Currently covering his first book of mares at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, the four-time Group 1 winner will become the first son of the Aga Khan Studs' Siyouni to join the stallion ranks in New Zealand. Siyouni's champion son St Mark's Basilica (Fr) shuttles to Coolmore's base in the Hunter Valley. Though Siyouni has remained in France throughout his stud career, he has been represented by four stakes winners in Australia, most notably Amelia's Jewel (Aus), whose seven Group wins include the G1 Northerly S.

Windsor Park Stud has had a long-running association with Coolmore and also previously stood High Chaparral (Ire), who enjoyed significant success in Australasia. Its current roster of seven stallions includes the treble Group 1-winning miler Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose first European crop will hit the track this season. 

Windsor Park Stud's co-owner Rodney Schick said of Paddington's planned arrival at the farm later this year, “We had a launch day for him here today and are confident that he is going to attract a good book of mares as he has done in the northern hemisphere.

“He is a history-making horse, exceptional from the beginning, being a top-drawer yearling and he was a champion miler by an exceptional stallion.”

He added, “I was also lucky enough to see both Siyouni and his sire Pivotal race and I think Paddington has thrown very nicely to the sireline.”

Coolmore's Tom Magnier said that he was looking forward to continuing the “great relationship” his operation has with Windsor Park Stud.

He added of Paddington, “We believe that he is the most exciting horse to go to stud in New Zealand in a very long time.”

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Bred by Blazing Forest Stable, a colt out of Fire Assay (Medaglia d'Oro) was born Feb. 21 at Millford Farm. The foal is a half-brother to last year's GIII Holy Bull S. runner-up Shadow Dragon (Army Mule).

Sacred Life commands a $2,000 stud fee at War Horse Place in Lexington.

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A fourth-generation Lanwades homebred, Alpinista, who is out of the Listed-winning Hernando (Fr) mare Alwilda (GB), herself a daughter of the treble Group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao), won six Group 1 races during her four seasons in training with Sir Mark Prescott in Newmarket. 

Rausing said, “Following family tradition, the daughter of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner is a grey – all females in her family going back to [twelfth dam] Lady Josephine having been of that coat colour.

She continued, “I had been hoping for the mare to produce a filly, so I'm obviously thrilled and very grateful to Alpinista, who, as usual, can do no wrong.”

Alpinista is set to visit Siyouni (Fr) at the Aga Khan Studs' Haras de Bonneval in Normandy in her second season. 

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Byrne was speaking during the Irish Stallion Trail where visitors to Coolmore got a chance to see newbies Paddington (GB), Little Big Bear (Ire) and The Antarctic (Ire). Parallels were drawn between the quandary facing breeders in 2024 to that of the Covid year of 2020 with Byrne keen to point out that many people were rewarded for their resilience at the yearling sales in 2022.

The polarisation of the market in 2023 was one of the main talking points at almost every sale be it yearlings, breeding stock or even National Hunt. Byrne agreed that 2023 presented challenges but took several positives from last year's trade and says he is looking forward to working with breeders for the upcoming season. 

He said, “There are several ways to look back on last year's market. It was tough. Nobody is doubting it was tough. But it was tough in every aspect–tough for people selling horses but also tough for people buying horses as well. We tried to acquire stallions, yearlings, mares, you name it, and it was still very hard to buy them so there is still a lot of money in the market. It was just so competitive to buy the nicer horses. In that respect, the market was so unusual. I've never seen it so strong at the top and then it falls away rather steeply. I know it's a word we keep hearing a lot but things have become very polarised. 

“Nobody outlays more money in the game than stallion masters do. They put so much up to buy these stallions and they have to make it work. Everyone wants it to work and there's no point in saying the stallion masters charge too much or that the mares aren't good enough. We're all in this together and we have to make it work as a collective. I was looking at some of the figures at the end of last year and on paper it was probably the second best year of all time for turnover, just behind the best year we ever had, which was in 2023.”

Byrne added, “Breeders have to keep going. What's the alternative? If you stop you won't have a product to bring to the sales. But this is an important year for them and now more so than ever breeders will need to steady the ship and use the good stallions that they can afford. There's always an element of risk involved but you don't overstretch that risk by leaving yourself exposed by using a stallion you can't afford. 

“I can remember March and April when Covid just broke out. We were wondering whether or not we'd be able to cover mares in 2020. There was a bit of a pullback but people eventually decided to cover their mares. The 2022 yearling sale season was one of the best I ever attended so, the people who decided to pull up during Covid, they might have been left ruing that decision in 2022. I think there are similarities with the dilemma some people are faced with this season in light of the market last year but who's to say what's happening today will be happening tomorrow? It's not always dark at five o'clock.”

Coolmore will be hoping that Paddington can prove something of a beacon of light at €55,000 to breeders. The four-time Group 1 winner is the third top-class son of Siyouni (Fr) to retire to Coolmore in recent years and Byrne says he is confident that the brilliant Irish 2,000 Guineas, Sussex, St James's Palace and Coral-Eclipse winner has all of the right ingredients to be a hit.

He said, “Anyone who sees Paddington will agree that he is a beautiful horse. He is also a hardy horse given he won four Group 1s in the space of just 68 days. He won the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Coral-Eclipse, the St James's Palace and the Sussex Stakes. Horses such as Kingman (GB), Frankel (GB), Giant's Causeway and Sadler's Wells, they all came close to doing something similar but Paddington is the only one to have been able to do that as a three-year-old. I think that's a massive testament to him as well. 

“Bought by Laurent Benoit on behalf of Coolmore for €420,000 at Arqana, Paddington hails from a lovely Wildenstein family. I think there are loads of good ingredients there for him to be a success and, of course, he is by Siyouni. He is our third son of Siyouni to stand here at Coolmore and the two others [St Mark's Basilica (Fr) and Sottsass (Fr)] are world champions. That bodes well for Paddington.” 

