Breezers At Stud Testament To Quality On Offer

The European breeze-up sector prides itself as a source of quality, a notion that held particular weight in 2021 as graduates Native Trail (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) signed off their juvenile campaigns with victories in the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Middle Park S.

Added to that, various graduates are currently more than holding their own at stud. This isn't a new development–older representatives such as Society Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) each sired Group 1 winners in their first crops–but it is one that has gained real momentum in the past few years and, as such, the breeze-up industry heads into 2022 on a particularly strong footing when it comes to advertising itself as a source of successful stallions.

Of course, a horse good enough to take up a place at stud can come from anywhere, whether it be as the product of an owner/breeder or a purchase at auction. However, there are some factors at play that may explain the breeze-up sector's growing influence.

Firstly, pinhookers naturally target horses that will come to hand relatively early, or at least stand up to the rigours of early training. They are widely regarded as excellent judges of young horses; after all, they are often spending their own money, making the need for a good-looking, well-balanced horse imperative.

As a result, a number of the horses that go through the breeze-up system will be bred to be quick and/or possess the early physical strength to hold commercial appeal. Graduates such as A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}), Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB), Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Prince Of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis) and Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), all of whom shone over sprint distances at two, fall into that category as does Far Above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), who captured the G3 Palace House S. as a 4-year-old before retiring to Starfield Stud.

As we know, such precocity and speed is coveted by the stallion market. Throw in the likelihood of the horse in question being a correct and athletic individual and the opportunities are immediately there for him to take up stallion duties as a commercial prospect.

Kodiac in Demand

That is also particularly true if the horse is a son of Kodiac (Danehill). The Tally-Ho Stud stalwart is a favourite among breeze-up buyers for his ability to throw sharp, fast individuals and given his recent emergence as an accomplished sire of sires, it is no surprise to see several of his stakes-producing sons sit at the forefront of the breeze-up sire movement, notably Ardad, Prince Of Lir and Adaay (Ire). Of Kodiac's others sons, Kodi Bear (Ire) has been represented by the talented breezers Go Bears Go (Ire), himself surely in line for a place at stud as a Group 2-winning 2-year-old, and Mystery Angel (Ire), while Coulsty (Ire) is sire of the top American filly Shantisara (Ire), another breezer.

It was arguably the emergence of Ardad as Britain's leading first-crop sire for Overbury Stud last season that set the seal on Kodiac's arrival as a noted sire of sires.

Winner of the G2 Flying Childers S. for John Gosden following his purchase for £170,000 by Blandford Bloodstock at the 2016 Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, it stood to reason that Ardad would throw fast runners and so it proved, with Perfect Power and G3 winner Eve Lodge (GB) contributing to an excellent first crop that currently contains 23 winners.

As such, last season's sales saw him return a yearling average of 53,516gns–a rise of 246% from 2020–while the stallion himself earned a fee increase to £12,500 from £4,000.

There are shades of Ardad in Mickley Stud's new recruit Ubettabelieveit, another Kodiac breezer who won the G2 Flying Childers S. Ubettabelieveit was a 50,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase by the dynamic duo of Roger Marley and John Cullinan of Church Farm and Horse Park Stud. All was going well for them with the colt until Covid hit and ravaged the 2020 breeze-up season. Consequently, Ubettabelieveit was sold privately to trainer Nigel Tinkler on behalf of Martin Webb Racing.

“I'd seen the horse in Book 1 but had left to go home,” recalls Cullinan. “Roger rang me and said that this horse seemed to be falling through the cracks and that we should have a go. I'd no problem buying a Kodiac, as he's been very good to us, and this horse had a fast look to him.

“He showed plenty of boot from an early stage. I remember Nigel rang looking for something so he went to Roger's, rode two of them himself and picked Ubettabelieveit.”

Webb and Richard Kent of Mickley Stud were busy at the sales stocking up on mares to send to Ubettabelieveit, who stands for £5,000. However, he has also attracted plenty of outside interest.

