RP Article "Clodovil's Star On The Rise"

17 Jan 2013

Clodovil's star on the rise as European expats do him proud; GOING PLACES Breakthrough year in 2012 and no sign of success stopping. (Racing Post – Nancy Sexton 17th January 2013)

 

LAST season marked something of a breakthrough for Clodovil. Although the son of Danehill did not waste time in demonstrating his capability as a stallion by siring the Falmouth Stakes winner Nahoodh and Group 3 scorer Beacon Lodge in his first crop, 2012 saw him represented by a steady flow of high-class runners, his 11 stakes performers including Group 1-placed three-year-olds Gregorian and Laugh Out Loud.

 

We are only two weeks into 2013 and the indications are this year could be just as productive. New Year's Day saw the Rathasker Stud stallion sire a brace of stakes winners in Moriarty, a former Richard Hannon-trained gelding who took the Listed Tattersalls Club Cup at Rosehill in Australia, and Tuttipaesi, a Listed-winning juvenile in Italy last season who took the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park on her US debut for Graham Motion. And the bandwagon rolled on last Thursday when Moriarty struck again, this time in the Listed Gosford Cup at Gosford.

 

Trainer Chris Waller purchased Moriarty for 90,000gns at the 2011 Tattersalls Horses in Training sale. Now five, he has shown improved form in Australia since dropping back from 1m4f to 1m2f, which is not surprising given he is a son of a Classic-winning miler and half-brother to winners from 5f to a mile. He is likely to be given a break now before returning later in the year.

 

Ironically Clodovil's successful season in 2012 came in the year that he stood for a career low of [euro]6,000. Unsurprisingly that figure has risen to [euro]7,500 for 2013. Clodovil started stud life at [euro]12,000 at Rathasker in 2004 following a career in which he won five races for Andre Fabre and his breeder, the late Jean-Luc Lagardere, topped by the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. He ventured out of France only once when fifth to Zafeen in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The good to firm ground that day probably did not show him to his best advantage but he was unable to match his Classic-winning form in two subsequent starts and was retired.

 

There is nothing more important for a young stallion than to be represented by a notable flagbearer in his first crop and in Nahoodh, Clodovil sired exactly that out of a group of 48. Initially trained by Mick Channon, the filly landed the Lowther Stakes as a two-year-old and returned the following year to finish an unlucky fifth in the 1,000 Guineas before switching to Mark Johnston, for whom she won the Falmouth Stakes.

 

Her two-year-old form, as well as the exploits of Beacon Lodge, who won the Horris Hill Stakes for Clive Cox, saw Clodovil's book rise appreciably in 2008. His 2009 crop of 95 foals is his largest and most successful; it boasts seven stakes performers including last season's Prix Jean Prat runner-up Gregorian and Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud, yet another classy grey filly trained by Channon. Channon also trains Sorella Bella, who finished second in last year's Gran Criterium. Like Moriarty, she was bred by Rathasker, also the breeder of the stallion's best colt Gregorian.

 

Breeders looking to use Clodovil most effectively already have several strong pointers to set them in the right direction. Gregorian, for instance, is one of two stakes winners from five runners sired by Clodovil out of Cadeaux Genereux mares alongside three-time Listed winner Rock My Soul. Interestingly, the second dam of Rock My Soul is by Acatenango, also the damsire of Tuttipaesi.

 

Clodovil has also clicked with Indian Ridge to produce two stakes horses - Nahoodh and the Group 3-placed Cloud - from six runners while another son of Ahonoora, Inchinor, is the damsire of Listed-placed sprinter Es Que Love.

 

Another affinity has been struck up with mares by the Mr Prospector stallion Lycius, who departed Europe for the US in 2000. Only three foals have been bred on the cross, yet it is responsible for two stakes horses in the Group 3-placed Dovil Boy and Listed-placed Moss Likely.

Links:
Stallion: Clodovil

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