Byrne added, “He's going to be very well-supported and Monceaux has committed a strong selection of mares to him. He was obviously raised by Henri Bozo's Ecurie des Monceaux farm in France. A lot of the top breeders in Britain and Ireland are also keen to row in behind him and give him the support that he deserves.”

While Paddington proved himself at the highest level over a mile and a mile-and-a-quarter, Little Big Bear was devilishly-quick and represents something altogether different at €27,500. The European Champion Two-Year-Old put in arguably one of the most memorable performances posted by any juvenile in recent years when romping to a seven-length success in the G1 Phoenix S. at the Curragh and he clearly has the looks to match that ability.

TDN's @BrianSheerin91 is making his way around the @IREthoroughbred #IrishStallionTrail! Check it out

European Champion 2-Year-Old LITTLE BIG BEAR on the walk at @coolmorestud! He is new to the stallion roster this year pic.twitter.com/TbTWlsDVpu

— TDN (@theTDN) January 12, 2024

“Little Big Bear is another beautiful horse,” Byrne said. “I remember when he sold at Deauville he was the talk of the sale and I actually thought he'd make a lot more than €320,000. He went on to become the European Champion Two-Year-Old and got a rating of 124 which is a freakish rating. But then again, he produced a freakish performance in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes where he was seven lengths clear of his rivals. He was just a phenomenal racehorse and won four times as a juvenile at a combined aggregate of 15 lengths.

“Anyone who comes to see him won't be disappointed as he has size, strength, scope and a lot of quality. Pedigree-wise, he's very well-bred as well. You'd have to think at €27,500, he'll be on a lot of people's lists.”

The Antarctic, a full-brother to the Champion Sprinter Baattash (Ire), will appeal to plenty of smaller breeders at €6,000 and he completes the trio of newbies with Byrne stressing the importance for fresh blood at a stud of Coolmore's status.

He said, “The Antarctic is another interesting horse and is the most expensive colt by Dark Angel (Ie) ever sold at 750,000gns. He won the Lacken Stakes, which Caravaggio and Sioux Nation also won, but The Antarctic won it in record time. He's incredibly well-bred and is a full-brother to Baataash, who we all knew so well. It's a story that every Irish breeder knows and loves with the dam, Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), being bought inexpensively by Paul McCartan and going on to produce brilliant horses like Baattash and The Antarctic, not to mention her latest two yearlings through the ring making a combined 3.3 million gns.

“When you talk about being commercial, this guy was fast, good-looking and has a great pedigree. I think he'll be very popular for breeders who are looking for a bit of value. One thing I've noticed is that he is quite similar to Havana Grey (GB). 

“Havana Grey is out of a Dark Angel mare and this guy is by Dark Angel. They were both rated 113 and have similar enough race profiles as they placed in the Prix Morny. They're not too dissimilar.”

On keeping things fresh with the new blood at Coolmore, Byrne concluded, “It's like a Premier League football team. You need to keep buying new players and freshen up the roster with new talent every year. This is a fast-moving industry and, as a stud, we need proven stallions, stallions who are about to have their first runners and are just getting going, then you have the stallions in between and also the fresh blood coming through. You don't know where the next Sadler's Wells or No Nay Never is going to come from.”

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At Haras de Bonneval, the domain of the Aga Khan Studs' French line-up, the deluxe stallion unit contains two of the most sought-after sires in the country. They have recently been joined by another duo who will be aimed at emulating the feats of their elders.

For the new recruits Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr) it will be no easy task to follow in the wake of France's leading sire Siyouni (Fr) and the fast-rising Zarak (Fr). But then again, few would have predicted the lofty heights that Siyouni has reached when he started out on his second career in 2011 at a fee of €7,000. He is now the most expensive stallion in France at €200,000. Only Frankel (GB) and Dubawi (Ire) command a higher fee in Europe, and the latter is well represented in the Bonneval quadrangle, as both Zarak and Erevann are sons of Dubawi, whose sire-line extends with each passing year.

It would do those two a disservice, however, simply to label them as sons of Dubawi, for at the Aga Khan Studs the emphasis has always been on creating families. Here, broodmare power is every bit as important as sire power. 

Zarak's female line tells the century-long story of one of the most successful breeding operations of all time. His dam Zarkava (Ire) wrote a few important chapters of her own to follow, some 50 years later, that of his sixth dam, the champion Petite Etoile (GB), and back through another four generations to the hugely influential Mumtaz Mahal (GB), who in many ways was the start of it all. Indeed, Zarak's rise, from a €12,000 stallion to the upper tier at €60,000, will have pleased many within the Aga Khan Studs, and for more significant reasons than mere fiscal concerns.

What then of Erevann, who brings with him more Siyouni blood, his dam Ervedya (Fr) having been the first Classic winner by the stallion back in 2015, and arguably the most important member of his first crop?

“Erevann's dam was very special to us,” says Georges Rimaud, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France. “Unfortunately we lost her a couple of years ago, but she still has a couple of offspring coming. So Erevann is very special to the family and to the operation. He's a beautiful horse, a beautifully-bred son of Dubawi, who is a sire of sires now. Ervedya was a multiple Group 1 winner at three and at four, and we are all very proud to have offspring from her worthy of being a stallion.”

Erevann, the mare's second foal, sailed unbeaten thorough his first three starts, which included the G3 Prix Paul Moussac, before finishing third in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, just half a length behind the winner Inspiral (GB) but ahead of Group 1 winners Coroebus (Ire), Prosperous Voyage (Ire), Order Of Australia (Ire) and State Of Rest (Ire). The winning continued when Erevann completed his three-year-old season with victory in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein. Though winless at four, Erevann again posted some decent performances, notably in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G1 Prix du Moulin.

Rimaud continues, “Erevann is very interesting, in a similar fashion to Zarak, as a son of Dubawi from a very good broodmare and racehorse. When we attempt to stand a horse as a stallion, we think about his pedigree. We think of what he can offer to breeders in terms of performances, and pedigree is very important in that case. 

