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| Staff Writer |
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Studs and stallion masters have already thrown their hats into the ring in a bid to secure the breeding rights to Mishriff, winner of last week's $20 million Saudi Cup, but racing manager Ted Voute has said that the colt's owner Prince Faisal is content to bide his time before reaching an agreement.
A blue-blooded homebred son of the Prince's dual group 1 winner Make Believe, Mishriff already rated a highly desirable stallion prospect before his victory in the world's richest race having landed the Prix du Jockey Club.
The Saudi Cup does not have group or graded status, though Mishriff undoubtedly enhanced his profile no end after switching from turf to dirt to beat a strong U.S. contingent, including grade 1 winners Charlatan and Knicks Go, as well as the high-class Juddmonte homebred Tacitus.
Although no decision about where Mishriff will begin his stallion career has been reached, Voute said that his race record meant that they would not be short on options.
Voute added that Prince Faisal already has designs on a big 2021 campaign that could be set to enhance Mishriff's stallion credentials further.
Voute noted that the Prince's plans for Mishriff have thus far yielded big results, although he said that a willingness to break from the program has also been a defining characteristic of the Prince's four decades as an owner and breeder.
"The French Derby was definitely a Prince Faisal plan during the winter and the Saudi Cup was a Prince Faisal plan, too," said Voute. "The most successful people I've worked with have always been on the phone every day and it's part of their life, even if they're running massive businesses they spend time every day thinking about the horses and changing plans, not being rigid in their thinking.