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Young Guns: Buyers Have Their Say On The Up-And-Coming Stallions

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry

After a hectic few months perusing this year's foal and yearling crops, we asked the buyers to share their thoughts on the young stallions with first foals and yearlings. From leading bloodstock journalist Nancy Sexton to top pinhooker John Cullinan, the pulse was taken on the ground at Tattersalls where opinions have now been formed on first-crop sires Ghaiyyath (Ire), Earthlight (Ire), Sergei Prokofiev and much more.

Dermot Farrington, agent, on Advertise (GB) & Kameko:

“If you look at the list of people who have bought yearlings and foals by Advertise, it's a long time since a young stallion has attracted the who's who of the bloodstock world, and that's exactly what he has done. Whether it be yearlings to breeze, yearlings to race or foals to pinhook, Advertise has attracted what I would call the best horse men and women in the industry. He's hugely popular among the right people and it truly is amazing. People will say I am biased given I bought the horse and my father-in-law [Martyn Meade] trained him, but I genuinely think he'll be a big success.

“Of the first crop of foals, Kameko is producing some very nice stock. I was actually very disappointed not to buy a colt on Thursday night by Kameko. I was the underbidder on him and Mick Fitzpatrick bought him. Kameko was a classy racehorse and I'd be backing him to do well from what I have seen so far.”

John Cullinan, pinhooker, on Pinatubo (Ire) and Blue Point (Ire):

“Everyone loves the new kids on the block and I'm no different. Ghaiyyath is the new exciting stallion and I was delighted to get a colt by him this week for 240,000gns. He's producing fantastic stock but sure he was the outstanding racehorse of his generation and is by a sire of sires in Dubawi (Ire). Look at Night Of Thunder and New Bay for example. Hopefully Ghaiyyath can carry on in that direction because they are a nice bunch of horses.

“I also bid strong on a Pinatubo on Thursday night but I didn't get him unfortunately. I like what I have seen from him. I don't usually buy many foals by sires who have their first runners the following season because, when you are only buying a few every year, you could leave yourself open. It's a huge risk, huge exposure. Having said that, myself and Roger [Marley] had a chat the other evening, and I hope to God that I am not putting the kiss of death on him now, but we both think Blue Point will have a big season next year. For any horse to win twice in the one week at Royal Ascot, they have to be blessed with uncommon talent. We have one very nice colt by him to breeze next year and, on the strength of what he's been doing, we bought a foal by him this week for 72,000gns, but it's not something we'd do normally.

“The market has been interesting this week and I think we could be facing a tough spell, especially in Britain, which is why we have been concentrating on the top end. The thinking there is, if we do hit a little bump next year, we will have the horses to sell to the recession-proof buyers. And, sure if all else fails, we can go out in a blaze of glory! But in all seriousness, it's been very tough at the sales because everyone has had the same idea. We looked at 136 horses, only vetted 14 of them and came home with three. I'm after leaving myself a little light on numbers but I have some high-end horses, which was the plan. I bought 11 foals last year and the ones I bought cheaply were the ones who didn't make money. The ones I pushed on and gave the few quid for, they left money behind, so I decided to spend my money this year, but on fewer horses at a higher level.”

Nancy Sexton, journalist and pinhooker on Ghaiyyath, Earthlight and King Of Change (GB):

“It's no secret that Ghaiyyath has some lovely foals: they have a look of Dubawi about them but they also have scope and the ones I've seen have been good movers. It's easy to see why they were so popular at Goffs and at Tattersalls.

“I also liked the Earthlight foals: on the whole they were good movers and straightforward. King Of Change wouldn't have many soldiers, but from the small selection over the last two weeks I thought they were good-looking and good-moving horses. He was a little underrated on the track and as a well-bred son of Farhh (GB), anything could happen.”

Eddie O'Leary, Lynn Lodge Stud on Ghaiyyath, Earthlight, Arizona, and Advertise:

“The Ghaiyyaths are gorgeous. They are big lovely-walking foals and they have plenty of quality about them. I've seen plenty of nice Earthlights and there were a few Arizonas who caught my eye as well. I actually underbid the Arizona colt who Peter Nolan bought at Goffs for €60,000. Advertise has his first runners next year and, after what I saw on my gallops at home recently, I was keen to pick up a few foals by him and I'm happy I did. I think he'll do well next year.”

