'She's changed a lot physically and is a lovely mare' - Ecurie des Monceaux's mares set for Europe's elite

The sad loss of a broodmare phenomenon like Starlet's Sister would have hit any stud in the world really hard, but life goes on at Ecurie des Monceaux and there remains much to look forward to in 2024, both on the racecourse and in the breeding sheds. 

Starlet's Sister's death in November was a bitter blow to Henri Bozo's operation as she was the dam of Arc and Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass – whose first runners will hit the track this year – as well as US champion Sistercharlie and multiple Graded scorer My Sister Nat. 

She also produced Shin Emperor, a seven-figure Arqana August Sale graduate and an exciting Japanese-trained performer who won at Group 3 level and finished a close second in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in December. 

Starlet's Sister did, however, leave the Normandy stud with a valuable gift in the form of her Dubawi daughter Snowpark. A winner on her two-year-old debut for Jean-Claude Rouget, the now four-year-old is staying close to home for her first covering. 

Bozo, director of Ecurie des Monceaux, says: "It was a big shock to lose Starlet's Sister and a tough ending to the year, but unfortunately that's the life of a breeder. Luckily we've got her daughter Snowpark. 

Snowpark: Starlet's Sister's Dubawi daughter is set to be covered by SiyouniCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

"She won brilliantly first time out as a two-year-old at Deauville, but then fell ill after that and never really recovered. She ran once more, when third on her first start at three, but she wasn't the same after the illness. 

"She's changed a lot physically and is a lovely mare. The plan was to send her to Justify, but after the loss of Starlet's Sister we decided to keep her here and send her to Siyouni. He's done so well with the family."

It was a stellar year on the track for Monceaux, with Ancient Wisdom, who they bred with LNJ Foxwoods, gaining top-level honours in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, and champion three-year-old Paddington, who was raised at the stud, posting Group 1 wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, Coral-Eclipse and Sussex Stakes. 

Ancient Wisdom, a €2,000,000 purchase by Godolphin at the Arqana August Yearling Sale in 2022, is out of the Dalakhani mare Golden Valentine. There are no prizes for guessing who she visits this term.

"The Dubawi mating seems to suit very well and we've big hopes for Ancient Wisdom, who is four from five and won a Group 1 last year at two," says Bozo. "She has a yearling colt by Dubawi and is going back to him. We're very happy to use Dubawi while he's still available."

Ancient Wisdom powers clear under William Buick to win the Futurity Trophy at DoncasterCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Mangoustine, owned by Infinity Nine Horses, Monceaux and Qatar Racing, won the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2022, after going unbeaten in three starts as a juvenile. The Dark Angel five-year-old went to Frankel for her first mating in 2023 and is another set to head to the all-conquering Siyouni this year.

Bozo says: "She was a Classic-winning filly and a Group 3 winner at two, and has produced a lovely colt by Frankel. She'll go to Siyouni. She looks great and it's always interesting to see how these retired race fillies change physically."

Prudenzia has proved a brilliant producer for Monceaux, getting the Classic heroine Chicquita and fellow Group 1 winner Magic Wand, as well as Group scorer and Prix de Diane runner-up Philomene and the classy stayer Enemy. She is set to be among the first book of Siyouni's son Paddington.

"She's in great form and has a lovely yearling filly by St Mark's Basilica," says Bozo. "She's going to Paddington, which we're happy about as he was raised on the farm. 

"He's a very impressive horse and we've been lucky with Siyouni; he also brings the Montjeu line that has worked so well with Prudenzia too."

Arc hero Ace Impact will receive Pacifique from MonceauxCredit: Edward Whitaker

There is an equally impressive mating lined up for her Group-winning Montjeu half-sister and black-type producer Pacifique. The 16-year-old will be mated with Haras de Beaumont's unbeaten Arc and Prix du Jockey Club-winning champion Ace Impact. 

Bozo says: "He was a brilliant racehorse and was so impressive in his big wins in France, including the stallion-making Jockey Club."

Such is the influence of the excellent Platonic, there are a number of her daughters bound for some of Europe's elite. 

"Mulan will be covered by Blue Point, while Prudente has just foaled a lovely filly by Zarak and will then go to Night Of Thunder, alongside Psara," says Bozo.

Philomene will feature in Frankel's stunning book of mares, as will Angel Falls, an unraced Kingmambo half-sister to the dam of Derby and King George hero Adayar. The 18-year-old is the dam of Group 1-winning two-year-old National Defense among a number of black-type performers. 

Philomene: Group winner and Prix de Diane second will head to FrankelCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

"She's got a yearling colt by Frankel and will go back to him," says Bozo. "She's the dam of National Defense and from a very strong family."

Another high-class producer is Secrete, a beautifully bred Cape Cross half-sister to Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Plumania and Prix de Royallieu scorer Balladeuse, the dam of Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand. 

Her successful progeny are headed by Prix de la Nonette winner Rumi, a daughter of Frankel, and the 15-year-old has a yearling colt by the same sire. Also the dam of black-type winner Solage, herself the producer of a Listed winner in Opera Mundi, Secrete has been booked in for Siyouni, as has Waldgeist's Galileo winning sister Wildfeder.

Balladeuse's daughter Right Hand is in for a big year, with her Dubawi two-year-old filly Audubon Park in training. The Lope De Vega seven-year-old looks to have plenty of upside in the coming years with her progeny. 

Bozo says: "Her daughter is in training with Francis Graffard and she has a yearling by Siyouni. She's in foal to Wootton Bassett and then will go to Sea The Stars."

Henri Bozo with the much-missed Starlet's Sister at Haras des Monceaux in 2019

Speaking stallions

The stallion market in Europe feels just about as polarised as it ever gets, from Frankel and Dubawi at £350,000 down to sires at €500. As well as those Juddmonte and Darley giants, a few other established big shots are standing at career-high fees, while the quality and quantity of freshmen sires for 2024 is arguably higher than average. 

Wootton Bassett, Sea The Stars and Siyouni all now stand for €200,000, and among the young guns are Classic winners Ace Impact, Paddington, Chaldean and Modern Games. 

Monceaux's policy is quality-driven and all those sires will be used, as well as the go-ahead one-two from last year's first-season sire crop, Blue Point and Too Darn Hot, another pair to be standing for increased fees, in their case €60,000 and £65,000 respectively.

Appraising the stallion market, Bozo says: "There are definitely some exciting young sires, like Ace Impact and Paddington, as well as Chaldean, being a top miler by Frankel. And there's Angel Bleu too, who won two Group 1s at two and is a beautiful horse. He could bring a bit of precocity to French breeders, while Modern Games is by a sire of sires in Dubawi.

"Lope De Vega is another we use a lot as he's a great stallion and a good option to start a young mare. Zarak is also proving himself with good stats and is another we'll be using. 

"Blue Point and Too Darn Hot are the two sensations for Darley and so we'll be using them as well, while Wootton Bassett is highly consistent and brings quality and scope to his mares. We'll be sending several to him."

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