Stoney Bridge has announced that Mr. Nancho (pronounced "Narcho"), an Argentine-bred Champion Miler son of Southern Halo, will stand alongside St Reims and Hawkeye at their newly acquired Stoney Bridge Waikato farm this coming season.
"We are proud to announce a second champion galloper and Group One winner to join our 2006 roster," said Stoney Bridge owner Michael Tololi. "We have very close ties with Vinery Australia and their success with last season's Champion Australian First Crop Sire More Than Ready, plus their acquisition of Dubleo (also by Southern Halo), inspired us to seek out a son of Southern Halo."
Mr. Nancho (Southern Halo-Miss Peggy by Fitzcarraldo) was raced by his breeders Haras la Quebrada who stand Southern Halo in Argentina and won three of his six starts. He won his racetrack debut at three over 1400 metres by eleven lengths and three weeks later lined up in the first leg of Argentina's Triple Crown, the Polla de Potrillos G1 (Two Thousand Guineas) where he was run down in the shadows of the post by Fogoso Nov.
Next up Mr. Nancho took on six older opponents, including four G1 performers, in the 1600m WFA Gran Premio de Palermo G1. He simply ran away from the field, increasing his advantage with every stride to triumph by 16 lengths at the line. Following a fourth in the Joaquin S. de Anchorena 1600m G1 against older horses at his next outing, Mr. Nancho captured the Clasico Buenos Aires 1600m G3 by seven lengths with another front- running performance. At the conclusion of his three-year-old season Mr. Nancho was crowned Champion Argentine Miler.
Sold to US owners Castletop Stable, he made his American debut in a six-and-a-half furlong allowance event at Saratoga where he finished runner-up to Midas Eyes who ran less than 0.5 a second outside Topsider's 25-year-old track record of 1.14.4. Midas Eyes won the Forego Handicap G1 at his next start. Shortly after this Mr. Nancho suffered an injury which ended his career.
Mr. Nancho's sire Southern Halo has proved to be the "Sir Tristram of South America" with 143 stakeswinners to date including 37 Group One winners. Southern Halo has won ten General Argentine Sire premierships and five Champion Two-Year-Old Sire titles, and last year became Champion Broodmare Sire in Argentina. His son More Than Ready has made an excellent start to his stud career in Australia where he has left three Group One winners in his first crop: Benicio (VRC Derby), Carry On Cutie (AJC Champagne Stakes) and Perfectly Ready (SAJC Goodwood Handicap). Southern Halo has one other son in New Zealand, My Halo who stands at Berkley Stud in Canterbury. He has eight winners from his first crop, now three-year-olds, and they include the stakes-placed trio Mystical, My Hangover & The Hurricane.
Mr. Nancho is a full-brother to the outstanding filly Miss Linda, winner of two G1 races and named Champion 3yo Filly in Argentina before her exportation to the United States where she won the Spinster Stakes G1 at Keeneland. Another full sister Miss Mary, is a Group Two winner while their dam Miss Peggy was a Group Three winner of seven races and won the Argentine Broodmare of the Year title in 2000. Mr. Nancho's damsire Fitzcarraldo has been highly successful in Argentina, and is the sire of current David Hayes-trained stakes performer Vroom Vroom.
"Mr. Nancho, who stands 16.1hh, is a strongly-made, masculine individual who should command tremendous support from breeders looking for a champion sprinter-miler from a highly proven sireline" says Stoney Bridge General Manager Peter Jenkins. "This is the Turn-to sireline that has proven so successful in New Zealand previously with representatives like Sir Tristram, Zabeel, Grosvenor and Sound Reason. Pedigree buffs will like the fact that Mr. Nancho carries no male Northern Dancer line, just a female presence of the great sire through Southern Halo's dam", adds Jenkins.
Mr. Nancho will stand at Stoney Bridge Waikato's Matamata farm for a fee of $6,000. He is currently available for inspection by appointment at Stoney Bridge's Karaka stallion station.
A limited number of Lifetime Breeding Rights, priced at $15,000 (plus GST) each, are also being offered to breeders. A Lifetime Breeding Right will enable breeders to send two mares to Mr. Nancho in each of his first two seasons (two mares in 2006 and two in 2007) and one mare each season thereafter.
- Stoney Bridge