Clare Manning, Boherguy Stud, on Ghaiyyath & Earthlight:

“I'm going to have to nominate two because I have been very impressed by the first foals by Ghaiyyath and Earthlight. They really seem to be stamping their stock. The Ghaiyyaths have plenty of size and are good walkers. He was a brilliant racehorse and is producing fine-bodied individuals. Earthlight is out of a New Approach (Ire) mare, which is obviously a big plus for me, and I have been a fan of what I have seen from him so far.”

Julie Woods, owner, on Ghaiyyath, Sergei Prokofiev & Without Parole (GB):

“Ghaiyyath is putting a nice stamp on his foals and Sergei Prokofiev seems popular as well. We bought a Without Parole because we like the Frankel (GB) line and followed Cracksman (GB) last year. There's a lot to look at but those are the ones we have really concentrated on.”

Freddy Tylicki, agent, on Ghaiyyath, Sergei Prokofiev, Advertise & Blue Point:

“I have been very taken by the Ghaiyyaths and the Sergei Prokofievs. Ghaiyyath is producing very good and attractive foals so let's see if they can run. The Sergei Prokofievs are going down as well as hot biscuits and he looks like he is stamping his foals. I bought an Advertise foal and it looks as though she was a giveaway as she cost just 2,500gns. I liked him when I saw him at stud and I loved him as a racehorse. I also bought a Blue Point foal and I think they will be fast.”

Joe Foley, Ballyhane Stud, on Sands Of Mali (Fr), Mohaather (GB), Soldier's Call (GB), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB):

“I have been very pleased with the Sands Of Malis. He did well at Goffs and a nice colt sold for 27,000gns so we're very happy with that. In other news, the Mohaathers have been catching my eye. He was a lovely yearling himself, a lovely horse and a very good racehorse, so I was very interested in his foals. They have come back in his real Showcasing (GB) shape and they have that action. They look like runners to me. We bought a few Soldier's Calls last week at Goffs and again this week and I fancy him to do well in his first season next year and to become a good sire. Ten Sovereigns is another stallion whose yearlings I have liked the shape of and we bought a foal by him last week at Goffs. But that's a risky game, buying foals in the hope that the stallion clicks with its first runners.

“Next year is probably one of the most competitive years I can remember for first-season sires but, you know what, the good ones will come through. People are clever nowadays and, with all of the statistics available to everyone, they will be able to spot the good ones at the different price ranges. The likes of Too Darn Hot, who was a very good racehorse, his yearlings look very racey and appear to have plenty of Dubawi about them. I bought a few by him this week so I took a gamble there.

“And, speaking of Dubawi, Ghaiyyath has done well with his first foals. He was the highest-rated horse in the world at one point and is a very good-looking horse with a great attitude and a wonderful pedigree. Not only that, he showed good acceleration for a horse who stayed 10 furlongs. I'd like him as well. There are some very nice horses coming through the ranks which is great because we need some more good stallions. There are very good stallions coming through over the next few years and that's what makes this game so interesting.”

Liam Norris, agent and pinhooker, on Kameko:

“For me the Kameko foals are all a similar type. I like to see a stallion stamping his stock and I have seen a good few of his foals that I've liked.”

Larry Stratton, agent and pinhooker, on Sergei Prokofiev:

“There's a real consistency to the Sergei Prokofiev foals. One after another they have been really strong; he's really stamping them. They have lovely strong tops like himself.”

Amy Lynam, agent, on Mohaather, Without Parole, Too Darn Hot, Magna Grecia (Ire) and Masar (Ire):

“Of those with first foals, I have liked the stock of Mohaather. He's stamping his stock and obviously if they take after him you'd definitely like that. I've liked some of the Without Paroles as well; I think they are good walkers with a bit of quality about them.

“From the first yearlings I liked the Too Darn Hots. They were probably a bit too expensive for me, but I liked them all the same and I am excited to see what he can do. I also bought a yearling by Magna Grecia in Doncaster and he was one of my favourites that I bought. Invincible Spirit (Ire) is a proven sire of sires, Magna Grecia was top class himself and he is very impressive to look at. I also liked Masar's yearlings and it has been great to see his foals sell well this week as well.”

