While he may have been overshadowed by his remarkable paternal half-brother Galileo as a sire, there can no denying the fact that deceased Arc winner Montjeu was a truly exceptional stallion in his own right.
Montjeu playing in his paddock
Despite dying at the young age of 16, Montjeu left behind more than 120 stakes winners, with his black type winners including a quartet of Investec Derby winning sons (Motivator, Authorized, Pour Moi and Camelot), short-lived triple G1 Coronation Cup winner St Nicholas Abbey, four time G1 winner Fame And Glory, three St Leger winners, a trio of Grand Prix de Paris winners, and Melbourne Cup victor Green Moon.
While none of his sire sons can be considered in Montjeu’s class as a sire son yet, Montjeu’s sire sons (led by his four time G1 winning son Camelot) Montjeu’s sire sons have been enjoying a prolific time of it on the flat this year.
A triple classic winner, and Montjeu’s only 2000 Guineas winning son, Camelot has been responsible for four G1 winners this year, and has cemented his status as a classic sire in 2020.
His four Gr1 winners in 2020 are Juddmonte Irish Oaks heroine Even So, Ladbrokes Cox Plate victor Sir Dragonet, dual Gr1 winner Russian Camelot, and recent Grosser Preis von Bayern heroine Sunny Queen.
Camelot seen going for the Triple Crown
The dual Derby winner, whose stud fee was increased for 2021, has now been responsible for 33 black type winners, with this tally looking sure to increase in coming seasons.
Camelot has also made his mark in South Africa this year, thanks to Michaelmas Handicap winner Crown Towers and promising filly Dazzling Sun, who won a smart race at Kenilworth on Wednedsay and is now being aimed at the Cape Guineas and Paddock Stakes
Dazzling Sun wins well under Richard Fourie at Kenilworth on Wednesday (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Montjeu’s now Turkey based son Authorized has also had a memorable season in 2020.
The sire of dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll came up with his sixth G1 winner on the flat when his son Santiago lifted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby in June, with Santiago having also won the G2 Queen’s Vase earlier in the year.
Out of a mare by former South African based Arc winner Saumarez, Authorized has now been responsible for 34 black type winners with his stakes winners in 2020 including G3 Hotham Handicap hero Ashrun and dual British G3 winner Euchen Glen.
Fellow Montjeu sons Tavistock (who died earlier at the end of 2019) and Jukebox Jury also got into the act this year.
Best known as the sire of Hong Kong champion Werther, Tavistock hit the headlines when his son Johnny Get Angry lifted the 2020 Gr1 AAMI Victoria Derby, with another son of Tavistock, Young Werther, finishing third in that Flemington classic. T
avistock was also responsible for this year’s Schweppes Oaks heroine Toffee Tongue.
Former Irish St Leger hero Jukebox Jury came up with his first Gr1 winner when his much improved daughter Princess Zoe scored a memorable win in the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran in October. The remarkable five-year-old had reeled off four previous wins prior to landing the Prix du Cadran.
Montjeu’s daughters also continue to do their sire proud, and Montjeu’s daughter Souen came with up a smart South African galloper in the form of last season’s Gr3 Track And Ball Derby/Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup hero Marchingontogether (Pathfork).
