Falco, recent winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, is to stand in France at the end of his racing career.

Following the exportation of a number of high-profile Classic winners in past years, most recently last year’s French Derby winner Lawman, French breeders have managed to secure the services of the Wertheimer-owned and –bred son of Pivotal.

The Wertheimer brothers have sold 50% of Falco to a group of breeders which includes Lady O’Reilly, the Dubois family, Lucien Urano, Andreas Putsch of 6C Racing, Haras d’Etreham, Haras du Mézeray, Haras de Fresnay, Haras du Bois Carrouges, Leonidas Marinopoulos, Maurice Lagasse and, in a rare commercial move, the French National Studs.

As Falco’s racing career is not yet over, a nomination fee has yet to be fixed although it has been announced that he will stand at the Haras d’Etreham of Marc de Chambure. Falco’s next target is the G.1 St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on 17 June.

The Wertheimer’s manager, Pierre-Yves Bureau told Jour de Galop, “We are very pleased and proud that Falco is to stay in France. It is encouraging that so many French breeders are ready to invest at this level to keep the horse in France.

“Falco brings Pivotal blood and he is from a fabulous maternal line. He also brings Mr Prospector bloodlines back to France through Falco’s damsire, Unbridled.”

For Marc de Chambure this is yet another coup as Falco is the third French 2,000 Guineas winner to stand at Etreham in recent years, following 1994 winner Green Tune and American Post who won ten years later.
RacingNewswire