The Commonwealth Cup: Pass or Fail for Britain’s Youngest G1?

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

On Tuesday the European Pattern Committee (EPC) announced that 42 races are at risk of being downgraded in 2025, including Britain's G1 Commonwealth Cup.

Its status will depend very much on its performance in 2024, which will mark the tenth running of the race introduced to the British calendar in 2015 as a readymade Group 1 in order to “create a more balanced programme and better opportunities for high-class sprinters”. The Commonwealth Cup, run at Royal Ascot over six furlongs for three-year-olds only, was initially open to geldings, though this rule was changed from 2020. Its introduction to the race programme coincided with the upgrading to Group 1 status of the Qipco British Champions Sprint S., formerly known as the Diadem S.

The Commonwealth Cup couldn't really have asked for a better inaugural winner than Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and his ascent through the sprinting ranks illustrated to an extent the importance of a springboard such as this. The Shadwell colt, winner of the previous year's G2 Gimcrack S., had finished eighth, some seven lengths behind Make Believe (GB), in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains on his first and only try at a mile. His attempt at the Classic was understandable as Muhaarar had won the G3 Greenham S. over seven furlongs on his three-year-old debut. Dropped back to six, however, his season came alive. From the Commonwealth, which he won by three and three-quarter lengths from Limato (GB), he sailed faultlessly through the July Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest before returning to Ascot to claim his fourth consecutive Group 1 victory in the newly promoted British Champions Sprint. 

Two more three-year-olds have won the latter since then: Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis), who was runner-up in the Commonwealth Cup of 2018, and  three years later Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who had also won the G3 Jersey S. in 2021.

Commonwealth Cup ratings 

A race is rated through the average mark of the first four horses home. The EPC considers these ratings over a three-year period. The Group 1 parameter is 115, and to retain Group 1 status a race's rating must be within 2lbs of that mark. 

In the case of Group 1 races for three-year-olds only, if the average rating falls more than 2lb below the parameter in two consecutive years, then a majority vote among EPC member countries will decide whether or not the race is to be downgraded.

In 2020, race ratings were discounted owing to the Covid pandemic and the disruption to the racing calendar. The yearly race ratings for the other eight runnings of the Commonwealth Cup are shown below, courtesy of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), along with the first four finishers for each year. 

2015 115.00 (Muhaarar, Limato, Anthem Alexander, Salt Island)

2016 112.25 (Quiet Reflection, Kachy, Washington DC, La Rioja)

2017 117.25 (Caravaggio, Harry Angel, Blue Point, Bound For Nowhere)

2018 111.50 (Eqtidaar, Sands Of Mali, Emblazoned, Stone Of Destiny)

2019 118.75 (Advertise, Forever In Dreams, Hello Youmzain, Ten Sovereigns)

2020    (Golden Horde, Kimari, Ventura Rebel, Royal Commando)

2021 110.75 (Campanelle, Dragon Symbol, Measure Of Magic, Dandalla)

2022 111.25 (Perfect Power, Flaming Rib, Flotus, Cadamosto)

2023 114.50 (Shaquille, Little Big Bear, Swingalong, Ocean Quest)

As we can see, three of the eight rated runnings to date have met or exceeded the Group 1 parameter of 115, and one fell below that by less than 1lb. Of concern is the fact that the other four were all some way short, even with that 2lb concession. The ratings of 2021 and 2022 triggered a warning, and while last year's running was up to par, the three-year average rating for the race remains below 113. 

The race's lowest rating of 110.75 will be discarded from the three-year cycle this year, so a vintage renewal in 2024 will certainly help matters (we're looking at you, Vandeek).

How good were the winners?

Muhaarar was a hard act to follow but Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), the first filly to win the Commonwealth Cup, went on to win the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in the same season as well as finishing third in the G1 July Cup. She remained in training at four and won the G3 Renaissance S in Ireland.

Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) won the Flying Five S. three months after his Commonwealth victory, and that race has subsequently been upgraded to Group 1 status. He led home two sprinting stars in Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal). Harry Angel collected the July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup that same season, while Blue Point really came into his own at four and five with back-to-back wins in the G1 King's Stand S., the second of which came in the same week that he won the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. in the summer following his victory in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. He was the champion first-season of Britain and Ireland in 2023.

Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) failed to sparkle after his narrow victory in the Commonwealth Cup, but his runner-up Sands Of Mali we have discussed above.

The highest rating achieved in the race came in 2019 when the subsequent Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) had Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) behind him in third, and the latter went on to win that year's Haydock Sprint Cup followed by the Diamond Jubilee in 2020. In fourth that day was Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never), who won the July Cup on his next start, and the redoubtable Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won that season's Stewards' Cup, was seventh. Khaadem also won the G2 King George S. in 2022 as well as last year's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. (formerly the Diamond/Platinum Jubilee) as a seven-year-old.

The 2020 winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) was subsequently third in both the July Cup and the Sprint Cup, while Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who was awarded the race in the stewards' room after being headed by Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) at the wire, returned to Ascot the following year to take third in the Platinum Jubilee. She had also won the G2 Queen Mary S. and G1 Prix Morny during a top juvenile campaign.

Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) was another crack two-year-old who gathered the G2 Norfolk S., G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. before returning at three to lift the Commonwealth Cup. He too had found the mile beyond him when finishing seventh to Coroebus (Ire) in the 2,000 Guineas after winning the Greenham.

And that brings us to Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), last year's top-rated three-year-old sprinter in the world on a mark of 120. His Commonwealth Cup victory over the favourite Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) was followed by a sound beating of his elders in the July Cup.

Of the seven male winners to date, six are currently at stud in Britain, France and Japan. Eqtidaar died last year. Another eight of the placed horses are now active stallions.

Overall it's a pretty solid roll call for a race which raised eyebrows when being parachuted into the programme as a brand new Group 1 but which generally can be considered to be doing the job it was designed to do.

Following Tuesday's announcement by the EPC, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) expressed its disappointment at the lack of support for its bid to upgrade the G2 City of York S., a move which would provide another tweak to the sprint programme and make it the sole seven-furlong Group 1 race in Britain. The EPC also turned down an application from the BHA to upgrade the G2 Qipco Champions Long Distance Cup.

What do the experts think?

The BHA's director of international racing and development Ruth Quinn, who also sits on the EPC, recalls the unprecedented decision to create the Commonwealth Cup and award it Group 1 status from the outset.

“It was a project that [the EPC members] were all very passionate about and fully embraced, and they understood the reasons why Britain was putting it forward as a strategic case.

“At the time there was a lot of surprise that we were looking to create a new Group 1 race from scratch, which was unheard of, but it was a brand new concept and we were trying to capture people's attention in a way that the race programme hadn't been able to before. It meant that if you win the Middle Park you don't have to go and try your horse in the Guineas if it's a genuinely speedy animal. Everyone knows that three-year-old sprinters are going to struggle against older horses if we don't give them a helping hand in the first half of the season.”

She adds, “If we hadn't put it in at Group 1 level then I think we would have had a much harder task in making them change their behaviour, and we did hit the ground running with Muhaarar. And we had a good few years of real talking horses for the race over the winter.

“I do feel it is serving a broader, long-term role which just didn't exist in the past.”

Aidan O'Brien saddled the 2017 winner Caravaggio, as well as last year's runner-up Little Big Bear. He says of the possibility of the race being downgraded, “It would be a massive pity. The Commonwealth Cup is a very prestigious race and it is in a great slot in the programme book for the three-year-olds. It has just become a very important race in a relatively short space of time. 

“Strategically, it might not be a great idea if they decided to downgrade the race. I think it should remain a Group 1 because it's a very important race in an important place in the calendar. 

“You get the best three-year-old sprinters turning up there every year. I remember when it wasn't there and its addition has made a massive difference. Everything is right with the race. They might be jumping the gun if they downgraded it.”

