As the new foaling season begins to pick up pace, the eagerly awaited first foals by the young Darley stallions are now arriving, with Ribchester the latest to welcome his first offspring.
Two foals by the dual European Champion miler were born on Monday, 14 January, out of Disclose and Lever Park.
Winning Dansili mare Disclose is already dam of Listed winner Encrypted, plus five-time victor Impart and produced a chestnut colt at Skara Stud in County Meath. Breeder Derek Gibbons declared himself very pleased with his new arrival, saying, “He has good bone and lots of substance”.
Lever Park (a half-sister to two Group winners) also safely delivered a Ribchester foal, this time a filly, at Highfield Farm. She was bred by David and Emma Armstrong, who were delighted to have one of the first Ribchesters on the ground.
The Armstrongs have a strong connection with Ribchester, having purchased him as a yearling at Doncaster. They campaigned him as a two-year-old, a season during which he broke his maiden in the G2 Mill Reef Stakes, having joined Godolphin.
Ribchester went on to win the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot at three, en route to victory in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. He returned at four in superb style, winning the G1 Lockinge Stakes by a wide margin before returning to Royal Ascot for undoubtedly his finest hour on the racecourse, breaking the straight mile track record in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes.
Rounding off his campaign with victory in the G1 Prix du Moulin, Ribchester was duly crowned Champion miler, becoming the first horse to win back-to-back European titles since Frankel.
The outstanding son of Iffraaj stands at Kildangan Stud at a fee of €25,000, Oct 1, SLF.
