Winner of the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket in July, Persian Force has been retired from racing with the 2yo heading to stud, his owner Kia Joorabchian confirmed on Sunday. Trained by Richard Hannon for Joorabchian’s Amo Racing, Persian Force secured his biggest success when landing the aforementioned July Stakes at Newmarket during the summer.
'INCREDIBLE JOB'
A son of Mehmas, who was also retired to stud at two, Persian Force won the very first 2yo race of the season, the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes at Doncaster, and was subsequently placed in the Coventry Stakes, as well as four times in Group One company, namely the Phoenix Stakes, the Prix Morny, the Middle Park Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. “We decided this week that we will retire him to stud,” Joorabchian said. “Persian’s done an incredible job. He’s followed the footsteps of his father, he’s done everything Mehmas did.
HIKE IN STUD FEE
“Arguably, according to Richard Hannon, who trained both, he’s a better looking version of his father and he has a better pedigree. He started in March and ran in everything.” Joorabchian highlighted the success Mehmas has enjoyed as a sire since retiring at the end of his 2yo season in 2016, siring the likes of Group One winners Minzaal and Supremacy, and the rise in the stallion’s stud fee to €60,000 in 2023, from a low of €7,500 in 2020, as factors in the decision to retire Persian Force.
He added: “He’s never had a bad run, he’s followed the footsteps of his father from start to finish and his father retired at the end of his 2yo career and has had a fantastic career in stud as a stallion. “His father will stand at €60,000, so looking at that he can definitely follow in the footsteps of his father, if not better, because your son is always better than you.”
