Darley’s Group 1 winning sprinter Impending will become the highest-rated son of Lonhro standing in Victoria when he takes up stud duties at Northwood Park this year.

Impending won at the first time of asking as a two-year-old, running out a convincing winner over 1100 metres at Rosehill before a creditable third in the Group 3 Ken Memorial Classic.

Impending returned at three with a brace of Group places, including in the highest-rated running of the Group 1 Golden Rose before emulating his sire and grandsire when winning the Group 2 Stan Fox.

His finest hour came in the Group 1 Stradbroke last June, when he became the first three-year-old in a decade to land the 1400 metre contest – which he did in thrilling fashion.

This season, Impending finished a close third to top-class sprinters Redzel and Terravista in the Group 1 Darley Classic at Flemington. His racing career is not over yet with a number of potential Group 1 targets during the winter carnival.

Impending is out of Encosta de Lago’s Champion daughter Mnemosyne, winner of the 1,000 Guineas and the Queen Of The Turf – both Group 1 contests.

Darley’s General Manager in Victoria Andy Makiv said, “When you send a Group 1-winning mare like Mnemosyne to a Champion racehorse and sire like Lonhro, you hope for a result like Impending.

“He’s a great athlete and a great physical specimen. If his progeny inherit his looks and his walk, yearling buyers are going to be all over them.

‘It’s greatly in his favour that he’s the product of two colonial-bred, Danehill-free Champions. And Lonhro’s dynasty is really on the move – Pierro is showing the way, and there’s Exosphere and Impending to follow.’

Impending will stand at Northwood Park for a fee of $20,000 plus GST.

Also on the move to Victoria is Sepoy (Elusive Quality). Originally growing up as a foal at Northwood Park, Sepoy would go on to win the Blue Diamond, Golden Slipper, Coolmore Stud Stakes and Manikato Stakes – wins that saw him named World Champion sprinter.

Sepoy’s best performer to date is Group 1 Flight Stakes heroine Alizee, and he is sire of a further five black-type performers so far this season.  He will stand at a fee of $11,000 inc GST.

IMPENDING