Photo: Nathaniel first foal is a colt

Nathaniel's first colt at Waddesdon Stud. Image courtesy of Newsells Park Stud.

QIPCO British Champions Series star Nathaniel has fathered his first foal fittingly at Waddesdon Stud, the birth place of the dual Group 1 winner.

The ‘striking’ week-old bay colt, out of the mare Liel who sold for 4.6 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Sales in 2006, was born on 11 January for owner Lady Rothschild.

Commenting on the arrival of Nathaniel’s foal, Waddesdon’s Stud Groom, Nicholas Blades said: “He’s a really good looking chap who weighed in at a solid 120lbs.

“He’s very like his father; extremely correct and very attractively marked. If the other mares we have in foal to him produce foals like him, we’ll be very happy."

Nathaniel, by outstanding sire Galileo, is one of the best-bred stallions in Europe and available at £20,000 per covering.

The six-year-old was victorious in the 2012 renewal of the Coral-Eclipse, beating subsequent QIPCO Champion Stakes winner Farhh by half a length.

However, the former John Gosden-trained horse’s greatest achievement was when winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes comfortably from Investec Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion, Workforce and the ill-fated Series hero, St Nicholas Abbey.

Nathaniel was also the closest horse to finish second to the mighty Frankel in a race, when only half a length behind the world’s officially highest-rated racehorse on both of the horses' debut at Newmarket in 2010.

From British Champions