Charyn joins Cambridge as Sword Of State gets a fee bump

Cambridge Stud will introduce a new multiple Group 1-winning miler and Cartier Champion Older Horse of the Year from the influential Dark Angel sireline to its 2026 roster while its emerging young stallion Sword Of State will stand for a significantly higher fee this year.

The famed New Zealand breeding operation, now run by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, has extended its growing relationship with leading European studs by securing Nurlan Bizakov’s Charyn for stallion duties.

Charyn, who resides at Bizakov’s Sumbre stud operation in France, is the fourth European stallion on the Cambridge Stud roster. 

He will stand at a southern hemisphere fee of $35,000 (all fees plus GST) on a Cambridge roster led by Snitzel’s Group 1-winning son Sword Of State who will stand for a fee of $50,000 this year.

Charyn is by Dark Angel, the same sire as Darley shuttler Harry Angel who has had such an influence in the southern hemisphere with his progeny including Private Harry, Tom Kitten  and Angel Capital.

Trained by Roger Varian, Charyn was a Group 3 winner in France at two before registering Group 1 placings in the St James’s Place Stakes and Sussex Stakes at three.

It was as a four-year-old when Charyn excelled, winning five of his eight starts including three Group 1s, the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Prix Jacques Le Marios at Deauville and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes back at Ascot on Champions Day.

Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre and Sir Brendan flew to France last week to sign the stallion deal with Bizakov.

“The acquisition of Charyn for the Cambridge Stud stallion roster is the beginning of another exciting chapter for the stud and a very important relationship with Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe in Normandy,” Sir Brendan said.

“While Cambridge Stud is delighted to secure Charyn for stud duties in New Zealand, we are also looking forward to the relationship with Sumbe. 

“As we have found with Haras d’Etreham and Juddmonte, the stallion is important, but a lasting relationship with the Bizakov family, Tony Fry and the Sumbe team is just as important.

“His status as the highest-rated miler in the world of his year stamps him as an elite performer, and we are excited to show him to the New Zealand industry.”

Plumptre said: “Charyn presents as a standout individual – strong, with good scope and quality. He is a particularly good mover, and his athleticism is quite obvious.

“We were delighted with him and the small sample of foals that we were shown at Sumbe. They were a very even bunch, mostly between four and six weeks old, but already developing strong tops, good bone and their sire’s quality.”  

Charyn is out of stakes-placed mare Futoon, who is by Danehill stallion Kodiac, who has also produced Charyn’s Group 2-winning brother Wings Of War.

He went to stud in 2024 at a fee of €35,000 with his first northern hemisphere foals born earlier this year.

Bizakov, who raced top sprinter-miler and Golden Eagle runner-up Lazzat until he sold him to Qatari outfit Wathnan Racing, was excited about the prospect of shuttling his top-class racehorse Charyn to New Zealand.

“It is a prestigious stud with a highly significant broodmare band, providing an outstanding platform to support a stallion of Charyn’s calibre,” Bizakov said.

“I am confident that Charyn will greatly appeal to southern hemisphere breeders, thanks to his physical presence and athleticism, which he consistently passes on to his foals.

“I am therefore pleased to announce the beginning of what I hope will be a prosperous and successful partnership for the future between Sumbe and Cambridge Stud.”

Equally exciting for Cambridge Stud is Sword Of State who has made an explosive start to his stud career, continuing the stallion’s upward trajectory. 

He stood for an increased $20,000 last year and that has been more than doubled for the 2026 breeding season.

Sword Of State’s first crop two-year-olds headed by Pago Pago Stakes winner Warwoven, fellow Australian stakes winner Torture and State Of Valour, who ran third in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie.

With the early season emergence of the Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven and Lindsay Park’s Torture, yearling buyers gravitated to his second crop foals, selling up to $1.1 million at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale in January.

“It is unprecedented for a New Zealand-based stallion to sire two stakes-winning two-year-olds in Australia, let alone from his first crop,” Cambridge Stud sales and nominations manager Scott Calder said.

“Sword of State’s sale results over the last two years have been what you would expect from a horse standing at a much higher fee, and it is great to see that market confidence translate into results on the track. 

“He still has a lot more horses coming through from that first crop, and we are incredibly excited about him.”

Juddmonte’s Chaldean will return for his third season at stud, with Frankel’s two-year-old Group 1-winning son remaining at an unchanged fee of $35,000.

“The win by Sir Delius in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes was another reminder not only of Frankel’s prowess as a stallion, but also of his incredible record in Australia,” Calder said. 

“Chaldean’s mix of pedigree and race record makes him an especially attractive stallion prospect.

“Henry was very impressed by his foals at the Tattersalls December Sale, where they generated some exceptional results.

“I doubt many young stallions in New Zealand have received the calibre of mares he has in his first two crops, and we expect the buying bench will be drawn to them here as well.”

Almanzor has also had five stakes winners this season, highlighted by Group 1 Telegraph Stakes winner First Five, two Group 2 winners and two Group 3 winners. 

He will stand for a reduced fee of $25,000 while Kodiac’s Hello Youmzain will stand for a reduced fee of $20,000.

Embellish, a son of Savabeel, will remain at a fee of $5000.

Cambridge Stud stallion roster

Sword Of State $50,000 ($20,000)

Charyn $35,000 (new)

Chaldean $35,000 ($35,000)

Almanzor $25,000 ($30,000)

Hello Youmain $20,000 ($30,000)

Embellish $5000 ($5000)