The Irish Field: Sea The Moon a shining light

Leo Powell catches up with the owners of one of the most exciting new sires standing in Europe next year.

It is time for breeders to sit up and take serious notice. Two of the most independently minded women in the world of breeding have combined and they are intent on success.

Kirsten Rausing uses the term ‘The independent option’ to describe her Lanwades Stud in Newmarket.

She believes she has found a gem in her latest stallion offering, the German Derby winner Sea The Moon. A son of the phenomenon that is Sea The Stars, the new kid on the block is getting rave reviews.

There can be no better advertisement for a stallion than the fact that Miss Rausing is sending her superstar Albanova, a triple Group 1 winner, to Sea The Moon next spring. She will be just one of a glittering array of talent to form the new stallion’s first book of mares.

Visitors to Lanwades Stud this week to look at Sea The Moon may also encounter the horse’s owner-breeder too. The colt was born at Gestüt Görlsdorf, and raced for Heike Bischoff Lafrentz and her husband Niko Lafrentz.

Heike is a dentist by profession, while Niko was a journalist. Their career paths took an about-turn in 2005 when Heike’s father Dr Hinrich Bischoff died. He was a lawyer and he ran a charter airline company in Berlin.

There was much change in Germany in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down and Dr Bischoff leased Gestüt Görlsdorf, a farm in need of some tender loving care in spite of its success.

Gestüt Görlsdorf was actually founded in 1883 by a Count von Redern and is one of the oldest studs in Germany. Because of its location it found itself after World War II behind the Iron Curtain and was taken over by the government.

It continued to enjoy huge success, producing many East German classic winners. When the political scene changed and Germany was reunited the farm was leased to Dr Bischoff and some six years later he purchased it.

The stud covers about 300 acres and is described by Heike as “beautiful - the landscape is fabulous, hilly with blue grass.”

When she and Niko took over the stud they continued with the mares that were on the farm, and mainly used the stallions that were standing there. The last sire to occupy the stallion boxes was Sternkonig, now a highly-prized broodmare sire.

However, they also realised that there was a need to change. Culling and acquisitions were the order of the day and this policy took the couple to the annual December Sale in Newmarket in search of new blood.

Their visit there four years ago was to be hugely significant. Describing their mare-buying policy succinctly, Heike says they have a strict criteria and “they have to be models”.

Topping their shopping list in 2010 was Sanwa. Heike recalls that “she had everything I was looking for. She was a Monsun mare and had a Sea The Stars covering. She was also a great mover, but not very big.”

All the opposition for the mare was beaten off, but the final bid from Heike did not match the vendor’s expectation.

When the consignor approached afterwards to ask “how much more are you willing to give for the mare?” they were gently rebuked by the response which was that “the correct question should be how much less are you willing to take?” A few days later the deal was concluded at a discount!

Having acquired Sanwa, the mare was taken back to foal in Görlsdorf. At this point Heike is happy to explain her breeding policy, one that many would consider slightly strange.

In general, she only breeds her mares every second year, preferring to raise the foal with its dam in Germany and not subject it to the stress of travelling at a young age.

“I adore my foals,” Heike explains. “I don’t want them to travel and pick up diseases and bring them back.” Niko adds that “Sea The Moon never left the stud as a foal. It is the best start for a horse.”

I ask Heike if Sea The Moon was special as a foal. “No. He was always very regular; a fabulous mover. He was normal size but charming and easy to deal with.”

The couple like to be hands on with their horses and nothing exemplifies this more than Sea The Moon’s birth on April 28th, 2011.

Heike again takes up the story. “That year I was at every birth. Because it was a holiday weekend there were 13 people at his birth and he was born in the stallion box.” The only colt from the first crop of Sea The Stars born in Germany, it would appear that his future was indeed written in the stars.

A major disappointment at the time, Heike and Niko failed to sell Sea The Moon when he was offered for sale as a yearling at Newmarket. Failing to sell was enough of a setback, but not getting a bid for the colt was a shock.

“Everyone said he was in the top five by his sire at the sale and nobody bids! One breeder I spoke to said ‘nice page but it should have been a filly!’ He is now a shareholder in the horse,” said Heike. Niko interjects to point out that afterwards, in front of witnesses, Heike said “we will keep him and win the German Derby.” Prophetic indeed.

Their first contact with Kirsten Rausing came when the colt won on his debut at two years. Hailed a rising star by Thoroughbred Daily News, Sea The Moon fulfilled his owner’s dreams when he spread-eagled the opposition on his way to victory at Cologne.

Heike recalls: “I couldn’t believe what we were watching. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw Soumillon riding in the way he did. I remember thinking ‘is this man cracked?’ Then we heard the commentator say ‘the Moon is rising’.”

Installed as favourite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Sea The Moon never made it to Longchamp after suffering an injury.

Now he begins a new odyssey, aided by what looks likely to be a stellar book of mares. “We will be sending about 23 mares to him, at least 12 of which are blacktype, and there are another six blacktype mares travelling from Germany. He will also be covering Albanova.”

The couple have many Irish connections, not least with Sheila Grassick in Newtown Stud where they board their mares when they are here. While the vast majority of their mares will be going to Sea The Moon in 2015, there will be one very significant traveller to Ireland.

Sanwa will be reunited with Sea The Stars at Gilltown in the hope that the magic works again.

Having the right people associated with her is important to Heike, who has also established a strong link with Irishman Eric Cantillon. He operates Plumton Hall Stud near Newmarket.

Another vital cog in the operation is veterinary surgeon Ietje Leendeertse. She is the lady that Heike and Niko credit with the acquisition of Sanwa. What was it that she liked about the mare? “I knew Monsun (the mare’s sire), it was a very good family and she was in foal to Sea The Stars. She ticked all the right boxes. I am not a very good buyer as I am very selective.” Sanwa obviously impressed.

On their recent visit to the sales at Goffs, Heike and Niko were able to catch up with old friends and many leading breeders. They expect a good number of Irish breeders to use Sea The Moon.

“The world wanted him; we had offers and expressions of interest from Japan, everywhere. We thought about where to stand him but given the international interest in him we were happy to choose Lanwades. It is important to have him where all Europe can get to him easily.”

They also caught up with John Oxx who has the yearling full-sister to Sea The Moon at Currabeg. Named Sea The Sun and owned by the Tsui family, she is, according to Niko, “under the saddle already and John is very pleased with her.” Thus begins the start of yet another chapter in this magical story.