Chequers Stud has announced Battle Paint will join its Cambridge roster for 2010.  A Group 1 performer by Tale of the Cat, he will stand for a $5,000 (+ gst) service fee.

Chequers Stud has recently been purchased by brothers Mark Fraser-Campin and Chris Campin from their father Jim.  Battle Paint will stand alongside proven sire Deputy Governor.  “He’s a beautiful bay horse, very correct and standing 16.2 hands,” Mark Fraser-Campin said.  “He’s strong and athletic with it – we’re very pleased with him.”

Battle Paint (Tale of the Cat – Black Speck by Arch) won two of his three outings as a juvenile, taking out a 1300m event at Deauville on debut and backing that up with a 1400m victory at Longchamp.

The Tale of the Cat colt was then thrown in the deep end of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (1400m) at Longchamp and performed with great distinction to run second to Holy Roman Emperor.  WA sire Vital Equine was third.

Battle Paint carried the colours of owner-breeder Joseph Allen until he was purchased by Cheveley Park Stud before he resumed training as a three year-old.  He finished second in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau (1600m) at Longchamp and, on the strength of that effort, started a 7/2 favourite in the G1 French 2000 Guineas-Gr.1 (1600m).  Olivier Peslier set him alight from the gates in the classic but he faded in the final furlong to finish well back behind the winner Astronomer Royal.

Battle Paint was transferred from French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget to John Gosden the following year and he was successful over 1200m at Doncaster.

Battle Paint is a son of the Coolmore horse Tale of the Cat who is best known in this part of the world through Group 1 mare Glamour Puss, Windsor Park sire Falkirk and New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Tell A Tale.

His dam Black Speck is a half-sister to Champion USA sire Dynaformer.  She has also thrown the Group 2 winners Homebound (Prix de Sandringham) and Blue Exit (Strub Stakes).