NDW: We=re looking for racehorses. So first they
have to be athletic, and then we look at the pedigrees
and decide from there.
What are the Sheikh's goals for his racing stable?

TDN recently caught up with Nicolas de Watrigant,founder of Mandore International. Mandore International
was the leading buyer at the recent Arqana YearlingSale in Deauville, purchasing 22 horses in total,
including the sales topper, a i1.2-million son of Sea
the Stars (Ire).
You were extremely active at Arqana recently,
purchasing the sales topper for Sheikh Joaan bin
Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Those are some rapid
strides since your inception in 2007. Tell us a little bit
about your history and about the key players in yourorganization.
NDW: My whole family is involved in racing. My father
is a breeder and my brother is a trainer. I started in theindustry as a gentleman-rider, and moved on to getexperience at home/abroad with various studfarms--Mezeray, Niarchos,Shadwell, Arrowfield, Coolmore
Australia, and Lane=s End. I
spent time with several trainers,
too, including Luca Cumani.
However, I found my vocation
when working at Magic Millions
in Australia. I learned so much
Nicolas de Watrigant about yearling selection fromTony Williams, as we looked atwww.mandore-agency.com
thousands of yearlings together.
I started my own bloodstockagency, Mandore International,
on returning to France [in 2007]. I had to start fromscratch and work on finding new clients. I decided tofocus on the Middle East--Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai--andalso bought some yearlings for various French owners
and trainers. Thanks to my uncle, I was introduced tothe Tsui family, who have been great supporters since
day one.
I work very closely with my father, my brother, andnow my fiancee Meryl, who assists me very closely. I=msurrounded by a strong team of valued and enthusiastic
professionals.
How did you come to represent the Al-Thani family?
NDW: A few years ago, I purchased a champion
Arabian racehorse called Akim de Ducor for Nasser AlAttiyah. He was the one who first introduced me toSheikh Joaan Al Thani.
What were you looking for last week on behalf ofSheikh Al-Thani? Was there anything specific, or justthe best individuals you could find?

NDW: The Sheikh has a great passion for horse
racing and is looking forward to winning as many races,at the highest level, as he can. The horses purchased at
Deauville will remain in training in France, and thenumber of horses will probably grow.
We reported on his first winner in France last week,with a 2011 Arqana yearling which won at first asking
at Dax. Does he plan on having an internationalpresence as well?
NDW: First yearling purchase, first runner, firstwinner was a pretty good start. In the years to come,his ambition is to compete in top-class races around theworld.
While Al-Thani was perhaps your most prominent client,
he certainly wasn't your only one. Tell us about someof the others.
NDW: As mentioned previously, I have been
supported by Urban Sea=s owner Mrs. Tsui. I am
involved with the management and promotion of Sea
the Stars. I=ve also had the trust of a number ofbreeders such as Mr. Jarlan, the Jeffroy family, andHaras d=Haspel. I bought a mare for Haras d=Haspel inJuly 2010 for i10,000, and just sold the yearling fori110,000. Also, there are various owners and trainersthat I bought yearlings and horses-in-training for.
Will we be seeing you at Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton overthe coming months?
NDW: I=ll probably come over to Kentucky for thebreeding stock sales later in the year.
Well, it's certainly been an exciting period for Mandore
International. What does the future hold?
NDW: We have some pretty exciting projects for thefuture, and I hope to develop more relationships with
America and Asia. I=d also like to put a racing syndicate
together and try to find more people who want to share
our passion of racing and breeding in France. It makes
sense over here, with the value of prize money andpremiums.