Grandera
Encyclopedia
Grandera is a retired Thoroughbred
racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland and trained in the United Kingdom
and Dubai
during a racing career which lasted from 2000 to 2003. He is best known for his 2002 campaign, in which he won the World Series Racing Championship and the Cartier Racing Award for European Champion Older Horse.
and white socks on his three of his feet.
He was bred in County Kildare
, Ireland by Stan Cosgrove, the manager of the Moyglare Stud. Grandera was sired by Grand Lodge
and was the second foal of the Alysheba
mare Bordighera making him a half-brother to George Washington
. Grand Lodge, a winner of the Dewhurst Stakes
and St. James's Palace Stakes
, sired the winners of almost seven hundred races before his death in 2003, including the Derby
and Arc
winner Sinndar
.
Sold as a yearling to Roger Shelton for Ir£30,000, he was sent into training with James Fanshawe
, but transferred to Saeed bin Suroor
at the end of his three-year-old season, having been purchased by Godolphin.
Apart from his racing ability, Grandera was known for his difficult temperament, being described by Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford as "a thoroughly unpleasant beast" and "a bit nasty", whilst Frankie Dettori
is reported to have referred to him as "a lunatic". and "a nightmare".
, finishing second in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes
, with future Group One winners Imperial Dancer and Storming Home
amongst the beaten horses. On his final start of the year he finished seventh behind Dilshaan in the Group One Racing Post Trophy
.
Commenting on the colt's first season, James Fanshawe later said, "He was rather weak as a two-year-old and anything he did then... was going to be a bonus".
at Chester, before running third, beaten less than a length, in the Prix du Jockey-Club. In the Eclipse Stakes
at Sandown he took the lead in the closing stages but was caught four strides from the line and beaten half a length by Medicean. Grandera reversed the form with Medicean in the International Stakes
but had no chance against the seven length winner Sakhee
.
He recorded his first win in over a year in September, beating Mubtaker in the Arc Trial
, despite failing to run straight in the closing stages and carrying his head awkwardly. After the race Fanshawe announced that the Grandera would be aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
, but the colt was bought shortly afterwards by Godolphin and did not run again that year.
at Nad Al Sheba
, before moving to Hong Kong where he finished fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup
at Sha Tin Racecourse
behind Eishin Preston
. His next appearance was at Kranji Racecourse
in Singapore, where he scored a decisive victory in the Singapore Airlines International Cup
, taking the lead inside the final furlong
and pulling away to beat the German colt Paolini by two lengths with the Hong Kong champion Indigenous
in third.
On returning to the British Isles, Grandera produced what was arguably his finest performance in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
at Royal Ascot. Despite behaving aggressively towards the other horses in the parade ring and racing with his head at a high, odd angle ("as if consulting an airport timetable"), he produced a strong run in the straight to pull five lengths clear of a field which included Banks Hill
and Nayef
As a result of this win, he was sent off 13-8 favourite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes a month later, but could finish only fifth behind Golan
. He came back to his best in the Irish Champion Stakes
at Leopardstown, producing a strong finishing burst to catch the future World Champion
Hawk Wing
in the last strides and take a short-head victory. His rider, Frankie Dettori called Grandera "a very peculiar character but... enormously talented" after the race.
Seven weeks later, Grandera arrived to contest the Cox Plate
at Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racecourse
, where special arrangements, including a double-sized stall, were made to accommodate his difficult temperament. Five lengths behind at the start of the short straight, Grandera finished strongly to finish third behind Northerly
, ahead of Sunline
, Fields of Omagh
and Lonhro
.
On his final start of the year he finished seventh as odds-on favourite for the Hong Kong Cup
, but his performances had been enough to win the World Series Racing Championship.
, but was rejected by Frankie Dettori
in favour of Sulamani
. Familiar doubts about Grandera's temperament resurfaced- one correspondent referred to him as being "nutty as a fruitcake"- as he finished a well-beaten fourth to Moon Ballad
.
A return to Europe brought no improvement as he finished down the field in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Eclipse Stakes. In the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, his starting price of 33-1 and the fact that Dettori again chose to ride Sulamani
both reflected his decline. He was fitted with cheek-pieces, which are normally used to improve a horse's concentration, but seemed "reluctant" to race and finished eleventh of the twelve runners.
