Pinatubo's exploits providing a giant boost for developing Normandy stud

As much as there would now be quite a clamour to find a relative of Pinatubo, this year’s juvenile wunderkind is from something of a money-can’t-buy page, given that it is unthinkable that Sheikh Mohammed would part with either his siblings or his Darley-bred dam, Lava Flow.

Such rapidly-developing form has proved a boon to Haras du Mont-dit-Mont, which bought not only Lava Flow’s half-sister Shkhara at the Arqana December Sale in 2016 but another mare from the immediate family and they now form focal points of the emerging Normandy-based operation. We caught up with breeding manager Alexandre Puyfourcat to find out more.

Alexandre Puyfourcat is the breeding manager of the Normandy stud

Shkhara was one of a few mares you bought quite recently. What were you looking for, and why did you like her?

Each year we search for good opportunities to invest into new bloodlines to enhance our broodmare establishment and Shkhara was one of our recent additions.

When she was on offer at the sales, she was a three-year-old filly out of training with a fantastic pedigree. Hailing from the family of Rafha, she is a daughter of leading sire Dubawi out of Mount Elbrus, a black-type Barathea mare, who had previously produced two black type-horses including Lava Flow, the dam of Pinatubo.

Additionally, Shkhara had showed quality on the racetrack, as she won four times at three, with a decent 81 rating. Similarly, during the autumn of 2018, we purchased a broodmare named Ma Cherie, a Galileo half-sister to Grade 1 heroine Zagora, who was then in foal to Caravaggio.

She was still reasonably expensive at the time at €130,000. Was that what you expected to pay?

Our budget for her was €150,000 but we were intent on securing her. During that year there were very few Dubawi mares catalogued at the Arqana sales, and she was an exceptional opportunity.

Pinatubo has given her a major update. You must be very excited to see him come through?

The success of Pinatubo certainly provided Shkhara with a major pedigree lift. We were also fortunate to purchase another mare in foal to Nathaniel, from the same female line, at this year's Tattersalls July Sale.

Her name is Atlantic Edge, a six-year-old winning broodmare by Fastnet Rock out of Fringe, a half-sister to Mount Elbrus who is responsible for Group 3 winner Master Carpenter. We secured her for 60,000gns a few weeks after Pinatubo’s win in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

You have been breeding from Shkhara. What has she produced so far, and what are your plans with them?

Unfortunately, she remained barren to Shalaa over her first covering season, before we purchased her. Luckily this year she is in foal to Golden Horn, a stallion we strongly favour.

Shkhara is now in foal to Golden Horn

At this time we do not have precise plans for Shkhara’s foals, we are rather waiting to see what we get! Nevertheless, we will definitely retain some fillies out of her to carry on this family line at Mont-dit-Mont.

You have been building up the stud for the last decade. How has the process been going and how many mares do you have?

We purchased Haras du Mont-dit-Mont towards the end of 2009. Immediately thereafter we entered into a long process of refurbishment, reorganisation and extension of the estate, which was largely completed in 2016.

Today the stud spreads over 100 hectares and accommodates 30 mares. At this time we are exploring opportunities to acquire more adjacent lands.

It is a stud with a long history. Does it look much the same as it has always done?

The stud has a great history, having once been owned by Robert Sangster, who bred top quality horses here. We strive to maintain this breeding success, and have quality pastures and a fantastic location with sea view.

The stud has been redesigned and modernised, with new barns and paddock improvements, as well as a major refurbishment of the Manor House built in 1790.

Have you any other foals or young horses that you are excited about?

We are very happy with our 2019 foals. We have a lovely Oasis Dream colt out of well-bred stakes-winning mare Five Fifteen, whose first yearling, a filly by Sea The Stars, is catalogued as lot 972 at Tattersalls Book 2.

Mont-dit-Mont was formerly owned by Robert Sangster

We also bred a Wootton Bassett filly out of Green Diamond Lady who is a half-sister to two-year-old filly Lady Galore, a Listed winner this year in France. This foal will be on offer on December at Deauville.

Additionally, we also have foals this year by Kingman, Gleneagles, Iffraaj, Camelot, Belardo, Kendargent etc that we will bring on, in readiness for the yearling sales in 2020.

What are your long-term ambitions for the stud?

We are determined to follow a path of improving mare bloodlines to breed top-class horses.

Our operation at Mont-dit-Mont is still young, and we believe that the best is yet to come with broodmares like Shkhara, Front Contender [a close relative to French Oaks heroine Precieuse in foal to Lope de Vega], Soccer Mom [a daughter of Monsun and Sasuela in foal to Intello], Five Fifteen, who is back in foal to Sea The Stars, and Shamtee, a Shamardal stakes-winning four-year-old filly who will be covered for the first time in 2020.