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Ballyhane Stud Releases 2021 Fees

Ballyhane Stud, home to five stallions, has released its fees for 2021, with newcomer Sands Of Mali (Fr) set to stand at €6,500.

Established sires Dandy Man (Ire) and Elzaam (Aus) were both represented by Group 1 winners this year, and Dandy Man’s fee will remain at €15,000, while Elzaam’s has been set at €5,000.

Ballyhane Sud owner Joe Foley said of his stalwart Dandy Man, “Our flagship stallion has had another stellar season with another Grade 1-winning colt in River Boyne (Ire) and four stakes-winning 2-year-olds including the explosive Royal Ascot winner Dandall (Ire).

“His stock continue to be highly sought after in the sales ring and, with the quality of his next crops continuing to rise, his future looks very secure.”

He continued, “Elzaam’s breakthrough Group 1 success with Champers Elysees in the Matron Stakes at Irish Champions Weekend was his highlight. His colts continue to be in high demand in the Far East with many more being sold to Hong Kong this year following the path of Playa Del Puente (Ire), who was so close to winning the Hong Kong Derby last spring.”

The G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint winner Sands Of Mali is the stud’s latest recruit, following four seasons in training with Richard Fahey, during which time he landed four group wins, inlcluding the G2 Gimcrack S.

“He was also an unlucky fast-finishing second in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot,” said Foley. “A blistering success in the Gimcrack at two and the Sandy Lane at three were also impressive Group 2 wins for the good-looking son of Panis out of a highly successful mare.”

There have been fee reductions for Ballyhane’s two emerging sires Prince Of Lir (Ire) and Soldier’s Call (GB). The former got his stud career off to a great start when represented by G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) and his fee for 2021 will be €3,500. Meanwhile Soldier’s Call has been trimmed to €7,500.

Foley said, “Soldier’s Call got a warm reception at stud last season with a large book of mares chock-full of quality. The son of Showcasing has let down into a wonderful specimen and his first foals are eagerly awaited. Given his first-season support, he’d look to have a massive chance of starting strongly with his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2023.”

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Disruption To Horse Movement From Brexit Deadline

Ahead of the start of the 2021 breeding season, owners and breeders have been warned to avoid to avoid transporting horses between the UK and the EU in the first few weeks of January immediately following the expiry of the Brexit transition period.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group, which is made up of representatives of the British Horseracing Authority, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and Weatherbys, advised against horse movement in the early part of the new year “unless absolutely necessary”.

It continued, “With less than seven weeks to go before the transition period expires, there will be significant changes to how horses move between the UK and the EU from 1 January, irrespective of whether a Free Trade Agreement is signed.”

At present, clarification is still being sought by the group on Britain being granted third country status for animal health purposes, as well as authorisation for British horse transporters to operate in the EU and vice versa, and, crucially, recognition of the General Stud Book, which identifies Thoroughbreds and permits their movements.

The statement read, “Even in the event of agreements on these key areas for British racing being confirmed in the coming weeks, the Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group is of the view that there will be additional friction in moving thoroughbreds through key ports from 1 January, with the potential for initial disruption.”

Following confirmation of a Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the EU, further clarification will be required in regard to a potential replacement of the current Tripartite Agreement which governs movements of Thoroughbreds between Britain, Ireland and France.

Julian Richmond-Watson, chair of the Thoroughbred Industries Steering Group, said, “We know that some people want to make plans for the New Year, but the picture will remain unclear until we know the terms of any new agreements between Britain and the EU.

“Even if there is an overarching trade deal, we will still need specific arrangements to be agreed covering the movement of thoroughbred horses.

“If industry members want to avoid the risk of delays or disruption, we advise them not to schedule movements in the first two weeks of 2021.

“Our message right now is ‘Stand By, Change is Coming’. We would ask participants to keep up to date with the latest information regularly via the Brexit page on britishhorseracing.com and await direct communication from their membership body once we know the details.

“We continue to work closely with Defra and all other relevant UK government departments, who are well-informed about the needs of the racing and breeding industries. We are also in regular contact with our counterparts in Ireland and France and other EU jurisdictions.”

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Romanised Camp Still Considering Hong Kong

G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is still a potential candidate for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at the Longines Hong Kong International Races in mid-December at Sha Tin. Although third when favoured after a slow beginning at Dundalk on Monday, the 5-year-old won the G2 Minstrel S. earlier this year and was sixth in the G1 Prix du Moulin in September. Also a winner of the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, the Ken Condon trainee’s performance has not discouraged his connections.