He was then retired to stud.
In the 2001 International Classification he was rated 119 making him the thirteenth-best three-year-old colt in Europe, ten pounds below the champion Galileo
.
In the 2002 International Classification he was rated as 126, placing him third behind Rock of Gibraltar
and Marienbard
. These ratings covered horses raced in Europe, North America and Japan.
Grandera was rated 129 by Timeform
.
, Japan in 2003, and was also "shuttled" to stand at the Hunter Valley
Stud for Darley Australia
. In 2010, he was returned to Ireland to stand at the Woodlands Stud, Galway
.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland and trained in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
during a racing career which lasted from 2000 to 2003. He is best known for his 2002 campaign, in which he won the World Series Racing Championship and the Cartier Racing Award for European Champion Older Horse.
Background
Grandera, described by the New Zealand Herald as "a stunning individual", is a bright chestnut horse with a white blazeHorse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
and white socks on his three of his feet.
He was bred in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland by Stan Cosgrove, the manager of the Moyglare Stud. Grandera was sired by Grand Lodge
Grand Lodge (horse)
Grand Lodge was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was officially rated the best European two-year-old 1993. He won two Group One races; the Dewhurst Stakes in 1993 and the St. James's Palace Stakes in 1994. He is best known as a successful sire...
and was the second foal of the Alysheba
Alysheba
Alysheba was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won two legs of the Triple Crown in 1987. A successful sire, he produced 11 stakes winners....
mare Bordighera making him a half-brother to George Washington
George Washington (horse)
George Washington was a thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Ireland by champion sire Danehill out of Bordighera, also the dam of the high class colt Grandera. Bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, he was trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien and owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith...
. Grand Lodge, a winner of the Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
and St. James's Palace Stakes
St. James's Palace Stakes
The St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
, sired the winners of almost seven hundred races before his death in 2003, including the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and Arc
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
winner Sinndar
Sinndar
Sinndar, is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He is notable for his unique achievement in winning the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the same year.-Background:...
.
Sold as a yearling to Roger Shelton for Ir£30,000, he was sent into training with James Fanshawe
James Fanshawe
James Fanshawe is a British racehorse trainer.He principally trains flat horses such as multiple Group 1 winner Soviet Song. However, he has twice won the Champion Hurdle in 1992 with Royal Gait James Fanshawe is a British racehorse trainer.He principally trains flat horses such as multiple Group...
, but transferred to Saeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation....
at the end of his three-year-old season, having been purchased by Godolphin.
Apart from his racing ability, Grandera was known for his difficult temperament, being described by Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford as "a thoroughly unpleasant beast" and "a bit nasty", whilst Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...
is reported to have referred to him as "a lunatic". and "a nightmare".
2000: two-year-old season
Grandera began his career with a fifth place in a maiden race at Doncaster in July 2000, before claiming his first win in a similar event at Warwick. He was then moved up to Group companyConditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
, finishing second in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes
Somerville Tattersall Stakes
The Somerville Tattersall Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The...
, with future Group One winners Imperial Dancer and Storming Home
Storming Home
Storming Home is a retired, British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was trained in the United Kingdom and the United States during a racing career which ran from 2000 to 2003...
amongst the beaten horses. On his final start of the year he finished seventh behind Dilshaan in the Group One Racing Post Trophy
Racing Post Trophy
The Racing Post Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October....
.
Commenting on the colt's first season, James Fanshawe later said, "He was rather weak as a two-year-old and anything he did then... was going to be a bonus".
2001: three-year-old season
Grandera proved himself to be a colt of the highest class in 2001 with a series of placed efforts. He began with a second place in the Dee StakesDee Stakes
The Dee Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Chester over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 75 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
at Chester, before running third, beaten less than a length, in the Prix du Jockey-Club. In the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
at Sandown he took the lead in the closing stages but was caught four strides from the line and beaten half a length by Medicean. Grandera reversed the form with Medicean in the International Stakes
International Stakes
The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
but had no chance against the seven length winner Sakhee
Sakhee
Sakhee is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by the racing interests of Dubai's Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, his sire Bahri was almost exclusively a miler who won two Group One races at that distance...
.
