Group 1 winner Way To Paris will retire to Coolagown Stud in County Cork following his run in the Japan Cup at the end of this month.
Owned by Paolo Ferrario, Way To Paris entered the care of trainer Andrea Marcialis and was trained to win six races including the Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil, the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, the Listed Premio Conte Felice Scheibler and the Listed Premio Mario Locatelli.
The seven-year-old’s biggest success came in June of this year when he got the better of Nagano Gold by a neck to capture the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
By the late Champs Elysees, Way To Paris was bred by Grundy Bloodstock out of the Group 2-winning Cozzene mare Grey Way and is a half-brother to the Group 1-winning Distant Way. This is the family of Private Account, Woodman and Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.
The deal was brokered by bloodstock agent Richard Venn, who said: “Way To Paris had been on my radar for some time. As you can imagine, we had to fight off determined interest from several French studs, so to start off his stud career in Ireland is a real coup for Irish breeders.
“As his race record has shown, he is a sound, consistent and talented individual at the highest level. In addition, he is an exceptional looker and he has an excellent pedigree; he could be very interesting for Flat mares as well.
“His introductory stud fee [€3,500] really reflects what is currently going on in the world and the ramifications it is having on our industry. I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to Paolo Picchi [Ferrario’s manager]
David Stack, Stud Manager, added: “I’m very grateful to Mr Ferrario for entrusting Way To Paris to Coolagown. When you speak to breeders, they are looking for tough, honest, sound and consistent horses, and Way To Paris epitomises all these traits.
“If his offspring get a hint of his class and durability then he will be a top-class sire. He’s also a gorgeous-looking horse who stands 16.1 hands and has a wonderful temperament. I can’t wait to show him off to breeders.”
