Group 1 winner Van Gogh to stand at East Stud in Japan in 2022

Van Gogh, the Group 1-winning son of American Pharoah, has been retired from racing and is due to begin his stallion career in Japan in 2022, East Stud in Hokkaido has announced.

Owned by the Coolmore partners, the three-year-old colt has performed with distinction in two seasons of racing with Aidan O'Brien, most notably winning the Group 1 Criterium International on his final start at two.

He was placed in Group company on three further occasions during his juvenile campaign, including when second to One Ruler in the Autumn Stakes, and has also finished third to Mac Swiney in the Irish 2,000 Guineas this term.

Bred by Barronstown Stud, the three-year-old holds an illustrious pedigree, being the 12th foal out of the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Oaks-winning Imagine, a daughter of Sadler's Wells and Doff The Derby.

Van Gogh: the first European Group 1 winner for American Pharoah after winning the Criterium InternationalCredit: Scott Burton

This breeding means Van Gogh is a half-brother to the ill-fated Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Horatio Nelson, the multiple Group 1-placed Red Rock Canyon, Meydan Group 2 winner and top-level placed Viscount Nelson and US Grade 3 scorer Point Piper.

The colt provided American Pharoah with his first top-flight European scorer, with the Ashford Stud-based sire also responsible for elite winners Cafe Pharoah, who struck in Japan's February Stakes, and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup heroine Harvey's Lil Goil.

The US Triple Crown winner stood the 2021 breeding season for a fee of $100,000 and is responsible for 35 stakes performers, including ten individual Group/Graded winners.

Among the nine-year-old's other European stakes scorers are last year's Park Hill Stakes victress Pista, Prix du Bois winner Maven and this season's Naas Oaks Trial winner Willow.

According to a post on East Stud's website, Van Gogh is due to be syndicated between 60 shareholders, while a stud fee will be announced in due course.

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