He recorded his first win in over a year in September, beating Mubtaker in the Arc Trial
Arc Trial
The Arc Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 5 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.The event was established in 1997, and it was...
, despite failing to run straight in the closing stages and carrying his head awkwardly. After the race Fanshawe announced that the Grandera would be aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
, but the colt was bought shortly afterwards by Godolphin and did not run again that year.
2002: four-year-old season
Grandera sent to winter in Dubai, before embarking on a four-year-old campaign which took him to six different countries. He began with a second place in the Dubai City of GoldDubai City of Gold Stakes
The Dubai City of Gold Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1998 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Given the nickname for the city of Dubai, the Group 2 race is open to Northern and Southern Hemisphere bred horses age four years and up. It is raced on tuf...
at Nad Al Sheba
Nad Al Sheba
Nad Al Sheba is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates . Situated south of the Dubai Creek, Nad Al Sheba is best known for its racecourse, the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, which hosted the Dubai World Cup annually until 2009...
, before moving to Hong Kong where he finished fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Queen Elizabeth II Cup
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race at Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Established in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, it is run annually in April at a distance of 2,000 metres on turf. Prior to 1997 it was run at 2,200 metres...
at Sha Tin Racecourse
Sha Tin Racecourse
Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.Penfold Park is encircled by the track.-History:...
behind Eishin Preston
Eishin Preston
Eishin Preston is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Japan and Hong Kong....
. His next appearance was at Kranji Racecourse
Kranji Racecourse
The Singapore Racecourse is a venue for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Kranji area of Singapore. Built and operated by the Singapore Turf Club, it opened in 2000 as a modern replacement for the Bukit Timah Race Course....
in Singapore, where he scored a decisive victory in the Singapore Airlines International Cup
Singapore Airlines International Cup
The Singapore Airlines International Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Singapore which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Kranji over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
, taking the lead inside the final furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
and pulling away to beat the German colt Paolini by two lengths with the Hong Kong champion Indigenous
Indigenous (horse)
Indigenous was an Irish thoroughbred racehorse who also raced in Hong Kong.He was bred by Major John de Burgh at his Oldtown Stud in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland and sold as a yearling for 10,500 guineas at the Goffs Orby Sale in 1994.Purchased by trainer Kevin Prendergast, he was named...
in third.
On returning to the British Isles, Grandera produced what was arguably his finest performance in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
at Royal Ascot. Despite behaving aggressively towards the other horses in the parade ring and racing with his head at a high, odd angle ("as if consulting an airport timetable"), he produced a strong run in the straight to pull five lengths clear of a field which included Banks Hill
Banks Hill
Banks Hill was a French Thoroughbred Champion filly racehorse. She was bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms. She was sired by Danehill, a multiple Champion sire in England, Ireland, and France and the most successful sire in the history of Australian Thoroughbred racing...
and Nayef
Nayef (horse)
Nayef is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse an active sire, bred in the United States but trained in the United Kingdom during his racing career which ran from 2000 to 2003...
As a result of this win, he was sent off 13-8 favourite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes a month later, but could finish only fifth behind Golan
Golan (horse)
Golan is a retired thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland but trained in the United Kingdom throughout his racing career, which lasted from 2000 to 2002. He won the 2,000 Guineas in 2001 and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in 2002...
. He came back to his best in the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
at Leopardstown, producing a strong finishing burst to catch the future World Champion
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
Hawk Wing
Hawk Wing
Hawk Wing is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained by Aidan O'Brien.-2001: Two-year-old career:He was the top two-year old of 2001 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, by virtue of a two and a half length win in the National Stakes. He was not undefeated at two, however, having earlier finished second in...
in the last strides and take a short-head victory. His rider, Frankie Dettori called Grandera "a very peculiar character but... enormously talented" after the race.
Seven weeks later, Grandera arrived to contest the Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
at Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racecourse
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Moonee Valley Racecourse is a horse-racing track in Melbourne, Australia which hosts races for Thoroughbreds. Located six kilometers from the Melbourne CBD, it is the home of the Moonee Valley Racing Club...
