ENGLISH TEXTS
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PHILIPPE DECOUZ IS A FAN
French trainer Philippe Decouz bred and trained Vauban before his departure for Ireland . He is now his biggest fan .
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JOSEPH O ’ BRIEN
The young Irish trainer has already saddled two winners of Australia ’ s greatest race , namely Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020 . His compatriot Dermot Weld has also won the race twice , in 1993 with Vintage Crop and then in 2002 with Media Puzzle . Joseph was born six months before that first European success in the race .
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by Serge Okay
GALIWAY THE MOST SOUGHT- AFTER STALLION .
250 COVERS IN 2024 !
No matter how much we sift through the records , never has a stallion given so much of himself . “ A record in France ,” confirms Céline Falcinelli , director of the Colleville stud farm . The price for the covering of the son of Galileo and Danzigaway , and grandson of Danehill , has jumped from 3,000 to 30,000 euros , benefiting from the same “ magic cross as Frankel .”
“ A top model , an exceptional horse ,” likes to say Guy Pariente . With looks , power and speed , the new prince of the studbook has it all . Yet , his career as a stallion is nothing short of a miracle . When Guy Pariente sets his sights on him , this Fabre / Wertheimer ( 2 wins , 2 places in 6 races , 77,768 euros in earnings ) was destined to be gelded after suffering from tendonitis . “ The veterinarian was reserved ,” recalls Céline Falcinelli .
The comparison with Kendargent , another star stallion from Saint- Pierre-Azif who escaped the same fate , is quickly made . “ Both exemplify Mr . Pariente ’ s trademark approach , which doesn ’ t necessarily seek stars or Gr1 winners , but good lineage .”
His offspring are already exceptional : Sunway and Sealiway on the flat , Vauban and Gala Marceau over hurdles . “ Having first-crop winners in Gr1 in both disciplines is very rare . Galiway is already very popular . A third of the breeders who approach him are foreign ,” primarily from England and Ireland . At the Tattersalls sales , two of his yearlings were recently sold for 210,000 and 220,000 guineas . “ Even those from the jumping scene are trying to buy them .”
A favorite for the Melbourne Cup , a winner on the flat and over hurdles , Vauban is the perfect illustration of this brilliant versatility . His trainer , Willie Mullins , has made Galiway successful on the international stage . So imagine if this converted jumper manages to secure a third Gr1 by winning the “ Australian Arc de Triomphe ”...
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MASTER D ’ OC FIRST SON OF DOCTOR DINO AT THE STUD
Winner of the Prix Robert Lejeune ( Gr3 ) at Auteuil in September 2023 , Master d ’ Oc ( Doctor Dino ) outpaced Léon du Berlais ( 2 nd ) and Jigme ( 3 rd ), who would later form the winning combination in the Prix Cambacérès - Grande Course de Haies des 3 Ans ( Gr1 ). Having not been seen since his last attempt in March on the Mortemart steeple , the former resident of Amanda Zetterholm and Noël George is now set to begin a new career as a stallion .
Master d ’ Oc is a son of Doctor Dino , an extraordinary performer , who won the Hong Kong Vase ( Gr1 ) twice , the Man O ’ War Stakes ( Gr1 ), and was a winner from 2 to 6 years old over distances of 1,500m to 2,400m . His offspring are just as eclectic , making him the father of remarkable competitors on the flat , such as Golden Legend ( 2x Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte Gr3 and placed in the E . P . Taylor Stakes Gr1 ), as well as the two-time winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris ( Gr1 ), Docteur de Ballon .
Starting in 2025 , Master d ’ Oc will stand at the Haras de Toury with Bertrand de Soultrait . “ This is a significant announcement for the French sire , as he is currently the first and only son of Doctor Dino to enter the stud .
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