“He's gone down very well,” says Kent. “Some shrewd Irish breeders have bought into him.

“Every day you open the paper and a son of Kodiac has had another winner. They seem to have this unusual aspect where they have loads of speed and a very good temperament. The two don't often go together–it's more speed and lunacy. We'll be supporting him with 40 mares of our own. It's stuck with me how they have always done it at Tally-Ho. I remember Tony O'Callaghan saying that if you can't support them yourself, then how can you expect others to do so?”

Speed aligned with a sober temperament is also a major key to Mehmas. Like Ubettabelieveit, the son of Acclamation is a graduate of Church Farm and Horse Park, having been sourced as a yearling for 62,000gns. He went on to resell for 170,000gns to Peter and Ross Doyle on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing at the Tattersalls Craven Sale and sent to Richard Hannon, won less than a month later at Chester. Victories in the G2 July S. and G2 Richmond S. followed as well as placings in the G1 National S. and G1 Middle Park S. before his retirement ahead of his 3-year-old year to Tally-Ho Stud.

Today, Mehmas boasts 16 stakes winners headed by the Group/Grade 1 winners Supremacy (Ire) and Going Global (Ire), and is the champion first- and second-crop sire of his generation. A revelation at stud, his success has been achieved off fees of €10,000 and €12,500, and he will stand for €50,000 in 2022.

“Mehmas never gave any impression that he was smart when I had him as he was so laid back,” says Cullinan. “When I sent him over to Roger, I said to him that I thought there was some improvement to be had but it was hard to tell as he was completely horizontal. Then when he was first asked to quicken, he went whoosh.

“Hannon asked me when he'd bought him whether he should give him a break but I said no, kick on and run him. He ran him at Chester about only 20 days afterwards, which he won, and then he won again about ten days after that at Newbury.

“I remember seeing him the day after he won the Richmond and it was like he was out on a pony trek. It's that attitude that he puts into his stock. If there's three in a line with a furlong to go, I know I'd like to be backing the Mehmas because they put their head down and try for you.”

Support for A'Ali

Tally-Ho is rarely far from the action as far as breeze-ups are concerned, whether as the home of Mehmas or the vendors of such accomplished runners as Ardad, Perfect Power and Dream Ahead, himself the sire of four Group 1 winners who has relocated to Bearstone Stud for 2022.

The stud also bred A'Ali, another fast horse who is new to Newsells Park Stud at a fee of £7,500. Like his sire Society Rock, A'Ali was a breeze-up purchase by Anthony Stroud, in his case for £135,000 from Star Bloodstock at Goffs UK in 2019. Sent to Simon Crisford, he swept the G2 Norfolk S., G2 Prix Robert Papin and G2 Flying Childers S. at two and trained on to win the G3 Coral Charge and G2 Sapphire S. at three.

“He really was an admirable performer,” says Julian Dollar, general manager of Newsells Park Stud. “He's a neat, straightforward horse and I'm told he was well recommended at the breeze-ups by Matt Eves and Byron Rogers [of Star Bloodstock], where he set a good time.

“He danced every dance at two and turned up again at three. He's got an excellent temperament, he's a very enthusiastic character, and if he throws that, his progeny will have a fighting chance.

“He'll be well supported. We're planning to send Maureen, a fast Group 3 winner, as well as My Special J's, who won the Debutante and is a stakes producer, and Pelerin, a stakes-winning Shamardal mare. We also bought a mare last year called Pretty In Grey–she is a listed-placed half-sister to Lady Bowthorpe and she will go to A'Ali as well.”

Outside mares slated to visit A'Ali also include the listed scorers Riskit Fora Biskit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Fig Roll (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), herself dam of Group 3 winner Al Raya (Siyouni {Fr}).

