 3 at the same venue before completing his hat-trick in the Group 1 Irish St Leger, beating Irish Derby winner Latrobe by almost three lengths.

Although then fourth to Stradivarius in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup, he came back in trip as a four-year-old. Unfortunately, Magical was in training that year too and he chased her home in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes, Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes and Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Flag Of Honour, who was most effective from 10 to 14 furlongs, is out of a half-sister to the prolific 12-furlong French listed scorer Zack Hall (Muhtathir) and to Afaf (Spectrum), the 10-and-a-half-furlong Group 3 winner and dam of Zack Hope (Araafa), a 10-time winner from eight to 14 furlongs in France.

There are only 24 foals in Flag Of Honour’s first crop, one of whom made €17,500 in Fairyhouse in November, but he covered a larger book of mares in his second season.

Race record

FLAG OF HONOUR (IRE), Bay 2015. Won five races, £555,702, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile 6 furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Comer Group International Irish St Leger, Curragh, Gr.1, Comer Group International Curragh Cup, Curragh, Gr.2, Comer Ballycullen St Leger Trial Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, thetote.com Eyrefield Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3, also placed second in Tattersalls Gold Cup, Curragh, Gr.1, Coolmore Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2, Alleged Stakes, Naas, Gr.3, and third in Prix Noailles, Parislongchamp, Gr.3.

At stud

Retired to Stud in 2020, first crop now yearlings.

Information

Stands at: The National Stud, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0XE, England.

Contact: Joe Grimwade, Anna Kerr or Bethany Howard

Telephone: +44 (0)1638 675929 or +44 (0)1638 675934

Email: stallions@nationalstud.co.uk

Web: www.nationalstud.co.uk

Fee: £2,500