Royal Ascot winner Ardad retired to Overbury Stud

Overbury Stud in Gloucestershire has added a new recruit to its roster for the 2018 breeding season in the shape of Group 2 winner Ardad.

The son of Kodiac was joint-top lot at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale last year when purchased for £170,000 by Blandford Bloodstock – who also brokered the deal for his arrival at Overbury.

Carrying the silks of Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, he followed up a debut victory at Yarmouth by landing the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Though down the field in two subsequent runs, he returned to form with a gutsy victory in the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

Ardad did not sparkle at three but that is unlikely to diminish his appeal to the commercial sector. Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, home to his sire, Ardad will be introduced at a fee of £6,500 with breeding rights also available.

Overbury Stud manager Simon Sweeting said: "It's fantastic news that Ardad is coming here. He's a smashing-looking colt. Kodiac is immensely popular with owners and trainers as they value highly the speed and precocity he imparts. Ardad is the purest expression of that so we're thrilled to have him.

"His owner, Mr Abdullah Al Naboodah, is also lining up some nice mares for him – including Dabyah, who won the Fred Darling, so that's great for the horse at the outset."

His trainer, John Gosden, added: "Ardad was a strong, powerful and precocious colt with a great mind. He was an absolute pleasure to train and was a real Royal Ascot two-year-old."