Second Classic runner for Norris Bloodstock
After the excitement of witnessing Dancing Rain win the Oaks at Epsom and in Germany, it was really special to hear that another of our graduates, Karar, has been supplemented to run in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp on Sunday.
Of course there have been plenty of people involved in Karar along the way. He was bred by James and Anita Wigan and we bought him from them at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 55,000gns. As ever, Jenny worked her magic on him along with our other pinhooked foals of that year, including Desert Force (the two are pictured above during their yearling preparation), and we resold him as a yearling for 120,000gns. The buyer that day was Jenny’s old friend from her Irish National Stud days, Alban Chevalier du Fau. He did really well with him the following year when Karar reappeared and was one of the stars of the Arqana Breeze-up Sale in Paris for the Channel Consignment. I’d always believed he was a real little athlete and he proved it that day when he was bought to race for Al Shaqab Racing. His trainer Francis Graffard has been really patient with him and produced him in fine style earlier this spring when he won by six lengths on debut at Saint-Cloud. Karar’s only other run to date has been a good second to Territories in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau at Longchamp and he will return to the Paris track on Sunday for his Classic date after Territories franked the form by finishing runner-up to the impressive Gleneagles in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. We wish Karar and all his connections the very best of luck in Paris.
