Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
White Robe Lodge has announced that elite European galloper Alflaila (GB), a son of Champion Sire Dark Angel (Ire), has been secured for stud duties commencing in 2025. His arrival will bring another strain of the world’s leading sirelines to New Zealand, following in the footsteps of Harry Angel’s (Ire) growing status across the Tasman in Australia.
Belonging at the top level
Bred and raced by the famed Shadwell operation, Alflaila debuted a winner as an early 2-year-old and would train on to compete at Group level from the ages of three to five. Trained by Owen Burrows, the colt won four of his starts as a 3-year-old, opening with a victory at Ascot, before capturing the Listed Pomfret Stakes over a mile.
He would add the G3 Darley Stakes and the G3 Strensall Stakes to his record during the same season, defeating G2 Coventry Stakes winner and subsequent G1 Lockinge Stakes-placed Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) when running second in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.
“He repeatedly proved he belonged at the top level,” trainer Owen Burrows said. “He was sharp enough to win over six (furlongs) first out as a 2-year-old, and he showed a brilliant turn of foot that day.”
Alflaila | Standing at White Robe Lodge
His brilliance extended at four to capture the G2 York Stakes for the first time on resumption, and he would flash home from last in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes to finish fifth behind Auguste Rodin (Ire). As a 5-year-old, he would go back to back in the York Stakes, and was a gallant fourth in the G1 Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot, as well as running fourth in the G2 Bahrain International Trophy. Peaking at a Timeform rating of 125, Alflaila sits amongst the best of his generation.
Dark Angel's sireline power
“Looking at New Zealand’s history, English milers and horses that run over 2000 metres are very successful here,” Marcus Corban told The Thoroughbred Report.
“We’re really big fans of Dark Angel, and it’s a sireline that leaves good, honest horses. White Robe Lodge has a history with their broodmare band of producing, tough, reliable racehorses. With this horse’s blood, we have been very keen on him for a long time.”
“We’re really big fans of Dark Angel, and it’s a sireline that leaves good, honest horses. (...) With this horse’s blood, we have been very keen on him for a long time.” - Marcus Corban
Jack Stewart shared that the White Robe Lodge team have been watching the rise of the Dark Angel sireline for some time, and that Alflaila was an immediate standout performer; “I believe he’s (Dark Angel) the first stallion in about 33 years to be a Champion Sire not from one of the big studs.
“He’s a serious sire to start out from fairly humble beginnings, and to be that much of an improver, and have such a dominant presence with his sons.
“With Alflaila’s wins, if he was on this side of the world, he would be (the equivalent of) a pre-Christmas 2-year-old winner. We love that fact. And then for him to train on to win Group races at three, four, and five is so great. A key factor is that he showed up early and then he carried on.”
“With Alflaila’s wins, if he was on this side of the world, he would be (the equivalent of) a pre-Christmas 2-year-old winner.” - Jack Stewart
“We’ve been watching this horse for a while, and Angus Gold and David Redvers went and inspected him for us, and they were very excited about him,” Corban said.
Stewart has seen the rise of social media and use of the internet as a boon to bringing international stallions to Australasia; there is less convincing that has to be done prior to bringing a horse down, as the pedigree and racetrack performance is so easy to access.
Jack Stewart | Image courtesy of White Robe Lodge
He points to the recent success of Harry Angel - who achieved his second Group 1 winner at the weekend with the exploits of Private Harry in the G1 The Galaxy - in Australia as proof that the sireline can be just as successful in the Southern Hemisphere, saying, “with the way he’s going in Australia, Harry Angel is the youngest stallion in the top ten at the moment.
“Everyone knows the sireline now. We’re pretty lucky to have Australia right next door. They (New Zealand breeders) would have respected the Dark Angel line already, but it helps that a son is already down in this area and going well.”
A perfect match for New Zealand
Both believe that Alflaila would be a “perfect match” for not only the White Robe Lodge broodmare band, but also the breeding population of New Zealand.
“The other thing we loved was Oasis Dream in the female line, which has worked very well down here with (the likes of) Showcasing and Power,” Corban shared. “It gives a bit of speed within the staying blood as well, so he (Alflaila) ticked all the boxes.”
Dam Adhwaa (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was a juvenile winner and placed in the Listed Montrose Stakes, as well as running fourth in the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket.
Oasis Dream | Standing at Juddmonte Stud
“A big thing for my grandfather is that he always likes well-performed dams in the pedigree,” Stewart said. “And his mother, she was stakes-performed, and the next two dams are stakes winners as well. That’s always a key thing for us when we are looking at stallions.”
“A big thing for my grandfather is that he always likes well-performed dams in the pedigree. (...) That’s always a key thing for us when we are looking at stallions.” - Jack Stewart
Second dam Hammiya (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) won the Listed Cheshire Oaks and her other progeny include Listed Nereide Rennen winner Shaqira (GB) (Redoute’s Choice). Her dam is the stakes-winning Fairy King (USA) mare Albacora (Ire), a half-sister to G3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner and G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches runner-up Pont-Aven (Ire), herself the dam of four stakes winners, two of whom are also stakes producers.
“It’s a great damsire line as well,” said Stewart. “The first two damsires (Oasis Dream and Darshaan) are champion sires, and the third damsire is Fairy King, who has been superb in this part of the world too.
“It’s just one of those things where him on type, and then his race performance and pedigree too, it all just makes sense for us.”
Marcus Corban (right), with David Ellis
The next chapter in a proud history
Stewart highlighted that this will be the 70th year of his grandfather Brian Anderton standing stallions; a testament to decades of sound judgement and commitment to the industry. The team hopes that Alflaila will be their next flagbearer to carry the stud onward into the future.
“White Robe Lodge has a tremendous history as a stud that’s been going for over 80 years and keeps producing good horses,” Corban said. “It’s just a very good match.”
"White Robe Lodge has a tremendous history as a stud that’s been going for over 80 years and keeps producing good horses. It’s just a very good match." - Marcus Corban
Stewart cannot wait to see Alflaila’s tenacity reflected in his offspring; “He won seven races and five of them were at stakes level. He lined up and he pinned his ears back, and you could just tell when you watched the race, that he had a real will to win.”
Alflaila will be offered at an introductory fee of NZ$7,000 (ex GST), with a limited number of lifetime breeding rights available for breeders who wish to share in the stallion’s future success.
Corban concluded, “it’s a real breath of fresh air for the South Island.”