Harry Dutfield, pinhooker, on Earthlight, Sergei Prokofiev, and Kameko:

“Over in Ireland, the Earthlights made the list. At the cheaper end of the scale, Sergei Prokofiev has hit the mark repeatedly, and the Kameko foals are good-bodied sorts. But if you had a small mare, Sergei Prokofiev seems to be stamping them: they are big, brawny, lengthy horses with plenty of size and scope.”

Tom Whelan, pinhooker, on Sergei Prokofiev, Mohaather & Earthlight:

“For me the Sergei Prokofiev foals were the best. I underbid one at 92,000gns. I liked him a lot and I followed one in again today who made 70,000gns. They are good, strong foals.

“I also saw some nice Mohaather foals. Some of them look very like Showcasing and the way he has gone that can't be a bad thing. The Earthlights were also very consistent.”

John Bourke, Hyde Park Stud, on Ghaiyyath, Earthlight, and Soldier's Call:

“Ghiayyath is the one everyone is raving about and the Earthlights are nice as well. I'm not a big foal buyer but I buy a lot of yearlings and mares, they are my big thing, so I'm always watching the young sires coming through. That's one of the most interesting parts of this game for me.

“I might try and buy a mare who is in foal to one of the up-and-coming stallions next week. The way I look at mares is, I'll be looking at sending them to a stallion who will have his first runners next year. I sent two mares to Havana Grey (GB) in April when it looked like he was going to do the business. People can be panicking about getting their mares in foal but I will always keep a few back to see what first-season sires are going well and I'll take a chance on the ones who are showing the right signs.

“Soldier's Call is one I'll be backing. To be honest, I've one or two at home who are being prepared for the breeze-ups and they look like rockets. There's one filly in particular there and, if she can't gallop, I'll be very surprised.”

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Who’s Hot Ahead Of The Tattersalls December Foal Sale?

The insatiable demand for foals was evident in the figures recorded at Goffs last week with turnover rising 16% to €29,561,000 and the average climbing 16% to €40,110.

At the top end of the market, Kingman (GB) dominated with three foals by the Juddmonte-based stallion selling for a combined €1,540,000 and one of Europe's leading pinhookers Philipp Stauffenberg signing for the €550,000 top lot by the sire.

Tally-Ho Stud may be best known for being sellers but they pipped Stauffenberg for the biggest spenders title by signing for 19 foals for €1,429,000. Juddmonte, Yeomanstown, BBA Ireland and Camas Park Stud were also on the front foot at Goffs.

Away from the top end, there were interesting trends to emerge last week that could well impact how this week's December Foal Sale plays out at Tattersalls.

What first-season sires do the buyers want? Who are the emerging forces in the stallion ranks and where might the value lie at Tattersalls? We've examined all of that and more.

Stock In Mehmas And New Bay Is Booming

It's been a breakout year for Mehmas (Ire) and New Bay (GB), who have had their fees for 2023 hiked off the back of memorable campaigns for their respective progeny and, judging by how well their foals went down at Goffs, they can again be expected to play a leading role at Tattersalls.

Let's start with Mehmas, a horse who began his stud career at Tally-Ho in 2017 at a fee of €12,500 and has justified his bump to €60,000 after another memorable campaign, highlighted by Group 1-winning sprinter Minzaal (Ire).

New Bay has done something similar at Ballylinch in that he has climbed the ranks the hard way. He also entered the stallion ranks in 2017, standing for €20,000, but has had his fee for 2023 increased to €75,000 from €37,500 with Bay Bridge (GB), Bayside Boy (Ire) and Saffron Beach (Ire) doing their bit to advertise their stallion's prowess at the highest level this season.

Nine New Bays sold at Goffs for an average of €80,750, headed by colts who sold for €145,000 and €140,000, while Mehmas enjoyed a similarly productive sale with 26 foals selling for an average of €62,455. Four foals by Mehmas broke the €100,000 mark with BBA Ireland going to €160,000 to secure a colt by the stallion.

