This majestic athlete's career was sadly cut short when he broke down on the Gallops at Ballydoyle just days before his run in the King George. Now with his racing career over, I take a look at St Nicholas Abbey's pedigree and analysis his potential as a future stallion.
St Nicholas Abbey has strong breeding on both sides of his pedigree. He is a son of ill fated star stallion Montjeu, the sire of 4 Epsom Derby winners and 3 Irish Derby winners. Camelot remains his only son to win both. Montjeu became a colossus at stud siring 2 derby winners from his first classic crop with Motivator scoring in the Epsom Derby and Hurricane Run winning the Irish Equivalent. It gets better as in both of those premier races the 2nd horses home were also sons of Montjeu. Walk In The Park 2nd to Motivator and Scorpion 2nd to Hurricane Run.
Montjeu had everything except the ability produce a sire son. However his luck may change with 2 of his sire sons siring Group 1 winners. Motivator didn't produce anything of major with his first british crop and in 2012 he was sold to Haras Du Quensey in France. Motivator has since made good progress as the sire of 2 individual Group 1 winners in France both fillies in Treve (unbeaten 2013 Prix De Diane winner ) and Ridasiyna (2012 Prix De L'opera winner). Not surprisingly Motivator received a full book from french breeders with 135 mares. In his final british season he covered just 52 mares. Montjeu's other sire son to produce a Group 1 winner was his 2nd Epsom Derby winner Authorized. This sire stands at Dalham Hall Stud in Britain. He initially stood for around £40,000 but that has dropped considerably to £7,000 after disappointing results from his first few crops. This year though has seen Authorized sire Group 1 Pretty Polly stakes heroine Ambivalent. Interestingly all the Group 1 winners so far sired by sons of Montjeu have been fillies.
Things are looking up for Montjeu as a sire of sires. But his sons are going to have to produce more stakes horses that can run and win at Group 1 level and they are going to have to sire more Group 1 winners to attract breeders attention. Apart from St Nicholas Abbey his other interesting sire prospects include Pour Moi, Camelot & Frozen Fire.
St Nicholas Abbey's dam line is not short of top class Group 1 horses. His dam Leaping Water was unraced but before St Nicholas Abbey she was already the dam of American Graded winner Grammarian (Definite Article).
St Nicholas Abbey's 2nd dam is Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Flamenco Wave. She became a high class mare at stud. Flamenco Wave is the dam of 3 individual Group 1 winners. They include French and American Group 1 winner Ballingarry, a son of the legendary sire Sadler's Wells Ballingarry was champion 3yo stayer in Ireland after placed efforts in 2 of Irelands classics the Irish Derby and St Leger. Although a dual Group 1 winner Ballingarry hasn't scaled the heights as a sire. He currently stands in France at a fee of E3,500. Starborough became his dams 2nd individual Group 1 winner. A son of Soviet Star, Starborough was a winner of the St James Palace Stakes and the Prix Jean Prat, he was also 2nd in the Sussex Stakes. Starborough was a useful sire of 2yo's. His best foal to race was Hungarian champion Overdose. Aristotle was Flamenco Wave's last Group 1 winner. His only win at the highest level came in the Racing Post Trophy. He didn't make a big impact in his classic year and was sold to stand in Australia. He is currently back in Ireland serving mares as a dual purpose sire. Aristotle is a brother to Ballingarry. Flamenco Wave's latest black type winner was Spanish Falls (Belmez) a Group 3 winner in France.
His 3rd dam Armada Way apart from Flamenco Wave produced black type winner Emy's Way she in turn is the dam of US black type scorer Cameron's Pass. Armada Way is also grandam of Listed winner Mar Azul. a winner in the states.
I do think St Nicholas Abbey can become a good stallion. Hes got some strong black type form and is sure to get a quality book when he does retire to stud. Although there are no top class stallion's in his pedigree and that for me is a concern however I think St Nicholas Abbey could turn that around. As with all future stallions they must have a good dam line and St Nicholas Abbey has that. Hes also a tremendous looking horse. St Nicholas Abbey could strike with his first 2yo's and expect some fast precocious types. I can see him getting mostly middle distance horses.
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