Rosemont agree deal for Frankel’s three-quarter brother Maximal
Victorian stud enters into partnership with Juddmonte to race son of Galileo in Australia as stallion prospect
Rosemont Stud has partnered with Juddmonte Farms to secure a deal to race in Australia the high-class three-year-old colt Maximal (Galileo), a three-quarter brother to champion racehorse and stallion Frankel (Galileo).
Speaking to ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday, Rosemont Stud principal Anthony Mithen confirmed contracts had been exchanged and the horse would now resume his racing career Down Under, where he will be targeted at either the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) in Sydney or the Cantala Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Flemington, with the hope he makes into a stallion prospect for the Geelong-based stud.
“We’re unbelievably excited to partner with Juddmonte,” Mithen said. “I believe it’s the first colt/stallion prospect that they have partnered with, certainly in Australia.
“To be bestowed the honour of partnering with them with no less than the three-quarter brother to Frankel, who has some of the best three-year-old form of the season is quite a privilege and an honour.
“We’re excited to get the horse here and see what we can do with him on Australian soil. Our options will be the Group 1 Cantala or the same day is the Golden Eagle.
“We’ve got some thinking to do and weather forecasts to look at and travel conditions for him before we make a decision there. But first things first, we’ll get him into quarantine and get him out here.”
Out of Joyeuse (Oasis Dream), a multiple stakes-winning half-sister to the great Frankel, the son of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) brings to Australia bloodlines from some of the most potent Juddmonte pedigrees, with the colt also a half-brother to stakes-placed juvenile Jovial (Dubawi) and the Group 1-placed Jubiloso (Shamardal), with Mithen buoyed by the success of Frankel in Australia this season, which has seen him deliver three Group 1 winners.
“There’s no better stallion in my lifetime than Galileo, and I think his son Frankel is on the way to perhaps emulating him, so it’s quite extraordinary to have a horse, even in that realm,” he said.
“To throw in the mix Galileo, Frankel, Juddmonte and little old Rosemont is quite humbling.”
In addition to his blueblooded pedigree, the colt brings some of the most exciting three-year-old form in Europe that has seen him place second behind Baaeed (Sea The Stars), winner of Friday’s Thoroughbred Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) at Goodwood, and trail just a length behind subsequent dual Group 1 winner Hurricane Lane (Frankel), who most recently claimed the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr 1, 2400m) by a dominant six lengths.
He also finished fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Royal Ascot, a race won by Poetic Flare (Dawn Approach), coming home three-quarters of a length adrift of Yulong’s new stallion recruit Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega), who ran second.
“He was seen as a Derby prospect in his three-year-old season and for him to run so close to Hurricane Lane, who’s gone on to win two Group 1s including a Derby in Ireland, was just incredible,” Mithen said.
“He’s probably proven that a mile to 2000 metres is probably going to be his pet distance. I think his racing style and firm ground should appeal to him in Australia.”
Rosemont will link up with Randwick trainer John O’Shea to race the colt, who also prepares sisters All Saints’ Eve (Sacred Falls) and All Hallows’ Eve for the Victorian operation, in conjunction with Waikato Stud.
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to John O’Shea and (assistant trainer) Tom Charlton,” Mithen said. “Those two have been scouring European races and keeping their eyes peeled for any sort of opportunity and there was just a hint that this horse might be available.
“We’re strong supporters of John’s stable and I’m thankful that he rang me first and said ‘would you like to put our heads together and come up with a scenario that might fit’.”
Although possessing eye-catching form, Maximal is yet to break through at stakes level, with just a five-length win of a novice race at Sandown as a two-year-old to his name from eight starts, which includes a further five second-placed finishes. However, Mithen is hoping he can claim that all important black-type success before taking his position on the Rosemont roster in the future.
“We hope he becomes a Group 1 horse here and see what that takes us in terms of a stud career to follow,” Mithen continued.
“Obviously we need to tick a few boxes before we get down that track but it’s nice to have him secured if indeed he does go on to become a Group 1 galloper here in Australia.”
Juddmonte’s general manager of European Racing, Barry Mahon, said Juddmonte were excited to see their silks take on some of Australia’s most prestigious races.
“Juddmonte are extremely excited about sending Maximal to Australia to continue racing in partnership with Rosemont Stud,” Mahon said.
“Rosemont, like Juddmonte, run a top class breeding and racing operation out of Victoria and they have enjoyed enormous success throughout Australia.
“Juddmonte have enjoyed some success in the past few seasons in Australia and that has spurred us on to try and increase our racing presence there.
“John O’Shea is a top class trainer and we are delighted he will be taking charge of the colt.”