THE great Gestut Schlenderhan stallion Monsun (by Konigsstuhl) died six years ago but left a powerful legacy behind him, including Group 1 winners such as Estimate, Getaway, Manduro, Maxios, Novellist, Schiaparelli, Shirocco, Stacelita, Vademos, and Melbourne Cup heroes Almandin, Fiorente and Protectionist.
The success of his sons and daughters at stud will ensure that his name will live on in pedigrees for quite some time, and his influence has been felt as strongly in the flat sector as it has been in National Hunt circles.
In the latter, for example, we’ve seen standouts such as Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power and chasing great Sprinter Sacre, among plenty of other notable representatives of their respective sires, Shirocco and Network.
Shirocco is a former Darley team member who is in his fifth season at Glenview Stud and whose flat runners include the Group 1 stars Brown Panther and Windstoss.
Group 2 scorer Network is in France and his roll of honour also features Acapella Bourgeois, Ball D’Arc, Rubi Ball, Rubi Light, Saint Are, and recent Cheltenham Festival scorer Delta Work.
Rising star Getabird is an early runner for Grange Stud’s Getaway, Overbury Stud’s Schiaparelli is notching up the winners too, and Arcadio – sire of The Game Changer and of Grade 1 star Flying Angel – is a member of the team at Arctic Tack Stud. Manduro is an established Group 1 flat sire, while Maxios, Novellist, Protectionist and Vadamos are in early stages of their flat-sire careers.
In short, sons of Monsun are justifiably popular, and this makes Lauro one of the most interesting new additions to the Irish stallion ranks in 2018. A Group 2-placed stakes winner in France, he also won an 11-furlong Grade 2 contest at Woodbine in Canada and was a Grade 1 runner-up over the same trip at Monmouth Park in the USA.
He retired to stud in France, his eldest offspring are now seven-year-olds, and his early representatives include Dentley De Mee, Lovato, Le Curieux, and Solesauvage.
The latter is a mare, while the first-named is the promising Nick Williams-trained five-year-old who chased home Sam’s Gunner in a valuable Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Sandown earlier this month.
Of course, Lauro also made headlines recently when his exciting son Dlauro made £410,000 at the recent Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Horses-in-Training Sale, bought by Joseph O’Brien.
This was just days after the five-year-old’s impressive debut in a Belharbour point-to-point, where he made all to win eased down by six lengths.
LAURO (GER), Bay or Brown 2003. Won four races, £257,716, from 1 mile 2½ furlongs to 1 mile 4 furlongs, at 3 and 5 years including, Sky Classic Stakes, Woodbine, Gr.2, Prix de l’Avre, Longchamp, L, also placed 2nd United Nations Stakes, Monmouth Park, Gr.1, Oppenheim Union-Rennen, Cologne, Gr.2, Red Smith Handicap, Aqueduct, Gr.2 and JAXX Grand Prix Aufgalopp, Cologne, Gr.3.
Retired to stud in 2010, and sire of the winners of 26 races, and £202,111, including Lovato (GER), and sire of the winners of 9 races, and £169,892 under N.H. Rules, including Dentley De Mee (FR)
Stands at: Hayes Stud, Hayes, Navan, Co Meath, Ireland
Contact: Eamonn Duignan
Telephone: +353 (0)46 9024621 or +353 (0)86 2572380
Email: hayesstud@gmail.com
Fee: On application