Bansha Gems

A productive association between Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and the breeze-ups also includes Group 1-winning sprinter Sands Of Mali, one of the highlights of the 2017 Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-Up Sale when purchased by the agency for £75,000, and G2 Norfolk S. winner Prince Of Lir, who sold for £170,000 at Goffs UK in 2016. Both were purchased on behalf of the Cool Silk Partnership, sold by Bansha House Stables and now form part of the roster at Ballyhane Stud.

Prince Of Lir sired G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) in his first crop while Sands Of Mali covered 152 mares in his first season in 2021 at €6,500.

“I just loved Sands Of Mali,” says their consignor Con Marnane. “I'd had his brother Kadrizzi, who had been very fast, so I knew the family, and then Sands Of Mali was this big, gorgeous yearling, very imposing.

“I remember he was one of the first ones to breeze that day at Ascot. It was very bad weather and he had hail stones hitting his head, yet he still did a very good breeze.”

He adds, “I've sent a couple of mares to him. I'm a big fan and if they have anything like his temperament and will to win, they'll be ok.”

Marnane is also looking forward to seeing how another former graduate Robin Of Navan (Fr) (American Post {GB}) performs at stud. Also purchased by Stroud Coleman, in his case as an Arqana breezer, he went on to win the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud for Harry Dunlop and now stands at Haras de la Barbottiere in France alongside fellow Group 1-winning breezer Donjuan Triumphant (Ire) (Dream Ahead), a graduate of Lynn Lodge Stud.

French breeders also have access to G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a graduate of Grove Stud who threw last year's German listed winner Mylady (Ger) from his first crop for Haras du Petit Tellier, and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Le Brivido (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who holds court at Haras de la Haie Neuve.

France was also formerly home to The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Compromised by fertility problems, the ill-fated stallion sired last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Coeursamba (Fr).

American Influence

European breezers have traditionally fared well in the US–think War Of Will (War Front), Ete Indien (Summer Front), Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire) and Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice)–and in return, they now exert a growing presence within the American stallion ranks.

Chief among them is Claiborne Farm's War Of Will. Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Ltd from their famous Aviance family, War Of Will was pinhooked by Norman Williamson out of the Keeneland September Sale and reoffered at the Arqana May Breeze-up, where he was sold to Justin Casse on behalf of Gary Barber and returned to the States.

Under the care of Mark Casse, he developed into a top-flight and versatile performer, winning the GI Preakness S. on dirt and GI Maker's Mark Mile on turf.

He sits among a clutch of top-class performers to pass through the hands of Williamson's Oak Tree Farm, which hit Group 1 heights again last year as the vendor of unbeaten champion 2-year-old Native Trail. Williamson also pinhooked and sold Australian Group 1 winner Contributor (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}), now a young Group 1 sire at Mapperley Stud in New Zealand.

“War Of Will was a half-brother to Pathfork, a very good 2-year-old in Ireland, and so I thought the pedigree might translate well over here,” recalls Williamson. “He had a backward look to him as a yearling but I still thought he would make plenty. When he didn't sell, I went straight back to them and luckily was able to come to a deal.

“He was a big horse even then, very well-balanced with a good shoulder and a big stride on him. Even though he was big, he still packed a fair bit in as a 2-year-old–he was second in the Grade I in Canada [Summer S.] and beaten only three lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, so that just tells you how good he was. And then of course, he went on to win his Grade Is as an older horse.”

War Of Will was very popular in his first season at $25,000, covering 143 mares–a Claiborne record–to place him in a strong position to extend Danzig's legacy at the farm.

“We had been looking for the heir apparent to War Front and we believe War Of Will could fill that void,” says Walker Hancock, president of Claiborne Farm. “War Front has 15 sons who have sired stakes winners and War Of Will is arguably his most accomplished son with the strongest pedigree.

“He also fits my grandfather's criteria to a tee; he showed precocious juvenile form by being a Grade I performer at two, he won an American Classic at three, trained on to win a Grade I at four, has a fantastic pedigree and is a strong physical to match.

“It's amazing how similar he is to War Front. They have the same physical from the side, with War Of Will being half a hand taller at 16.2. We expect his offspring to be just bigger models than the normal War Fronts, which is often his only critique.”

