CHAPARRAL RIDING HIGH

#Wigmore Hall’s stakes win in the Jebel Hatta (Gr 2) last week, at Meydan, was no better advertisement for his sire, High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), pictured left. Owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Aiden O'Brien High Chaparral proved to be a top-class race horse as he won 10 of his 13 starts and £3,446,311 in prizemoney. Having won the Racing Post Trophy (Gr 1) at two and then both the Epsom and Irish Derby (Gr 1) at three before finishing third to Marienbard (Caerleon) in the Arc (Gr 1) he was the top rated 3yr old in England & Ireland in 2002. Kept in training as a four-year-old, in 2003, High Chaparral won the Irish Champion Stakes (Gr 1) before finishing third, again, in the Arc to Dalakhani (Darshaan). However High Chaparral’s last race was one of the best the Breeders’ Cup has seen as he dead-heated with Johar (Gone West) Breeders' Cup Turf (Gr 1), at Santa Anita.

Retired to Coolmore Stud in 2004 for a fee of €35,000, High Chaparral, proved, not surprisingly, popular to breeders and covered 11 mares. Although he was slow to get going as a sire as his first crop of European runners, in 2007, only consisted of 7 winners, which included none at stakes level. However since then High Chaparral has been far from short of winners as has sired over 123 of them from only 4 crops of racing age (not including his fifth crop 2011 2yos). Stakes winners have been flowing as Wigmore Hall became his 24th world-wide stakes winner.

Although many of High Chaparral’s stakes winners like him need further than mile, he is also capable of producing speedy top-class performers. The Gr 2 winner, Joanna has won stakes races from 6 to 8 furlongs while the Gr 1-placed, Lady Darshaan, is also best over a mile having won her maiden over 5 furlongs. It is fair to say that High Chaparral also proving at hit in Australian and New Zealand as four of his Gr 1 winners are based there, which include So You Think, Monaco Consul, Descarado and Shoot Out. With the fifth being the Barry Hills trained Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Gr 1) winner, Redwood, High Chaparral is a true international sire. With this it is not too surprising that High Chaparral was one of the few sires that Coolmore raised is stud fee by €10,000 to €25.000 for this current breeding season.

With the European turf season fast approaching High Chaparral is surly to have lots to look forward to. Wigmore Hall, who is 15th stakes winner bred on a Sadler’s Wells/Nureyev cross so therefore line-bred to Special (click here for post on line-breeding to Special), not only looks a strong candidate for the Duty Free (Gr 1) on World Cup night, but also a top-class 9-10 furlong performer. The Gr 1 winner, Redwood, remains in training as five-year-old and is sure to be targeted the top 12 furlong races. The five time Gr 1 winner, So You Think, will also be racing in Europe as a five-year-old, despite being NZ bred, with having Coolmore bough a major share in him. He too will be aimed at the top middle distance races in Europe. With this High Chaparral really could be competing with his fellow Sadler’s Wells stud mates, Galileo and Montjeu, for stakes winners this year. CWC