Al Riffa to stand at Capital Stud

Al Riffa, the three-time Group 1 winner who started favourite for Australian Bloodstock in last year’s Melbourne Cup, will stand at Capital Stud in County Kilkenny for the 2027 breeding season.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained son of Wootton Bassett finished seventh under top weight at Flemington. He was retired in September after further scans showed deterioration in a suspensory injury.

A winner of the 2022 National Stakes, the 2024 Grosser Preis von Berlin and the 2025 Irish St Leger, his final start was a third in the Curragh Cup in July.

Capital Stud head of nominations Darragh McCarthy expects him to be predominantly a National Hunt sire, but he will cover Flat mares.