in their own words... Golden Horn: the 2015 champion three-year-old is a “gorgeous-looking horse with an impeccable temperament”
In their own words...
We asked stallion managers and nomination teams to give us the inside story on their stallions with first-crop yearlings on offer this autumn. We kick off with Darley Europe, which has a wide variety of stallions with debut sales stock, from Club horses to shuttle sires to the wonderful champion Golden Horn Golden Horn: champion son of Cape Cross
“Racing for Anthony Oppenheimer, Golden Horn was Horse of the Year and rated the World’s Best Turf Horse in 2015. A record breaking two-year-old, he won four Group 1s, including the Derby, for which he is the best Derby winner since his paternal half-brother Sea The Stars, and also the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. “He is a gorgeous-looking horse with an impeccable temperament and is by our own Cape Cross, so it was wonderful that his breeder Mr Oppenheimer and Sheikh Mohammad agreed to stand him at Dalham Hall Stud. “He had a stellar book of 145 high quality mares in his first-year season and was supported by a truly international clientele
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and some of the best names in the business. “These included breeders such as Eliza Park International, the Aga Khan, Cheveley Park Stud, Gestüt Ammerland, Shadwell Stud, Qatar Bloodstock, Bjorn Nielsen, Stetchworth & Middle Park, ourselves as well as his own breeder Hascombe & Valiant. “Of the 30 life-time breeding rights sold, they are spread across 14 different countries, a marker of his significant global appeal. “Golden Horn has been well supported throughout his first three seasons at stud covering well over 100 mares each year, including Group 1 winners La Cressonniere, Folk Opera, Golden Lilac, Molly Malone; and the dams of Group 1 winners Nathaniel, Amazing Maria, Lumiere, Jack Hobbs and Sea The Moon to name just a few.
“With this quality of book, these mares should produce some nice two-year-olds, but mainly his yearlings look to be classy high-quality future Classic contenders. “Golden Horn’s first foals were very well received, averaging £183,000 at last year’s sales. His top-priced lot, a colt out of Elegant Shadow, sold for 325,000gns. He is now developing into an impressive yearling at Kildangan Stud. “At the Arqana August Yearling Sale we were delighted with the three (two fillies and a colt) by him who made €200,000 each, as well as the Oakgrove Stud-consigned colt out of Longing To Dance, who fetched €170,000. “Golden Horn has some real standouts at Tattersalls October Book 1, including four lots who are half-siblings to Group 1 winners.