'He has a wonderful pedigree to match his race record' - Technician on the move to Ireland for 2025

Group 1 winner Technician is on the move for 2025.

The eight-year-old, winner of the Prix Royal-Oak in 2019, one of five victories from just 11 starts for the Martyn Meade yard, will stand next year at Knockmullen House Stud in New Ross, County Wexford.

Technician also won the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay, Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes and Listed Prix Ridgway, while the curtain came down on his career after a seventh-placed finish behind Stradivarius in the Gold Cup of 2020.

The son of Mastercraftsman, who has Sadler's Wells as damsire, was retired initially to Haras de Montaigu, where he stood for the 2022 and 2023 covering seasons at €3,000.

He was switched to Manton Park in Wiltshire for this year, where his fee was £5,000.

Knockmullen's Gordon Doyle said on Thursday: "Technician has arrived from Manton Park and I'm extremely grateful to Martyn Meade and the team at Manton Park for sending the horse to us.

"Technician was a top-notch racehorse, winning the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak. He completed the Prix Chaudenay-Prix Royal Oak double at Longchamp within the space of just a few weeks, a notable achievement also accomplished by top sire Turgeon. He was undefeated at Longchamp in three races. 

"He additionally won the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury, a race also won by Presenting. He loved soft ground, an attribute that is so important in National Hunt racing."

Technician did indeed relish give in the ground, all four of his Pattern-race strikes coming on soft, very soft or heavy ground. However, he was also versatile enough to win a good-ground novice event at Leicester as a three-year-old.

Doyle feels that his breeding should prove every bit as attractive to mare owners as his race record.

"Technician has a wonderful pedigree to match, being out of a stakes-winning daughter of Sadler's Wells, the most important National Hunt influence of the last 20 years," he said.

"It's the family of Group 1 winner Recoletos and top stayer Crimson Tide. It further traces back to the Aga Khan family of Derby winner Shahrastani."

He continued: "Technician is a lovely horse with a great temperament. He's a really well balanced horse with size and scope and a great walk. He has some nice crops of yearling and foals in France to come on stream, including a half-sister to Henry de Bromhead's Gin On Lime.

"We are delighted to have Technician at Knockmullen and he adds more depth to our roster of stallions as he will be standing beside Sea The Stars's Group 1-winning son Mekhtaal and Silas Marner, like Doctor Dino by Muhtathir. Both have made a great start to their stallion careers."

Technician's fee at his new base has been set at €2,000, while Mekhtaal is the same price next year, having been €2,500 for the past two seasons, and Silas Marner has also been given a short back and sides, down to €1,200 from €1,800.

Doyle said: "I hope our fees set for 2025 are very competitive as it gives breeders access to two Group 1 winners and a unique opportunity to access the Doctor Dino sire line."

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