Globetrotting Gr1 winner Falbrav has been retired from stallion duty by Shadai Farm in Japan, after he reportedly suffered from poor health and covered only four mares last year.
The 17-year-old son of Fairy King has stood at Shadai since 2004, apart from in 2005, when he was leased to stand at Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket.
Falbrav was bred by Azienda Agricola Francesca out of the smart Slewpy mare Gift Of The Night. Originally trained in Italy by Luciano d’Auria, he was second in the Italian Derby at three but improved at four to land the Premio Presidente della Repubblica and Gran Premio di Milano impressively at four.
At the end of that season he finished third in the Prix Foy and ninth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, before pulling off a shock defeat of Sarafan and Symboli Kris S in the Japan Cup.
Teruya Yoshida bought into Falbrav before his five-year-old season and the horse was switched to Luca Cumani. He enjoyed an outstanding campaign that year, winning the Prix d’Ispahan, Eclipse, International Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Hong Kong Cup.
Also that season Falbrav finished third in the Prix Ganay, second in the Irish Champion Stakes and a memorable close third behind dead-heaters High Chaparral and Johar in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Falbrav has enjoyed less success as a sire and his best runners on Racing Post Ratings are Group 2 Summer Mile scorer Fanunalter and Australian Group 2 winner Fravashi.
His high-class Japanese offspring A Shin Virgo, I’m Yours and One Carat have all amassed seven-figure sterling prize-money hauls.
Falbrav is making his mark as a broodmare sire, with his daughter Historic Star having produced last year’s Japanese 1,000 Guineas heroine and Arc sixth Harp Star and another daughter having been represented by Solario Stakes winner Aktabantay.
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