What's clear about last week's results is that Mehmas and New Bay are the emerging forces in the European stallion ranks. There are 30 foals by Mehmas and 16 New Bays at Tattersalls this week and it will be interesting to see how they perform.

Sergei To Make A Splash?

The Whitsbury Manor Stud team got to dip their toe into the market with some of the first foals by Sergei Prokofiev (Can) going under the hammer at Goffs. How that will prepare an operation who excelled itself with leading first-season sire Havana Grey is hard to know given the amount of foals due to be sold by Sergei Profkofiev at Tattersalls this week.

The Goffs offering went down well; one colt made €52,000 while the WH Bloodstock team paid €45,000 for another. Of the six foals that sold at Goffs, they averaged at €34,167. Not bad going for a stallion who stood at £6,500 in his first season at stud.

Indeed, Sergei Prokofiev hails from that Scat Daddy line that is proving so popular. He was clearly quite the looker, too, given he fetched $1,100,000 as a yearling before carving out a decent career without managing to win a Group 1 for Aidan O'Brien.

There are 60 foals by Sergei Prokofiev at Tattersalls this week. They should provide a better sample size into the standing in which he is held in with the buyers.

Najd Stud Snap Up Foals

We have become accustomed to Najd Stud playing a major role at the horses-in-training sales but it was interesting to see the Saudi Arabian-based outfit sign for four foals at Goffs. Is that a sign of things to come at Tattersalls this week?

Najd Stud didn't shoot the lights out, either, at Goffs. A Ghaiyyath (Ire) colt topped the total spend of €134,500 across five foals. Interestingly, a filly by Shadwell's Commonwealth Cup winner Eqtidaar (Ire), who has his first runners next year, was among the purchases at €36,000 as was a €3,500 Belardo (Ire) colt on the final day of the sale.

Kildangan-Based Sires Come Up Trumps

Speaking of Ghaiyyath, the Kildangan-based freshman sire enjoyed a rock-solid start at Goffs with 11 of his first foals selling for €824,000 which averages out at €74,909.

Leading pinhookers Pier House Stud bought the top two colts by the stallion for €185,000 and €145,000 respectively and few would be surprised if the offerings by the four-time Group 1 winner go down well at Tattersalls as well.

Of the 11 foals cataloged by Ghaiyyath at Tattersalls, a filly out of a sister to New York Girl (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and a half-brother to Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) stand out on paper at least.

Fellow Kildangan-based stallions Blue Point (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire) also performed well. Earthlight had 17 foals sell for €942,500 at an average of €55,441 with Tally-Ho, Lynn Lodge Stud, Peter and Ross Doyle among the significant buyers of his progeny.

Even more impressive were figures posted by Blue Point, who had 20 lots sell for €1,011,500 at an average of €56,194. Top of the pops were colts knocked down for €200,000 apiece to Camas Park Stud and Katsumi Yoshida.

Blue Point's yearlings were similarly well-received. Famous for winning the King's Stand and Diamond Jubilee S. in the same week at Royal Ascot in 2019, Blue Point will have his first two-year-olds hit the track in 2023, with yearlings by the sire averaging over €100,000 this year.

His stats performed favourably against proven sires Dark Angel (Ire), Showcasing (GB), Kodiac (GB), Starspangledbanner (Aus) and Acclamation (GB) in terms of average for a similar number of lots through the ring at Goffs last week. It will be interesting to see if he can carry over that sort of momentum at Tattersalls.

First-Season Sires

Next year's race to be crowned champion first-season sire is being billed as one of the most exciting renewals for a long time with Too Darn Hot (GB), Blue Point, Waldgeist (GB), Magna Grecia (Ire), Ten Sovereigns (Ire), Calyx (GB), Advertise (GB), Invincible Army (Ire), Land Force (Ire) and Soldier's Call (GB) having their first runners in 2023.

As mentioned above, Blue Point performed well at Goffs while a number of leading pinhookers got behind the progeny of a number of the first-season sires.

Advertise was one who came out nicely on the figures from a relatively small sample size at Goffs and one would imagine that Tattersalls will provide a more accurate barometer given he has 19 foals there.

