SYNDICATORS COMMENTS.

Purchased for NZ$100,000 at the recent NZ Premier sales this cracking son of one of the most influential sires to come to Australia for some time in HIGH CHAPARRAL ticks all the boxes on type and pedigree to suggest that he may become a player in hopefully some of Australia's better staying races in the years to come. By an English and Irish Derby Winner in HIGH CHAPARRAL out of a Star Way mare (same cross as VRC Derby Winner MONACO CONSUL) AND descending from the great NINE CARAT family one ponders the thought of a potential stud career that would await should his deeds on the track earn him such an honor.

HIGH CHAPARRAL who was raced by Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier,can hold his head high for his deeds on the track are just as worthy as those of his illustrious stud mates as his earnings of $9.052m from 10 wins,1 second and 2 thirds in 13 starts attest. HIGH CHAPARRAL, a $270,000 guineas buy at Newmarket Houghton Sale as a yearling, began his racing career in a small 7.5f maiden at Punchestown on September 20 of his juvenile season and was a short head second, at 15/8 on,to Hot Trotter. He made amends a week later by winning a maiden (7f) at Tipperary by 2.5 lengths, again as the hot favourite (3/1 on) and despite racing greenly.

He was one of three Aiden O'Brien runners who made the trip to Doncaster on October 27,2001 for the Racing Post Trophy-GROUP 1 (8f),the others being Beresford Stakes-GROUP 3 first and second Castle Gandolfo (who started odds on favourite) and Camp David. As much as 33/1 was bet about HIGH CHAPARRAL in the days leading up to the race but by start time the inexperienced colt was a solid 9/2.Castle Gandolfo was well in front with two furlongs to run but HIGH CHAPARRAL, carrying his head high and hanging left in the heavy going was making headway despite making things tough for his rider Kevin Darley. He hit the front in the final 50 meters to win going away by three quarters of a length from his stablemate Castle Gandolfo with Redback five lengths back in third. The timeform experts in their summary in Racehorses of 2001 noted, the conclusion immediately after his Racing Post Trophy was that HIGH CHAPARRAL was still far from the finished article, a colt who has taken a while to get the hang of racing. He eventually got the hang of things in that race: if it also proves true of his career, then there is a great deal to look forward to.

Timeform awarded the two-year-old an annual rating of 115p (placing eight two-year-olds above him in ratings topped by Johannesburg with 127) and their comments were prescient as HIGH CHAPARRAL proved when he stepped out for his first start at three at Leopardstown on April 12,2002 in the Listed Ballysax Stakes (10f).On good firm ground and giving at least seven pounds to his rivals, HIGH CHAPARRAL raced away to score by seven lengths. On May 12 he was back at that track for the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial over the same course, winning by a length with something in hand. This set him up for the English Derby-GROUP 1 (12f) on June 8 with his classic-placed stablemate Hawk Wing (runner up in the English 2000 Guineas) shading him from favouritism in the strong field of 12.

The going at Epsom was on the soft side and that, coupled with a fast early pace, allowed HIGH CHAPARRAL to display his staying prowess. He was slow to break but was closer by the top of the hill and was urged along by Johnny Murtagh as they rounded Tattenham Corner, passing Hawk Wing and then the leader Moon Ballad with two furlongs to go.Hawk Wing briefly made a race of it when he challenged at the furlong, but HIGH CHAPARRAL was too strong in the run home to win by two lengths from Hawk Wing and with Moon Ballad 12 lengths back in third place. The O'Brien quinella was the first by a trainer in the classic since 1948.On June 30 HIGH CHAPARRAL (3/1 on) continued the form of the two previous English Derby winners Sinndar and Galileo by winning the Irish Derby-GROUP 1 (12f) at the Curragh by 3.5 lengths from 200/1 shot Sholokhov, who had attempted to lead all the way, and with O'Brien trained Ballingarry third.