, where special arrangements, including a double-sized stall, were made to accommodate his difficult temperament. Five lengths behind at the start of the short straight, Grandera finished strongly to finish third behind Northerly
Northerly
Northerly, foaled in 1996, was arguably Australia's best middle distance Thoroughbred horse of the early 2000s. Northerly, trained by Western Australian harness racing legend Fred Kersley, won nine Group One races, including the Australian Cup twice, and the Cox Plate, regarded as the Weight for...
, ahead of Sunline
Sunline
Sunline was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was the world's highest earning racemare of her time, competing on 48 occasions for 32 wins, 9 seconds and 3 thirds to earn A$11,351,607. She won races in three different countries, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. She won successive...
, Fields of Omagh
Fields Of Omagh
Fields Of Omagh was a champion middle distance Australian Thoroughbred racehorse of the early-mid 2000s. He was a half-brother to the stakeswinners, King Brian , Malcolm and Timeless Grace .Fields Of Omagh was trained at Lindsay Park, South Australia by Peter...
and Lonhro
Lonhro
Lonhro was a champion Australian racehorse who is now standing at stud. Nicknamed "The Black Flash", Lonhro was from the first crop of the champion Octagonal out of the Group One-placed Shadea , who also produced the Group One winner Niello...
.
On his final start of the year he finished seventh as odds-on favourite for the Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong Cup
The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
, but his performances had been enough to win the World Series Racing Championship.
2003: five-year-old season
Grandera stayed in training as a five-year-old, but was less successful. After winning a prep race at Nad Al Sheba, he was fancied for the Dubai World CupDubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and from 2010 at the Meydan Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
, but was rejected by Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...
in favour of Sulamani
Sulamani
Sulamani is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred race horse who competed and won in Dubai, Europe and North America.A great-grandson of English Triple Crown champion, Nijinsky, he made his racing debut in April 2002 at age three and finished seventh. Racing in France, he went on to win the prestigious Prix...
. Familiar doubts about Grandera's temperament resurfaced- one correspondent referred to him as being "nutty as a fruitcake"- as he finished a well-beaten fourth to Moon Ballad
Moon Ballad
Moon Ballad is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed internationally.-Background:He was bred by Prince Fahd Salman's Newgate Stud Farm which operated from a base at the now closed Sandley Stud in Gillingham, Dorset in England....
.
A return to Europe brought no improvement as he finished down the field in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Eclipse Stakes. In the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, his starting price of 33-1 and the fact that Dettori again chose to ride Sulamani
Sulamani
Sulamani is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred race horse who competed and won in Dubai, Europe and North America.A great-grandson of English Triple Crown champion, Nijinsky, he made his racing debut in April 2002 at age three and finished seventh. Racing in France, he went on to win the prestigious Prix...
both reflected his decline. He was fitted with cheek-pieces, which are normally used to improve a horse's concentration, but seemed "reluctant" to race and finished eleventh of the twelve runners.
He was then retired to stud.
Assessment
Grandera was named as the Champion Older Horse in the 2002 Cartier Racing Awards.In the 2001 International Classification he was rated 119 making him the thirteenth-best three-year-old colt in Europe, ten pounds below the champion Galileo
Galileo (horse)
Galileo is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He is best known for winning the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby Stakes, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001 and for his rivalry with the Godolphin champion Fantastic Light...
.
In the 2002 International Classification he was rated as 126, placing him third behind Rock of Gibraltar
Rock of Gibraltar (horse)
Rock of Gibraltar is a Champion racehorse and stallion owned by Coolmore, for whom he currently stands in Ireland and Australia .He is named after the Rock of Gibraltar, a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar on...
and Marienbard
Marienbard
Marienbard was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse bred by Saif Ali and raced by Godolphin Racing. Out of the mare Marienbad, he was sired by the French Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, Caerleon, a son of the 1971 British Triple Crown champion, Nijinsky....
. These ratings covered horses raced in Europe, North America and Japan.
Grandera was rated 129 by Timeform
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
.
Stud career
Grandera was sent to stud at the Yushun Stallion Station in HokkaidoHokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan in 2003, and was also "shuttled" to stand at the Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
Stud for Darley Australia
Darley Stud
Darley Stud is a Thoroughbred breeding operation owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates. Darley breeds horses in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Dubai, Japan and Australia....
. In 2010, he was returned to Ireland to stand at the Woodlands Stud, Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
.