But the Goffs results read well. Six foals sold for an average of €32,167 which was more than Invincible Army [14 for €29,773], Ten Sovereigns [15 for €26,833] and Soldier's Call [14 for €26,417]. Those figures could well average out this week. Time will tell.

First Crops Of Note

Along with Ghaiyyath, Earthlight and Sergei Prokofiev, who we have already mentioned, a number of stallions had their first crop go under the hammer at Goffs.

Some of the more interesting results were posted by Arizona (Ire), perhaps unsurprisingly given he is a son of the sire of the moment, No Nay Never, while King Of Change (GB), Mohaather (GB), Sottsass (Fr) and Without Parole (GB) caught the imagination.

Peter Nolan paid €60,000 for an Arizona half-brother to Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) while the Coolmore-based freshman sire, who stands for just €5,000, averaged a respectable €20,192 for 13 foals.

Sottsass was a classier racehorse than most of his first-crop rivals and it told in the figures at Goffs with the former Arc winner posting averages comparable with Mehmas, Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Dark Angel. There were 11 foals by Sottsass at Goffs and they sold for an average of €61,100 and a top price of €180,000.

G1 Sussex S. winner Mohaather created a good impression with five foals selling for an average of €49,250 including a top lot of €95,000 while Without Parole had four foals sell for an average of €27,000 and a high of €70,000.

King Of Change was subject to a recent transfer after being snapped up by Starfield Stud from Derrinstown and it looks like it could prove to be a decent move given how his first foals performed.

Peter and Ross Doyle paid €50,000 for a colt by the sire who averaged a solid €24,714 for seven foals sold. That's a good return for a Group 1-winning stallion who is set to stand for just €5,000 next year.

Coolmore Can Count On Wootton Bassett And No Nay Never

Wootton Bassett (GB) and No Nay Never flew the flag for Coolmore at Goffs while demand for the progeny of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) was evidently up off the back of an excellent autumn for the first-season sire.

Wootton Bassett was bettered only by Kingman and Galileo, who between them accounted for just four foals at Goffs, for the highest averages posted.

The sire of brilliant G1 National S. winner Al Riffa, Wootton Bassett clearly captured the imagination last week, with seven foals selling for €1,345,000 at an average of €224,167 which earned him a top-three finish in that particular table.

No Nay Never enjoyed an eighth-place finish in averages posted on €134,800 and, while Saxon Warrior was down on that list at €52,263, he posted a chunky aggregate with 21 foals selling for €993,000. That was the seventh-highest aggregate recorded by any stallion.

The post Who’s Hot Ahead Of The Tattersalls December Foal Sale? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Speed Sires In Bolger’s Plans For 2022

As he prepares his runners for the upcoming flat season, Jim Bolger is also keeping a watchful eye on his breeding stock. The master trainer may be juggling the education of his runners with the oversight of his broodmares and youngstock, but Bolger has proven mighty adept at this kind of multi-tasking in the past: as has been well-documented, Bolger breeds many of his own runners, often going back two or three generations on both the top and bottom of the pedigree. His 2021 G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. winner Poetic Flare (Ire) is by his homebred sire Dawn Approach (Ire) out of his homebred mare Maria Lee (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). He also trained Dawn Approach's sire, the Derby winner New Approach (Ire). New Approach sired Bolger's 2021 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire), who returns for a 4-year-old campaign this year. Bolger also bred Mac Swiney's damsire Teofilo (Ire) and Mac Swiney's first two dams.

It is no surprise that New Approach and Dawn Approach, as well as Bolger's “favourite sire” Teofilo (Ire), will feature prominently in his 2022 mating plans. But Bolger is also mixing in some young, fast sires to inject some speed into his families.

Bolger, who on Christmas Day celebrated his 80th birthday, explained that while he “would have a good idea” at this point as to his mating plans, he doesn't set them in stone until after his mares foal.

“Because I have access to so many stallions, and some of them we would have used in the last covering season, we're waiting to have a look at the foals first,” he said.

Looking for “speed up to a mile”, Bolger said, he will send eight mares to leading third-crop sire Mehmas (Ire) in 2022. Also fitting that bill on his list are Profitable (Ire), Galileo Gold (Ire), Blue Point (Ire), Belardo (Ire) and Space Blues (Ire).

