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Son of Polar Falcon stood for 24 seasons at Cheveley Park in Newmarket
Pivotal (Polar Falcon) has been retired from covering duties, Cheveley Park announced on Tuesday.
Bred and raced by Cheveley Park Stud, Pivotal was a top-class performer on the track, winning four of his six starts, headed by victories in the King’s Stand (Gr 2, 5f) and Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) in 1996.
Pivotal stood for an initial fee of £6,000 and he has sired 153 stakes winners, headed by 32 Group 1 winners, including Group 1-winning two-year-old in Siyouni, Classic winners Sariska, Halfway To Heaven, Falco, Buzzword and Saoire, as well as Dubai World Cup winner African Story, and Addeybb and Glen Shiel, who landed the winning the Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) and British Champions Sprint Stakes (Gr 1, 6f), respectively on British Champions Day last season.
In recent years, Pivotal has garnered the reputation of being a top-class broodmare sire, with his daughters producing 111 stakes winners, headlined by 23 Group 1 winners, including champion mare Magical (Galileo), Cracksman (Frankel), Advertise (Showcasing), One Master (Fastnet Rock) and Love (Galileo).
In Australia, Pivotal is represented by three stakes winners, including three-time Group 1 winner Avilius, the aforementioned Addeybb, who landed last year’s Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Listed winner Peck.
“The story associated with the ‘Mighty’ Pivotal is truly extraordinary, considering he was the result of the very first covering his sire, Polar Falcon, was given,” managing director at Cheveley Park Chris Richardson said.
“Thankfully, as a yearling, it was decided to retain him to race, rather than offer him for sale, as we did with the other yearling colts by Polar Falcon that year. Whilst in the hands of trainer, Sir Mark Prescott, Pivotal truly put Cheveley Park Stud on the map, giving owners David and Patricia Thompson their first Group 1 winner in the stud’s famous red, white and blue colours.
“Having covered a relatively small book of mares in his first year, his resulting progeny excelled and inspired at all levels, which they have continued to do throughout his career, both domestically and internationally.
“On the world stage, Pivotal has excelled as a sire, a sire of sires and as a broodmare sire, to the highest level and all of us at Cheveley Park Stud have been so blessed to have been part of his life for 28 years.
“I think Triple Crown winner, Isinglass, whose stable Pivotal occupies, would have been very proud and we all wish Pivotal a well-deserved and happy retirement.”