Bearstone Stud pension Firebreak from covering duties

Firebreak - winner of the Hong Kong Mile in his first career and sire of Group 1-winning juvenile Hearts Of Fire in his second - has been pensioned from covering duties at Bearstone Stud in Shropshire.

The 19-year-old son of Charnwood Forest will now enjoy a well-earned retirement on the stud.

"Firebreak was a great servant for the stud, and a pleasure to have around," said Terry Holdcroft, owner of Bearstone Stud.

"He started off with small books of mares and with more opportunities could have done a lot better.

"I bred Hearts Of Fire, who was his standout performer, out of a daughter of Mind Games, who also stood here.

"Firebreak was the kindest horse you'd ever come across. He was an absolute gentleman and though he's in a stallion paddock now, you could place him in a pony paddock and it wouldn't make a difference.

"When he won his races, he always put his head down and was a real battler. He'll enjoy his retirement here and will still be in the same paddock."

Top ten performers by Firebreak on Racing Post Ratings

Name, damsire, peak RPR

Hearts Of FireMind Games 119
Fire ShipJosr Algarhoud 111
Ashpan SamIndian Ridge 111
You're FiredRoyal Applause 111
Caledonia LadyMark Of Esteem 105
Electric FeelMind Games 103
Fire BrigadeBahamian Bounty 102
BreakableRevoque 100
Father BertieFraam 97
Valley Of FirePuissance 97

Firebreak did not wait long to make his mark at stud - his first-crop son Hearts Of Fire won the Brocklesby and ended his two-year-old campaign with a hat-trick, culminating in victory in the mile Gran Criterium at San Siro.

Other winners of note by the sire are mile Group 3 winner Fire Ship and Ashpan Sam, twice a winner on Derby day at Epsom.

Mattmu will take the place of Firebreak on the Bearstone roster. A six-furlong specialist, he landed the the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte as a juvenile and the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh at three.

His studmate Fountain Of Youth, meanwhile, is set to cover his third book of mares at the Shropshire stud. The seven-year-old son of Oasis Dream and top-class miler Attraction won the Group 3 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh over the minimum distance at three.

Hearts Of Fire: Firebreak's highest-rated performer on Racing Post RatingsCredit: Edward Whitaker

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