Diego Velazquez sold ahead of Jacques le Marois start

Diego Velazquez will sport new colours when he runs in the Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday, after Sam Sangster Bloodstock announced the acquisition of the Frankel colt.

He will remain in training with Aidan O’Brien for the remainder of the 2025 season, with a view to retiring to the National Stud in Newmarket at the end of the year. He will wear the famous silks of the late Robert Sangster in the Marois.

A Group-race winner at two, three and four, most recently in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh, Diego Velazquez will bid for a first Group One success at Deauville this weekend, where he will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon.

Purchasing the horse for a “high-profile” syndicate, Sangster said: “He is a horse that leaves little to the imagination, he is the stamp of his father and a top-class racehorse to match.

“He’s done it at Group Two level across three seasons and was Classic-placed (fourth in the French 2000 Guineas), which gives him a rare depth of form and longevity.

“The Jacques le Marois is the immediate target, and from there we have a number of exciting Group One races to consider, we are in world-class hands in that respect.

“With the strength of the ownership group and the National Stud behind him, this horse has every chance of being a major success both on the track and at stud we believe he will be very well received by European breeders.”

Diego Velazquez will join the stallion roster at the National Stud for the 2026 breeding season, with further details to be announced in due course, and Sangster said: “We’ve been on the hunt for a horse like this for some time, and I’d like to thank the team at Coolmore for giving us the opportunity to get involved with a colt of his calibre.”

Soumillon’s mount is one of 10 left in the Marois, with O’Brien also responsible for former Derby favourite The Lion In Winter and Rosallion (Richard Hannon), Notable Speech (Charlie Appleby) and Dancing Gemini (Roger Teal) representing British interests.

Sangster added: “He’ll be running in the Sangster family colours, which will be one for the old romantics and it is very exciting, that is for sure.

“It will be a very exciting weekend for us with Rashabar running in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano on Saturday and Christophe Soumillon is booked to ride both.”