“I think it served its purpose–it was a prep run and he blew the start,” said Condon of the Robert Ng colourbearer. “Billy [Lee, jockey] had to get him into the race, then he was in his hands a bit. He travelled really well through the race, like we know he can, and went to win his race and just took a blow and got a bit tired. If you take him in isolation, it was an interesting exercise as he’s run his race faster than anything else, if that makes sense.

“If he’d jumped away with them, it would have been a different story. Billy was particularly happy and he’s the one that is the most relevant in this jigsaw.”

He added, “We’ll see how he is in the next week–we don’t have to commit to Hong Kong immediately. But I still think we’re on course and he’ll get something from the race [at Dundalk], as he’d been off the track a while.

“All things considered, it was a solid run. It’s important now to see how he trains in the next week as it’s a long way to go and we want to be going there with a horse in top condition. I was initially disappointed that he got beaten, but after I analysed it closely and watched the race several times and listened to everybody, I think he’s run well.”

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Highflyer Bloodstock Strikes for Arqana Autumn Toppers

The second day of the Arqana Autumn Sale kicked off with horses-in-training on Monday. Although the catalogue was not as deep as 2019’s record-breaking sale, 77% of the 160 horses offered found new homes. The gross was €3,050,000 for the 124 sold and two horses were co-toppers at €200,000, with Highflyer Bloodstock snapping up both offerings. In 2019, the highest price was €420,000. The average dropped to €24,597

(-29%) and the median fell to €11,000 (-21%). In addition, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic also presented some challenges, but the sale was conducted in the new open air ring, just like this past Friday’s Arqana Autumn Flat Yearling Sale.

Tessa Greatrex and David Powell of Highflyer Bloodstock first picked up lot 423, Tax for Max (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), for €200,000. They bought the 3-year-old colt on behalf of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who are sending the colt to Willie Mullins. Previously trained by Henk Grewe and offered by Gestut Ohlerweiherhof, the dark bay is rated 109. Tax for Max finished fourth in the G2 Sparkasse KolnBonn Union-Rennen.

Just 11 lots later, the winning gelding Houx Gris (Fr) (Gris de Gris {Ire}) (lot 434) caught their eye again to equal the price of Tax for Max. Sold by Jean-Marie Callier, the hurdler was trained by Sylvain Dehez. Successful in his latest start at Auteuil, he will race in the colurs of Jared Sullivan.

“We’ve bought him for Jared Sullivan,” commented David Powell. “He’ll go to England where he’ll be trained by Paul Nicholls.”

Overall, seven lots brought six figures, with Horse Racing Advisory’s Hubert Barbe and Charlie Swan purchasing three of them, led by Hercule du Seuil (Fr) (Saddler Maker {Ire}) (lot 464) at €185,000. Runner-up in his lone start over hurdles at Strasbourg on Oct. 21, the Michael Seror-consigned 3-year-old colt is from the same family as Grade 2 winner Etoile du Seuil (Fr) (Network {Ger}). The duo also snapped up the dual Flat-winning gelding Goven (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}) (lot 456) from Alain Couetil for €175,000 and lot 471, Head Law (Fr) (Network {Ger}) at €150,000. The latter won over 2300 metres on Nov. 6 and is a half-brother to Grade 2 scorer GA Law (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}). The HRA quintet was completed by Gaetan Taupin’s Hawai Game (Fr) (Diamond Boy {Fr}) (lot 461) for €90,000 and lot 465, the €60,000 Gold Conti (Fr) (Network {Ger}) from the draft of Arnaud Chaille-Chaille.

“The market is difficult but we bought them at the right price,” said Charlie Swan. “They are all going to start over hurdles and we hope that some of them will go down the chasing route afterwards, we just have to be lucky. The French system is really very well done, the horses are broken in early and progress race by race afterwards from a young age.”

The final two seven-figure lots will both head Down Under, with listed winner Arapaho (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) bringing €140,000 from Jim Clarke of Clarke Bloodstock and Avenue Bloodstock for the Australian trainer Bjorn Baker. Hailing from the draft of trainer Andre Fabre, lot 418 is out of stakes winner Alzubra (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Consigned by Wertheimer et Frere, Flambeur (Mizzen Mast) (lot 427), who won the Listed La Coupe de Marseille, is bound for the yard of Matthew Smith after hammering for €100,000.

At the end of Monday’s sale, Arqana President and Executive Director Freddy Powell said, “Demand for the horses-in-training was not as strong today as it was last year. We cannot ignore the impact of COVID-19 on the business of many owners, nor the absence of certain buyers due to the movement restrictions caused by the pandemic. We will now focus on the young jumps

prospects and the National Hunt breeding day.”

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