Almanzor has made another memorable impact at the highest international level after his daughter Gezora doubled her Group 1 tally with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Turf at Del Mar.

She was bred in France where our stallion son of the ill-fated Wootton Bassett stood at Haras d’Etreham before we secured full breeding rights in 2024 following six seasons of shuttle duty.

The G1 French Oaks heroine had finished out of the frame at her previous start in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and bounced back in dazzling style in California for trainer Francis Graffard and rider Mickael Barzalona.

It was a first Breeders’ Cup success for the Chantilly-based horseman and a second for Barzalona.

“What a perfect run and what a filly she is. She’s small but has the biggest heart of any I’ve ever trained. She’s amazing and gives us so much emotion,” Graffard told the Racing Post.

"It's a meeting I absolutely admire, and I really want to be competitive here. We'll keep trying, it's done now and we'll look for the next one."

It was also a landmark moment for Graffard, who recorded his 13th top-level win of the season, equalling the record for a French trainer set by Andre Fabre in 1992.

Barzalona had ridden stablemate Daryz to victory in the Arc and was reunited with Gezora at Del Mar after winning the G2 Prix Saint Alary on the three-year-old and finishing runner-up in the G1 Prix Vermeille.

“She’s a top-class filly. We got a good spot in the race, it never slowed down, and I had to ask her to go early, but she was very good to catch the one in front,” he said.

Gezora has been an outstanding international flagbearer for Almanzor with five wins from 10 appearances and was raced by Haras d’Etreham before she was purchased by Peter Brandt’s White Birch Farm after she had won two of her first four starts.

She is a daughter of the Silver Hawk mare Germance, who won five races including the Saint-Alary when it carried Group 1 status and also finished runner-up in the French Oaks.

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Check out the first New Zealand foals by our Gr.1 winning son of Frankel.

Ceolwulf bounced back to his brilliant best at Randwick to successfully defend his Group 1 title in the King Charles III Stakes.

The five-year-old had been in indifferent form this preparation and trainer Joe Pride’s decision to put blinkers on out homebred proved a master stroke in the 1600-metre feature.

Ceolwulf travelled comfortably in behind the leaders near the fence and once into the clear in the straight, he overpowered his high-class rivals for his sixth career victory and take his earnings beyond A$9 million.

“I said a while back he’s the best horse I’ve trained so it’s been a long 12 months waiting for him to win again,” Pride said.

“I’m just glad to see him return to what he is capable of because his best is better than a lot of the horses that have been beating him.

“We chucked the blinkers on him, it’s the first time he’s ever worn them, and it’s done the trick.”

Regular rider Chad Schofield said he was relieved to see the best version of Ceolwulf turn up.

“I know how good he is and his first-up run was enormous when I didn’t give him much of a ride and then he’s been below par,” Schofield said.

“He’s made a top-class field look average and I knew he would if he gave his best.”

Ceolwulf was sold on our behalf by Sam and Hana Beatson’s Riversley Park at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale where he was purchased by Pride for $170,000.

He is a son of the unraced Shamardal mare Las Brisas and his three-year-old half-sister by Almanzor Lupa Captiloina, a A$260,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate, is also in Pride’s stable.

The dam has a yearling colt by Sword Of State and this season produced a filly by Chaldean.

Las Brisas’ half-sister Nantyglo was a Listed winner and from the family of four-time Hong Kong elite level winner Wellington, G1 Irish Oaks heroine Moonstone and the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky.

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