“And there's probably a large amount of luck in this, but there's also a little bit of knowhow from His Highness and his way of wanting to develop not only the broodmare band but also the stallion operation. We certainly would not put a stallion at stud without wanting to use him ourselves. So we think [Erevann's] pedigree, his performances are really worthy of of standing him at stud. It's a great adventure every time we start and we hope for the best. Sometimes it doesn't happen but we've been fortunate so far.”

One way in which Zarak and Erevann differ is that the former, like his dam, was a Group 1 winner over 2,400m. Tall and elegant, Erevann has plenty of scope, but he emulated his dam in doing his best work over a mile, a factor which is increasingly appealing to breeders with a more commercial focus. 

Of the same vintage as Erevann is Vadeni, the colt who ensured that the centenary year of the Aga Khan Studs in 2022 was truly memorable. From his Classic trial victory in the G3 Prix de Guiche, the son of Churchill (Ire) set a new record time when winning the G1 Prix du Jockey Club against a field which included Modern Games (Ire) and Onesto (Ire). It is one thing to beat your contemporaries but the first real test of a three-year-old comes when pitted against his elders, as Vadeni was for the G1 Coral-Eclipse. Three of his five rivals that days, Mishriff (Ire), Native Trail (GB) and Bay Bridge (GB), are also about to embark on their own first covering seasons. Talented though each of them is, they had no answer for Vadeni at Sandown, who had been supplemented for the race and duly became the first French-trained winner of the Eclipse in more than 60 years.

Vadeni showed an impressive turn of foot over 10 furlongs, but the question was how he would fare going two more for the Arc. Following a close third behind Luxembourg (Ire) in the G1 Irish Champion S., Vadeni then set about answering that query at Longchamp, where he was a staying-on second to Alpinista (GB) in arguably the best performance of his career.

Vadeni is a second-generation Aga Khan homebred, his grand-dam, the G1 Prix Saint Alary winner Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), having been purchased among the stock acquired from the family of her breeder Jean-Luc Lagardere.

“It is an achievement of the families that His Highness has been buying or developing over the last decades that at the end of the centennial year and the next year following that, he has been able to produce two horses worthy of being stallions,” says Rimaud. 

“Vadeni's performances were incredible. He is a mid-sized stallion with strong hindquarters, very deep shoulder, very deep girth, a lovely correct horse, and quite chic in himself.”

Vadeni, who gilded the lily by snaring the title of Cartier Champion Three-Year-old Colt in 2022, starts his stallion career at a fee of €18,000 while Erevann has been introduced at €8,000.

“We have set up two new horses in a very attractive bracket, and Vadeni in a higher bracket because he really deserves it with his performances, his quality and his overall genetic proposition,” says Rimaud.

“There is a very strong interest in the French racing and breeding industry and there is definitely a strong market for stallions in France,” says Rimaud. “Our intention was to develop that in France when we started [at Bonneval] really from the year 2000. It takes a while to settle it down and make it work but I think it's given confidence to [other] stallion operations to stand good horses. For some it's a large investment – we have been fortunate to breed these stallions – but I hope and think they do get a return from their investment. 

“The prize-money in French racing really helps, along with the breeders' premiums, owners' premiums and all this. It's very important to keep that up because it attracts a number of people from overseas – particularly from Europe, from England and Ireland, and even some German and Americans breeders – to use France as a breeding base.

“You can go to just about anything you'd like. If you want a sprinter, if you want a mile-and-a-half horse, stayer or a miler, you have a great array of choices in just about in all price brackets.”

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Whether or not he will be able to emulate the long reigns of his sire Galileo (Ire) and grandsire Sadler's Wells remains to be seen, but it would be unwise to bet against it. Yes, Frankel's launch into his stud career was the stallion equivalent of being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so great was the support from major international breeders from the outset, but there have been plenty of examples of that not equating to a horse becoming a top sire. Frankel is just that, any way you look at it.

He is quickly being joined at stud by a number of his best sons, and there are plenty to choose from. This year alone in Britain, the trio of Chaldean (GB), Mostahdaf (Ire) and Triple Time (Ire) join the Newmarket powerhouses of Juddmonte, Shadwell and Darley, while Onesto (Ire) is now at Haras d'Etreham in France. Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) joins the National Hunt ranks where St Leger winner Logician (GB) already resides, and Derby winner Adayar (Ire) and another Irish Derby winner, Westover (GB), have headed east to Japan. That's seven new Group 1-winning sons of Frankel in one year's intake alone.

Frankel has won this year's championship in a manner not dissimilar to his performances on the track: by a wide margin. His progeny earnings in Britain and Ireland of just over £7 million put him almost £3 million clear of last year's champion Dubawi (Ire), with a margin of roughly £30,000 separating the runner-up and third-placed Dark Angel (Ire). In fact, it was pretty tightly packed among the first six horses in Frankel's wake.

To return to the champion momentarily, his 39 stakes winners worldwide in 2023 (23 in Britain and Ireland) included his 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean, who now stands alongside him at Banstead Manor Stud, Soul Sister (GB), who became his second winner of the Oaks, Inspiral (GB), who recorded her sixth Group/Grade 1 win at Santa Anita at the Breeders' Cup, and her fellow Group 1 winners Nashwa (GB) and Jannah Rose (Ire). Three of these four fillies/mares remain in training, with Jannah Rose's immediate future yet to be decided. 

Dubawi is also not short of the company of his sons at stud either. On the Darley roster alone, there is Night Of Thunder (Ire) (who is 12th on this year's table), along with Ghaiyyath (Ire), Space Blues (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB), and that group has been bolstered by the arrival of Modern Games (Ire), a Group/Grade 1 winner at two, three and four. Dubawi's wide-margin G1 National S. winner Henry Longfellow (Ire), out of the champion mare Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, should be high among his Classic colts to follow next year.

