How Monceaux made its mark thanks to a Platonic relationship

In the grand scheme of things, Platonic was not an expensive foundation mare. Granted, a figure of 100,000gns isn’t accessible to that many breeders but much greater has been - and always will be - spent by those in the business of developing studs on a large scale.

In the 12 years since Lucien Urano’s Ecurie des Monceaux teamed up with Lady O’Reilly’s Skymarc Farm to purchase the mare at the Tattersalls December Sale, Platonic has become a foundation mare for the partnership in every sense. As the dam of stakes-winning fillies Pacifique and Prudenzia, herself dam of the 2013 Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita, she has done her bit to enhance a family nurtured by Luca and Sara Cumani's Fittocks Stud that has long been respected through the achievements of Alexandrova, Magical Romance, Golden Sword and Pongee among others.

In turn, the Platonic family has become a highly desirable commodity at auction, gifting Monceaux and Skymarc no fewer than five seven-figure Arqana yearlings since 2012. While Monceaux enjoyed an exceptional Arqana August Sale last year thanks to the sale of €12,157,000 worth of yearlings, it was the Platonic family that stole the show, accounting for two of the stud’s three seven-figure lots led by the record-breaking €2.6 million Dubawi colt.