Haras de la Haie Neuve dealt huge blow as Pedro The Great dies aged nine

Haras de la Haie Neuve in France has been dealt a bitter blow with the recent death of its promising young stallion Pedro The Great aged just nine.

The son of Henrythenavigator stood his early years at the stud at a negligible fee but has outperformed his opportunities by supplying seven black-type performers, headed by Fatale Bere, who was Listed-placed at Craon for Joel Boisnard at two and went on to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at three after being transferred to race for Leonard Powell in the US.

Shadai Farm bought Fatale Bere, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed hurdler Divin Bere, for $700,000 at the Keeneland January Sale this year.

Pedro The Great is also the sire of Listed scorers Feralia and Pedro Cara, and Lagrandecatherine, who was beaten less than a length when fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac. Another flagbearer has been The Great Heir, a €33,000 yearling purchase by Stephen Hillen who landed a £150,000 pot when successful in the Weatherbys Racing Bank 2yo Stakes at Doncaster last year.

Those excellent results – achieved with a first crop that numbered just 35 foals, followed by a second crop of 39 – earned the stallion a pay rise to €10,000 for this year's breeding season.

Tangi Saliou, who runs Haras de la Haie Neuve, and Alain Regnier, who founded the stud, told Jour de Galop: “Pedro The Great made his mark on the history of the farm, just as Verglas, Hurricane Cat and Robin Des Pres did before him – but he holds a special place because he gave us the first Group 1 winner raised on the stud in Fatale Bere.

“He fitted in perfectly with our breeding policy: he produces robust horses who win races at two, and the icing on the cake is that his progeny are also able to stay.

“His achievements were recognised by covering a larger book last year and we will see those on the track when they turn two in 2021. He will be represented in the Arqana August Yearling Sale for the first time this season, which is a nice tribute to the horse.

“Now we must focus on the future. Seahenge had a great first season this year, covering 107 mares and with a very good fertility rate of 93 per cent. We found Pedro The Great after Verglas, and now we're working hard to find the stallion to succeed Pedro The Great.”

Pedro The Great was bred by Hascombe and Valiant Studs out of the Group 3-winning Rainbow Quest mare Glatisant, making him a half-brother to 2,000 Guineas victor Footstepsinthesand and to Frappe, the dam of Royal Ascot winners Curvy, Power and Thakafaat.

Sold to Coolmore for 150,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he was trained by Aidan O'Brien to win two of his five starts, all coming at two, including the Phoenix Stakes.

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