Breeder and former trainer Luca Cumani agrees with O'Brien. He says, “I think it's a very important race for three-year-old sprinters and it filled a gap in the calendar that existed before. Before, everybody had to try to make a potential sprinter into a miler by trying him in the Guineas and only then have to revert to sprinting but have nowhere to go in his own age group, but instead having to take on the older horses. So they were marking time for almost a year until the horse became a four-year-old and could start to be competitive again.

“So I think it does definitely fill a gap in the Pattern and I would be very sad to lose it as a Group 1 race. I am surprised that it is in danger.”

Kirsten Rausing, breeder and owner of Lanwades Stud, is keen to see the City of York S. upgraded to a Group 1. It has been won in the last two years by the dual Group 1 winner Kinross (GB), and Rausing's homebred Sandrine (GB), herself a treble winner at Group 2 level over six and seven furlongs, has been third in both of the last two runnings. 

She says of the Commonwealth Cup being on the at-risk list, “In general it is of course disappointing but personally I feel the retention of Group 2 status for the City of York Stakes is of more concern. Upgrading that race would have given us a first Group 1 over seven furlongs in the UK. One hopes that the upgrade will come in 2025.

“Re the Commonwealth Cup, [the possibility of] downgrading it must be seen as an admission that the race has not achieved the original ambition of attracting the world's best sprinters. Whether the reason for this is the race date in the context of the worldwide racing calendar, or perhaps the, although rich by UK standards, relatively low prize-money, or the inevitable absence of Japanese representation in a sprint race. Who can tell?”

Richard Fahey, trainer of Perfect Power and Sands Of Mali, says, “One of the problems was that we were selling [sprinters] off to Hong Kong and this race was brought in to try to give us a chance to keep them. We've had a lot of luck in the race and I am hugely surprised to see that it's on the list. 

“It's a stepping stone for the younger sprinters. Yes, it's an easier option for them in some respects, and maybe that's why the ratings aren't standing up, but obviously it's a restricted pool of just three-year-olds. 

“It would be a shame if it's downgraded, as there are some good prep races for it. They upgraded the [G3] Pavilion and the [G2] Sandy Lane when the Commonwealth Cup was introduced, so what happens to them if it becomes a Group 2?”

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, stands Sands Of Mali and was also instrumental in the purchase of Shaquille for Steve Parkin's Dullingham Park. He says, “I was surprised to read that the race is in danger of being downgraded. The Commonwealth Cup has been a very successful race since its inception. Obviously I paid close attention to the race last year and Shaquille was very impressive but then he went on and achieved a big rating on his next start when beating his elders in the July Cup. Last year's Commonwealth Cup was an up-to-scratch renewal. Not only had you Shaquille in there but the runner-up, Little Big Bear, was a high-class two-year-old who achieved some big ratings. You had Swingalong in third and another very good horse in fourth [Ocean Quest]. To see that the race is under the spotlight after such a high-class edition is surprising. I'd be very disappointed if that happened.”

 

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‘It’s a Privilege to Have a Horse Like Baaeed’

Speaking in the TDN's Conversations series last month, Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold reiterated the fortuitous appearance of Baaeed (GB) on the global stage so soon after the sad death of his breeder Sheikh Hamdam Al Maktoum.

“I don't think it could be overstated how important Baaeed coming along, and the timing of it, was,” Gold told Brian Sheerin.

Baaeed's significance as a racehorse was exemplified by his recent ratification as the top-rated turf horse in the world in 2022, his mark of 135 making him the clear leader among the offspring of his sire Sea The Stars (Ire), ahead even of the former Horse of the Year Crystal Ocean (GB), who shared that accolade with Enable (GB) and Waldgeist (GB) in 2019 on a rating of 128. But when a colt retires to stud, the slate is in a sense wiped clean and he has it all to prove once more.

Baaeed will not be without support in this regard, however. It is perhaps no surprise to hear Will Wright, Shadwell's UK nominations and European marketing manager, say, “He has gone down exceptionally well.”

