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Cambridge Stud welcomes Timeform World Champion Charyn
Karl Patterson
ANZ News
Timeform World Champion Miler Charyn (IRE) will stand his first Southern-hemisphere season this year at New Zealand’s world-renowned Cambridge Stud.
Charyn (Dark Angel) was crowned European Champion Older Horse of 2024 after creating history as the first to complete the prestigious treble of the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m, Royal Ascot), Prix Jacques le Marois (Gr 1, 1600m, Deauville) and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 1m, Ascot).
“The acquisition of Charyn for our stallion roster is the beginning of another exciting chapter for the stud and a very important relationship with Charyn’s owner Nurlan Bizakov,” Cambridge Stud owner Sir Brendan Lindsay said.
“His status as the highest-rated miler in the world of his year stamps him as an elite performer and we are excited to show him to the New Zealand industry.”
Charyn will stand for a fee of $35,000 + GST in 2026 and he is currently covering a second Northern-hemisphere book in Normandy for the Kazakhstan-born businessman. Bizakov named his French operation Sumbe after his birthplace and it consists of studs formerly known as Haras de Montfort et Preaux and the historic Haras du Mezeray.
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Charyn is the highest earner by Dark Angel, a champion sire in Great Britain and Ireland whose influence is already being felt in Australasia through his successful sire son Harry Angel. On the dam side, he’s out of a stakes-performed mare Futoon (Kodiac) who has also produced high-class juvenile Wings Of War (Dark Angel), a winner of the Mill Reef Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at two.
Trained by Roger Varian, Charyn’s talent was evident from an early age, highlighted by victory in the Group 2 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (1200m) as a two-year-old. His championship season at four featured the celebrated Group 1 Mile treble that gained him a Timeform rating of 127.
“We are also looking forward to the relationship with Sumbe,” Lindsay continued. “As we have found with Haras d’Etreham and Juddmonte, the stallion is important, but a lasting relationship with the Bizakov family, Tony Fry and the Sumbe team is just as important.
Nurlan Bizakov said Cambridge Stud was the perfect fit for Charyn and looked forward to a successful partnership with the iconic New Zealand nursery. “I’m delighted and honoured to confirm the agreement with Cambridge Stud and I would like to warmly thank Sir Brendan Lindsay, Henry Plumptre and their entire team for their confidence in the stallion, as well as for their enthusiasm and support of Sumbe,” he said.
“Cambridge is a prestigious stud with a highly significant broodmare band, providing an outstanding platform to support a stallion of Charyn’s calibre. He will appeal to Southern Hemisphere breeders, thanks to his physical presence and athleticism, which he consistently passes on to his foals.”
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Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre was over the moon to have secured the services of such a high-class individual. “Charyn’s three Group 1 victories against elite opposition, showcased his tactical speed and a great turn of foot.
“He distanced strong opposition in the Queen Anne and the Prix Jacques le Marois, but was tested in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, responding with great courage to draw clear.
“We have just spent two days in France with the Sumbe team and CEO Tony Fry. Charyn presents as a standout individual; strong, with good scope and quality. He is a particularly good mover and his athleticism is quite obvious.”
“We were delighted with him and the small sample of foals that we were shown at Sumbe. They were a very even bunch, mostly between four and six weeks old, but already developing strong tops, good bone and their sire’s quality.
“Dark Angel continues to produce at the elite level in Europe, and the success of Harry Angel in Australia should give further confidence. The fact that Dark Angel is achieving his best black-type results with Danzig, Danehill, Exceed And Excel a nd Gone West can only enhance his prospects.
“I’m confident that breeders in New Zealand and Australia will have no hesitation in supporting him when they see him.”
Sword of State’s (Snitzel) first 2yo crop were highly anticipated following the 2025 yearling sales and his progeny have wasted no time delivering on that promise.
In Australia, high-class colt Warwoven captured the Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) while Torture triumphed in the Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m). In New Zealand, his early flagbearer has been Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) placegetter State of Valour.
Another strong showing for Sword of State’s progeny at the sales in 2026 was highlighted by the sale topping price of $1,100,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 Yearling Sale. Those results have seen the son of Snitzel’s (Redoute’s Choice) fee increase to $50,000 + GST.
“It is unprecedented for a New Zealand-based stallion to sire two stakes-winning two-year-olds in Australia let alone from his first crop,” said Cambridge Stud Sales and Nominations Manager Scott Calder.
“Sword of State’s sale results over the last two years have been what you would expect from a horse standing at a much higher fee, and it is great to see that market confidence translate into results on the track. We’re incredibly excited about him with a lot more coming through from that first crop.”
Chaldean, the only Gr 1-winning 2yo by Frankel (Galileo) at stud in Australasia, will enter his third season in New Zealand at a fee of $35,000 + GST.
“The win by Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes was another reminder not only of Frankel’s prowess as a stallion, but also of his incredible record in Australia,” Calder said. “Chaldean’s mix of pedigree and race record makes him an especially attractive stallion prospect.
The Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and 2000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner was the leading first-crop sire at the weanling sales in Europe, with an average of 106,000 pounds (NZ$245,000) and Cambridge Stud is confident his southern hemisphere stock will make a similar impression.
“Henry was very impressed by his foals at the Tattersalls December Sale where they generated some exceptional results,” Calder said. “I doubt many young stallions in New Zealand have received the calibre of mares he has in his first two crops and we expect the buying bench will be drawn to them here as well.
Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) will stand for $25,000 + GST after another successful season in which he sired five Group winners, headed by First Five who completed a Gr 1-winning sprint double in the BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) and Telegraph Stakes (Gr , 1200m).
On the world stage his star performer was Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (Gr 1, 2100m) and Gr 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Gr 1, 1m 3f) winner Gezora. “Almanzor keeps showing that he is a dependable source of black-type winners, and adding a Gr.1 weight-for-age sprinter this season is another string to his bow,” Calder said.
“In the sale ring this year, he achieved a 100 per cent clearance rate for his 34 yearlings at Karaka, no mean feat for any stallion. At that service fee, he offers breeders an appealing mix of racetrack credibility and commercial upside.”
Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) has sired four Stakes winners among 37 individual winners this season most recently when his two-year-old daughter Enchantment won the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) earlier this month. The French-bred multiple Gr.1-winning sprinter will stand for $20,000 + GST.
“Hello Youmzain has had a very productive season, and an impressive winners-to- runners strike rate is becoming a hallmark of his in both hemispheres,” Calder said. “He has produced black-type-winning two and three-year-olds, and I’m looking forward to his first crop turning four, as that is when he reached his peak in the Gr 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot.”
Embellish rounds out the roster for a $5,000 + GST fee. A son of Savabeel (Zabeel) and his progeny continue to perform strongly on the track, with his domestic progeny this season highlighted by Lowland Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m) winner Ultimate Habit, while in Australia Kazaru won the Tasmanian Oaks (Listed, 2100m).
“If you are looking to breed a racehorse on a budget, Embellish does the job very well,” Calder said. “From a low fee and with just over 100 runners, he’s already sired six stakes winners. He also grabbed headlines at the sales when one of his daughters topped Book 2 at Karaka selling for $200,000 to Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.”
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Kingstar colt closes successful Inglis Yearling Sales Series
Hunter Valley-based Kingstar Farm topped the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables on Sunday, with colts by Artorius (Flying Artie) selling for $160,000 and Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) for $115,000.
Lot 71 the Artorius colt out of Azarose (Azamour) was purchased by Stefan Pardi and will be educated by Matt Vella, while Lot 130 the Home Affairs colt from Gwader Bay (Thronum) was knocked down to Victorian-based trainer and educator Tyler Aitken Bloodstock.
“We sold all eight lots and it’s handy for those yearlings that aren’t quite ready for the earlier sales and those that will be traded at the Ready2Race Sales,” Kingstar owner Matthew Sandblom said. “The Artorius will go to Matt Vella and we bought Gwader Bay with a PPT to Home Affairs at the Magic Millions National Sale.”
Gwader Bay was purchased from Coolmore Stud for $110,000 and she is an unraced daughter of the Bart Cummings-trained Faint Perfume (Shamardal) who was Champion Australian 3yo Filly in 2009-10. Her second-dam Danendri (Danehill) was Champion Australian 3yo Filly in 1996-97.
Kingstar Farm, no strangers to success at this sale having topped the vendor standings on multiple occasions, were again prominent in this year's renewal of the sale, finishing among the leading vendors with turnover of $447,500 and an average of $55,930 on Sunday. Pardi confirmed the Artorius colt will be re-offered at the Ready2Race Sale at Riverside on Thursday October 15.
HTBA Sale
2026 |
2025 |
|
|---|---|---|
Catalogued |
216 |
299 |
Offered |
183 |
247 |
Sold |
152 (83%) |
206 (83%) |
Aggregate |
$3,537,500 (-21.8%) |
$4,522,300 |
Average |
$23,273 (+6%) |
$21,953 |
Median |
$18,000 (+20%) |
$15,000 |
Top Lot |
$160,000 |
$140,000 |
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“The hype around the Inglis Ready2Race Sale is already gaining huge momentum and I want to be involved as a vendor,” Pardi said. “There was a huge Asian and local presence last year at the sale and I think with Ka Ying Rising running in The Everest again this year just two days after the sale, there’s just going to be so many buyers at the sale and I think this colt will fit right in.
“He was the best colt on the grounds this week for me, he had real presence about him, yet there’s still so much room for improvement and I think over the next six months leading into the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, he will come on even more.’’
The HTBA Sale recorded figures of $3.53 million in turnover, down on last year with although with fewer horses offered, an average of $23,270 and $18,000 for the median, with the latter two stats both year-on-year increases.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO Sebastian Hutch noted that the sale brought to a close what has been a hugely successful yearling sales series for Inglis.
“Turnover across our yearling sales this year is up over $8 million on 2025, which is very pleasing, particularly considering what has been going on in the world over the past couple of months.
“Our team has worked exceptionally hard to market all of our sales effectively and canvass buyers at all levels, ultimately with the objective of delivering a market leading service and achieve market leading results.
“To have sold over 1670 yearlings at a clearance rate of 83% across the series has the team understandably very proud. And we are hugely grateful for the support of breeders and vendors of our sales and similarly appreciative of the support of each of our sales by a huge range of buyers.
“To have buyers from Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand and then WA, SA, ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria all participate in the HTBA Sale was a reflection of the good work done by our team.
“The selectivity of the market has been a challenge throughout the sales year and is particularly pronounced at a sale like this, but we will continue to work constructively with vendors to identify ways in which we can develop our markets to facilitate improved returns.
“Finally, I must thank the committee of the HTBA and the members generally for the support of this sale and note that there is a shared belief that we can continue to progress this sale further in years to come.”