“We used to be told–though I don't hear so much about it in recent years–that when you're breeding staying horses you need to go back to speed every now and then,” Bolger said. “It may not get you a great result in the first instance, but the progeny of the progeny of the speed attempt could be capable of getting you a Classic horse. In recent years some of the owner/breeders have been sending their Oaks winners to Derby winners and they seem to be making out alright. Whether that will continue now or not, I just don't know. I suspect that sometime in the future with those sorts of families that those breeders will be going back and trying to inject some speed.”

Darley's G1 King's Stand S. winner Profitable was fourth on last year's first-season sires' table and sired three stakes winners, including the G2 Queen Mary S. scorer Quick Suzy (Ire).

“Profitable doesn't have a terribly strong pedigree himself except that he's by a very good sire and a sire of sires,” Bolger said. “He's a gorgeous horse and a very good mover, and was a very good racehorse himself.”

G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Lockinge S. winner Belardo got off to a fast start in 2020, siring four first-crop stakes winners. The Kildangan Stud resident was quieter in 2021, with just one black-type winner, but the son of Lope De Vega has started 2022 on the right note with Bellabel (Ire) winning the Listed Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita.

“He's a nice horse,” Bolger said of Belardo. “I trained some of his family and I liked them. I felt he was a horse with a chance, so much so that I bought a share in him, and I'll continue to use the share.”

Another young Kildangan stallion that will get Bolger's support this year is the four-time middle-distance Group 1 winner and 2020 world's highest-rated horse Ghaiyyath (Ire). Bolger said he has selected the son of Dubawi (Ire) based on his racecourse merits, and also to save face with Ghaiyyath's breeder.

“He's a world champion, so why wouldn't you use him?” Bolger reasoned. “Plus, if I don't use him, Dermot Weld won't talk to me again.”

Bolger will also support a pair of young Newmarket-based stallions in Time Test (GB), the sire of four first-crop stakes winners last year, and Masar (Ire), the son of his Derby winner New Approach who has his first yearlings next year. Bolger said he has earmarked a mare by Sea The Stars he purchased at the December Sales for Time Test.

“I'm doing something that I don't tend to do, and I'm going with the mob,” Bolger said. “Time Test is one of the talking horses at the moment, and he has got off to a great start, so it would seem to be not a very big risk, and he's a great-looking horse.”

Masar won the G3 Solario S. at two and was a first Derby winner in the Godolphin blue at three, in addition to winning the G3 Craven S.

“He's a very good-looking horse himself and a very good-moving horse,” Bolger said. “You don't need me to tell you about his racing achievements, but I think he's a horse that could do very well. I'm very happy to use him; I'll be guaranteed to get horses that will be effective beyond a mile.”

Bolger will send 12 mares to his former star pupil New Approach, who like his son Masar resides at Dalham Hall Stud. Bolger is responsible for breeding and training New Approach's only two multiple Group 1 winners, Dawn Approach and Mac Swiney, and Dawn Approach, who started his stud career at Kildangan, was brought back to Bolger's Redmondstown Stud last year just months before Poetic Flare recorded his Group 1 double. Despite that, Bolger said there hasn't been much outside interest in Dawn Approach, a reality that suits him just fine.

“I don't know the reason for that, but I don't mind having the sole rights, so to speak,” he said. “It suits me fine to be able to send so many mares to him.” Bolger said he is expecting 2022 to be another good year for Dawn Approach; he has 12 to 15 homebred 2-year-olds by him in the yard, as well as others for clients. “I have a nice crop by him so I'm expecting him to do well,” he said.

The same goes for Teofilo, who will get 25 Bolger mares at Kildangan.

“He's given me two Classic winners already and I'm expecting to do well with his progeny this year,” Bolger said. “I have 2-year-olds by him and some 3-year-olds that didn't get the business done at two, so I'd be looking forward to a very good year with them.”

Bolger's stallion selections for 2022 are completed by Parish Hall (Ire), Vocalised and Verbal Dexterity (Ire), who stand at Redmondstown alongside Dawn Approach and will get “a few mares each.” And given Bolger's habit of drawing the very best from his stock as both a breeder and a trainer, any of them are fair game to produce the next big horse from Coolcullen.