Grade I versatility also underpins the race record of Taylor Made Stallions' Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro). He was a good pinhook for Johnny Collins of Brown Island Stables, blossoming from a $10,000 yearling into a €170,000 breezer and, like War Of Will, pulled off the notable feat of scoring at the top level on dirt and turf as winner of the GI Donn H. and GI Gulfstream Park Turf H.

That theme of versatility is now shining through at stud, with his first crop headlined by French Group 3 winner Bellharbour Music, another European breezer, and G3 Pennine Ridge S. winner Sainthood. He also boasts a promising British-based runner in three-time scorer Mobashr, fittingly also a Brown Island pinhook.

New York, meanwhile, is home to the Mocklershill graduate Mr. Monomoy. Another Arqana May breezer, the half-brother to Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) returned to the U.S. upon a bid of €180,000 from Mandore International and went on to win the 2020 GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. He is about to commence his second season at Waldorf Farm.

There was an era when breeze-ups, certainly those in Europe, were viewed primarily as a last chance to move young stock on, an idea that today firmly lives in the past. However, it is also a testament to the relentless improvement in the quality of horses on offer that they today are viewed as a legitimate source of successful stallions. Who knows, perhaps another Mehmas or Ardad is lurking within this year's collection.

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Value Sires Part 5: First 3-Year-Olds

In this penultimate edition of the Value Sires Series, we look at stallions that had their first runners last year, and will therefore have their first 3-year-olds in 2022.

With the numbers for 2021 tallied, this group actually appears to be a deep one, with plenty of them having done enough to go into their second years with a legitimate shot to still make it as a sire. While the last two cohorts produced runaway leaders in Mehmas (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire), this year the riches were much more spread out among a group of promising young horses.

Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was leading first-season sire of 2021 by winners (35), wins (55), black-type horses (8) and earnings in Europe (£796,103), just shading the expatriated Caravaggio (Scat Daddy). The latter's four stakes winners were headed by the G1 Cheveley Park S. victress Tenebrism (Ire), and also included the G2 Debutante S. and G3 Silver Flash S.-winning and G1 Moyglare Stud S. second Agartha (Ire). Caravaggio has two more Irish-conceived crops to come; he was expatriated to Coolmore's Kentucky satellite Ashford Stud last year and will stand for $35,000 in 2022.

Overbury Stud's Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was quick to make his mark last season, and he wrapped up the year with 23 winners and two stakes winners: the G1 Middle Park S., G1 Prix Morny and G2 Norfolk S. winner Perfect Power (GB), and the G3 Sirenia S. scorer Eve Lodge (GB). Ardad also had the G2 Coventry S. third Vintage Clarets (GB). It will be interesting to see how Ardad's progeny develop: he himself won the G2 Flying Childers S. at two but failed to flourish at three. His dam only ran at two but her sire, Red Clubs (Ire), was a Coventry winner who trained on to be a group winner at three and a Group 1 winner at four. Should Ardad's progeny continue their upward trajectory, the breeders who sent 138 mares to him last year at a fee of £4,000 could be handsomely rewarded at the sales. Ardad is up to £12,500 this year.

The nod for leading European-based first-season sire by stakes winners last year went to the National Stud's Time Test (GB) with four. Two of those four were group winners, but Time Test's highest-rated runner thus far is actually the group-placed Sunset Shiraz (Ire), who was placed in the G1 Moyglare Stud S., G2 Debutante S., G3 Park S. and Listed Staffordstown Stud S. last year before breaking her maiden in her seventh start. She is clearly a filly with plenty of ability, and Time Test himself, like his damsire Dansili (GB), was an excellent runner without being a Group 1 winner. A triple group winner and dual Group 1-placed, Time Test stood his first four seasons at the National Stud for £8,500, and is up to £15,000 this year.

