Carolus Magnus (IRE)

Dual winner Carolus Magnus did not run at two and made is racecourse debut at Doncaster on the first weekend of turf racing last season and was a fine third under David Probert. He then followed this up with a stunning victory on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile when taking the Alex Scott Maiden in a pillar to post win on the first day of racing at HQ this season. This was followed by an agonising second, beaten a neck. On his latest start he showed his love for the Rowley Mile when a convincing winner of a 1m handicap. He has had an excellent winter and we look forward to seeing him progress this year as a lightly raced  four-year-old.

Carolus Magnus is by the top class two-year-old Holy Roman Emperor, who famously retired to stud prematurely upon the announcement of George Washington’s infertility. He has proven a high class stallion ever since with many top class sons/daughters flying his flag all over the world. These include this year’s Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1) winner Romanised and of course KVT’s own Charles The Great who won the Weatherbys Super Sprint before being sold to race on in Hong Kong where he made up into a very high class and consistent sprinter.

The dam, Izola, is by the very well-bred Beat Hollow and was rated 95 herself on the flat in her native France when trained by Freddy Head. She is a half-sister to the Listed winner Brick By Brick and their dam, Pivka, is a daughter of the Nell Gwyn (Group 3) winner Ghariba, herself a great broodmare.

We bought this gelding at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Andrew Balding traisn him which is very appropriate given he also trained Charles The Great for KVT.  Both Andrew’s mother, Emma, and assistant, Tessa Hetherington, were great admirers of this gelding at the sale and we were pleased to secure him for €38,000.