Belardo, the 2014 Dewhurst Stakes (G1) winner and sire of international top-level winners Red Lion and Gold Phoenix, has been sold to continue his stud career at Yigit Stud in conjunction with the Jockey Club of Turkey.
Successful in the Lockinge Stakes (G1) as a 4-year-old, Belardo had been based at Bearstone Stud in Shropshire for the last three breeding seasons having begun his stallion career at Darley's Kildangan Stud in County Kildare.
The deal was facilitated by Michael Shefflin, who explained: "We bought Arizona for Refik Yigit last year and he is purchasing on behalf of a syndicate who will stand Belardo at Yigit's farm. I brokered the deal on this side and the market for proven European horses in Turkey is developing so I think there will be other moves in the pipeline."
From the first crop of Lope De Vega , Belardo has sired 10 individual group winners from a total of 16 black-type performers, with the most recent coming Aug. 24 at Ovrevoll in Norway where Simply Minds was successful in the Marit Sveaas Minnelop (G3).
The success of the Shamardal sire line was one of the main factors in the Turkish syndicate's decision to purchase Belardo, according to Yigit.
"Our interest in stallion acquisitions in Europe continues to grow," he said. "In order to improve bloodlines in our country we focus more on those lines that are lacking here but have proven successful in Europe. The success we achieved last year with Arizona has encouraged us further this year with Belardo.
"His own racing career and the group 1 victories earned by his progeny give us hope for achieving similar success in our country."
Bred by Ballylinch Stud out of the Danehill mare Danaskaya, Belardo sold to Ted Voute for €100,000 on behalf of Prince Faisal at Arqana's August Yearling Sale in 2013.
Sent into training with Roger Varian, he won the listed Washington Singer Stakes having made a winning debut in a Yarmouth maiden. Fourth in both the July Stakes (G2) and Champagne Stakes (G2), he upset the odds to win the Dewhurst on his final start at 2. Godolphin bought into the colt after his 2-year-old campaign.
Fourth to Gleneagles in the 2015 Irish Two-Thousand Guineas (G1) he produced his best performance of the year in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) on Champions Day, when he was runner-up to Solow.
Kept in training at 4, he won the Lockinge and was second, beaten just half a length by Tepin, in the 2016 Queen Anne (G1) on what proved to be the final start of his career.
Retired to Kildangan to stand alongside his grandsire Shamardal, he was introduced at a fee of €15,000 and his first crop contained juvenile group winner Isabella Giles, Lullaby Moon, and Elysium as well as listed winner Belloccio.
That first crop also contained Gold Phoenix who became Belardo's first top-level winner when successful in the Frank E Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park in 2023.
Red Lion, who won the Champions Mile (G1) at Sha Tin in April, is a member of his sire's second batch.
Belardo has 21 yearlings registered with Weatherbys this year and Bearstone Stud will consign two of them at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale Aug. 27-28. One is a half sister to Adrestia (Lot 220), a winner of the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot this year, and a colt (223) who is the first foal of Instinction, a winning half sister to 2022 Prix Eclipse (G3) winner Eddie's Boy.