Time Test was one of two outstanding sons of Dubawi in this cohort, the other being the Aga Khan's homebred G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud scorer Zarak (Fr). France's leading first-season sire, Zarak sired two stakes winners last year but like Time Test, his highest-earning horse is not yet a black-type winner: that is Purplepay (Fr), who was third in the G1 Criterium International last year before selling to American owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson for €2-million at Arqana's December Sale. After standing his first four seasons for €12,000, Zarak jumps to €25,000 for 2022 and is booked full. Standing for the same fee is Coolmore's Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who sired three listed winners last year. And though the four-time Group 1 winner and dual Classic winner has not yet provided a pattern-race winner, there is reason to believe there is more to come: Churchill sired more runners rated 100+ by Racing Post ratings last year (6) in this cohort, with an additional four rated 90+.

Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), as his name suggests, was fast out of the gates with his first runners last spring, and he wound up the year with three stakes winners-and two stakes placed–and 29 overall winners, headed by the G2 Queen Mary S. winner Quick Suzy (Ire). Profitable has been one of the busiest sires of this group and after dipping slightly to €10,000 last year, is up to a career-high €12,500 for 2022.

G1 Prix de la Foret victor Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was busy churning out winners last year, his 27 leaving him not far from the top of the table, and he is available for £6,000 at the National Stud. Ribchester (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) turned out a noteworthy three 'TDN Rising Stars' in his first year with runners, in addition to the Listed Doncaster S. winner Flaming Rib (Ire), and the four-time Group 1-winning miler is down to a career-low €12,500 in 2022.

VALUE PODIUM

BronzeEl Kabeir (Scat Daddy): Caravaggio wasn't the only son of Scat Daddy to jump up in this group: there was also El Kabeir, Yeomanstown Stud's American purchase who made a big early impression with three stakes winners among his 14 winners. Those were headed by the G2 Gran Criterium scorer Don Chicco (Ire), and El Kabeir also had Harrow (Ire) and Rerouting (Ire) placed respectively in the G3 Tattersalls S. and G3 Solario S. last year. Another indication of the quality of El Kabeir's stock is that he had four runners rated 100+ by RPR last year; a number bettered only by Churchill and Galileo Gold in this group. A Grade II winner at two who trained on to win a Grade III at three, El Kabeir remains at €6,000 in 2022, the same fee at which he stood last year and down slightly from the €8,000 he cost his first three years.

SilverGalileo Gold (Ire) (Paco Boy {Ire}): In addition to his studmate Cotai Glory, Galileo Gold has provided Tally-Ho Stud with a formidable duo in this sire crop. Like Ardad and Time Test, Galileo Gold provided two group winners last year, and he, Ardad and Caravaggio were the only sires in this group to provide a Group 1 winners in their first season with runners, his being the hardy and admirable G1 Phoenix S. winner and G1 National S. third Ebro River (Ire), while the filly Oscula won the G3 Prix Six Perfections and was placed in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, G2 Rockfel S., G2 Prix du Calvados, and G3 Albany S.-those two started a noteworthy nine and 10 times, respectively, last year. Galileo Gold won the G2 Vintage S. and was third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two before winning the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. at three, and his stock look like they have the scope to train on, with five achieving RPRs of 100+ already. A close relative of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the family of Montjeu (Ire), Galileo Gold stands for €7,000, having dipped to €5,000 in 2021.

GoldCotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}): this year's leading first-season sire by earnings, winners, wins and black-type horses gains another plaudit by picking up the gold medal on the TDN Value Sires Podium. Cotai Glory melds influences of class and toughness, being by Exceed and Excel out of a daughter of Elusive Quality-also the broodmare sire of successful sires No Nay Never and Deep Field (Aus)-and Cotai Glory exhibited those traits himself, running 30 times across four seasons. He won black-type races in each of his first three seasons and was Group 1-placed at four and five, including when a neck second to Profitable in the G1 King's Stand S. In addition to having three runners rated 100+ by RPR, Cotai Glory has seven rated 90+, providing hope that they, like he, will train on. Cotai Glory is up to a career-high, but still highly reasonable, €8,500 for 2022.

