Classic sire Lawman to follow Dream Ahead in switch to France

Classic sire Lawman is to follow former studmate Dream Ahead in a switch from Ballylinch Stud to Haras de Grandcamp ahead of the 2019 breeding season.

Lawman should prove a welcome addition to the stallion ranks in France, where he won the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Jean Prat. The 14-year-old son of Invincible Spirit stood his 11th breeding season at Ballylinch this year, where he was available at €15,000.

Lawman has sired five elite winners, headed by Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Just The Judge and St Leger winner Harbour Law.

His progeny have enjoyed notable success in France this season with exciting Group-winning juvenile Rocques and Prix Penelope winner Luminate. Among his British-based progeny is Forest Ranger, who took the Huxley Stakes at Chester in May.

Lawman has also begun to make his mark as a broodmare sire through Group 1-winning sprinter Battaash, while Ballylinch went to €1.4 million for Just The Judge's first foal, a colt by Dubawi, to top the Arqana August Sale.

A yearling brother to Just The Judge also realised 290,000gns when bought by Stephen Hillen and Kevin Ryan during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.

Since relocating to France, Dream Ahead's profile has risen with the likes of Group 1-winning miler and sire Al Wukair and, during the latest season, Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up Gold Vibe and Vintage Stakes scorer Dark Vision.

Despite the move, Ballylinch retains a strong association with French Classic winners, with its roster led by Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club hero Lope De Vega, who is joined by Make Believe - also winner of the Poulains - and New Bay - who was successful in the Jockey Club.

Lawman, whose fee will be announced at a later date, is the third new recruit for Grandcamp in recent days after Sumbal, a son of Danehill Dancer who won the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe as a three-year-old in 2015, and Chemical Charge, a son of Sea The Stars who won last year's Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton, also joined its ranks. Both were raced by Qatar Racing.

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