Toronado, a brilliant flagbearer for the fledgling Al Shaqab Racing operation, will stand at the National Stud in Newmarket from 2015.
A son of High Chaparral out of a half-sister to Racing Post Trophy winner and young sire Casamento, Toronado enjoyed an unbeaten juvenile season, culminating in victory in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
Making his three-year-old seasonal debut in the Craven Stakes, he continued his winning sequence and was subsequently fourth in the 2,000 Guineas behind Dawn Approach before going down by just a short-head to that same colt in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Toronado had his revenge in the Sussex Stakes, pouncing late to overhaul Dawn Approach by half a length, and remained in training at four to add the Queen Anne Stakes to his tally of major wins.
Only the crack three-year-olds Kingman and Charm Spirit have got the better of him since then, the former in the Sussex Stakes and Charm Spirit just over a week ago when beating Toronado by a head in the Prix du Moulin. The Richard Hannon-trained colt is likely to make his final racecourse appearance in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day.
Bred by Paul Nataf, Toronado is out of the Grand Slam mare Wanadoo and was a €55,000 yearling, racing initially for Fiona Carmichael and Chris Humber before being sold privately to Sheikh Joaan at three.
His stallion career will be managed by John Warren with a fee to be set at a later date.