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Value Sires Part III: First Yearlings

In the latest edition of our Value Sires Series, we arrive at stallions with their first yearlings in 2022. The Darley duo of Too Darn Hot (GB) and Blue Point (Ire) retired as the two breakout horses of this group on fees, and that is how they wound up their first sales season. Too Darn Hot, the beautifully bred son of Dubawi who was a champion at two and three, retired at £50,000 at Dalham Hall Stud, and his 11 foals sold last year averaged €131,148/£111,964-the best foal sale average achieved by a first-season sire since 2017. Blue Point-the triple Royal Ascot Group 1-winning sprinter-meanwhile, got going at Kildangan Stud for €45,000, and his 18 foals sold came in at an average of €98,366/£83,980.

Both of these sires are incredibly deserving of the top of the table. By sire of sires Dubawi and out of the triple Group 1-winning mare Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) from the incredibly deep family of the influential sire Darshaan (GB), Too Darn Hot always had high hopes riding on his shoulders and he delivered from the outset. A 'TDN Rising Star' when winning by seven lengths on debut, Too Darn Hot went on to sweep the G3 Solario S., G2 Champagne S. and G1 Dewhurst S. on his way to champion 2-year-old honours. Too Darn Hot endured a rather not straightforward beginning to his 3-year-old campaign; after a setback caused him to miss the G1 2000 Guineas he was briefly set on the Derby trail, but then re-routed again after he was eclipsed in the G2 Dante S. After placed efforts in the

G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S., Too Darn Hot put it all back together again for wins in the G1 Prix Jean Prat and G1 Sussex S., which earned him divisional honours once again. Too Darn Hot's first crop contains 124 foals and 163 mares returned last year when his fee dipped to £45,000. That is where it stays this year.

Blue Point carries the hopes of Team Kildangan that he will be his sire, Shamardal's, heir apparent at the stallion yard Shamardal called home for 14 years. Shamardal's fastest son, Blue Point was a good 2-year-old, winning the G2 Gimcrack S. and placing in the G1 Middle Park S. and the Dewhurst. He was good, too, at three, winning a pair of Group 3s and finishing third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. He got quite good at four, winning the G1 King's Stand S. over Battaash. But at five he was exceptional, winning all five starts including the G1 Al Quoz Sprint and the G1 King's Stand-once again beating Battaash-and the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. four days apart. Blue Point's first season resulted in 154 foals, and 183 mares returned last year, giving him the biggest book of any second-season sire. Blue Point stays at €40,000 for the second straight year.

Blue Point is not alone as a top-class sprinter in this sire crop: Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) won the G2 July S. and G1 Phoenix S. at two before adding the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at three, and he has held his £25,000 fee through his first three seasons at the National Stud. Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) won the G1 Middle Park S. at two and was fourth behind Advertise in the Commonwealth Cup before running a career-best race to beat that rival in the G1 July Cup. Ten Sovereigns started at €25,000 but is this year down to €17,500. He was third on first-crop sire averages at the foal sales, his 30 sold averaging €59,137/£50,422.

Coolmore also has Calyx (GB), the first son of Kingman (GB) to retire to stud, in this cohort. The Juddmonte homebred won on debut to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status 10 days before beating Advertise in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. After missing the remainder of the season, Calyx roared back with a four-length win in the G3 Pavilion S. at three but retired after being upset by the future dual Group 1 winner Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G2 Sandy Lane S. Calyx started at €22,500 and drops to €12,500 this year.

There is quality speed available, too, in the four-figure price range in this sire crop, like Yeomanstown Stud's four-time six-furlong Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Invincible Army (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (€7,500); Tally-Ho Stud's Inns Of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (€5,000), also a four-time group winner and Group 1-placed; Highclere Stud's G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never) (£5,000); Shadwell's G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (£5,000); and Haras d'Etreham's Group 3-winning, G1 Diamond Jubilee-placed City Light (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (€7,000).