Since late November, breeders have been inspecting him, first at Beech House Stud during the December Sales, and later at his new base at Nunnery Stud's stallion unit, which was once home to his relations Nashwan, Unfuwain, and Nayef, with the latter still in residence in retirement. 

“It's a privilege to have a horse like Baaeed,” Wright continues. “From a Shadwell perspective, it has obviously been a wonderful journey right from moment one and his win at Leicester, and all the way through. All that excitement is now transferred to the Nunnery. Everyone here has got that buzz. To have a horse who was as good as him, bred in the Shadwell blue, and who traces all the way back to Height Of Fashion, it's a credit to Sheikh Hamdan and his family for all that work that he put in.”

Baaeed's dam, the French listed winner Aghareed (Kingmambo), had quite the year in 2022, and it was Baaeed's full-brother Hukum (GB) who who got the ball rolling for the 14-year-old mare with his victory last March in the G2 Dubai City of Gold at Meydan, a win naturally enjoyed by his owner Sheikha Hissa on her home turf. Hukum, now six, backed that up with his first Group 1 success in the Coronation Cup at Epsom, though his winning performance sadly came at a high price as he sustained an injury that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Baaeed in the meantime was diligently adding to the two Group 1 races he won as a three-year-old by bowling from race to race at four, winning the Lockinge in May, Queen Anne in June, Sussex in July, and then, stepping beyond a mile for the first time, adding the coveted Juddmonte International to his record at his trainer William Haggas's beloved York in August. As history relates, Baaeed's perfect ten remained just that, and he was defeated for the first time in his eleventh and final race on Ascot's Champions Day, where the previous year he had beaten Palace Pier (GB) in a thrilling renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II S.

That transpired to be the final occasion on which the late Queen attended her racecourse, making Baaeed, with his roots firmly in the royal broodmare band, a fitting winner of the race named in her honour. That same day, Shadwell's homebred filly Eshaada (GB) won the QIPCO British Champion Fillies & Mares S., and for her first cover this season the daughter of Muhaarar (GB) will be among Baaeed's smart first book, as will the dual Group 1 winner Nazeef (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

The hallmark of Baaeed's racing career, along with his obvious athletic talent, was his apparently rock-solid temperament, a facet of his nature which was referred to regularly by his jockey Jim Crowley. The buzz of the big days didn't bother him, and this laidback attitude has continued as Baaeed settles in to his new Norfolk home. 

“When he first came in we were actually a little worried that he was too relaxed, but that's just him,” Wright notes. “His temperament is something else and that's a sign of him being the complete package: the ability to listen to the handler, to the rider, and that has helped him settle in. He's not fussed over at all. He's just a relaxed horse and that makes everyone's life a lot easier.”

He adds, “We had our parade during the December Sales and my phone has not stopped ringing. Stephen Collins's phone has not stopped ringing. We had nominations being applied for from before he retired. It has to be a careful selection, and it's been incredibly difficult, but we've got an exceptional book of mares, and breeders that have seen him have not been disappointed.”

Baaeed may come with an obvious wow factor but he will still have to earn his laurels in the stallion yard along with his three fellow young residents. Farthest ahead in this regard is Tasleet (GB). One of two sons of Showcasing (GB) on the roster, he made an encouraging start with his first juveniles last season. Leading the pack was Bradsell (GB), winner of the G2 Coventry S. for Archie Watson and Bahrain-based Victorious Racing.

“We were gutted when [Bradsell] picked up a setback that knocked him out for the rest of the year. In the Coventry he defeated Blackbeard, Persian Force, Royal Scotsman, and did it in fine style. That shows us the mark of [Tasleet's] ability as a sire and that was recognised last year as he covered his biggest and best book yet. If they can replicate anywhere near what his two-year-olds did last year with the quantity that's going to be on the track, he'll be an incredibly hot prospect.”

