September 30th, 2007

STALLIONS continues our series of profiles on horses beginning stud duties this spring.

Among them is Valixir, a stallion who was been assessed the best four-year-old miler in Europe for 2005, a year in which his superior class saw him have wins over local champions Bago and Rakti and Australian tourists Starcraft and Elvstroem. 

A son of the track record setting Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Trempolino, Valixir was a class act on the track. The respected publication Timeform rated him the best four-year-old miler of the year for Europe, but also as the second best older miler behind the year-older former AJC Australian Derby winner Starcraft. His rating was a 127 against Starcraft's 128.

The two met twice during the year with honours being even. On the first occasion Valixir recorded a dominating 1-1/2 length win over Rakti while Starcraft finished third in one of Europe's greatest mile races, the Group1 Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes. 

In the second clash, Valixir was fifth when a short priced favourite in the Prix du Moulin over the same distance won by Starcraft.

The Queen Anne was one of three successive wins achieved by Valixir that year. The other two came in France and included the Group1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp. Starting favourite, Valixir won by two lengths from the runner up, Elvstroem and the good European bred Danehill performer Cacique. 

Prior to his campaign at four, Valixir had won five of nine outings, all on major French tracks. Valixir opened his career at two with a pair of dashing wins over 1200m, the first of them by 3-1/2 lengths. His only other run that year was a second to stand out champion juvenile Bago in the Group 3 Prix des Chenes at Longchamp.

At three he proved one of the best of his generation in France with three stakes wins, two of them at Group 2 level. In addition he was third in two Group 1 races including the French Derby. 

In appearance Valixir is very much like his sire Trempolino, a winner of the Arc in record time. This is not surprising as Trempolino's sire Sharpen Up is one of the most prepotent for similar physical qualities of modern times. Other Sharpen Up look alikes include the brothers Kris (sire of 73 stakes winners) and Diesis (79 stakes winners).

Valixir is from Vadlamixa, a stakes winning daughter of Linamix, a French Two Thousand Guineas winner and their champion sire in each of the past five years. Each of the first three dams have been black type money earners and producers of stakes winners. 

Valixir has been purchased outright for Lomar Park and is not a shuttle sire. He appeals as the best racehorse and prospect secured for this highly respected stud in its 40 year history. In that time they have stood the quality sires Le Cordonnier, Steel Pulse, Mister C, Archregent and current incumbent Arena.  Valixir’s debut season’s fee has been set at $18,700.00 (inc gst).