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More Freshman Glory For Tally-Ho

It was extremely unlikely that any first-season sire this year would even get close to the record-breaking 56 winners for Mehmas (Ire) in 2020. That feat was made all the more remarkable by the fact that the start of the Flat season was delayed for several months by the pandemic-induced shutdown of racing.

Leaving this huge tally aside, in any other year 35 first-crop winners at a strike-rate of 40% would be more than respectable, and it is this number, and £788,531 in progeny earnings in 2021, that sees Mehmas's fellow Tally-Ho Stud resident Cotai Glory become the leading freshman in Europe. The son of Exceed And Excel's eight black-type performers were led by the G2 Prix Robert Papin winner Atomic Force (Ire), while Purciaretta (Ire) won a Listed contest in Italy and Eldrickjones (Ire) was runner-up in the G2 Coventry S.

On the prize-money front, Cotai Glory only narrowly shaded Caravaggio, who spent three years at Coolmore in Ireland before being relocated to Ashford Stud in Kentucky for the 2021 covering season. He remains there and now has some bragging rights from a first-crop Group 1 winner in the lightly-raced but unbeaten Cheveley Park S. victrix Tenebrism. The G2 Debutante S. winner and G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Agartha (Ire) was another smart performer for Caravaggio, who had 24 winners in Europe overall. 

The former breeze-up graduate Ardad (Ire) was third in Europe and is the leading freshman in Britain, with his 23 winners including the dual Group 1 hero Perfect Power (Ire) and G3 Sirenia S. winner Eve Lodge (GB), as well as the G2 Coventry S. third Vintage Clarets (GB). Ardad's popularity rose accordingly at the yearling and foal sales this year which will have made up for the fact that his 2021 foal crop consisted of just 18 members. He covered a three-figure book of mares at Overbury Stud in 2021, however, and that will be repeated this covering season.

While Tally-Ho Stud can enjoy some reflected glory in having bred both Ardad and Perfect Power, greater enjoyment will doubtless be derived from the start made by another of the farm's stallions, the 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold (GB). He too had a Group 1 winner, from his former stable of Hugo Palmer, in Ebro River (Ire), as well as Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Oscula (Ire) and the Listed winner System (Ire) among six stakes performers and 24 winners.

The G2 Queen Mary S. winner Quick Suzy (Ire) was the star of the first crop of Darley's Profitable (Ire), who amassed a decent haul of 28 winners, with two Listed scorers among them. 

In sixth in Europe and leading the French contingent was the regally-bred Zarak (Fr), whose 2022 book was full early on the back of his 17 winners, led by the Arqana sales race winner and G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr), who subsequently sold for €2 million in December to race on in America. Zarak was also represented by the German Group 3 winner Lizard (Ger) and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Times Square (Fr). 

A trio of Listed winners and the Group 2-placed Unconquerable (Ire) and The Acropolis (Ire) led a bunch of 25 winners for Coolmore's Churchill (Ire), while Yeomanstown Stud's El Kabeir has the champion juvenile in Italy in Group 2 winner Don Chicco (GB), as well as Listed winners Sa Filonzana (Ire) and Masekela (Ire), the latter having also been runner-up in the G2 Superlative S.

Behind him in ninth was the National Stud's Aclaim (Ire), who steadily compiled a list of 26 winners, the leading light of which was Cachet (Ire), with four stakes places including third in the G1 Fillies' Mile. 

Completing the top ten on prize-money was the Queen's son of Galileo (Ire), Recorder (GB), who stands in France under the Sumbe banner and had Listed victrix Hot Queen among his eight winners. 

Just outside the European top ten, Time Test (GB), like Zarak a son of Dubawi,  caught plenty of people's attention with his quartet of stakes winners from 11 winners in total. 

