'He's a lovely, big lad' - Derby runner-up Khalifa Sat to stand at Lacken Stud

Khalifa Sat, the runner-up in last year's Derby, has been retired to stand at Paul Rothwell's Lacken Stud in County Wexford.

The Declan Phelan and Irish National Stud-bred son of Free Eagle won a Goodwood maiden on his second start at two and began his three-year-old campaign with a gritty success in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes back at the Sussex track.

He then produced his career-best run on Racing Post Ratings when second to Serpentine at Epsom, with Group 1 winners such as Kameko, Mogul and Pyledriver behind him.

On how he came to acquire the four-year-old, Rothwell explained: "The deal was done through Federico Barberini. Andrew Balding thought a hell of a lot of this horse but he'd have had to be gelded to continue, but Ahmad Al Shaikh wanted to breed from him so it was the end of the line from that point of view."

Khalifa Sat, a graduate of the Goffs November Foal and Orby Sales, hails from a well-credentialed family too. A close relation to Group 3 winner and St Leger runner-up Unsung Heroine, he is the 13th foal out of Thermopylae, herself a Tenby half-sister to Gran Premio D'Italia and Hardwicke Stakes scorer Posidonas among five black type performers.

Rothwell continued: "He's kept breeding rights in the horse, he's pretty much putting his money where his mouth is. When he won the Cocked Hat Stakes just the way he put his head down with his never-say-die attitude was fantastic. He's a lovely, big lad with a fine, athletic walk on him.

"You always needed a fine, good looker to go to the sales with but it seems to be even more so now than ever. To try and turn something into money you need a fine individual that walks well and that's what he is. It's the same selling foals, yearlings or point-to-pointers.

"They need size, scope and presence, all those things count for nothing when you line up at the start, but it counts for everything at the sales."

Rothwell also reported plenty of early interest in the horse, and that he would also be receiving plenty of home support for the upcoming breeding season.

He said: "We've had a nice bit of interest in him and people like what they see. We'll be giving him all of our best mares, when you get a horse you're very much committed to him so there's no point having him if you don't believe in him."

Khalifa Sat will stand for a fee of €2,000 with concessions available.

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