An outbreak of coughing at Ballydoyle in early August left HIGH CHAPARRAL very sick and he missed the Champion Stakes at Leopardstown an Arc lead up race in France as the trainer was not happy with results of blood tests, and when he appeared at Longchamp on October 5 for the Arc de Triomphe-GROUP 1 (2400 m) it was his first start in 14 weeks. Less than three lengths separated the first six at the finish and HIGH CHAPARRAL was third (three quarters of a length and half length) to Marienbard and Sulamani.HIGH CHAPARRAL then travelled to the US for the Breeders Cup Turf-GROUP 1 (12f) at Arlington, taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by 1.25 lengths from With Anticipation and with Falcon Flight three quarters of a length back in third on the good to soft turf. HIGH CHAPARRAL became only the second English Derby winner (after St Ivor) to win in the US as a three-year-old and that win earned him an US Eclipse Award as the best male turf performer.

He ended the year with an annual Timeform of 130,second only to Rock of Gibraltar (133) among the three-year-olds, and equal with Sulamani.(HIGH CHAPARRAL and Sulamani were judged Timeforms best middle distance horses of the year).HIGH CHAPARRAL was sent for a break with news that he would return to training at four in 2003.He would have just four starts, with his reappearance delayed by a shoulder injury. He beat Imperial Dancer by three quarters of a length (giving weight to all his rivals) in the Royal Whip Stakes-GROUP 2 (10f) at the Curragh on August 10 2003 and then tackled a strong field in the Irish Champion Stakes-GROUP 1 (10f) on September 6,hitting the front a furlong from home and holding off a strong challenge from Falbrev (a neck) and with Islington third (a head) and then surviving a protest, a stewards inquiry and an appeal. He was third behind Dalakhani and Mubtaker in the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 5 and then came the Breeders Cup Turf, this time at Santa Anita on October 25.

The tight track and firm conditions (California experienced high temperatures in the week leading up to the race) made this a good test of speed, and HIGH CHAPARRAL chased and caught Falbrav in the straight only for Johar to swoop late and dead heat with the dual classic winner-it took judges 13 minutes to post the result and Falbrev was only a head back in third with the Tin Man 5.5 lengths back in fourth, the 12f run in 2.24.24 in a race Timeform called "a top class contest and a tremendous finish". It was a fitting end to HIGH CHAPARRAL'S career on the track and he was the first dual winner of the race, and six of his ten wins came in GROUP 1 events.

HIGH CHAPARRAL has already been an outstanding success at stud having sired five GROUP 1 winners in a short space of time-SO YOU THINK,SHOOT OUT,MONACO CONSUL,DESCARADO and REDWOOD. With such a great book of mares offered to him at Coolmore last year (218 mares) including Champagne Harmony, Circles of Gold, Dane Ripper, Danni Martine, Dashing Eagle, Irish Lights,Piccoline,Recurring,Timbourina etc there is no wonder why HIGH CHAPARRAL will continue to head our General Sires lists for years to come.

This colt comes from the creme de la creme of the Australian Stud book and comes from the great EIGHT CARAT family which needs no introduction and includes horses of the quality of OCTAGONAL, winner MVRC WS Cox Plate-GROUP 1,MARQUISE, winner WRC Captain Cook Stakes-GROUP 1,SHOWER OF ROSES winner STC Arrowfield Stud Stakes-GROUP 1,DIAMOND LOVER winner ARC Railway Handicap-GROUP 1,DON EDUARDO winner Australian Derby-GROUP 1,TRISTALOVE winner AJC Sires Produce Stakes-GROUP 1,VIKING RULER winner AJC Spring Champion Stakes-GROUP 1,VISCOUNT winner AJC Sires Produce Stakes-GROUP 1,KAAPSTAD winner VRC Sires Produce Stakes-GROUP 1,MOUAWAD winner VRC Australian Guineas-GROUP 1 and DANEWIN( but to name a few-the list goes on and on!) winner AJC Spring Champion Stakes-GROUP 1 etc.An outstanding pedigree such as this does well and truly make this colt an exciting proposition!