Dream Ahead's son Al Wukair (Ire) made a pleasing start in France at Haras de Bouquetot with 15 winners, while similar comments apply to his stud-mate Zelzal (Ire), by Sea The Stars (Ire), who notched 11 winners. 

Towards the end of the season there were some decent maiden winners being posted by two sons of Galileo (Ire) whose stock can be expected to progress: Ulysses (Ire) and Highland Reel (Ire), who ended the year with 16 and 12 winners respectively.

The Irish National Stud's National Defense (GB) was represented by only 14 runners, but they included five winners, with the standout being the French Listed winner and G2 Queen Mary S. runner-up Twilight Gleaming (Ire), who went on the win the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for Wesley Ward and Stonestreet Stables.

The aforementioned Zarak headed the first-season sire lists in his native France and also in Germany, where he has one of the best juveniles in the country in Lizaid, while El Kabeir's Don Chicco ensured that he topped the list in Italy. 

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Foal Sale Strong To The End At Tattersalls

NEWMARKET, UK–As the prices dipped from Friday's bumper session to a more modest level, so did Newmarket's weather, which settled into relentless icy rain for almost the entire concluding session of foals at Park Paddocks.

Such gloomy exterior conditions could not dim the demand for bloodstock in the ring, however. We're not even into December yet, but Tattersalls can be satisfied with heartening levels of trade at the halfway house of its lengthy December Sale, with just four days of fillies and mares to come from Monday.

On Friday, Genesis Green Stud's Dubawi (Ire) colt brought the hammer down at a whopping 1.8 million gns, a sum not seen for a foal at Tattersalls, or anywhere in Europe, since Urban Sea's daughter My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) sold for the same price 19 years ago. And that had only even been bettered once, five years earlier, when Padua's Pride (Ire) (Caerleon), a sister to Generous, reached an eye-watering 2.5 million gns.

“The highest-priced foal sold in Europe since 2002, 14 of the 15 highest-priced foals sold in Europe this year, turnover in excess of 30 million guineas and a clearance rate bettered only twice this century are all impressive statistics reinforcing the status of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale as the premier sale of its kind in Europe,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony as the sale drew to a close.

“The obvious highlight of the past four days was the spectacular sale of the Swinburn family's outstanding Dubawi colt out of their wonderful mare Madonna Dell'orto for 1.8 million guineas–the highest price for a foal in Europe and North America this year–but the real feature of the 2021 renewal of Europe's premier foal sale has been the unrelenting British and Irish demand from start to finish.” 

That feature has not been reserved for the foal market, with the strength of the yearling sales having more than once this week been cited as a reason for buyers to get in a year early. The extra months of keep are clearly judged as a small price to pay when set against current yearling prices. 

This year's foal catalogue was significantly larger than last, when the December Sale was staged as a further lockdown beckoned, and as a result, 105 more foals were sold in 2021, with 734 of the 906 offered being marked as sold. Naturally, the aggregate improved, by 19% to 31,301,500gns, which was also up on 2019 levels. The median rose by 25% to 25,000gns–beyond that recorded for the last two years–and the average was up slightly, by 2%, to 42,645gns. The clearance rate of 81% also moved up from 79%.

Trade on a solid final day saw the average rise by 22% to 16,557gns when another 2,400,700gns was added to the overall tally for 145 weanlings sold.

Mahony added, “Strong yearling sales drive the foal trade and the significant rises in all the key indicators this week reflect the extraordinary strength of the market throughout the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and also pay tribute to the endeavours of the pinhookers who have worked tirelessly all week. Owners looking for quality foals to race in the future have also made a major contribution to a successful sale, but as ever during the December Foal Sale, Park Paddocks has primarily been the domain of the British and Irish pinhookers, joined by many of their counterparts from throughout Europe. 

“The sustained demand at all levels has been notable and the record number of foals selling for 50,000 guineas or more has demonstrated a depth to the market which is encouraging as we turn our attention to a quality renewal of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which begins on Monday and showcases the finest breeding stock to be found in Europe.”

Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics will eventually race the top lot of the final session, a second-crop son of Expert Eye (GB) who had caught the expert eye of that operation's buyer and advisor Joe Foley. The Ballyhane Stud master has his own stallions to promote but he is also well placed to make astute judgments on those standing elsewhere.

“We have supported the sire well in his first years and we have got some very nice yearlings to go into training by him,” said Foley of Juddmonte's son of Acclamation (GB) after buying lot 1136 for 80,000gns from the Trickledown Stud draft. “We are a fan of the sire, he was a very good racehorse from a very good sire line.”

Bred by Alvediston Stud, the colt is out of the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Respondez (GB), a full-sister to the G1 King's Stand S winner Prohibit (GB).

Foley added, “He looks like Prohibit, freakishly like him, and Oasis Dream mares are very good. He was bred by the Wardalls, who are very good breeders. I have seen all the foals out of the mare over the years and he is the best one out of her. Let's hope he can prove that on the track.”

A filly by Bated Breath (GB) (lot 1070) caught the eye of Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock for 67,000gns. Bought to resell, the bay is also out of an Oasis Dream mare, in this case, the winning Adore (GB). Consigned by Clearwater Stud who picked up the dam for 78,000gns out of the 2016 December Mares Sale, the filly is a half-sister to three winners, while her granddam is the listed-winning Fantasize (GB) (Groom Dancer).

“I love Oasis Dream mares,” said Brown. “She has been bought for a syndicate to resell. Bated Breath has been going well in the US, and we bought with an eye on the US market, as a yearling, she might appear to US purchasers in next year's [Tattersalls October] Book 1.”

Weanlings by two of the leading British-based freshman sires of the season, Time Test (GB) and Ardad (Ire), remained in demand through to the end of the foal sale, with pinhookers Pier House Stud (lot 1137) and Oaks Farm Stables (lot 1084) each going to 67,000gns for colts by Time Test, while Tally-Ho Stud gave 64,000gns for a colt by Ardad (lot 1173), the stallion whom they bred and sold at the breeze-ups.

It is early days of course, but Time Test looks an exciting addition to the line-up of stallions at the National Stud and his yearlings and weanlings have been popular throughout this sales season. For 2022, his fee has risen to £15,000 from £8,500, a level which still looks fair considering his weanling average at Tattersalls this week of 33,077gns from 26 sold. 

National Stud manager Tim Lane is naturally delighted with the start Time Test has made. He said, “He's the first stallion I've ever bought and we've all got behind him as a board, going back to the Duke of Roxburghe, and Ben Sangster, Nicholas Wrigley and now Teddy Grimthorpe. And because we own him we've been able to look after people.”

Lane added, “He'll have to cover a big book next year but thankfully he is a very fertile horse and that won't be a problem for him.”

Similar comments apply to Ardad, whose nine foals this week sold for 34,000gns, which stands up favourably to his 2020 fee of £6,500. The question breeders may now be asking themselves is why more of them didn't use him last year, for Ardad has only 19 foals in this year's crop. It will be a different story in 2022 after he covered more than 150 mares earlier this year, and he will likely be in great demand during the forthcoming breeding season, for which his fee is £12,500.

As ever, backing first-season sires is one of the biggest gambles in breeding. Some will hit and plenty will miss, but if you land on the right one early the rewards can be great. It will be several years before we know the fates of the latest intake, but among those with their first foals on offer over the last four days, and with drafts in double figures, Too Darn Hot (GB), Blue Point (Ire), Magna Grecia (Ire), Advertise (Ire) and Ten Sovereigns (Ire) all returned averages in excess of 50,000gns. In fact, in another record for Tattersalls, 204 foals sold throughout the four days reached a price of 50,000gns or more. 

The ring will fall quiet on Sunday as breeders turn their attention to recruiting new broodmares from the final leg of the December Sale, which will get underway on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

The post Foal Sale Strong To The End At Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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