Batsford becomes first British stud to stand a son of Deep Impact

Danon Ballade will become the first son of Deep Impact to stand in the UK following his relocation to Alan and Tim Varey's Batsford Stud in Gloucestershire, where he will stand at a fee of £4,000.

The nine-year-old arrives from Allevamento di Besnate in Italy and was one of the first sons of Deep Impact to enter stud in Europe along with Beauty Parlour's brother Barocci, who stands in Sweden.

Owned by Tarik Tekce, Serdar Kemal Ozcolak and Simone Esposito of Turkish Bloodstock, Danon Ballade covered 45 mares in Japan before his relocation to Italy, where he covered an increased book of 61 mares.

His first yearlings went through the ring in Japan this year with a colt out of Le Vent Clair fetching ¥11,340,000 (£76,300/€85,800) at the Hokkaido Summer Yearling Sale.

"Danon Ballade ran 26 times and 25 of those were Graded or Listed races, proving his physical soundness, tough approach to racing and willingness to be a racehorse," said acting agent Nicola Naylor of Readswood Stud in Cheshire.

"He's a lovely, big horse with a very nice temperament. He's very correct and very straight.

"Of his foals that I've seen in Italy, they've all been nicely put together and were strong and athletic-looking. He's certainly stamping his stock. He's like a double of Deep Impact, has the same white socks, and you couldn't tell them apart.

"He was Deep Impact's first Graded winner in Japan, so he set the ball rolling for him there, and hopefully he can do the same for him in Britain.

"We certainly had a good response at the sales, people wanting to find out more information. They might not be familiar with Danon Ballade but they all know who Deep Impact is!

"Deep Impact has had very few runners in Britain or Ireland, however his results speak for themselves. Of the ten to run in Britain and Ireland this year, Saxon Warrior won the Racing Post Trophy and September was second to Laurens in a photo finish for the Fillies' Mile."

Danon Ballade was bred by KI Farm out of dual Japanese Listed winner Lady Ballade, an Unbridled half-sister to Grade 1 scorer Sligo Bay, and has a page littered with sires including Campanologist, Rahy and Singspiel. Danon Ballade is also inbred 3x3 to the influential US sire Halo.

Danon Ballade won a 1m2f Graded race for trainer Yasuo Ikee as a juvenile, and was trained by Ikee's son Yasutoshi to win the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Cup at five. Danon Ballade also placed in the Satsuki Sho - the Japanese equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas - and the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen.

Danon Ballade will stand alongside Haafhd, Native Ruler and Passing Glance at Batsford.

"We are absolutely delighted to have the first son of Deep Impact to stand at stud in the UK. This means that breeders now have the opportunity to tap into this exciting bloodline without having to transport their mares to Japan," said Alan and Tim Varey.

Further information on Danon Ballade can found on the Batsford Stud website. Breeding incentives will also be available.

View Stallion Book

Read our 24-page US Breeding-Stock Sale supplement here - or download as a PDF