The start of the 2011 Flat season, in which will see the first-crop runners of the 2007 Horse of the Year Manduro, is still a little way off, but the early reports from trainers with a Manduro two-year-old in their yard have been very encouraging.
And it's not just trainers who are expressing their faith in the horse but also a number of Europe's biggest breeders, who supported him in his first season and are coming back for more.
The strength of mares sent to Manduro in his first two seasons was eye-catching. In two books he covered 150 Group winners, dams of Group winners or siblings of Group winners, sent from breeders such as HH The Aga Khan, Baron von Oppenheim, George Strawbridge, Cheveley Park Stud and Moyglare Stud.
Gestüt Schlenderhan has shown unwavering support for Manduro by sending him four mares in his first year and three for the following years, including another three booked in for 2011. The Aga Khan Studs have also supported him in each of his seasons, sending six mares last year and with seven booked for the forthcoming season.
Major Irish farms Moyglare Stud, Mount Coote Stud and Airlie Stud are also coming back to Manduro this year, as is Juddmonte Farms, which has two mares booked for 2011. Also booked into Manduro for 2011 is Windflower Overseas Holdings' Fantasy Girl - dam of Big Bad Bob and grandam of Snow Fairy.
And there is, of course, a German breeder who has maintained his support for Manduro: Rolf Brunner also has a mare booked back in for 2011 and it's no surprise that he should want to be part of the continuing story of Manduro as he was the man who started it all by breeding this wonderful horse.
