CHAPEL Stud is home to Group 1 winner Trueshan’s sire Planteur (Danehill Dancer), the Group 2 winner and impeccably-bred Bangkok (Australia) whose first foals are arriving, and they were joined last year by a stallion who is already siring winners.

Walzertakt (Montjeu) was acquired to stand there as a new National Hunt sire in 2022. A high-class stayer in France, he won the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil and the Group 3 Qatar Prix Gladiateur at Longchamp. He is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Wiener Walzer (Dynaformer), and his dam Walzerkoenigin (Kingmambo) was champion older mare in Germany.

A member of Simon Davies’ DahlBury group of stallions, Walzertakt was described by Chapel Stud director Roisin Close as “a big, strong, good-looking horse, a very typical stamp of his sire Montjeu. His pedigree is rapidly turning into a German masterclass of breeding, full of champions and Group 1 winners of the highest and toughest calibre. For stamina and quality, you really don’t need to look any further. We really do have a stallion to suit every mare!”

Excited

The stallion’s owner Davies added: “I am extremely excited to have secured Walzertakt. He also complements my other stallions; Planteur, who has winners most days led by the incredible Trueshan, and Bangkok, an extremely well-bred son of Australia and tremendously tough racehorse.

“This gives British breeders great quality and choice for their mares without wading through the issues that Brexit has thrown up.”

Richard Venn, who brokered the deal to acquire him from France, added: “Walzertakt is bred on exactly the same cross as Camelot. Added to that, he hails from a strong blacktype family with a German connection, and his half-brother Wiener Walzer is the sire of Grade 1 winner Adagio.”

It may well be that Irish breeders will also be attracted to Walzertakt, who is based just a three and a half hour trip from Holyhead. After all, last year his winning four-year-old son Zertakt sold for €195,000 and is now with Venetia Williams,

Ian Ferguson paid €60,000 for a three-year-old son of his at the Goffs Land Rover Sale, while others who have purchased his stores include Nicky Henderson, Stroud Coleman, Evan Williams and Highflyer Bloodstock.

His first crop are only five, but already they are becoming regular visitors to the winner’s enclosure, and a number of them are multiple winners too.

Walzertakt shares his sire with Walk In The Park, Jukebox Jury, Vadamos, Maxios, Getaway, Schiaparelli, Manduro, Gentlewave, Shirocco, Network, Ocovango and many more, and Montjeu’s influence on National Hunt racing is well-established.

Germany

On the dam side, Walzertakt’s half-brother Wiener Walzer (Dynaformer) was the champion three-year-old in Germany after he won the Group 1 Deutsches (German) Derby, to which he added a victory in the Group 1 Rheinland-Pokal, His best son was the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle winner Adagio who was runner-up in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

WALZERTAKT (GER), Bay 2009. Jt top rated older stayer in Germany in 2015. Won four races, £140,291, from 1½ miles to 2 miles, at 5 and 6 years including, Prix Maurice de Nieuil, Longchamp, Gr.2, Qatar Prix Gladiateur, Longchamp, Gr.3, also placed third in Darley Prix Kergorlay, Deauville, Gr.2, Comer Group Int. Oleander Rennen, Berlin-Hoppegarten, Gr.3, Silbernes Band, Cologne, L.

Retired to Stud in 2017, and sire of the winners of 5 races and £32,237, and sire of the winners of 17 races, and £272,620 under N.H. Rules.

Stands at: Chapel Stud, Chapel Lane, Bransford, Worcestershire WR6 5JQ, England

Contact: Roisin Close or Tina Dawson

Telephone: +44 7738 279071 (Roisin) or +44 7776 165854 (Tina)

Email: roisin@chapelstud.co.uk

Web: www.chapelstud.co.uk

Fee: £2,500