Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Novara Park Stud has announced that The Foxes (Ire) will join its stallion roster for the 2026 breeding season, marking a significant addition to its lineup. The exciting prospect is offered at an introductory service fee of $10,000 (plus GST) with a live foal guarantee.
The Foxes arrives with both a high-class race record and a pedigree that places him among the more compelling new stallion prospects in the region.
A high-quality individual with global credentials
An imposing and well-related individual, The Foxes (Ire) was purchased for 440,000 guineas (AU$872,000) by SackvilleDonald at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, reflecting the regard in which he was held from an early stage.
Novara Park’s Luigi Muollo highlighted both his physical attributes and overall appeal, stating,
“The Foxes is a striking bay stallion of exceptional quality - athletic, well-balanced, and powerfully built with a commanding presence, a beautiful shoulder, and the scope and substance to stamp his stock with speed, stamina, and commercial appeal.”
The Foxes (Ire) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
That physical presence has been matched by his performance on the track, with Muollo reinforcing the broader significance of his profile.
“The Foxes is living proof that legendary blood still breeds true at the very highest level. He retires to stud with an outstanding race record that marks him as one of the most consistent and high-class middle-distance performers of his generation, having competed successfully in England, Ireland, North America, Hong Kong, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.”
“The Foxes is living proof that legendary blood still breeds true at the very highest level.” - Luigi Muollo
A tough and consistent international performer
The Foxes demonstrated early ability for trainer Andrew Balding, showing precocity as a 2-year-old with two wins over seven and eight furlongs. Among those victories was the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes, where he defeated subsequent Group One winner Dubai Mile (Ire).
His 3-year-old season and beyond saw him continue to develop into a high-class middle-distance performer. Over his career, he added further Group 2 success in the Dante Stakes, widely regarded as one of the premier lead-ups to the G1 The Derby and the Huxley Stakes. He also secured a Listed victory in the Churchill Stakes, defeating the French Group 1 winner and three time Australian Group 1 winner Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) by three lengths.
His durability and competitiveness were evident throughout his international campaign. In Qatar, he produced a strong performance to finish second in the G3 Al Uqda HH The Amir Trophy behind the nine-time Group 1 winner Rebel’s Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Luigi Muollo | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
He closed his career on a high, returning to win the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at his final start, underlining both his longevity and sustained class as a 5-year-old. At the elite level, he also performed with credit, finishing second in the G1 Belmont Derby and placing in the top four in both the G1 Juddmonte International and the G1 Hong Kong Cup.
Reflecting on this consistency, Muollo said,
“The Foxes was exceptionally consistent and won at Group or Stakes level in every year of his racing career - delivering black-type success as a 2-year-old, 3-year-old, 4-year-old, and 5-year-old. If you can breed horses that can race over multiple seasons, that’s really going to keep the breeders interested as well as the buyers.”
A powerful sire line and proven pedigree cross
The Foxes is by Churchill (Ire), a champion miler and son of the renowned Galileo (Ire), whose influence continues to shape modern breeding. Churchill has already made a strong impression at stud, siring 33 stakes winners worldwide, including high-profile Group 1 winners such as Vadeni (Fr) and Blue Rose Cen (Ire) and in Australia, his son Attrition has also secured Group 1 success in the Toorak Handicap.
In outlining the pedigree further, Muollo noted the strength of the cross.
Churchill (Ire) | Standing at Coolmore Stud
“The Foxes is bred on the exact same Sadler’s Wells sire line over a Darshaan mare that produced the outstanding sire and sire-of-sires High Chaparral.”
He also pointed to the depth on the dam side, adding,
“Breeders will also love the depth of this pedigree - he carries a second dam by the legendary Nureyev, the same influential broodmare sire that powered Zabeel to greatness.”
A dam line of rare depth and influence
The strength of The Foxes pedigree extends well beyond his sire line, with his dam Tanaghum (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) recognised as an outstanding producer. A Listed-placed winner, she has delivered 12 winners from 13 runners, including six Group or Graded stakes winners. Among them is Group 1 winner Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}).
Her influence continues through subsequent generations. She is also the dam of Zahoo (Ire) (Nayef {USA}), who in turn produced multiple Group winners Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Convergence (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Another daughter has produced Ribchester (Ire), a Champion Miler and six-time Group 1 winner who has gone on to become a sire.
The Foxes second dam, Mehthaaf (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), was a Champion 3-year-old filly and winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas (Gr.1). She is also the dam of Champion 3-year-old Najah (Ire) (Nashwan {USA}). Further back, the third dam Elle Seule (USA) was a Group 2 winner and produced Elnadim (USA), winner of the G1 July Cup, while also featuring in the lineage of Group 1 winners such as Intello (Ger) and Mondialiste (Ire).
The pedigree is anchored by the fourth dam Fall Aspen (USA) (Pretense {GB}), named USA Broodmare of the Year in 1994. She produced nine stakes winners, eight of whom were Group 1 winners or performers, including Timber Country (USA), Fort Wood (USA), Bianconi (USA), and Colorado Dancer (GB) (Shareef Dancer {USA}). The latter became the dam of Dubai Millennium (GB), subsequently the sire of Dubawi (Ire).
Summing up the pedigree’s significance, Muollo stated.
“This exceptional depth of black-type quality from one of the most productive and influential families in breeding dramatically strengthens The Foxes’ credentials as a stallion prospect. He brings not only his own proven Group race ability and international class, but also the proven sire family running through a remarkable broodmare line whose progeny continue to deliver elite performers across multiple generations.
"Breeders will particularly respect that The Foxes has only one dam on his packed pedigree page - a testament to the extraordinary consistency and success of this family at the highest level. The Foxes confirm that exceptional bloodlines still breed true at the absolute elite level.”
“The Foxes confirm that exceptional bloodlines still breed true at the absolute elite level.” - Luigi Muollo
Further details on the remainder of the Novara Park stallion roster, including service fees, are expected to be released next week.
