'We hope the future is going to be bright' - first arrivals for Charyn as Sumbe gears up for major year

Tom Peacock speaks to Mario Gussago from the Normandy operation about Nurlan Bizakov's roster

Charyn arrived at the gates of Haras de Montfort & Preaux as the subject of great anticipation. The standout miler of 2024, a son of Dark Angel with three Group 1 wins under his belt, was the shiny new name joining Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe operation in its own blue and yellow livery.

There seems to have been no change on that score, with his first foals appearing around some very famous European farms over the last few days.

"We've already had reports of ten to 15 foals on the ground in Europe and we had a couple ourselves who are nice; he seems to have passed on his strength," said Mario Gussago, Sumbe's nominations and racing manager.

"Pierre Talvard of Haras du Cadran is very happy about the filly he's got out of Night Music, who is a Group 2 winner by Sea The Stars. 

"The first colt who was born in France was at Tony Parker's stud, Domaine de Quetieville, out of a black-type mare. He's a lovely colt as well, a strong, athletic type.

"So it's been a great first season for Charyn and he's been very well supported all around Europe, including from some very big breeders, so we hope the future is going to be bright. He's also been supported by Mr Bizakov in his first season, and will be again in the second season."

There has been praise from several other key breeders outside France, too. David Redvers has waxed lyrical about a colt by Charyn out of Future, a half-sister to Latrobe owned by Qatar Racing.

"He’s a lovely colt with real quality and good, correct limbs," said Redvers. "He definitely repays our faith in a stallion we’re very excited about.”

In County Kildare, Guy O’Callaghan of Grangemore Stud welcomed a filly out of a Sea The Stars mare, saying: "She’s lovely – well made, with great balance and quality."

Gussago stated that the combination of quality and class in his first crop augurs well for a solid start on the track come 2028.

"He had 177 mares last year, 25 per cent of them were black type, 20 per cent were black-type producers, so it was a good start, and he had a 90 per cent fertility rate," he said. 

"That was the highest number of mares for a Flat stallion in France, which was quite good to achieve, and we're confident he'll be well supported again.

"We were also so pleased to see there was a 100 per cent clearance for mares in foal to Charyn at the sales in England and France, and the median price was nearly four times the nomination fee, which is pretty good."

Gussago, an Italian who joined the Sumbe team last year after working for Arqana and learning his trade with various trainers in Newmarket, has always kept close tabs on Charyn.

The unflappable grey, who stayed on for a respectable fifth in Japan less than a month after winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, was soon getting down to business.

"He loves his new job," said Gussago. "He's like he was when he was in training, an absolute dude, very quiet. I used to work for Roger Varian and he always told me he was the dream horse; the more he trained, the more he ate, the more he wanted to do. 

"That's how he was in his career, strong and solid, and he's been like that in the covering shed. With the number of mares he had, at some points he had to cover four a day, but he was like a soldier, he wasn't bothered at all."

This is an interesting stage for the four other stallions on the Sumbe roster. 

Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde, who has had two crops out on the track so far, and fortified by the Classic-winning feats of his half-brother Camille Pissarro, has impressive statistics from small crops. 

His smart daughter, last year's Group 1 Prix de Royallieu third Rabbit's Foot, made €625,000 to top the Arqana Arc Sale and is staying in training for the powerful combination of Francis Graffard and White Birch Farm.

Meanwhile, a trio in Angel Bleu, Belbek and Mishriff all have their first yearlings entering the ring in the coming months.

Gussago says Sumbe is offering incentives for breeders willing to travel from Britain and Ireland with mares, which can be discussed with the team.

Both Angel Bleu, the Dark Angel stallion, and Sumbe's homebred son of Showcasing, Belbek, are winners of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and joined the roster in the same season.

"Angel Bleu and Belbek look like they've passed on their precocity and athleticism," said Gussago. "They were both early winners at two and won Group 1s in that season, so we hope the progeny will be like that too."

Mishriff began from a higher fee, in line with his extensive achievements and potential to be a sire of Classic horses.

Prince Faisal's pride and joy, as a son of his sire Make Believe, not only collected a Prix du Jockey Club but a Saudi Cup, Dubai Sheema Classic and Juddmonte International, making him a worldwide name.

"I remember seeing Mishriff walking back from Warren Hill; you could see he was a different class of horse, he had that aura about him that good horses do," recalled Gussago.

"He's really stamping that into his progeny; they're all very elegant, good walks, good balance. A lot of people who came to us in seasons one and two have already booked for season three.

"This is usually the most difficult season, but people do seem to love their stock. The way the first foals were selling in France seemed a good sign for him, too. He was a winner at two – of course, a lot of people will want to see them on the racecourse – but they're not expected to be as precocious as Belbek and Angel Bleu's."

By the time the yearling sales begin, there will be a clearer idea.

"We'll be interested to see how the market reacts to them in France in August," said Gussago. "It will be a very important moment for Sumbe." Racing Post 08/02/26