VAN NISTELROOY TO TRELAWNEY STUD IN NZ.

Van Nistelrooy - the world's most expensive yearling sold at auction in 2001 - has been retired from racing due to injury. He will shuttle to Trelawney Stud in New Zealand for the upcoming season after a deal was brokered by New Zealand Bloodstock and Adrian Nicoll of BBA (Ireland). The son of Storm Cat will enter quarantine later this week and be shipped to New Zealand in early August.

A $6,400,000 yearling purchase, Van Nistelrooy impressed many observers when landing his first three races as a two-year-old, all at Ireland¹s racing headquarters The Curragh. The third of these was the Group 2 Futurity Stakes in which he recorded a faster time than recent winners of the race and subsequent superstars Hawk Wing and Giant's Causeway. Three weeks later, in the Group 1 National Stakes, Van Nistelrooy was narrowly beaten into second by this year's Group 1 English 2,000 Guineas winner Refuse To Bend.

As well as a race record, Van Nistelrooy has the pedigree to make a stallion. He is bred on the same Storm Cat/Halo cross as the ill-fated Harlan, who sired multiple Grade 1 winners Harlan's Holiday and Menifee before his premature death. Enthusing about Storm Cat as a sire of sires, acknowledged expert Alan Porter noted in Owner/Breeder magazine that sons "Forest Wildcat, Hennessy, Storm Boot, Harlan, Future Storm, Delineator, Storm Creek, and Illinois Storm have all sired at least one major stakes winner better than themselves."

Trelawney Stud's manager Brent Taylor commented: "He was a top notch two-year-old; he's by the right sire; and you couldn't find a nicer looking individual anywhere in the world. We're really excited about standing him and I think he'll offer breeders here fantastic value."