Novara Park announce well-bred Group 2 winner The Foxes for 2026
Novara Park Stud has announced that Group 2 scorer The Foxes (Churchill) will join their stallion roster this season at an opening fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST).
Sired by dual 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill (Galileo), The Foxes displayed precocity as a two-year-old, winning twice over 1400 metres and 1600 metres, including a dominant success in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Gr 2, 7f), where he defeated subsequent Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Roaring Lion).
He has since forged a career as a multiple Group 2 winner, landing the time-honoured Dante Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2.5f), the Huxley Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 2.5f), and a commanding victory in the Churchill Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f), where he defeated Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), a multiple Group 1 winner in Australia, by an impressive three lengths.
The Foxes produced a superb effort on his second-to-last start when finishing a close second to the nine-time Group 1 winner Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi) in the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr 3, 2300m) in Qatar, before signing off in style by winning the Huxley Stakes.
He also produced elite Group 1 performances, finishing second in the Belmont Derby (Gr 1, 10f) and fifth in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f).
With total earnings exceeding £1.2 million (approx. AU$2.25 million), The Foxes combined blistering speed, tenacity, and genuine Classic stamina throughout his distinguished international campaign.
“The Foxes is living proof that legendary blood still breeds true at the very highest level,” Muollo said.
“He retires to stud with an outstanding race record that marks him as one of the most consistent and high-class middle-distance performers of his generation, having competed successfully in England, Ireland, North America, Hong Kong, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
“The Foxes was exceptionally consistent and won at Group or stakes level in every year of his racing career – delivering black-type success as a two-year-old, three-year-old, four-year-old, and five-year-old. If you can breed horses that can race over multiple seasons, that’s really going to keep the breeders interested as well as the buyers.”
The Foxes is out of Tanaghum (Darshaan), a Listed-placed winner that has produced 12 winners from 13 runners to date, including six Group/Graded stakes winners, headed by Matterhorn (Raven’s Pass).
True to her genetic dominance, she has also produced the stakes-performed Zahoo (Nayef), who is the dam of multiple Group winners Marbaan (Oasis Dream) and Convergence (Cape Cross), while another daughter is the dam of six-time Group 1 winner Ribchester (Iffraaj).
His second dam is Mehthaaf (Nureyev), a Champion 3YO Filly and Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner, who is in turn the dam of Champion 3YO Najah (Nashwan) while his third dam Elle Seule (Exclusive Native) is a Group 2 winner and dam of July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) hero Elnadim (Danzig).
“The Foxes is bred on the exact same Sadler’s Wells sire line over a Darshaan mare that produced the outstanding sire and sire-of-sires High Chaparral,” Muollo said.
“Breeders will also love the depth of this pedigree – he carries a second dam by the legendary Nureyev, the same influential broodmare sire that powered Zabeel to greatness.”
“This exceptional depth of black-type quality from one of the most productive and influential families in breeding dramatically strengthens The Foxes’ credentials as a stallion prospect,” added Muollo.
“He brings not only his own proven Group race ability and international class, but also the proven sire family running through a remarkable broodmare line whose progeny continue to deliver elite performers across multiple generations.
“Breeders will particularly respect that The Foxes has only one dam on his packed pedigree page – a testament to the extraordinary consistency and success of this family at the highest level. The Foxes confirms that exceptional bloodlines still breed true at the absolute elite level.”