Dual European Champion Miler Ribchester will shuttle to Darley Kelvinside in NSW this year.

A Group 1 winner of the 2016 Prix Jacques le Marois, he added three more top-flight victories last year in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and Prix de Moullin at Chantilly.

Ribchester (Ire) the first European horse to win back-to-back titles since Frankel achieved the feat in 2012-13.  He also topped Timeform’s European Miler ratings on 129.

Ribchester is the best galloper by Mr Prospector-line stallion Iffraaj, a Top 10 world-wide sire of Group 1 winners last year.  Iffraaj has also enjoyed huge success in the southern hemisphere headlined by classic winners Jon Snow, Gingernuts and Turn Me Loose.

His first stallion son Wootton Bassett sired European Horse of the Year Almanzor in his first crop.

Ribchester is the highest-rated horse descended from Fall Aspen since the great Dubai Millennium.  “He’s one of the best-performing shuttle stallions the organisation has ever stood,” Darley Australia manager Alastair Pulford said.  “In some ways, he’s like Shamardal and Dubawi, both top European milers too.

“He represents a great outcross for the many Danehill-line mares in this country – mares by Exceed And Excel, Snitzel, Not A Single Doubt and many others are really going to suit this magnificent individual.”

Ribchester is covering his first northern book for a €30,000 (AUD 48,115) fee at Kildangan Stud in Ireland.  His southern fee will be confirmed when Darley announces its Australian rosters for 2018.

RIBCHESTER