7 minute read
No shortage of class
No shortage
OF CLASS
As Nancy Sexton reports, this year’s collection of first-crop yearling sires looks particularly strong
here is no shortage of Classic talent among this year’s class of first-crop yearling stallions.T
The group naturally includes several expensive names but out of all of them, it was arguably the 2016 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad, priced at €15,000 by Derrinstown Stud, who emerged from last year’s foal sales with particular credit. A series of well-conformed individuals attracted the attention of pinhookers, allowing this well-related son of Cape Cross to record a foal average of 62,655 guineas.
Another miler of real quality during the same season was The Gurkha, the latest son of Galileo to come under scrutiny from Coolmore. He packed a lot into his three-year-old season, making the leap from maiden winner to dual Gr.1 hero –namely the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Sussex Stakes – in less than four months and was one of the most popular new recruits of 2017 with 175 mares.
Meanwhile, Harzand, the Aga Khan’s Epsom and Irish Derby winner, deservedly attracted the attention of several notable breeders in his first season and it is hoped their support will be rewarded if the resulting produce head to auction.
“Harzand was such a tough, sound, genuine racehorse with a wonderful temperament and mental strength,” says Pat Downes, Manager of Gilltown Stud where Harzand stands. “Breeders report they are very nice individuals to work with, quick learners and very willing to please.”
“We also have some nice stock by him on both the Irish and French farms, the standout being a half-brother to Zarkava, as well as a particularly nice filly from the immediate family of Blandford Stakes winner Katiyra and a very nice halfbrother to Siyouni.”
As for Prix du Jockey Club winner New Bay, he has the backing of a powerful collection of owners led by Ballylinch Stud. He is also very well-connected, as a Dubawi relation to Kingman and Oasis Dream.
Harzand
While New Bay’s first foals were well-received last winter, Ballylinch must have also taken real satisfaction in the sales performance of their other young inmate Fascinating Rock, whose first crop sold for up to €185,000. Maurice Regan’s Tattersalls Gold Cup and QIPCO Champion Stakes winner was a tough and sound performer, assets that will surely stand him in good stead at stud.
Various pinhookers also had good words to say for the progeny of Gr.2 winners Adaay and Estidhkaar, whose progeny realised up to 180,000 gns and €100,000 respectively. Both are armed with commercial profiles - Adaay is a son of Kodiac while Estidhkaar is by Dark Angel - and will be well-represented across the October Sale as a result.
“After Adaay’s first crop shone so brightly at last year’s foals sales he really had a boost coming into 2019,” says Ed Harper, Stud Director of Whitsbury Manor Stud where Sandy Lane and Hungerford Stakes winner Adaay stands. “This helped him cover another fantastic book of mares, just shy of three figures, which will really give him every chance commercially.”
“Having travelled to inspect a good number of his yearlings this summer, it’s clear that they have the typical Kodiac stamp to them. However, I would say he seems to generally be throwing a bit more size than himself as I have seen only a couple of small ‘butty’ ones.”
“Two of his yearlings which I am most looking forward to seeing at Book 2 both sold well as foals. Harry Dutfield purchased a filly out of Pelican Key, who I thought was exceptional, for 35,000 gns. I am also very much looking forward to seeing a colt we sold last year out of Dolly Colman that Glenvale Stud purchased off ourselves for 67,000 gns. He was a rare foal who showed himself off better every day of the inspections and strode round the ring like he owned it.”
Kodiac’s army of young sire sons also includes Celebration Mile winner Kodi Bear and Norfolk Stakes winner Prince Of Lir, while anyone with an interest in Dark Angel’s sire line also has the option of Markaz. Each were pacey horses on the track and reflective of what today’s market so heavily craves - speed. Overall, speed is the prevailing theme within this group. Look no further than either Lanwades Stud’s Bobby’s Kitten, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and the first son of Kitten’s Joy to stud in Europe, or Cheveley Park Stud’s Twilight Son, a tip top sprinter for Henry Candy who fired in a foal average close to 30,000 gns last winter.
Also exciting is Haras de Bouquetot’s Shalaa, a brilliant two-year-old who won the Middle Park Stakes and Prix Morny. A son of noted sire of sires Invincible Spirit, his foals really caught the imagination of buyers last winter, returning an average of 83,632 gns and a top price of 240,000 gns.
Invincible Spirit is also represented as the sire of Territories, a relation to Shamardal who won the Prix Jean Prat. He is one of a battalion of young sires under the Darley umbrella alongside Belardo, Charming Thought, The Last Lion and Buratino.
“Obviously Territories is an Invincible Spirit, whose sons Kingman and I Am Invincible are flying, and hails from the stallion family of Shamardal and Street Cry,” says David Walsh, a member of the nominations team at Darley. “He
was a fantastic racehorse himself and has been very well-supported.
“Like him, his progeny tend to be athletic, good-bodied, attractive horses with good outlooks. I think you can see Invincible Spirit in them.
“His first foals were purchased by a number of good buyers, including TallyHo Stud, who bought his top-priced foal [a 70,000 gns colt out of Balance].”
There is also a good word for the first crop of champion two-year-old Belardo, winner of the Dewhurst and Lockinge Stakes and the first son of Lope De Vega to stud.
“He’s getting good-moving sorts,” says Walsh. “They’re athletic types with decent scope to them.
“He had a strong foal sales season and again, they went to some good buyers - the likes of Glenvale Stud, Jamie Railton and Amanda Skiffington each bought foals.”
The Last Lion, meanwhile, recorded a top price of 60,000 gns courtesy of a colt knocked down to Jeremy Brummitt. An exceptionally tough character, his ten starts at two took in victories in the Brocklesby and Middle Park Stakes, a race also won in his year by fellow Darley stallion Charming Thought.
“The Last Lion was a good-bodied horse himself who was a sharp twoyear-old,” says Walsh, “and he seems to be getting sharp types like himself. They tend to move well too.”
Of Charming Thought, Walsh adds: “He was a 625,000 gns yearling and he’s throwing strong-bodied horses with good tops and quarters like himself - I think you can see his sire Oasis Dream in them. The encouraging Bobby’s Kitten
aspect with him is the number of breeders who used him again in his second season on the strength of his first foals.”
Juvenile talent is also a key element to the profile of Coventry Stakes winner Buratino, another precocious type who has the additional allure of being related to champion sire Danehill Dancer.
“He’s an Exceed And Excel and as can be typical of that line, he seems to be siring sharp, precocious types,” says Walsh. “They’re well-balanced types with good bone. He was very talented himself and of course he’s related to Danehill Dancer, so has the family to go with it.”
A classy female family is also one of the selling points behind former Coolmore shuttler Pride Of Dubai, a Gr.1-winning juvenile in his native Australia who is closely related to Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.
The sizeable first crop belonging to Richmond and July Stakes winner Mehmas, meanwhile, included a colt foal sold for 85,000 gns. His studmate, Prix du Moulin winner Vadamos, will also have plenty of auction ammunition given his first book comprised 187 mares.
In addition, there will be Book 2 representation from Temple Stakes winner Pearl Secret, a tough sprinter and welcome member of the Ahonoora sire line.
As ever, the October Sale will also offer buyers the choice of a select group of accomplished American-based stallions. Several should be well known to European eyes, notably champion two-year-old Air Force Blue, who stands at Coolmore’s Kentucky arm, and the Dansili horse Flintshire, a $9 million earner for Juddmonte Farms.
Book 1 will also contain representation from Shadwell’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero Tamarkuz, as well as Golden Slipper Stakes winner Vancouver, a former shuttler to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud.
