PHOENIX Of Spain was one of the most successful of the stallions with their first runners in 2023, and his son Haatem provided the year’s highlight.

Trained by Richard Hannon, Haatem built on his fifth-placed finish in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot to chase home the outstanding City of Troy in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. A little over two weeks later he was back on track for the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, and there he won from Iberian and Mountain Bear.

Other first crop winners by Phoenix Of Spain include the Ger Lyons-trained dual winner Spanish Flame, the Marcus Tregoning-trained dual winner Spanish Blaze, and Jack Channon’s dual winner Miguel. A feature of the many other winners by the stallion is that they are in some of the best yards in Britain and Ireland, and a number of trainers have already had a couple of winners by him. They are Richard Hannon, Charlie Johnston and Roger Varian, the latter having saddled a pair of unbeaten juveniles.

Others who have promising sorts by Phoenix Of Spain, all of whom are already winners, are Andrew Balding, Charlie Hills, Hugo Palmer, George Boughey, Clive Cox, Ado McGuinness and Joe Murphy.

Phoenix Of Spain was one of the leading juveniles of his year, and a colt with obvious classic potential. He finished fourth to King Of Comedy (now at stud in New Zealand) on his debut over seven furlongs at Sandown and easily won over the same trip just over three weeks later.

His third start advertised his potential to make an impact at the highest level when he won the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York.

In the first of his final two juvenile runs he chased home that year’s undefeated champion Too Darn Hot in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes, followed by the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy where he made Magna Grecia fight, finishing only a head down at the line.

Sourcing sire prospects is a competitive business and the Irish National Stud made their move for Phoenix Of Spain before he made his seasonal debut at three. It proved an inspired decision after his three-length victory in the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, where he made all to beat Too Darn Hot and a dozen others in a line-up that included Magna Grecia and future Group 1 sprint ace Emaraaty Ana.

Phoenix Of Spain stands along with Lucky Vega on the Irish National Stud roster, both representing Giant’s Causeway’s branch of the mighty Storm Cat (Storm Bird) line. They are sons of the sensational Lope De Vega (Shamardal), and his first sire son Belardo, a Group 1 winner at two and four, is already a successful sire at that level.

Phoenix Of Spain is the best of four blacktype horses out of a half-sister to the prolific pattern winner Special Kaldoun (Alzao), and comes from the family of the US nine-furlong Grade 1-winner La Koumia (by Kaldoun).

PHOENIX OF SPAIN (IRE), Grey 2016. Won 3 races, value £368,804, at 2 and 3, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile, Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Curragh, Gr.1, Acomb Stakes, York, Gr.3, also placed second in Vertem Futurity Trophy, Doncaster, Gr.1 and Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.2.

Retired to stud in 2020, and sire of 21 winners, of 25 races, and £394,447, including HAATEM (IRE), Spanish Flame (Ire), Spanish Phoenix (Ire), Spanish Blaze (Ire), Miguel (Ire), Cheshire Dancer (Ire), Spanish Rock (Ire), The Ice Phoenix (Ire), Magnezja (Ire), King Of Spain (Ire), Alpheratz (Ire), Persian Phoenix (Ire), Spirit Of Spain (Ire), Volcanology (Ire), Lady Of Spain (Ire), Pedro Valentino (Ire), Orderofthephoenix (Ire), Blast Exit (Ire), Dancingwithmyself (Ire), Indalo

(Ire), and Local Hero (Ire).

Stands at: Irish National Stud, Tully East, Kildare, Co Kildare, R51 DD56, Ireland.

Contact: Cathal Beale, Gary Swift or Conor Hyland

Telephone: +353 45 521251 or +353 866031979 (Gary) or +353 851299236 (Conor)

Email: gswift@irishnationalstud.ie

Web: www.irishnationalstud.ie

Fee: €10,000