Flamboyant burger king Burggraf enjoys flipping fantastic homebred success

Steve Burggraf may be best known for his world-wide burger chain, but the flamboyant Frenchman continues to make a name for himself in the world of bloodstock.

Burggraf, who founded the Big Fernand chain in 2012 which is prevalent in France, Dubai and Hong Kong, has also entered the reckoning for the up-and-coming breeder award.

Some will remember Burggraf's emotional interview after his pride and joy, Homerique, finished third in the Prix de Diane two years ago, but there was plenty to celebrate on the second day of Arqana, when his Almanzor filly realised €250,000 to Oliver St Lawrence.

Consigned by Haras d'Etreham, the filly is out of the Listed-winning Lord Of England mare Penny Lane, and her sale was a result Burggraf described as "exceptional".

He said: "I bought Penny Lane at Baden-Baden for €47,000 and she was really good at two, she was my first stakes winner. Almanzor is a strong sire, so the product is just exceptional."

Explaining the decision to allow Haras d'Etreham to sell the filly, he added: "I've got my own farm but for this type of mare and this type of lot, you have to be professional."

Fawzi Nass had the final word at €250,000 for Burggraf's pride and joy.

Nass said: "He is for His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al Khalifa and myself. She is a nice filly with a bit of pedigree as well. Obviously Almanzor is a first-season stallion so he is an unknown quantity, but she seems a very nice type.

"She'll be raced in the UK. She's our third purchase; earlier we bought an Almanzor colt [lot 158] and yesterday a filly by Muhaarar [lot 46].

"We'll get her home and then decide on which trainer she goes to."

Sheikh Nasser's red silks have become a familiar sight in recent seasons and success has come notably through the Roger Varian-trained pair of Daahyeh - winner of last season's Albany and Rockfel Stakes - and Oaks fourth Queen Daenerys, who struck in Listed company at Longchamp on Thursday.

Burggraf enjoyed further success when St Lawrence and Nass purchased the American Pharoah colt out of the Listed-placed Sea Of Snow for €320,000, a horse they bought as a foal at Keeneland last November for $225,000.

Read more

Goffs UK HIT sale in Doncaster next week gets green light despite Covid-19 scare

Legendary trainer John Leeper Dunlop honoured with Frankel-Snow Fairy debutant

Daughter of Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Marvellous commands $1.5m winning bid