Good old Dark Angel. There is little doubt that his books will have risen in quality over the years but he would not be covering as many bluebloods as Frankel and Dubawi. He has been in the top seven sires in the last six years and takes third again, equalling his best performance of 2020. The six-year-old Art Power (Ire) typifies Dark Angel's profile as a sire who provides stock that are generally fast and hardy. Art Power is classy too, and he brought the curtain down on a good year for his father with victory in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Three of the stallions to have finished in the top 20 in Britain and Ireland for the year are no longer with us. Galileo (Ire), for so long such a dominant force in Europe, and Deep Impact (Jpn), of whom the same can be said in Japan, died in 2021 and 2019 respectively. Recently Ballyhane Stud lost its stalwart Dandy Man (Ire), who ends this year in 19th place in the table and was one of only five stallions to sire 100 or more winners this year.

Galileo, 12 times the champion sire, took the fourth spot, with the dual Group 1 winner Warm Heart (Ire) being his stand-out performer of the year from his 15 stakes winners in Britain and Ireland, which put him third in this sector behind only Frankel and Dubawi. 

Not surprisingly, Deep Impact had only 11 runners in Britain and Ireland this year, but four of them won, and when one of those is the dual Derby and Irish Champion S. winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) then a decent slot in the table is guaranteed. The late Shadai stallion duly finished in 13th place.

In fifth was France's leading sire Siyouni (Fr), who had another banner year beyond his home country, with Paddington (GB) and Tahiyra (Fr) winning the Irish 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas respectively, before landing another five Group 1 victories between them. Paddington becomes the third son of Siyouni to join the Coolmore roster after Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr).

Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) ensured that two Aga Khan Studs stallions made the top six. King George hero Hukum (Ire) was of course his best runner. He is now at stud in Japan, while we live in hope that the G1 Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn (GB) returns to training next year having not been seen since finishing seventh behind Hukum at Ascot in July.

The 103 British and Irish winners (and 11 stakes winners) for Kingman (GB) this year came at a 50% strike-rate to put him in seventh position, one ahead of the prolific Kodiac (GB), who is the leader by number of winners on 118 and was also represented by nine stakes winners.

Lope De Vega (Ire) was another member of the quintet with winners into three figures – 101 and eight stakes winners. No Nay Never completes the top ten with nine stakes winners to his credit, including new Coolmore stallion Little Big Bear (Ire).

Of those bubbling just under, it is hard not to think that we won't see Wootton Bassett (GB) shooting up the charts from next year. His 11th place finish in 2023 came from just 58 runners in Britain and Ireland, around a quarter of the number fielded by most of those names above him. 

From 2024, we will see the first two-year-old runners to have been conceived following his move to Ireland, and Wootton Bassett was represented by three new Group/Grade 1 winners this year in three different countries. The hugely likeable King Of Steel was his real talking horse, and he returns next year, along with the Classic prospect Unquestionable (Fr) and Bucanero Fuerte (GB).

The dependable Derby winners Australia (GB) and Camelot (GB) were also in the top 20, along with Classic sire Nathaniel (Ire), who is surely one of the best value elite stallions in Britain. 

An honourable mention must also go to Havana Grey (GB), who in 16th was the youngest of the top 20 finishers with only two crops to have raced for him so far, and eight stakes winners to his credit this year. And let's not forget Muhaarar (GB), which is what many perhaps tried to do when he left Shadwell to stand at Haras des Faunes in France in 2022. Now that people have worked out that most of his progeny are not sprinters, as he was, we can also admit that he's not a bad sire at all. He's had a jolly good year, in fact, with Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) leading the charge and backed up by G2 Princess of Wales S. winner Israr (GB) and Group/Grade 3 winners Annaf (Ire) and Motorious (GB) among his nine stakes winners worldwide (four in Britain in Ireland). Muhaarar is on the move again and will stand at Haras de Petit Tellier in 2024.

France and Germany

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is such a valuable race that it usually guarantees French champion status (or thereabouts) to the sire of the winner.

Last year Frankel took the title, thanks largely to his wonderful daughter Alpinista (GB) but this year he has to play second fiddle to his son Cracksman (GB), sire of the brilliant Ace Impact (Ire). Frankel's influence loomed large in the Arc trifecta, with his sons Westover and Onesto taking second and third.

Of the stallions standing in France, Siyouni continues to stand tall and was third in the French table overall, with his daughter Mqse De Sevigne (Fr) landing a notable Group 1 double for her owner-breeder, the outgoing France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild. Siyouni notched the highest number of winners (66), and had Wootton Bassett just behind him in the table in fourth.

Next for the home team came Anodin (Ire), who was sixth overall with 60 winners and his first Group 1 winner, King Gold (Fr), in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. Dabirsim (Fr), now at Haras de Montaigu and sire of the multiple group winner Horizon Dore (Fr) this year, came next, while Zarak (Fr), another to have a first Group 1 winner his year when Zagrey (Fr) won the Grosser Preis von Baden, was ninth overall.

It is worth noting that, along with Zagrey, Zarak had another seven group winners this year: three more in Germany, and one in America. This unsurprisingly put him high in the German table in fourth position, with Straight (Ger) having won the G2 Union Rennen, while Shagara (Ire) won the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin and Princess Zelda (Ger) took the G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy.

King of the hill in Germany, however, was Sea The Moon (Ger), which is no surprise given that he supplied the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) and the first three home in the G1 Preis der Diana, led by Muskoka (Ger). The Lanwades resident had another three group winners in Germany in 2023, as well as one each in Ireland, America and Italy.

Separating Sea The Moon and Zarak was the late duo of Areion (Ger) and Adlerflug (Ger), and special mention must go to Iquitos (Ger), who finished seventh in the table despite having had just five runners. That quintet included the stakes winners Mr Hollywood (Ire) and Drawn To Dream (Ire), both bred by Gestut Ammerland from Hurricane Run (Ire) mares.

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The Aga Khan Studs will have two new stallions next season, with last year's Cartier champion 3-year-old, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse S. winner Vadeni (Fr), joining the roster at Haras de Bonneval at €18,000. There he will stand alongside fellow newcomer Erevann (Fr), who is being introduced at €8,000. 

Completing the team of four stallions in France is Zarak (Fr), whose fee will remain at €60,000 in a year in which he was represented by his first Group 1 winner, Zagrey (Fr), and covered 130 mares.

