'Caturra's done everything we've asked of him and taken it all in his stride'

Could lightning strike twice for Overbury Stud? The acquisition of Caturra, the winner of the 2021 Flying Childers Stakes and a similar model to the team's proven Group 1 sire Ardad, means it would not be the worst bet in the world. 

The Gloucestershire stud boasts a diverse and talented line-up - ranging from speed-oriented stallions such as Ardad to bona fide National Hunt prospects like Jack Hobbs, Golden Horn and Frontiersman, as well as old guard Schiaparelli - but there is no doubting stud manager Simon Sweeting's excitement about his latest recruit.

Caturra, who like Ardad was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, joins Overbury in the glow of sire Mehmas's red-hot success over the last few years.

In another similarity to Ardad, he blazed his way to victory in the Flying Childers, five years after his studmate's three-quarter length score for John Gosden. 

Having been introduced to breeders for an opening fee of £6,500 - the same price Ardad stood for in his first season in 2018 - Sweeting reports the four-year-old to have settled into his new life well, and that breeders have welcomed him with open arms. 

Simon Sweeting: "He's probably at the same place as Ardad." Credit: Laura Green

He says: "We showed him at Newmarket during the December Mares Sale and had around 120 visitors over three days. We sold breeding rights there too and we're selling nominations now.

"He's probably at the same place as Ardad, perhaps a bit further forward, so I'd be confident of him getting 120 mares this year."

Sweeting, who confirmed his owner Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi will support him with "seven or eight mares" alongside five of his own, adds: "Caturra has done everything we've asked of him and taken it all in his stride. He hasn't covered a mare yet but has done a lot of teasing and is doing that right, but equally is retaining his easy temperament."

So, how do Ardad and Caturra compare physically? Sweeting is considered in his response.

"He's a bit bigger than Ardad, slightly rangier," he says. "In comparison with Mehmas, I'd say he's a slightly bigger version and perhaps with a slightly better back leg, although that's not a criticism of Mehmas - you can't criticise him after all he's done. He's similar to Ardad in that he's got a very good walk."

With Mehmas fever in full swing, Sweeting was keen to stand the first son of the Tally-Ho sire in Britain, especially considering other sons such as Supremacy and Minzaal are now ensconced in Ireland.

He says: "At the end of last season we got the opportunity to buy into him and stand him at Overbury - it wasn't a chance to miss. There are several sons of Mehmas in Ireland but I believe he's the first one over here, so we wanted to take the opportunity."

While Caturra sets out on his date with destiny over the coming weeks, stablemate Ardad has proven his capabilities from his first two crops of runners to hit the track.

They include Commonwealth Cup, Middle Park Stakes and Prix Morny winner Perfect Power, now set for his first season at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud. 

Sweeting reports the thoroughly likeable son of Kodiac to be as popular as ever, saying: "We've been staggered how quickly Ardad's book has filled up this year. He's got 130-odd listed at the moment, which I was thrilled about, and I'd be surprised if we don't get to 150. 

"Breeders have come back to him and he's got some exciting three-year-olds to run this year such as Crispy Cat and Pure Angel, a filly I'm really excited about. She won at the backend at Wolverhampton and I think she's got an exciting future.

"He's got a smaller crop of two-year-olds but some nice three-year-olds, plus a very nice bunch of yearlings." 

The addition of Golden Horn to the Overbury team last summer, following his purchase from Darley by Jayne McGivern, is also set to keep Sweeting on his toes.

He reports the son of Cape Cross's book to be filling up nicely and says of the 2015 Derby and Arc hero: "We've had some very high-class National Hunt mares booked to him; again, he's got a lot of mares, and it's a similar scenario to when Kayf Tara was at his most popular.

"We've yet to decide how many he will cover but the response has been very positive. I couldn't be happier to have him and he's going to keep us very busy this year."

Sweeting stresses there is still plenty to look forward to with Golden Horn's Flat runners too, citing as examples Juddmonte's Listed winner Haskoy and Godolphin's Hong Kong Vase second and Group 2 scorer Botanik - particularly as they take after their sire in looks and temperament. 

Golden Horn: been well received at Overbury Credit: Edward Whitaker

Sweeting says: "Golden Horn is gorgeous and he knows it, and he's in really good nick at the moment. He gets some fabulous-looking animals and has some really exciting ones to come as Haskoy could be absolutely anything and Botanik was second in the Hong Kong Vase."

Jack Hobbs is another with a big year ahead, one that will feature his first crop of four-year-old National Hunt runners.

The son of Halling has proven immensely popular since his retirement to the stud in 2018 and is already the sire of winners on the Flat, including The Gadget Man, who sold to Australia for 310,000gns at last year's Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. 

Sweeting says: "He's done better on the Flat than we could ever have expected. The next 12 months are very important for him with his first National Hunt runners, but if they do what the Flat ones have done then he's going to be having plenty of winners."