CHAPEL Stud’s Roisin Close described the opportunity to stand dual St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov as “a dream come true,” following a deal brokered by Richard Venn Bloodstock.

Trained by Roger Varian for KHK Racing, the beautifully-bred son of Dubawi was last seen beating Kyprios by three and a half lengths in the Irish St Leger, and was set to race as a five-year-old before suffering a serious neck injury.

Upset by a rival in the stalls ahead of the Dubai World Cup, the Kirsten Rausing-bred bay reared and hit his head. He then underwent surgery, with owner Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa flying in specialists from the US to treat his star.

Upon announcing her latest acquisition, Roisin Close commented: “He was an exceptional athlete, and had it not been for a freak accident, he would most likely be out of my league. With his welfare a priority, we will be limiting his mare numbers. We will also be offering a limited number of breeding rights.”

“I am delighted to be able to bring a horse of this calibre to British breeders,” Close added. “I keep having to pinch myself - having a champion three-year-old stayer and dual classic winner standing at Chapel Stud is a dream come true!”

Bought by Mags O’Toole and Oak Tree Farm at Goffs as a yearling for €110,000, Eldar Eldarov resold at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale to Oliver St Lawrence for £480,000, during the Covid pandemic.

He bolted up on his sole juvenile start and followed up on his seasonal return, before pouncing late in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase. After finishing fourth in the Grand Prix de Paris, he ran out a two-length winner of the Doncaster St Leger.

He is one of three stakes horses out of the listed-winning Sea The Stars mare All At Sea, herself a half-sister to four blacktype performers, including the dam of Alpinista.

Eldar Eldarov will begin his stallion career at a fee of £5,000, standing alongside Bangkok, Hellvelyn and Planteur.