The leading sire in France and second in Europe by prize-money, Siyouni's year has been highlighted by the Classic winners Paddington (GB), who has recently joined the Coolmore roster, and Tahiyra (Fr), the winners of seven Group 1 races between them this season. There have also been Group 1 victories for Mqse De Sevigne (Fr) and the Australian filly Amelia's Jewel (Aus).

Siyouni is also the broodmare sire of new recruit Erevann, who is out of his first Classic winner Erevdya (Fr) and, like Zarak, a son of Dubawi (Ire). Beaten by half a length with third behind Inspiral (GB) in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, Erevann won the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and G3 Prix Paul de Moussac.

Hukum (Ire), a recent recruit to Darley Japan, was the leading light for Sea The Stars (Ire) this season, whose quartet of Group 1 winners was completed by Emily Upjohn (GB), Sea Silk Road (Ire) and, in Australia, Just Fine (Ire). He also features as the broodmare sire of Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

Georges Rimaud, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in France, said, “With two internationally proven leading sires, one rapidly rising star and two exciting new stallions to offer breeders in 2024, we go into next year with as strong a roster as we have ever had. We look forward to showing them to breeders over the next few weeks, and invite people to get in touch with myself or Fanny Cypres in France, or Pat Downes or Julie White in Ireland, to discuss their mating plans.” 

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Frankel (GB) may rule at Tattersalls, but in Deauville we are in the court of France's champion sire Siyouni (Fr), whose 10 yearlings sold on Tuesday returned an average price of €189,500 and included one of the day's co-top lots at €420,000.

With a touch of déjà vu, that colt bore several similarities to one of the leading lights of the sale a few years ago. Both were bought on behalf of Coolmore by Laurent Benoit, who, after outbidding Anthony Stroud, said,  “He's by Siyouni out of a Galileo mare. It's the same price, same stallion and also the same underbidder as Paddington, and I think he will have the same trainer as Paddington. Let's hope he's as good as him.”

One of the differences in this case was the vendor of lot 132, which was Haras d'Etreham, who sold the son of the Grade III-placed Galileo (Ire) mare Decorating on behalf of his breeder Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm.

Sharing his podium at the top of the leader board was Fairway Consignment's colt by Zarak (Fr) (lot 101), who will head to Norway after being signed for by Ross Doyle on behalf of his longstanding clients Magne and Bente Jordanger.

“We were given the mandate to find a horse to win Classics in Scandinavia, the Norwegian Derby, hopefully that's the plan. He was on a very short list and the one we wanted to get,” Doyle said.

“He's for Magne and Bente of Stall Perlen and will go to trainer Wido Neuroth. He was a magnificent colt and every time we saw him he was very relaxed.”

He added, “They've won the Norwegian Oaks recently with a filly we bought them by Night Of Thunder [Thunder Sea]. Scandinavian owners are very competitive. Mr Jordanger said to me that he's at the stage of his life where he wants to drink the best wine and buy the best horses.”

We can all drink a toast to such a sentiment, and the largesse of the Jordangers, along with plenty of other buyers on the day, led to an upturn in trade from last year. The 170 yearlings sold on the day pushed the clearance rate up slightly to 82%, while turnover rose by 21.5% to  €15,581,000, and the average was also up, by 18%, to €91,653. The median increased from €55,000 to €70,000.

Another busy day for Stroud

Despite being denied one son of Siyouni, Anthony Stroud had already secured lot 47, a half-brother to last year's October Sale topper, at €350,000. Offered by Haras du Mont dit Mont, the colt is out of Shamtee (Ire) (Shamardal), a Listed winner from the further family of stallions Territories (Ire), Street Cry (Ire), Shamardal and Victor Ludorum (Ire).

The Siyouni colt will join Andre Fabre's string for Godolphin, and was one of 14 purchases by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock during a busy Tuesday. Also on the list, for an unnamed client, was the Sea The Moon (Ger) half-sister to Group 1 winner Simca Mille (Fr) (Tamayuz {GB}), who was sold by her breeder Haras de la Perelle for €260,000.

In a further fitting tribute to the late Lady Chryss O'Reilly, her Haras de la Louivière draft was responsible for the joint-top-priced filly of the day (lot 29), a daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB) who was bought by Jerome Glandais of Ecurie de Launay for €260,000.

Out of the unraced Sablonniere (Fr) (Verglas {Ire}), she is a full-sister to the Listed Prix Ridgway winner Dream Works (Fr) and a half to the Group 3 winner King Malpic (Fr) (King's Best).

Pair of fillies for Sumbe

Sumbe had a busy day announcing two new stallions for next year [see accompanying story] and Nurlan Bizakov's team also recruited two new yearlings on Tuesday, lots 77 and 131. The first, a daughter of Bated Breath (GB) from La Motteraye Consignment, is a half-sister to the dual Listed winner Shalromy (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}) and was bred by Frederic and Jennifer Bianco. She was bought for €240,000 and Sumbe later went to €260,000 for a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of a half-sister to the Arc winner Danedream (Ger) (Lomita's {GB}) from Ecurie des Monceaux.

After signing for the Bated Breath filly, Nurlan Bizakov said, “It's a lovely family which we know well as Shalromy was born and raised at the stud for her breeders. The mare also boarded at Hesmonds Stud when she went to England to be covered. I am a fan of Bated Breath who is a consistent sire.”

One and done for Holland

Brendan Holland of Grove Stud completed his set for next year's breeze-up sales with the purchase early in the session of a colt by Siyouni (Fr) out of the Group 3-placed Over Reacted (Fr) (Planter {Ire}) from a family that includes the recent G1 Preis von Europa winner India (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Catalogued as lot 4, he was sold by Haras de Grandcamp for €175,000.

Reflecting on the yearling trade in general this year, Holland said, “I've found it difficult to buy the colts that I wanted. The market was more selective and maybe I'm getting more selective. I was also selling and the market was a bit patchier, for sure, and more selective, so that made it more difficult on both sides. 

