NZB Leopardstown Victory for JP McManus

The last race on the card at Leopardstown in Ireland yesterday played host to a win on debut by New Zealand bred son of Montjeu, Sweeps Hill, for iconic Irish owner JP McManus.

Run on a yielding track, the Kilternan INH Flat Race (16 furlongs/3200m) was won by the 2006 Karaka Select Yearling Sale purchase, Sweeps Hill, by one and a half lengths, with a further four and a half lengths back to third.

Sweeps Hill was one of eleven Montjeu yearlings purchased by McManus at the 2006 Karaka Yearling Sales after Montjeu was proving very successful as a sire in Europe. The son of Sadler's Wells shuttled for four years from Coolmore Ireland to Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge, and during that time left such southern hemisphere bred gallopers as Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner Nom du Jeu, Group 1 Avondale Cup winner Sharvasti, Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam S. winner Guillotine, and White Robe Lodge's second season sire Gallant Guru (ex Proud Halo, by Don't Say Halo), winner of the Group 2 Sandown Classic.

In Europe he had been represented by such horses as Group 1 English Derby winners Motivator and Authorized, as well as Group 1 Longchamp Prix de l'Arc de Troimphe winner Hurricane Run, amongst his eleven Group 1 winners to date.

With Montjeu's European service fee 125,000 at the time, while he stood for just NZ$30,000 in New Zealand in 2004, Karaka offered appealing value to Northern Hemisphere purchasers. At Karaka 2006 McManus spent NZ$668,500 (275,846) on eleven Montjeu colts, at an average of NZ$66,850 (27,585). In January 2007, he purchased another eight Montjeu colts at Karaka.

The eleven Karaka 2006 Montjeu colts have just turned four, with Sweeps Hill (ex Windfield Dancer) the first winner, purchased by James Bester from Windsor Park Stud for NZ$72,500. Also from the group, Stakers (Montjeu x Search, by Star Way) has placed at his only start in Ireland.

With over a 100 racehorses, McManus is a leading National Hunt owner and supporter, with one of his great successes to carry his green and gold-hooped silks the Champion Hurdler, Istabraq. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Istabraq is one of only five horses to ever win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham three times.