'We badly need an elite stallion in Germany' – why so much is riding on first-crop yearling sire Torquator Tasso

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On this occasion, Martin Stevens speaks to Karl-Dieter Ellebracke of Gestüt Auenquelle about the importance of Torquator Tasso for the German breeding industry – subscribers can get more great insight every Monday to Friday.

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Make no mistake, Torquator Tasso – whose first yearlings go under the hammer over the next few weeks – is a horse of monumental importance to the German breeding industry. 

First and foremost, when he was retired to his owners Karl-Dieter Ellebracke and Peter Endres’ Gestüt Auenquelle for the 2023 breeding season he became by far the best domestically-trained racehorse to join Germany’s stallion ranks for years.

He was sent out by Marcel Weiss to win two Group 1s at home – the Grosser Preis von Berlin and Grosser Preis von Baden – and to beat a star-studded field in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The fine ambassador for his country, who fittingly carried black, red and gold silks that resemble the German flag, achieved another seven placings at the highest level, including a close third behind Alpinista in the defence of his Arc title.

All too often in the past, Germany’s highest-profile colts have pursued their breeding careers in other countries, causing something of a talent drain. 

Star Appeal, the only other German-trained male to land the Arc, was entrusted to the National Stud in Newmarket by his owner Waldemar Zeitelhack; Novellist, a five-length winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Christoph Berglar, was sold to Shadai in Japan; and Sea The Moon, who caused a sensation by scoring in the Deutsches Derby by 11 lengths, was snapped up by Lanwades Stud, with his owner-breeder Gestüt Görlsdorf retaining a share.

Exceptional multiple top-flight winners Manduro and Shirocco, German-bred sons of Monsun who were owned by Baron Georg von Ullmann and originally stabled in Germany, though latterly trained by Andre Fabre in Chantilly, were meanwhile sold to Darley and stood in Britain, Ireland and France.

At least Acatenango, a three-time German horse of the year in the 1980s who won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, and Acatenango’s brilliant son Lando, who struck in the Japan Cup in 1995, returned home to stand as stallions for their owner-breeders – Gestüt Fährhof and Gestüt Hof Ittlingen, respectively.

In what might be a good omen for Torquator Tasso’s stallion career, both Acatenango and Lando excelled at stud. Acatenango was a five-time champion sire in Germany, his output including Prix du Jockey Club hero Blue Canari and champion mare Borgia, while Lando left seven Group/Grade 1 winners including international stars Epalo and Paolini.

Ellebracke, who celebrates 50 years of racehorse ownership this year and has made his mark by breeding Grimpola, the ancestress of Fame And Glory, Farhh and Legatissimo as well as recent Saratoga Grade 2 winner Luther, reveals that he resisted all sorts of requests to sell Torquator Tasso that would have resulted in the horse leaving Germany.

“There was a lot of demand for him from all around the world, some for him to become a stallion and others to keep on racing, but we turned down each and every offer,” he adds. “I’m very proud of that, and to be standing him at Gestüt Auenquelle. It’s a real achievement to keep such an exceptional horse, and an Arc winner in particular, in Germany.”

Ellebracke’s determination to keep hold of Torquator Tasso has been rewarded by German breeders and those from further afield giving the horse strong support since he first retired.

Torquator Tasso: "He has been the busiest stallion in Germany in each of the three years he has been at stud"Credit: Frank Sorge

“He has been the busiest stallion in Germany in each of the three years he has been at stud, and this season he covered 81 mares,” he reports. “German breeders have been very keen to use him as he is such a special horse, and they have sent him plenty of first-rate mares. He has always covered mares from Britain, Ireland and France, as well.

“We’ve also given him strong support ourselves. We sent him another 25 mares or so this year, including Virginia Sun, the dam of dual US Grade 2 winner Virginia Joy.”

Torquator Tasso quickly settled into his new role in the fairytale setting on the slopes of the Wiehen hills in north-west Germany, says Ellebracke.

“He’s a very well-behaved horse, you can go into his box and pat him,” he adds. “In fact, we turn him out into the paddock with cattle. He looks like a stallion should, though. He’s let down beautifully in the last few years.”

Another reason there is so much riding on Torquator Tasso is the glaring absence of proven, world-class stallions in Germany since his own sire Adlerflug died suddenly at the age of 17 four years ago, just as he was in the middle of covering his best book of mares on the back of supplying Tattersalls Gold Cup victor Alenquer, Deutsches Derby winner and Arc runner-up In Swoop and Torquator Tasso himself.

The tragedy of Adlerflug’s death has since been magnified by the ascent of Goliath, the impressive winner of the King George last season.

That has left Amaron, Counterattack, Iquitos and Isfahan as the best proven sires in Germany, although their names carry little cachet in other countries. There are other promising names standing there, like Alson, Japan and Rubaiyat, but they are still coming through the ranks.

“We badly need a proper, elite stallion in Germany to maintain the quality of our bloodlines and to ensure international buyers keep investing in German bloodstock," says Ellebracke, who is also chairman of German thoroughbred auction house BBAG. "Hopefully, Torquator Tasso can be the one to fill that gap.

