British Champions Series stars to stud: Found

Found makes her way to the start ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Career details 

One of the most remarkable fillies of recent years. Found crammed 21 races into a career that spanned 26 months, with 16 of those being in Group 1 or Grade 1 contests.

She seemed destined to be remembered as a serial bridesmaid and by the end of her career had finished runner-up in ten races at the highest level.

In the six QIPCO British Champions Series races she contested, her form read 222222. It is hard to think of a horse with more silver medals in such prestige races.

But the tough as teak Found did not always adopt an “after you” approach. She won the Prix Marcel Boussac as a two-year-old, beat Golden Horn in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf and, famously, led home a 1-2-3 for trainer Aidan O’Brien in the 2016 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Always travelling well in the Chantilly feature, Found swept through under Ryan Moore to gain a decisive one and three quarter length victory over Highland Reel. Another length and a half back in third was Order Of St George.

Rarely has such a big win been more deserved.

Before and after her victory in France, Found had chased home the mighty Almanzor – in the Irish Champion Stakes and then the QIPCO British Champions Stakes at Ascot.

She won her connections more than £5 million in prize money and, for all her near misses, gained Group One wins as a two-year-old, three-year-old and four-year-old.

The only time she finished out of the money was when ninth to Golden Horn in the 2015 Arc. She got no daylight that day and, in the circumstances, did well to be beaten only five lengths.

For the record, her six seconds in the Champions Series were in the 2015 Coronation Stakes (beaten a neck by Ervedya), 2015 QIPCO Champion Stakes (length and a quarter behind Fascinating Rock), 2016 Investec Coronation Cup (behind Postponed), 2016 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (beaten a neck by My Dream Boat), 2016 Darley Yorkshire Oaks (won by stablemate Seventh Heaven) and 2016 QIPCO Champion Stakes (beaten two lengths by Almanzor).

Career highlight
The 2016 Arc provided Found with glorious redemption for all those previous near-misses.

In footballing terms, she had hit the post, hit the crossbar and had a couple of efforts scrambled off the line. Here, though, she found the back of the net in glorious style.

Initially held up in midfield, she was always travelling powerfully and the result was never in much doubt after Ryan Moore took her to the front about two furlongs from home. Stablemates Highland Reel and Order Of St George chased her home, but neither could land a blow on her.

“It is unbelievable. It is the most difficult race,” trainer Aidan O’Brien said. “For that to happen it is incredible. Ryan gave Found a brilliant ride.”

What they said
Before Found ran on Champions Day at Ascot in 2016, Aidan O’Brien summed her up by saying: “We all knew a long time ago that there’s something different about her. She’s incredible, really, the most genuine horse I’ve ever seen. She empties the tank every time. The problem is not to let her empty too quick – she goes right to the bottom of herself. It’s very unusual.”

Where she will stand
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, County Tipperary in Ireland – the headquarters of the world’s largest breeding operation.

Found will become an exciting new part of the team.

Situated in the heart of the Golden Vale on over 7,000 prime acres of Ireland’s finest limestone land, Coolmore provides the ideal environment for breeding and raising thoroughbreds.

Originally inherited by Battle of Britain flying ace Tim Vigors in 1945, what was to become Coolmore Stud started out as a small agricultural farm.

John Magnier in conjunction with his late father-in-law, legendary trainer Vincent O’Brien, and Robert Sangster took over the 350-acre existing farm from Vigors in 1975 with the objective of creating a world class thoroughbred stallion operation.

Today, Coolmore is celebrated as a world-class thoroughbred stud farm which has a long list of champions on its past and present rosters. Found’s own superstar sure, Galileo, is of course among the sires who stand there.

What should we expect from her offspring?
It is asking a lot to suggest Found will produce something in a mould of herself.

After all, very few horses win or are placed in 15 Group One races at distances ranging between seven furlongs and a mile and a half.

Tough, durable, honest and versatile regards ground/distance, she has all the attributes to be a success as a dam – not least because she is bound to have some top-class individuals visit her over the years to come.

By super sire Galileo, Found was out of Red Evie, who was herself a dual Group 1 winner over a mile. She already has two classy sisters – Best In The World and Magical Dream – so all the chemistry is encouraging.