First foals for Toronado

Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (Ire) has his first foals on the ground in England and France.

Al Shaqab Racing campaigned Toronado to Group 1 victories in the Sussex Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes and supported him with a strong book of mares at the English National Stud last year.

His first foal at Al Shaqab’s Haras de Bouquetot arrived when Candicans delivered a colt at the Normandy nursery last week.  “He is a very attractive foal, we’re thrilled,” studmaster Benoit Jeffroy said.  “He’s the spitting image of his sire.”

Candicans (Dansili) won the Prix Des Roseaux (2000m) at her fourth and final start for Juddmonte Farms.  She is a sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Zambezi Sun and made 200,000gns at the 2012 Tattersalls November Sale.

Breeder and barrister Jeremy Gompertz QC welcomed the first Toronado filly from Red Intrigue last week.  “She has great strength and is a lovely individual,” Gompertz said.  “If she’s a typical Toronado, I will certainly want to use him again.”

Red Intrigue (Selkirk) is the dam of Sheikh Hamdan’s LR Dragon Stakes winner Riflescope (Raven´s Pass) and her yearling filly by Dark Angel was bought by David Redvers and the China Horse Club for 180,000gns at Tattersalls in October.

Toronado (High Chaparral) covered 152 mares first-up at the England National Stud and there were 174 in his initial book at Swettenham last year.