Ambiorix (horse)
| Ambiorix | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Tourbillon |
| Grandsire | Ksar |
| Dam | Lavendula |
| Damsire | Pharos |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1946 |
| Country | France  |
| Colour | Dark Bay/Brown |
| Breeder | Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard |
| Owner | Marcel Boussac |
| Trainer | Charles Semblat |
| Record | 7: 4-2-0 |
| Earnings | ₣4,638,600 + £832 |
| Major wins | |
| Selsey Stakes (1948) Grand Criterium (1948) | |
| Awards | |
| French Champion Two-Year-Old-Colt (1948) Leading sire in North America (1961) | |
Ambiorix (1946-1975) was a French Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who became a Champion sire in the United States. Regally bred by Marcel Boussac at his Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in Orne, he was sired by Tourbillon whom Ambiorix would help make the Leading sire in France in 1948. Tourbillon was a son of Ksar, a two-time winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Leading sire in France in 1931. The dam of Ambiorix was Lavendula, a daughter of Pharos, the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 1931 and Leading sire in France in 1939.
Trained by Charles Semblat and ridden by Roger Poincelet, Ambiorix proved to be a better runner at races around 3-10 furlongs in distance rather than the European Classic distance of 12 furlongs or more.
In 1948 Ambiorix made three starts. He finished off the board in his racing debut in the Prix de Chatou at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. He then easily won the Selsey Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England followed by a win in the most important race for two-year-olds in France, the Grand Criterium. His performances earned him the 1948 French Champion Two-Year-Old-Colt honors. Racing at age three in 1949, Ambiorix made four starts. Jockey Poincelet guided the colt to wins in the Prix Lupin at Longchamp Racecourse and the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, both of which were run at around ten furlongs. Ambiorix then earned seconds to Good Luck in the 1949 Prix du Jockey Club and to Val Drake in the Prix Hocquart.
A Champion sire
Retired from racing, Marcel Boussac believed Ambiorix would have more value as a sire in the United States where the vast majority of race distances suited his record best. As such, he was sold for US$250,000 to a syndicate led by Bull Hancock who brought him to stand at stud in time for the 1950 season at his Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky.
Ambiorix would spend the rest of his life at Claiborne Farm where he sired fifty-one stakes race winners and was the Leading sire in North America in 1961. His best offspring included:
- High Voltage (b. 1952) - American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, won Matron Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks
- Hitting Away (b. 1958) - won Withers Stakes, Dwyer Stakes, Bernard Baruch Handicap, Royal Palm Handicap (2x)
- Ambiopoise (b. 1958) - won Jersey Derby, Gotham Stakes, Discovery Handicap, sire of Faraway Son
- Count Amber (b. 1957) - won Narragansett Special, sire of Amberoid
- Amber Morn (b. 1956) - won Bowling Green Handicap, Autumn Handicap, sire of Queen's Plate winners Royal Chocolate and Amber Herod
After being pensioned, Ambiorix died at age twenty-nine in January of 1975 at Claiborne Farm and is buried the farm's equine cemetery.