Libranno, who became the first Group winner for his sire Librettist when winning the July Stakes in 2010, has been recruited by Mary Kennell’s Rosyground Stud for the 2014 breeding season.

The winner of eight of his 35 starts for Richard Hannon, including three Group 2 and three Group 3 victories, Libranno raced in the colours of his breeder Oliver McDowell. He concluded his four seasons in training with a third place finish in the Group 2 Dubai Challenge Stakes at Newmarket just a few miles up the road from where he will embark on his stud career.

“He’s a lovely horse and we’re delighted to be standing a stallion at Rosyground – we’re all set up for it but there hasn’t been a stallion here since Mr Gredley stood Environment Friend here,” said Kennell, who has owned the Dullingham-based stud, close to Bill Gredley’s Stetchworth Park Stud, for 12 years.

Now six, Libranno went through the December Sales at Tattersalls last year but was bought back at 300,000gns by McDowell, who then made the decision to stand him at stud himself.

“He was such a tough racehorse and he deserves his chance at stud,” said McDowell. “I’ll certainly be supporting him with some mares.”

The first foal of the juvenile winner Annabelle Ja (by Singspiel), Libranno is a half-brother to Al Muthana, who was runner-up in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville last season for Khalifa Mohammed Al Attiyah.

He will stand his first season at a fee of £2,000.