Schiaparelli has successfully covered his first mare this week since colic surgery at the start of the covering season rendered him out of action for two months.
Before racing was suspended in Britain in mid-March, Schiaparelli was represented by his first Cheltenham Festival winner when Indefatigable won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle. The mare’s fifth victory came a day after Schiaparelli’s son Ronald Pump had finished runner-up in the G1 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Issuing an update on the 17-year-old stallion’s condition, Simon Sweeting said: “Schiaparelli covered his first mare without any problems at all and there have been no issues since then, so we are just waiting for the next one now. Hopefully they will build up now that he is covering again. He will obviously have a greatly reduced book but I’d be disappointed if we didn’t get 25 or 30 mares to him this year. Most importantly, though, we are just delighted to see him recover well from surgery.”
A son of Monsun from one of the German stud book’s best families, Schiaparelli was himself a five-time Group 1 winner, his victories including the German Derby and the G2 Goodwood Cup. His late full-brother Samum was also a German Derby winner and is the sire of dual Grade 1-winning chaser Notebook, while another close relative is Sea The Moon, whose first crop includes the Grade 1-winning hurdler Allmankind.
Breeders wishing to book a mare can contact the Overbury Stud office on 01386 725552 or Simon Sweeting on 07796 174296 and Jo Brown on 07923 470552.