“That was the same starting in Doncaster and all the way through Keeneland, it was difficult to buy nice colts. We had to stretch to buy the colt this morning. He's a nice colt with a good pedigree, out of a good mare by a good sire, but that type of colt is getting harder to buy.”

He added, “The spend has gone up the last five years to produce these two-year-old horses. My numbers are always around 20 to 25 horses and everyone is trying to up their quality, it's not just me, but the rest of the lads as well. The results of that have been showing on the track, too. And we're looking at a broad range of horses as well, it's not just a narrow band of two-year-old types.”

Camelot is King for Brummitt

Ecurie des Monceaux sold 20 of its 25 yearlings through the ring on Tuesday. The full-brother to Sottsass (Fr) was withdrawn on the day but among those to be sold was a Pinatubo (Ire) colt out of the Group 3 winner Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Offered as lot 6, the half-brother to black-type performers Paix (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Sir Bob Parker (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was knocked down to Jean-Claude Rouget at €210,000. 

From the same family and eight lots later was a Camelot (GB) half-brother to the G2 Debutanate S. winner and G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). The son of Pacifique's half-sister Prudente (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was selected by an avowed fan of Camelot in Jeremy Brummitt. 

He said of lot 14, “What sets apart Camelot and Montjeu is the way they move, and this is the only yearling I've seen all year who moves in the way that I'm looking for. Nothing wins a race standing still. So I bought the horse that moves in the way that I want, because I think that's why that particular line, or those two stallions, father and son, are so good.”

Brummitt added, “He's been bought for an existing, undisclosed client called Bjorn Nielsen.”

Nielsen previously raced a close relation to this colt, English King (Fr), who is also by Camelot and is a half-brother to the yearling's dam Prudente. He won the Listed Derby Trial at Lingfield before running fifth in the Derby itself.

Talking Points

• Monceaux once again leads the vendors' list with 20 sold for €2,368,000, and Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment had a good day selling five yearlings for an average of €167,000.

• Anthony Stroud and Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock were the most active of the buyers and signed for 14 lots to the tune of €2,180,000.

• Haras d'Etreham's freshman sire Hello Youmzain (Fr) continued his run of popularity at Arqana with 15 sold through the first day for an average of €78,000, which is more than three times his opening fee.

• Chachnak (Fr)? Yep, I had to look him up too. The dual Group 3-winning son of Kingman (GB) stands at Haras de la Gastine for his owner Jean-Pierre Dubois and has three members of his 33-strong first crop catalogued at Arqana this week. The first sold for €15,000 to trainer Christophe Escuder.

• In keeping with so many sales, the figures at Arqana's October edition have been increasing in recent years. The first day's aggregate this year, which weighed in at €15,581,000 for 170 sold, is not that far off the turnover for the whole sale in 2019, which stood at €16,957,000 for 414 yearlings. 

Buy of the Day 

Lot 37: Colt by Waldgeist (GB) – Sassella (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire})
Vendor/breeder: Gestut Ammerland
Buyer: Richard Venn, €35,000

Those associated with Waldgeist would probably have liked to see him have a few more winners by now but it's never wise to make judgments on stallions until at least the end of their second year with runners. As a progressive middle-distance horse bred jointly by three of the best operations in Europe it is fair to expect to see his offspring make more of an impact at three. It is also worth remembering that two of the buzz names of the year, Arc winner Ace Impact (Fr) and young sire Justify, did not appear on the racecourse until their three-year-old seasons.

In the case of lot 37, the colt was bred by one of the Waldgeist trio, Gestut Ammerland, whose impact on European racing has been pronounced over several decades, and whose presence we will miss after the stud's remaining breeding stock is sold at Arqana in December. 

Ammerland's Dietrich von Boetticher was not only the co-breeder of the colt's sire but also bred his dam and broodmare sire. Sassella won the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit, while her dam Sevenna (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has produced another four stakes winners, including Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who runs in the Listed Prix Vulcain at Deauville on Thursday.

There's a lot of pedigree for that price and, if given the time he may well need, his owner and trainer could well be rewarded. The colt is heading to England to new Lambourn trainer Charlie Pike for owner Gary Gillies. Best of luck to them.

Thought for the Day

Boy, did the Arqana auctioneers speed things up on Tuesday. Bravo, merci, et encore!

The post Paddington 2: The Sequel? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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It was Juddmonte's Sam Guyette, shortlisting for the top bloodstock agent this week, who first lauded the Norelands Stud-drafted colt as a potential nap. 

Brown revealed that, after taking this nugget with a heavy pinch of salt initially, he was then bowled over by Wednesday's topper when he made his way down to Highflyer.

“A lot of credit has to go to our spotters because it's very hard to get around these numbers,” Brown said after securing the colt for his existing client. “Sam Guyette, who works for Juddmonte, has been helping us get through the numbers this week and told me very early that there was a special horse for me to see. I sort of raised my eyebrows and went down to see him and went, 'wow, this is a very serious horse.' 

“I knew he'd be hard to buy. He's by one of the greatest stallions around and has a proper back page. Luckily I had somebody who was willing to stretch and have a proper go. He'll stay in England.”

The Sea The Stars colt is out of Dawn Approach (Ire) mare Miss Aiglonne (GB), who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars). It was a combination of that strong pedigree and likable physical attributes that enticed Brown to go to 425,000gns. 

“He's not a huge horse,” the agent explained. “He's a perfectly-sized horse for me. I got to see Baaeed (GB) quite a lot in William Haggas's. Baaeed had this huge, flat quarter and great width of hip. He wasn't actually a huge horse. This horse had a similar hind end to Baaeed. He has great movement and is just a classy animal.”

Brown added, “We're all realists and know that most horses are not very good. But, buying a horse who looks like that and is by Sea The Stars, it gives you a chance of having a top Group 1 horse.”

Similarly to Book 1, the trade at Park Paddocks this week didn't quite compare to last year, but Brown was left focussing on the positives at close of play on Wednesday.

