Champion Miler & 4-time G1 Winner to Replace Iffraaj at Haunui in 2020

Haunui Farm announced today that the decision has been made to call time on the shuttling career of IFFRAAJ.

Haunui Farm Managing Director, Mark Chitty says, “After lengthy discussions with the team from Darley, we have made the decision to retire IFFRAAJ from Southern Hemisphere serving duties after 12 years. At 19 years of age, the decision was made solely in IFFRAAJ’s best interests.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and his entire team at Darley for entrusting us with IFFRAAJ for so many seasons. He has certainly made his mark in the Southern Hemisphere and his results here have helped lift him to the elite echelon of stallions and, his legacy is certainly set to continue in Australasia.

“IFFRAAJ will be sadly missed by all of us here at Haunui and we wish the Darley team every success with him as he continues his career in the Northern Hemisphere.”

IFFRAAJ’s retirement comes with an exciting silver lining for Haunui Farm and indeed the New Zealand breeding industry with the announcement that IFFRAAJ’s best son, RIBCHESTER, the Champion 3YO & 4YO Miler of Europe in 2017 and 2018 and, four-time G1 winner, will relocate from Darley Australia to Haunui Farm for the 2020 breeding season.

“Who better to replace IFFRAAJ on the Haunui stallion roster than his best son. We’re very excited to have RIBCHESTER coming to Haunui in 2020, especially given we were very keen to secure him for New Zealand stud duties when he was initially retired.”

A G2 winner over 6f at 2YO, a G1 winning miler at 3YO and 4YO, RIBCHESTER spent the majority of his racing career at the highest level with 15 of his 16 career starts at Group level, 11 of those starts at G1 level including four wins – the Deauville Prix Jacques Le Marois at 3YO and, the Newbury Lockinge Stakes, Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes and Chantilly Prix de Moulin Longchamp at 4YO – with a further six G1 placings. It is no wonder RIBCHESTER received a rating of 129 from Timeform.

“This is as much a game about relationships as it is horses and our relationship with Haunui goes back to the days of CARNEGIE” said Godolphin’s Vin Cox. “Haunui have managed the Southern Hemisphere stud career of IFFRAAJ in exemplary fashion so it is fitting that RIBCHESTER can fill the gap he will leave. We are extremely confident of the prospects for the stallion – he has covered good quality mares in each of his two seasons at stud to date and we have a lovely half-sister to TREKKING amongst a very good group of weanlings that will find their way into the Godolphin training system. We also have the stakes winning ¾ sister to COLETTE and the dam of CHENIER amongst a dozen Godolphin mares due to foal to him this season. New Zealanders can breed to him with confidence.”

RIBCHESTER will join Champion 2YO and dual G1 winner BELARDO on the stallion roster at Haunui whose first crop yearlings were so well received at Karaka 2020.

RIBCHESTER will stand for a fee of $15,000 + GST and BELARDO $10,000 + GST.

“The news that IFFRAAJ wasn’t going to return was a big blow in light of the current COVID-19 situation but to replace him with RIBCHESTER has certainly put a spring in our step. To be offering two Champions and multiple G1 winners at these service fees, we hope will assist New Zealand breeders to be able to access world class racehorses, from proven sire lines, at extremely good value.”

For more information or to discuss how Haunui can assist you in your breeding endeavours in 2020, please feel free to give Mark or Shannon a call. Mark – 021 663 995, Shannon – 0212 855 513.