The Ascot triumph was a cause for family celebrations as Charm Spirit is owned
by Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani, father of Sheikh Hamad and Sheikh Fahad
of the sponsors QIPCO Holding. The victory was all the sweeter as it had been agreed prior to the race that Charm Spirit would stand at Tweenhills Farm and Stud and join the roster of Qatar Bloodstock stallions.
Charm Spirit's arrival at Tweenhills will coincide with the launch of a new, long-term agreement between Qatar Bloodstock and the Aga Khan Studs, the start of which will be marked by Makfi going from Tweenhills to Haras de Bonneval in Normandy for 2015.
The move is part of an arrangement with the Aga Khan Studs through which Tweenhills stallions will be made available to French breeders.
David Redvers, Bloodstock and Racing Manager to Qatar Bloodstock, said: "Charm Spirit's win at Ascot was a great advertisement for his qualities, highlighting his abundance of class and courage. In an exceptional year for milers he has proved himself time and again, rounding off his career with a hat-trick of Group 1 wins on three different tracks and on a range of going, but always with the same result.
"We are thrilled to be standing Charm Spirit at Tweenhills. Freddy Head considers him worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as Goldikova and Moonlight Cloud, which is some accolade. His sire, Invincible Spirit, has established himself not just as an exceptional sire but also increasingly as a sire of sires.
"We are also very excited at the prospect of working with the Aga Khan Studs. Makfi's progeny have already enjoyed a lot of success in France and we are delighted that under this new arrangement he will stand in Normandy and be more accessible to French breeders. We are committed to standing our best stallions in France at the Aga Khan Studs, as well as in Britain at Tweenhills. Next season Makfi will stand at Haras de Bonneval and in 2016 it will be Charm Spirit's turn."
Georges Rimaud, Manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: "We are delighted to be entering into a partnership with Qatar Bloodstock, which will be a source of great opportunities in the long term and we are very much looking forward to stand Makfi next season and Charm Spirit in 2016.
"Makfi, who has sired 15 winners from his first crop, boasts a ratio of 40% winners to runners, making him one of the leading first crop sires in Europe. The future looks promising, as he himself had made only one start as a two-year-old, which he won, and went on to become the World Champion 3-year-old. It is a wonderful opportunity to give a direct access to French breeders to a 2,000 Guineas and Prix Jacques Le Marois winner, and in the near future, to the brilliant triple Group 1 winner Charm Spirit."
Charm Spirit won six of his nine starts, record three Group I wins in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly, the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp and of course the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, beating the 2014 2000 Guineas winner, Night of Thunder.
Charm Spirit's sire, Invincible Spirit, has enjoyed a remarkable year, not only as the sire of star three year-old colts Kingman and Charm Spirit, but also of leading European first-crop sire Zebedee, as well as Champion Australian First Season Sire I am Invincible.
The 2015 stallion fees for Charm Spirit and Makfi are yet to be confirmed and will be announced shortly.
Makfi has been a regular shuttler to Westbury Stud in New Zealand and another of the Tweenhills sires Harbour Watch has been shuttling to Emirates Park in Australia, so Australasian breeders will be hopeful Charm Spirit may also be headed our way in 2015.