The highest-rated member of this sire crop stands at Ballylinch Stud for €15,000 (down from an initial €17,500), and that is the four-time Group 1 winner and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe scorer Waldgeist (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). A Group 1 winner at two who was at his best at five, Waldgeist is by the sire of sires Galileo and from an incredibly stout German family. He kicked off his final campaign in 2019 with a defeat of Study Of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix Ganay, and that rival is also in with a great chance at stud. Study Of Man won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in 2018 and is a grandson of Miesque, and is therefore from the immediate family of sires Kingmambo and Karakontie (Jpn) as well as many, many other Group 1 winners. Being by the great Deep Impact out of a Storm Cat mare, Study Of Man will be easy to mate with much of the European broodmare population. He is down to €12,500 from €15,000.

The Irish National Stud stands the Group 3-winning 2-year-old and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) for €12,000, down from an initial €15,000. Phoenix Of Spain was the most represented of this group at the foal sales, with 45 going through the ring. Thirty-six sold for an average of €30,713/£26,177.

VALUE PODIUM

Bronze: Soldier's Call (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) (Ballyhane Stud, €7,500) – Soldier's Call was a top-class, Royal Ascot-winning

2-year-old who trained on at three to mix it with the best older sprinters. He ran eight times at two, with wins in the Listed Windsor Castle S., G3 Prix d'Arenberg and G2 Flying Childers S. the highlights before he ran third, beaten a neck, in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye against older horses. In his second start at three, Soldier's Call found only the excellent older sprinters Blue Point and Battaash too tough in the G1 King's Stand S., with his Abbaye conqueror Mabs Cross (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}) among those in arrears.

Though Soldier's Call didn't win at three, he put up another excellent performance against elders when second to Battaash in the G1 Nunthorpe S. Out of the listed-winning and Group 3-placed Dijarvo (GB) (Iceman {GB}), Soldier's Call has been popular at Ballyhane Stud; he covered 159 mares in his first season and one more than that last year. He debuted for €10,000 and after standing for €7,500 last year, remains at that fee in 2022.

Silver: Masar (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) (Darley Dalham Hall, £14,000) – A Group 3 winner at two who trained on to win the Derby and from the family of Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire), Masar packs a lot of value into a €14,000 package. Precocious enough to beat Invincible Army to win on debut in May of his 2-year-old season, Masar was third in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S. before beating future Classic winner Romanised in the G3 Solario S. and was third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. The runaway nine-length winner of the G3 Craven S. at three, Masar finished third in the G1 2000 Guineas before stepping up in trip to win the Derby. Masar, by Galileo's high-class son New Approach, is inbred 3×4 to Galileo's blue hen dam Urban Sea, and is therefore from the female family of Galileo himself as well as Sea The Stars and many other Group 1 winners. Masar is the second foal out of Godolphin's dual UAE Classic winner Khawlah (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who was also third in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. at two. Khawlah has since produced the Group 3-placed Sayyida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and she is herself a granddaughter of Galileo and Sea The Stars's listed-winning and dual Oaks-placed half-sister Melikah (Ire) (Lammtarra). Masar covered 138 mares in his debut book at £15,000 and 98 last year at £14,000, the fee at which he remains this year.

Gold: Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (Coolmore Stud, €17,500) – Down to €17,500, St Mark's Basilica's Classic-winning brother, Magna Grecia–who was also a Group 1-winning 2-year-old–looks excellent value. While St Mark's Basilica fills the spotlight on a debut fee of €65,000, it is worth remembering that not only does Magna Grecia bring sparkling racecourse credentials, but is by proven sire of sires Invincible Spirit. Raced by the Coolmore partners in partnership with the Niarchos Family's Flaxman Holdings, Magna Grecia won at first asking at two and finished second to Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB})-beating his stablemate and fellow Value Sire Circus Maximus-in the G3 Autumn S. before beating Phoenix Of Spain in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. Magna Grecia was a decisive first-up winner of the 2000 Guineas at three, and retired after running twice more with a rating of 120. Magna Grecia and St Mark's Basilica are out of the precocious G3 Silver Flash S. winner Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is herself a sister to black-type 2-year-olds Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). After covering 159 mares in year one at a fee of €22,500, Magna Grecia covered 127 last year at €18,000 and is available for €17,500 this year.

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