He concluded, “I think the market has been strong. I think it's been really good. It has been well documented that last week was tricky. This week has been hard to buy. 

“I didn't buy as many this week as I did last week and I've tried on plenty. There's definitely cracks and it would be foolish for everyone involved to say it was completely smooth sailing. But, overall, you'd have to have a positive take away from the sale.”

Key Figures Fall At Book 2

The key figures took a dip at Book 2 this year; the aggregate fell by 11% at Book 2 compared to 12 months ago. There were similar dips with the median and average which fell by 11% and 10% respectively. The clearance rate fell by 1% to 85%.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said, “As referenced last week the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sales reached extraordinary heights the like of which we may not see for many years to come, so for Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale to produce returns which, although falling short of last year, compare favourably with all bar two renewals of Europe's largest yearling sale gives some perspective. 

“As recently as 2016 the turnover at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale was below 40 million guineas, with a then record average price of 65,000 guineas, a record-equalling median of 50,000 guineas and an unprecedented 117 lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. This year's sale has achieved an average in excess of 80,000 guineas, a median second only to last year's runaway record and a clearance rate of 85%. 

“The outstanding Dubawi filly who topped the sale at 725,000 guineas was the second highest priced filly ever sold at this sale, 55 lots have sold for 200,000 guineas or more which is fractionally fewer than last year and the diversity of buyers has been notable at all levels of the market.”

He added, “As ever the support from the consignors has been outstanding. Year after year horses purchased at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are successful at the very highest level throughout the world, annually demonstrating the extraordinary quality of yearlings that British and Irish consignors, alongside many from mainland Europe, commit to this sale. Buyers, both domestic and international, derive huge confidence from the consistent racecourse achievements of Tattersalls October Yearlings and buyers from throughout Europe and the Gulf region, as well as Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and the USA have all made valuable contributions this week alongside the domestic British and Irish participants who will always be the backbone of the October Yearling Sales.

“It is a source of pride that Books 1 and 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale showcase so many of the best yearlings to be found in Europe, but as we move on to Books 3 and 4 we should also highlight the quality of the yearlings to be offered in the next few days. The likes of last year's Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lezoo and recent Group 2 Beresford Stakes winner Deepone were both bought at Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale and are graphic illustrations of the opportunities still to be found at Tattersalls this week.”

Owner Makes Hay At Book 2 By Splashing Out On Nine Yearlings

Jim Hay, whose wife Fitri's colours have been carried by Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory (GB) and more recently by smart sprinters Khaadem (Ire) and Equilateral (GB), outlined his passion for British racing after buying nine yearlings at Book 2.

That outlay was headed by a 325,000gns Gleneagles (Ire) colt from Whatton Manor Stud on Wednesday. Hay had been active at the yearling sales from Arqana through to Keeneland, Goffs and now this week at Tattersalls. 

Shortly after snapping up the Gleneagles, the owner's Ciro Di Marzio (Justify), a €518,519 purchase from the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale earlier this year, won a Kempton novice for trainer Ralph Beckett. 

Hay, who expects to be represented at the Breeders' Cup by Nakatomi (Firing Line) [who he owns in partnership with Sheikh Fahad] and Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), admitted that his love for British racing comes fraught with frustrations, but put on the record his commitment to racehorse ownership after bolstering his team for next year. 

Hay said, “We bought a few today. We like Gleneagles and have had a lot of success with them-Royal Scotsman and Highland Chief-so we like the bloodline. The one we bought today is out of a Pivotal (GB) mare, the same as Royal Scotsman, so we like that cross. The experts [agents Ed Sackville and Dermot Farrington] tell me that he looks the business.”

He added, “UK racing is in a terrible bloody state financially. But that's okay, we'll keep doing what we've been doing for twenty-odd years. We'd love UK racing to actually become sensible and be funded properly.”

Hay ran 34 individual horses in Britain this year alone and, along with Beckett, he supports Andrew Balding, Paul and Oliver Cole, Richard Hannon, Charlie Hills and more. A 310,000gns Churchill colt bought from Clare Castle Stud also featured on Wednesday's shopping list for a man who spent $1 million at Keeneland earlier this year. However, Hay relayed his ongoing worry over what the future lies for the industry in Britain due to affordability checks on punters.

He said, “The big dream with all of this for everyone is to produce a stallion that could potentially be worth a lot of money. Otherwise, the whole thing is just basically shredding money. The other thing is these affordability checks. 

“A bookie won't let me put a fifty quid each-way bet on but I've just spent over three-hundred-grand on a horse. This is the nonsense in all of it. All this kind of stuff needs to come to a halt.”

The Gleneagles colt was consigned by Whatton Manor Stud, who were also in lights when selling a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt to Highclere for 320,000gns. Those figures elevated Whatton Manor Stud to end Book 2 as the second busiest consignors with 22 selling for 1,879,000gns. That was only bettered by the 2,628,000gns aggregate posted by Tally-Ho Stud for 28 yearlings. 

Reflecting on the week, Whatton Manor's Ed Player said, “Trade feels tough when you are selling quite a few horses. We had four horses in Book 1 and 25 in Book 2. It has been quite tough but, if you have nice horses, there are plenty of people for it. It definitely feels tougher than it has done in previous times but trade just can't keep going up year after year. But, if you have a nice horse, there is still great trade.”

He added, “A lot of work has gone into these two weeks. The guys at home work incredibly hard and you've just got to try and show the horses as best you can. If people don't like them, that's the market value at that given time. When Tattersalls come and inspect the horses in June, obviously some progress a lot and others don't do as well. Overall, trade is perfectly okay but it's just tougher this year than other years.”

O'Brien Lands Colt By 'One Of The Top Sires In The World' 

Joseph O'Brien has been a constant presence at Tattersalls since Book 1 and bought horses at every level in the past week. The leading trainer picked up a 310,000gns Siyouni (Fr) under the banner of Opm Equine, a partnership that includes American bloodstock agent Justin Casse. 

