Classically-bred

Ito leaves Germany

YORTON Stud has given British breeding a shot in the arm with its acquisition of Ito, a Group 1-winning son of leading sire Adlerflug (In The Wings).

Bred by Gestüt Schlenderhan from that stud’s famous family involving eight generations of blacktype mares, Ito has been bought by Yorton in a deal engineered by bloodstock agent Richard Venn. David Futter of Yorton said: “We are very excited to have acquired Ito, whose profile speaks for itself.

“He’s a Group 1 winner out of a mare, Iota (Tiger Hill), who won the Group 1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks, and he’s a full-brother to In Swoop (Adlerflug), the German Derby winner and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up.

“Ito is a gorgeous-looking horse, standing 16.2 hands and getting very good-looking stock, and his temperament is exactly what we look for in a stallion; to us that is as important as their race record. He won as a three-year-old, excelled at four and held his form at five. The sad death of Adlerflug last year was a blow to breeders, but Ito provides a wonderful opportunity to get into that sire’s precious bloodline.”

Champion

In 2015 Ito became Germany’s champion older horse following an easy win in the Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern and a close second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. During his career he won seven times, was also a listed winner, twice successful in Group 2 races, and gained a Timeform rating of 125.

Ito’s full-brother In Swoop (Adlerflug) covered 217 mares in his first season at stud in 2022 at The Beeches Stud for a fee of €4,500. Initially retired to stud in Germany, Ito’s oldest crop are now four-year-olds and his winners include the Group 2-placed Theodora.

At Yorton, Ito will stand alongside Gentlewave (Monsun), Masterstroke (Monsun), Linda’s Lad (Sadler’s Wells), Pether’s Moon (Dylan Thomas) and Arrigo (Shirocco). His fee will be announced in the near future.