“Torquator Tasso is also important for ensuring the survival of the Adlerflug line. Adlerflug was an exceptional influence and another son, Iquitos, has shown he is a good sire against all odds. In fact, the In The Wings line always worked in Germany. Soldier Hollow stood at Gestüt Auenquelle and was champion sire three times, and even Mamool got a Classic winner. 

"I don't know why, but In The Wings just seemed to click with German pedigrees.”

Torquator Tasso is a medium-sized chestnut like Adlerflug, standing 16.1hh, and he has stamped a lot of his stock, as he has thrown quite a few chestnuts with white faces in his own image, says Ellebracke – although he adds that his offspring “have more bone and more strength” than their sire and grandsire.

“We have plenty of nice youngsters of our own and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback from breeders, especially from other countries,” he continues. “There have been many repeat bookings made on the strength of his early offspring. 

The BBAG September Sale will see 18 Torquator Tasso yearlings on offer

“In fact, his first foals were so well-liked in France that when the BBAG team were inspecting yearlings in the country last year, breeders wanted to show off their Torquator Tasso foals first.

“Arnaud Poirier and his team from the popular French breeding website France-Sire even travelled to Auenquelle to take lots of video footage of Torquator Tasso and all his foals. It was a lovely compliment to receive.”

Buyers will be able to judge Torquator Tasso’s stock themselves when his debut yearlings are offered at auction this season.

One was offered at the Arqana August Yearling Sale this month, and got the sire off to a fantastic start. The filly out of Serienheilige, a half-sister to Preis der Diana winner Serienholde (later dam of Japanese Grade 1 scorer Schnell Meister), was sold for €110,000 to German breeding connoisseur Jeremy Brummitt with Meridian and Gavin Hernon, and will enter training with Hernon.

However, the widest selection of Torquator Tasso yearlings will, unsurprisingly, be at the BBAG Yearling Sale in Baden-Baden next month. 

There are 18 on offer, including six from Gestüt Auenquelle: a colt out of the winning Soldier Hollow mare Alira (12); a half-sister to nine winners including German Group 2 runner-up and Australian Listed winner Oriental Lady (41); a half-brother to Listed winner and Group 2 third Tarkhan (53); a half-brother to this year’s Listed Derby Trial winner Delgardo (68); a filly out of the three-time winning Soldier Hollow mare Reine Des Fleurs (88); and a half-brother to Good Donna, the Group 3-winning dam of Group 1-placed Grocer Jack, from the outstanding Grimpola dynasty (159).

“It will be interesting to see what the market thinks of them, but I’m confident people will like them,” says Ellebracke. “I expect strong international demand for his yearlings.”

Among the other lots by Torquator Tasso at BBAG are three from one of Germany’s most keenly commercial operations, Gestüt Brümmerhof – including a colt out of the Group 3-winning Soldier Hollow mare Marshmallow, a half-sister to another top-notcher by Adlerflug in Mendocino (166).

Further highlights, on paper at least, are a filly out of Campea, a Kingman half-sister to high-class performer Colomano from Gestüt Fährhof (16); a colt out of Elle Memory, a Listed-winning daughter of Maxios and multiple Group 1 heroine and blue hen Elle Danzig from Gestüt Wittekindshof (70); and a half-brother to Listed-placed Donamay out of Djumay, a Listed-placed daughter of Shamardal and German champion Djumama from Haras d’Ombreville (154). 

Eagle-eyed readers will note that the Torquator Tasso yearlings out of Soldier Hollow mares are inbred 3x3 to In The Wings, such an important influence in Germany.

The Gestüt Auenquelle draft at BBAG also includes one of the four lots by Soldier Hollow in the catalogue who will provide the few final chances to buy a youngster by the sire, responsible for German Group 1 winners Dschingis Secret, Serienholde and Weltstar, as well as international top-level scorers Ivanhowe, Pastorius and Tamfana (111).

“She’s a lovely filly from the family of Preis der Diana winner Enora, and there won’t be many more opportunities to buy Soldier Hollows,” says Ellebracke. “His last crop was born this year and it contains four foals, with only one of them expected to be offered at public auction.”

The Gestüt Auenquelle consignment to Baden-Baden next month is completed by a colt by Australia, back in the big time this year with Anglo-Irish Derby hero Lambourn and Coronation Stakes winner Cercene. He is out of Romexa, a winning daughter of Exceed And Excel and the Listed-placed New Approach mare Romance Story (180).

“He’s a very nice colt who was foaled in Ireland but raised at Auenquelle,” says Ellebracke. “Australia is popular in Germany and always has been. He’s covered plenty of German mares since his fee came down in price. It’s good to see him show what he can do on the biggest stages again this year.”

Of course, Australia only exists because of German breeding, as his phenomenal sire Galileo’s granddam Allegretta was the product of a mating between the German-bred pair Lombard and Anatevka. 

Here’s hoping Torquator Tasso, a distant relative of Galileo, also being descended from Allegretta, does make it as a sire for the sake of the good health of breeding in Germany.

The country’s industry has acted as something of an incubator of middle-distance and staying bloodlines while horsemen in other European countries have become fixated on speed and precocity, so we need it to thrive.

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