U S Navy Flag to shuttle to New Zealand's The Oaks Stud instead of Valachi Downs

European champion two-year-old and July Cup winner U S Navy Flag will bolster The Oaks Stud’s stallion roster for the forthcoming breeding season, where he will stand at NZ$15,000 (£7.800/€9,000).

Formerly shuttling to Matamata thoroughbred nursery Valachi Downs, the son of War Front has transferred to The Oaks Stud after a business model change by Valachi Downs principals Kevin and Jo Hickman.

U S Navy Flag is out of the prolific Galileo mare Misty For Me, a champion two- and three-year-old filly in Ireland and also dam of Falmouth, Prix Rothschild and Sun Chariot winner Roly Poly, also by War Front.

U S Navy Flag: standing at CoolmoreCredit: Edward Whitaker

Rick Williams, general manager for The Oaks Stud, is looking forward to adding the stallion to the Cambridge farm’s roster, where he will join Darci Brahma ($15,000), Niagara ($5,000), and Roc De Cambes ($5,000).

“The Oaks Stud have been a supporter of U S Navy Flag since he went to stud in 2019,” said Williams. “He has over 100 first-crop foals and I have inspected approximately a third of them and they are as good a line-up as I have seen.”

U S Navy Flag is currently standing the northern hemisphere season at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, where he is advertised at a fee of €12,500.

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