Waiting in the wings with his first runners for the coming season is the imposing homebred Eqtidaar (Ire), winner of the G1 Commonwealth Cup and an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother to the 2,000 Guineas runner-up Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

“He's the sort of horse who I think is flying under the radar but we could be telling a different story come May if he has a few early runners, and we've been hearing good things from from buyers and trainers alike,” says Wright.

Then there's Mohaather (GB), another son of Showcasing bred by Gaie Johnson Houghton from her classy family which includes the G1 Queen Anne S. winner Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}). His first foals caught the eye of many a good judge last November and that commercial popularity looks sure to carry through with the sleek dark brown Mohaather's first yearlings. 

“He was an incredibly talented racehorse. His Sussex Stakes win, when he defeated Circus Maximus, Kameko and Siskin, wasn't his only his day in the sun. He was a  group winner at two, three and four, winning the Horris Hillß at two, and the Greenham at three,” says Wright.

“The foal prices during the sales reached 110,000gns and we supported him ourselves. People are coming to him in the third year off the back of that.” 

Baaeed is not the only newcomer at Nunnery Stud as Will Wright only joined the Shadwell team last October, taking over the role of Tom Pennington.

“I have to pinch myself joining at this time,” he admits. “To have a horse like Baaeed on your doorstep along with an exceptionally exciting roster of stallions, you really can't ask for much more.”

If you missed seeing the Shadwell stallions in November but are in Newmarket for this week's February Sale, Eqtidaar, Mohaather and Tasleet will all be available for viewing at Shadwell's Beech House Stud, close to Tattersalls, on Thursday and Friday from 10am to 3pm.

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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. 

 

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Baaeed To Stand At Nunnery Stud

Connections of six-time Group 1 winner Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Aghareed, by Kingmambo) have confirmed that he will join the stallion roster at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud in Norfolk for 2023.

Sheikha Hissa described herself and her family to be “so proud” of Baaeed's achievements on the track and thanked trainer William Haggas for managing the career of one of the greatest horses of the modern era.

Although the fee at which Baaeed will stand for in his debut season has yet to be announced, Angus Gold, Shadwell's racing manager, told TDN Europe earlier this week that such a decision will have a huge impact on how the horse is received in his first few seasons at stud.

Gold said, “He's the new kid on the block so, hopefully, if we price him right, he will appeal for a considerable time to come.

“There's always a new horse around so that's where we've got to be careful. If we can set the fee correctly so that breeders can use this horse happily, they will use him not just next year, but going forward.

“To be honest, we're still discussing and obviously Sheikha Hissa and her family are involved in those talks, as is Stephen Collins [European bloodstock manager] in Ireland and several people here. We want to get it right and, for the horse's sake, it's important that we do.”

A Shadwell homebred, Baaeed won all six of his starts at three and went from strength to strength this season as a 4-year-old for trainer William Haggas. His triumphs in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury, G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot and G1 Sussex S. at Glorious Goodwood were followed by a breathtaking performance on his first start over 10 furlongs in the G1 Juddmonte International at York.

His only defeat came on his swansong at British Champions Day at Ascot last Saturday when fourth behind Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Champion S.

Baaeed will stand alongside fellow Sussex S. victor Mohaather (GB), exciting first-season sire Tasleet (GB) and Group 1-winning sprinter Eqtidaar (Ire) at Nunnery Stud. His nomination fee will be announced in due course.

Sheikha Hissa said, “On behalf of my family, I am delighted to confirm that Baaeed has now been retired to stand at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud for the 2023 season, where he was born in 2018.

“We are all so proud of what Baaeed has achieved and count ourselves very fortunate to have shared his journey with him. I would like to thank everyone at William's for managing his career so expertly and the teams at Shadwell and Derrinstown for raising him to be the champion that he is.

“His regal pedigree and outstanding conformation will stand him in excellent stead at stud and hopefully attract the top breeders from around the world, so that together we can give Baaeed every chance to prove himself as exceptional a stallion as he was a racehorse.”

The post Baaeed To Stand At Nunnery Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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