Group Two Winner Caturra Retired to Overbury Stud

Caturra (IRE), a son of the in-demand Mehmas (IRE) and winner of the Wainwright Flying Childers Stakes (G2) at Doncaster last year, has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duties at Overbury Stud in 2023. Joining a diverse roster that includes the exciting group 1-producing sire Ardad (IRE) as well as Jack Hobbs (GB), fellow new recruit and Investec Derby (G1) hero Golden Horn (GB), Schiaparelli (GER), and Frontiersman (GB), Caturra will be available to view at Crockfords Stud in Newmarket from Nov. 27-30. The 3-year-old was bred by Tally-Ho Stud and sold to Blandford Bloodstock for £110,000 ($130,000)during Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2020, before being sent into training with Clive Cox. Owned by Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Caturra broke his maiden his second start at Bath in May last year. He then finished a fair seventh in the Coventry Stakes (G2) before a first black-type victory in the listed It Pays To Buy Irish Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury. A second in the listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York was followed by his signature success, a neck defeat of Armor (GB) in Doncaster's group 2 for juveniles at the St Leger meeting. He was then beaten only a length and a half by Perfect Power (IRE) when fifth in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1). Although without a win at 3, Caturra ran creditably several times, including when a three-quarter length second on his reappearance in the Prix Sigy (G3) at Chantilly. He was also third in Sandown's listed Scurry Stakes and again in the King George Qatar Stakes (G2) at Goodwood. He will stand at Overbury for an opening fee of £6,500. Stud manager Simon Sweeting said: "We're keeping things simple—these are the same terms Ardad started at, and if ever there was a second Ardad, it is this horse. "He's a fast and notably precocious Flying Childers winner by a top commercial stallion, just like Ardad. And, if anything, Caturra is even better looking, with the most lovely head and bags of strength and quality. We're really looking forward to showing him to breeders during the December Sales." Blandford's Richard Brown added: "Caturra is the fastest son of Mehmas, and he won the same big race as Ardad. Those are two of the biggest names in the commercial market, and Caturra—who's a particularly good-looking horse - has every chance of joining them. He's just like Ardad." Cattura, a full brother to Italian winner Berta and a half-sibling to the listed-placed and Al Biddah Mile winner Sir Arthur Dayne, is the fifth foal out of the winning Sleeping Indian mare Shoshoni Wind, a half sister to group 3-placed Burnwynd Boy.