Mekhtaal joins ever-growing roster at Haras de Bouquetot

Mekhtaal, who won the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly last year, has been retired and will join the ever-growing roster at Haras de Bouquetot for the 2019 breeding season.

The five-year-old son of Sea The Stars was trained in the earlier part of his career by Jean-Claude Rouget, winning a Saint-Cloud maiden on debut as a three-year-old and the Group 2 Prix Hocquart the same season.

Mekhtaal won the Prix d'Ispahan from Robin Of Navan at Chantilly last year and, switched to the yard of Graham Motion, rounded off his career with a close second to Johnny Dear in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine in September.

"We are delighted to be able to bring in a second son of Sea The Stars, a Group 1 winner with speed," Benoit Jeffroy, stud manager at Bouquetot, told Jour de Galop.

"We are convinced that by transmitting his physical qualities and speed, Mekthaal will please breeders as well as market demand."

Mekhtaal will join this year's new recruit Zelzal, who is also by Sea The Stars, on the roster.

Bred by Haras du Mezeray and Skymarc Farm, Mekhtaal is a half-brother to the 2008 Prix Hocquart winner Democrate and US Grade 3 winner Aigue Marine.

That trio are out of the Silver Hawk mare Aiglonne, winner of the end-of-season Group 3 Prix Fille de l'Air. Aiglonne is out of Majestic Role, one of five black-type winners out of Autocratic along with Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine Fair Of The Furze.

Sea The Moon has flown the flag for sons of Sea The Stars at stud, with 12 first-crop winners including the Group 3-winning pair Noble Moon and Quest The Moon.

Silver Hawk, meanwhile, is forging a strong reputation as a broodmare sire.

Other maternal grandsons include Nathaniel, who sired dual Arc winner Enable, and Brando, an accomplished sprinter at the highest level who was fourth to Sands Of Mali in the British Champions Sprint Stakes on Saturday.

A fee for Mekhtaal - who will stand alongside the likes of Olympic Glory, Shalaa and Toronado - will be announced at a later date.

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