Record-breaking Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Henri Matisse has been retired to stud by Coolmore.
The only Classic-winning miler by the late Wootton Bassett, Henri Matisse won his first three starts before rounding off his juvenile campaign with a neck success in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
The following March, Henri Matisse again started his season with victory, this time in a Leopardstown Group 3, before adding the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamps. The victory, which saw him prevail by a neck from Jonquil, was the quickest in the race’s history.
Though unable to win again in three further starts, he did split the Irish and English 2000 Guineas winners Field of Gold and Ruling Court at Royal Ascot, fill third place in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, before signing off with a fifth-placed finish in the Prix du Moulin back in France.
On their website, Coolmore’s David O’Loughlin wrote: “Himself and Camille Pissarro are the only sons of Wootton Bassett to have won Group 1s at both 2 and 3 years, while Wootton Bassett’s first two sons to stud have both sired Group 1 winners in France this year. Henri Matisse hails from one of the best damlines in the book. His dam Immortal Verse, winner of the Coronation Stakes and Jacques Le Marois, set a European record for a broodmare when purchased for 4,700,000Gns and has also bred Champion 2YO Tenebrism and unbeaten Group 2 winner Statuette. When you put all this together with his physique and movement, he is sure to prove popular with breeders.”
A stud fee for Henri Matisse will be announced in due course.
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