Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann enters the stallion business with Tornibush

Antoine Griezmann, striker for footballing giants Barcelona and a key member of France's 2018 World Cup-winning squad, has joined the growing list of stallion masters in France, with his former colour bearer Tornibush due to take up residency at Haras d'Ayguemorte in the country's south west.

Tornibush, the result of Griezmann's first foray into racehorse ownership, won six times for trainer Philippe Decouz and co-owner Ecurie Seyssel, with the highlight of his racing career coming in the Group 3 Prix du Pin, in which he saw off Spaday and Tally-Ho Stud's classy new recruit Inns Of Court.

The football superstar is the subject of the Netflix documentary Antoine Griezmann: The Making of a Legend, which tells the tale of how the Frenchman overcame his small stature to become one of the best players of his generation.

Connections will have no such worries with Tornibush, however, as the stud's owner Yves Frémiot told Jour de Galop that the son of Dream Ahead boasts size and eye-catching good looks.

He said: "Tornibush still belongs to Antoine Griezmann and Ecurie Seyssel, who intend to support his stallion career with their friends. He's a very good-looking horse who has an excellent temperament.

"He has good bone and perfect limbs and has acclimatised well since his arrival at the stud eight days ago. His performances are very good and his dam, Celenza, comes from a very good Lagardère line.

"His sire, Dream Ahead, was a very good racehorse who has continued to shine at the stud, as he supplied two Group 1 winners again last year [Glass Slippers and Donjuan Triumphant]. We note in his pedigree there's a concentration of Northern Dancer blood, which is always sought after. Tornibush will be offered to breeders at a fee of €2,000."

Tornibush: son of Dream Ahead carries the Antoine Griezmann silksCredit: © Aprh / Morgane Bocquillon

Tornibush's retirement from racing sees him become the third son of Dream Ahead at stud in France, joining Al Wukair and Donjuan Triumphant. Dream Ahead himself stands at Haras de Grandcamp, having begun his stallion career at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland.

Tornibush will join Gengis and the Anglo-Arab Tidjali D'Or on the Ayguemorte roster.

Tornibush is not Griezmann's only notable racecourse representative, as he also owns Lily Spain, a half-sister to the Group 1-winning Lily's Candle who topped day three of the 2018 Arqana October Yearling Sale at €230,000. However, the daughter of American Post has failed to trouble the judge in her four racecourse starts to date.

The Frenchman, who has 6.7 million followers on Twitter, is no stranger to big-money transfers, as Barcelona had to pay a buyout fee of €120m before signing the forward from his former club, Atletico Madrid.

Griezmann, who scored from the penalty spot during France's 4-2 victory over Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final, will be hoping his stallion prospect proves rather more potent at stud than he has himself in front of goal this season, with just eight goals from 25 appearances for table-topping Barcelona.

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