On a sunny autumnal afternoon at Banstead Manor Stud, Juddmonte’s latest exciting stallion prospect Lead Artist was unveiled to the media on the eve of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

The four-year-old son of Dubawi has the imposing physique to go with his fine race record and immaculate pedigree, and he stood calmly to attention just a week into his new career. 

Juddmonte’s homebred captured this year’s Group 1 Lockinge Stakes, to go with a brace of Group 3 victories in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood and Darley Stakes just down the road at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile. 

He boasts a pedigree which traces back to that of Juddmonte blue hen Hasili, dam of five Group/Grade 1 winners in Banks Hill, Cacique, Champs Elysees, Heat Haze and Intercontinental, as well as brilliant sire Dansili. The former Banstead Manor resident was himself placed at the top level and went on to produce 21 individual winners at the highest level. 

On what makes Lead Artist an attractive stallion proposition, general manager Simon Mockridge said: “First of all he’s going to fit into a more commercial market so, like Chaldean, I think he’s going to appeal to a lot of people who want to breed commercially. 

“He’s a son of Dubawi, which is very important to us as well, while he’s out of a Group-winning Frankel mare who was Group 1-placed. 

“He comes from that great Hasili family, a family we’ve had an awful lot of experience of and success through stallions like Dansili, Cacique and Champs Elysees. He’s an exciting horse to have.”

Lead Artist, who joins his maternal grandsire Frankel on the formidable roster, is out of Obligate, whose victories for Pascal Bary included the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham. Also placed at the top level when third in the Prix Rothschild, Obligate is a daughter of Oasis Dream mare Responsible, in turn a daughter of Hasili.

Mockridge said: “Hasili was one of those true blue hen mares who was a very plain, ordinary mare who you wouldn’t pick out in the paddock at all.  But there’s actually 53 Group 1 performances under her alone as a dam and granddam; it’s quite extraordinary.”

Lead Artist drew admiring glances when being led up in front of the stallion boxes at Banstead Manor, and Mockridge said: “He’s a very strong horse, and well made. He’s just over 16 hands and has a bit of scope through the body. 

“I think he’s going to appeal to everyone who comes to see him. He did most of his running over a mile and, looking back at the Lockinge, there were three Classic winners in the race and he was a very impressive winner that day.”

Lead Artist is the second recent addition to the Abdullah family’s stallion operation, following 2,000 Guineas and Dewhurst winner Chaldean’s retirement for the 2024 season.

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