Burgage stud in Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow was acquired by the Connolly family in 1978, Victor Connolly, who now runs the stud returned home in 1995 and in that time since has built a reputation of standing some top-class National Hunt and dual-purpose horses such as Bob Back, Jukebox Jury, Sea Moon and Shantou.
Shantou is a son of the highly regarded Alleged, who was a champion three-year-old himself and has sired a host of several leading National Hunt stallions one of which includes Flemensfirth (Gr.1 winner and sire of Imperial Commander, Tidal Bay etc).
Shantou himself won six races at three and four years of age including the GR. 1 St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, the Gr. 1 Gran Pemio del Jockey Clube Coppa d’Oro at Milan, the Gr.1 Gran Premio di Milano at Milan. He also place third in the Gr. 1 Derby Stakes at Epsom and the Gr. 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot amassing a total of 678,839 stg in prize money during his racing career.
He is a name that has emerged over the years for producing many winners both between the flags and under rules and has been an exciting sire for the National Hunt scene having produced the likes of Briar Hill, Morning Assembly, Ballynagour, De Valira, Dylan Ross, Wounded Warrior, Shantou Flyer, Death Duty, Bun Doran, Beware The Bear, The Storyteller all being competitive at the top level and winning some very decent prizes at various points.
Death Duty was a €145,000 Derby sale store purchase and was sent out on his debut point-to-point to win by an impressive 15 lengths at Cragmore back in 2015. He has since landed two Grade 1’s, a Grade 2 and a Grade 3 success under the guidance of Gordon Elliott.
Across the water Tom George is another trainer of a promising son of Shantou in Bun Doran, who won his four-year-old geldings maiden at Necarne in 2015 by 14 lengths for handler Mick Goff and was subsequently sold for 76,000stg. He has been enjoying a very successful career under rules since with his best victory being when he captured the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Desert Orchid chase at Kempton over Christmas.
Shantou has also being enjoying success between the flags, most recently when Poldark Cross, another Mick Goff recruit stormed home an 18-length winner of his five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Ballyragget on Sunday.
Minella Majestic provided him with his first four-year-old success of the season back in December when he took the four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk under John Barry for John Nallen.
Shantou has proven himself as a reputable source of winners both between the flags and under rules in Ireland and England and looks as though he will continue to produce a steady flow of nice types.
For more information on Shantou click here.
