Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
If anyone in Australia knows the progeny of Almanzor well, it is Fleming. Over the last two years, Bhima has taken 17 Almanzor yearlings to the sales and sold 14 of them. With 11 of those making six figures, it’s fair to say that Almanzor’s progeny have left a great impression on buyers.
“They just look like real Classic horses,” said Fleming. “Very good temperaments, very easy horses to prep, great mental attitudes and very uncomplicated. It doesn’t surprise me… that they’re starting to step up now and look like Classic horses.”
Mike Fleming | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Whilst Almanzor himself was precocious, winning his first three starts as a 2-year-old in France, he really blossomed in his Classic year. In that year he was campaigned exclusively in Group company and won five of his six starts.
These included the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), followed by two more Group 1 victories in both the Irish and British Champion S. In those last two events he beat G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Fleming noted that his Classic-year achievements didn’t go unnoticed by buyers.
“I think everyone who was buying them that year and paying good money, was looking to them not even so much as autumn 2-year-olds but not expecting them to do much until they were spring 3-year-olds.
“It surprised me how well the market perceived him at Magic Millions that year,” Fleming concluded.
Manzoice first and foremost
Cambridge studmaster Henry Plumptre is another familiar with the progeny of Almanzor, Manzoice in particular, with his breeder, Stephanie Hole, being amongst the stud’s regular clients.
“I think that colt was the first colt sold by him (Almanzor) in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Plumptre. “…he was the first Almanzor through in Magic Millions last year; we were delighted with what he made as a yearling.”
“I think that colt was the first colt sold by him (Almanzor) in the Southern Hemisphere. …he was the first Almanzor through in Magic Millions last year; we were delighted with what he made as a yearling.” - Henry Plumptre
Of all those that Bhima have had through their hands, the headliner was in that first year at Magic Millions. A colt out of Lazumba (Sebring), a dual-winning mare who was second in the G2 VRC Sires' Produce S., which sold to Ultra T'Bred Racing Pty Ltd and Baystone Farm for $800,000.
And that was also a sale-best for Almanzor, since Bhima presented all four of his progeny that year. Whilst one was passed in, another, a filly out of Empress Cixi (GB) (Shamardal {USA}), sold to Kelly Schweida Racing for $380,000.
That leaves just one more, who is of course the colt out of Choice (NZ) now known as Manzoice. Cheaper than the others, yes, but still commanding a $340,000 price tag, he was knocked down to Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock.
Manzoice as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He sold for $340,000, and the Almanzors, in general, that year all sold very well,” Fleming recalled. “We sold quite a few of them, which gave us a good insight into the type of horse that Almanzor was throwing; a very good type of horse, who look like mile, mile-and-a-quarter 3-year-old styles of horse.”
Just the start for Almanzor
Having stepped up from provincial company on his debut run, Manzoice claimed his maiden victory on just his second start in Saturday’s race at Rosehill. Plumptre is confident that he’ll show plenty of improvement as the season develops and cited the strength of Sydney racing at this time of year as good evidence of this.
“He was beaten by a decent Savabeel (Major Beel) that day at Wyong and beat that horse yesterday (Saturday). There’s no place to hide at this time of the year, and it was good to see him step up.
“What we’re hoping, of course, is that Chris can get him to a black-type race in the spring and he can equip himself well.”
And he has also heard good reports from the Champion Trainer as to further progeny of the stallion in training.
“I think Chris Waller has four, maybe more Almanzors in the yard and I know he’s always liked the horse. I was at Chris’ three weeks ago… and he said that he thought they were coming into their own as 3-year-olds.”
"I think Chris Waller has four, maybe more Almanzors in the yard and I know he’s always liked the horse." - Henry Plumptre
But they weren’t too bad as 2-year-olds either. Not only was Almanzor Champion First Season Sire last season in New Zealand, he was also Champion 2-Year-Old Sire, with R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO winner Dynastic (NZ) leading the charge, who was also placed in the G1 Sistema S.
His exploits have seen his fee jump to NZ$50,000 (plus GST) this year, and Plumptre reported that he is set to be well-supported again this year.
Mike Fleming, Brendan Lindsay and Henry Plumptre | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We put his fee up off the back of Dynastic and the fact that he was going to be the leading first-season sire. Funnily enough, the shareholders have probably been his biggest supporter in terms of buying extra noms, because they’ve had a pretty good run with the horse. But we’ve had new people in as well, probably not as much interest from Australia as we’d like but we think that’ll come.”
An excellent outcross
As more horses in the mould of Manzoice announce themselves, that support is sure to come. And in Almanzor, Plumptre noted that breeders are offered an excellent outcross to Danehill blood. Therefore, it’s particularly pleasing for him to see Manzoice succeed because he’s out of a Mastercraftsman (Ire) mare, a stallion who is of course a grandson of Danehill (USA).
Danehill (USA)
“One of the most prepotent lines down here, and there’s a lot of it, is Danehill. You’ve got Mastercraftsman, Danehill Dancer,” Plumptre said of Manzoice’s mating. “Obviously, that works, Danehill Dancer, Mastercraftsman, but he’s had a range of mares from us.
“The ones that run fastest, those are the ones that work,” he joked. “It’s good to see though, nice to kick off in the spring with a nice winner like that.”
Despite the variety of mares he receives, and that he produces a good type, Plumptre reported that breeders are given one piece of advice when breeding to him.
“We’ve always had a note of caution with him: ‘Please don’t send us a giant of a mare because you’ll probably get a giant of a foal'. He gets pretty strong, robust types, but I think in terms of bloodlines I think his pedigree is just about an outcross for everything down here.”
Almanzor (Fr) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
With things looking so positive for the stallion, Plumptre is naturally drawn to comment on the New Zealand industry relative to its Australian counterpart and is ever hopeful that Almanzor can continue on an upward curve.
“It’s performance related – there’s only been a handful of stallions in New Zealand who’ve actually made the cut in Australia, but it’s nice that there are half a dozen Kiwi-based stallions making a mark. Let’s hope our horse is one of them as well.”
Bumper day for Bhima
Aside from Manzoice’s victory, Bhima enjoyed an excellent day on Saturday, as two further graduates of theirs made notable impressions on the track. Winning the G3 Vain S. was Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), reared at Bhima, who can now look forward to some big targets this spring.
“It was a great day with Giga Kick. He came over here as a yearling before he went to the breakers,” said Fleming.
The 3-year-old colt, for all that he is very exciting now, has been something of a slow developer according to Fleming. Although he is retained by his breeder, Jonathan Munz of GSA Bloodstock, he was at one point set to head for the sales.
“He was entered for the TBA Sale under Middlebrook because we didn’t have a draught that year,” said Fleming, who noted the horse developed so pleasingly during that sales preparation that they were inclined to rethink the plan.
“We were quite impressed by the way he developed and improved through that prep.”
“We were quite impressed by the way he developed and improved through that prep.” - Mike Fleming
“Scissor Kick had probably gone off the radar and he wouldn’t have made a lot of money had he gone to a sale. Jonathan Munz and GSA Bloodstock obviously race a few horses and are very passionate about their breeding and racing, so they decided to retain him rather than sell him.
“Certainly, it’s ended up being a good call to throw him into the racing system rather than the sale ring.”
Waiting until the final race of the day, also at Caulfield, was Military Expert (Redoute’s Choice). He was also bred by GSA Bloodstock, and sold through Bhima’s draught for an impressive $1.1 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020.
Meaning that after all was said and done on Saturday, the team at Bhima were left with plenty to celebrate, and with more to look forward to this spring too.
