Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour sends signal of intent towards European racing after buying historic stud farm

Manchester City owner and vice-president of the UAE Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has completed the purchase of one of the world's most historic stud farms, with a view to launching his own thoroughbred breeding operation.

Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard was the base for the profoundly influential owner/breeder Marcel Boussac for 60 years until its purchase in 1979 by Stavros Niarchos, whose family had retained the Normandy nursery ever since.

Fresnay has nurtured 45 European Classic winners and no fewer than seven Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners, and will now come under the banner of Sheikh Mansour's Wathba Stallions breeding operation, among the leaders in purebred Arabian racing. 

Fresnay-le-Buffard: success of horses to have passed through historic Normandy stud spans generations

Sheikh Mansour's purebred Arabian operation in France numbers about 900 horses including broodmares, retirees and horses in training under the Yas Horse Racing Management banner, as well as ten stallions.

But the purchase of Fresnay-le-Buffard marks a new chapter for Wathba, as plans are in motion to acquire a select band of thoroughbred broodmares, with the intention of standing stallions at the site in due course. Mathieu Legars, who was formerly Coolmore's representative in France and most recently worked on the bloodstock team at Arqana, will take over as the stud's director from March 1. 

In May last year, Chantilly Bloodstock's Gerard Larrieu was appointed to manage Sheikh Mansour's racing and breeding interests, and in an exclusive interview with French racing daily Jour de Galop, he explained the aims for Fresnay-le-Buffard. 

"His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has in mind a project with thoroughbreds," said Larrieu. "Mathieu Legars, who brings long years of experience with Coolmore, Camas Park Stud and Arqana, has been hired.

Chantilly Bloodstock's Gerard Larrieu (left) presides over both Wathba Stallions and Yas Horse Racing Management for Sheikh Mansour. Credit: ZUZANNA LUPA

"From March 1, he will become director of Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard where, step by step, we will develop a new thoroughbred breeding operation.

"The idea will be to found a broodmare band of real quality. Mathieu Legars is also charged with building a new team. The stud will be open to taking outside boarders.

"In time, the plan is for the stud to return to its former role as a stallion station for thoroughbreds. It is there where Nureyev stood [for the Niarchos family], as well as five sires who were champion in France."

Asked what the scale of Sheikh Mansour's ambitions are, Larrieu said: "It is His Highness who will decide. It's true that Fresnay-le-Buffard is a mythical place, one tied to Marcel Boussac and the Niarchos family. The site has been very well maintained and the soil analysis is extremely good."

Wathba stands ten Arabian stallions, while Sheikh Mansour's racing interests are represented by Yas Horse Racing Management. 

His red-and-green-checked silks have twice been successful in the Qatar Arabian World Cup courtesy of Lahib (2008) and Mushrae (2013). Sheikh Mansour can also count four wins in the Kahayla Classic on the Dubai World Cup card, most recently with Hayyan in 2023. 

Deryan and Ioritz Mendizabal win the 2021 Dubai Kahayla Classic in the colours of Sheikh Mansour's Yas Horse Racing ManagementCredit: Francois Nel

Sheikh Mansour's investment in football has become a major factor in the modern game, with Manchester City forming the cornerstone of the global City Football Group, a conglomerate that takes in 13 clubs including New York City, Melbourne City and Yokohama Marinos.  

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