Victor Ludorum swoops to victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. Photo – George Selwyn

French 2,000 Guineas winner Victor Ludorum, who also went through an undefeated Group 1-winning juvenile campaign, has been retired from racing and will stand at Haras du Logis in Normandy in 2022.

One of 27 Group 1 winners by Shamardal, and from the same crop as that stallion’s fellow juvenile standouts Pinatubo and Earthlight, Victor Ludorum won his first two starts at Chantilly and Longchamp for Andre Fabre before landing a first Group 1 success in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

He returned at three to capture last year’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains and run third in the Prix du Jockey Club, and also added this year’s Group 3 Prix Messidor in July.

Sam Bullard, Director of Stallions, said: “Victor Ludorum was a great credit to the Godolphin team – a homebred Classic winner who was exceptional at two. We’re delighted to be standing him in France, scene of all his races. He hails from a particularly exceptional stallion-making family and has every chance of being a great stallion son of Shamardal.”

Victor Ludorum shares his sire Shamardal with the highly successful Lope De Vega and boasts an interesting pedigree as a son of the Listed-placed Kaldounevees mare Antiquities, herself a granddaughter of Irish Oaks winner Helen Street, also the dam of the influential former Darley stallion Street Cry and granddam of Shamardal himself. As such Victor Ludorum is inbred 3×3 to Helen Street.

Julian Ince of Haras du Logis said: “I’m thrilled that Darley is entrusting such a wonderful horse to the Haras du Logis. And, of course, it’s tremendous for the French breeding community. Bred by Godolphin and masterfully trained by Andre Fabre, Victor Ludorum has been a wonderful horse to watch. We’ve all been so excited by him. A great-looking colt, with a fantastic pedigree – and such a talent! Unbeaten at two and brilliant in the Poule d’Essai – that’s exactly what his sire Shamardal achieved, and we’ll be hoping Victor Ludorum will be just as successful at stud.”

Victor Ludorum’s fee will be announced at a later date.