Exciting news coming in from Europe confirming the arrival of the first foal by our dual French Classic winner Lope de Vega.

A chestnut filly arrived last week in France at the Haras d’Ommeel out of the Acatenango mare Bougainvillea. The stud is delighted with the new arrival, describing her as “a nice foal, with a good head and plenty of bone”.

The filly’s dam is indicative of the high-quality book of mares covered by Lope de Vega since he retired to stud. Bougainvillea is already the dam of the German Group 3 winner Burma Gold (Java Gold) and is a winning sister to the Deutsches Derby and Grosser Preis von Baden (Gr 1) winer Borgia and a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Boreal.

The foal and her dam, along with Lope De Vega himself, were all bred by Gestut Ammerland, with the stud having purchased two mares in Australia to breed to Lope De Vega.

Winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr 1) and the Prix du Jockey-Club (Gr 1) in 2010, the son of Shamardal has understandably proved very popular with breeders in Europe and at Patinack Farm in Australia.