O'Brien commented, “Siyouni has had an exceptional year. This is a nice strong colt and we're lucky to have gotten him. We've had a few by Siyouni and he's one of the top sires in the world. We're delighted to have him. He's been bought with Justin Casse and Olivia Perkins-Mackey, who works with Justin. We're looking forward to hopefully a mature two-year-old.”

The Siyouni was expertly pinhooked by Guy O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud from Etreham at Arqana last December for €78,000. He is out of an unraced Invincible Spirit (Ire) mare whose dam is a sister to high-class Ballydoyle-trained runners Rhododendron (Ire), Magical (Ire) and Flying The Flag (Ire).

O'Callaghan said, “He is a smashing colt from a very good family and Siyouni has had an amazing season with two of the best three-year-olds [Tahiyra and Paddington] around. This is just a lovely simple horse and I bought him with my brother Robert for €78,000 from Haras d'Etreham and the late Lady O'Reilly.”

Golden touch

By Georgia Cox 

Lot 1270 

Sire: Mohaather (GB) Dam: Maid For Winning (GB)

Bred by Claiborne Farm

Consigned by Ballyvolane Stud

Purchased by Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock for the Guest Family

This colt is out of the well-named Maid For Winning, who has produced seven winners from eight runners including three black-type performers. Most notable of which is the Group 3 winner Yourtimeisnow (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). 

Bought by John Foley under the banner of GHS Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Foal Sales for 55,000gns, the Mohaather colt almost doubled in price when selling to Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock on behalf of the Guest family for 100,000gns on Wednesday.

The Guest family are big supporters of George Margason and the trainer could have plenty to look forward to with this colt by freshman sire Mohaather, the progeny of which have been snapped up by notable buyers, including Shadwell, Highflyer, Ed Sackville, Dermot Farrington and Paddy Twomey this week alone.

Buy of the day

A strong case can be made for the last horse [lot 1351] in the ring on Wednesday, a belter of a Blue Point colt, being the best bought horse on the day. Consigned by Hascombe & Valiant Stud, this colt snuck marginally under the average [133,900gns] posted by the stallion this week at 130,000gns, but he was anything but average. He was bought by Thomond O'Mara, a prominent breeze-up handler and, assuming the colt breezes well, he could be one to turn a profit. He'd fit in nicely at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale here next spring and looks very well-bought. 

Thought for the day

Some of the talent displayed by the sales staff on the sales ground over the past few days has been off the charts. We have had the odd yearling get loose in the parade ring, but thankfully, there was no harm done. That's been down to the quick-thinking and skill displayed by the men and women on the ground. A job well done.

The post ‘A Similar Hind End To Baaeed’ – Sea The Stars Colt Leads Way At Book 2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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DEAUVILLE, France–It was the bloodstock sales equivalent of a mic drop: two lots, five minutes, €3 million. Boom.

Coomore has long nurtured its partnerships, and with Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Georg von Opel's Westerberg, the Magnier-led operation has enjoyed plentiful success. Most notably this season that has come with Paddington (GB), a multiple Group 1-winning son of Siyouni (Fr) bred by Dayton Investments at Ecurie des Monceaux, and it was to that nursery that the team turned again, signing for the day's top lot [244], also by Siyouni, for €2.2 million.

The names of MV Magnier and Brant's White Birch Farm were on the ticket, just as they were for the previous colt [243], a son of Wootton Bassett (GB) whose yearlings on offer this season are from the first crop conceived in Ireland since the stallion's purchase by Coolmore. 

Those two sires, Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, have formed the cornerstone of the French stallion ranks in recent years, backed up by the late Le Havre (Ire) and Kendargent (Fr), and even with Wootton Bassett no longer in the country, his stock is still high in Deauville. A batch of 24 of his yearlings went through the ring over the last three days for an average of €349,375, led by the €800,000 colt from Monceaux out of the American Pharoah mare Holy Roman Empress (Ire), herself a winning daughter of the G1 Phoenix S. winner Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur).

The Siyouni colt, meanwhile, is out of Hourglass (Ire), a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Shamardal. Both colts were bred by China Horse Club from mares bred by Coolmore and associates.

“They're two very nice horses and, interestingly enough, we actually sold the two dams a couple of years ago,” said Magnier. “We've come back and bought the progeny because China Horse Club are very good breeders and Monceaux are an incredible farm. They do a very good job raising horses and we're lucky to get the two of them. They'll both go to Ballydoyle.”

Ecurie des Monceaux has held the title of leading consignor at the August Sale since 2012 and it was once again on top, with 35 yearlings sold for a total of €15,180,000.

Monceaux's Henri Bozo said, “It's been a very good sale. As it has got going it has gone from strength to strength and to have sold those two big horses to Coolmore is a great proof of trust from them to us. The Siyouni colt is a lovely horse with the magic cross, he's magnificent, a good mover, and there is plenty to come physically.”

He continued, “I think that we saw from the beginning of the showing days that there were more and more people. A lot of principals were looking at the horses and enjoying the sale and everybody was confident.”

Bozo and some of his partners were also involved in one of the Group 1 contests on the racecourse at Deauville earlier in the day when their Ramatuelle (Justify) was collared close home to finish second by a head in the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny.

“I got too excited too early and I thought she was going to win,” he said. “She's so tough, she's amazing.”

Ramatuelle will be a valued addition to the Monceaux broodmare band in due course, but first we may see her travel to Newmarket for the G1 Cheveley Park S.

Talking Points

• All credit to Arqana, this year's August Sale didn't miss a beat. The aggregate was up 15.41% to €56,949,000 while the average climbed 10.7% to 232,445. Along with that, the clearance rate was a healthy 86%, up 4% on last year. In short, it was an excellent, record-breaking sale. 
• Plenty of attendees at the sale remarked upon the importance of the presence of some of the heads of major global racing and breeding operations in Deauville, and it may well have been a contributing factor to an incredibly buoyant market at Arqana. Godolphin, Coolmore, and a rejuvenated Al Shaqab filled the top three buyers' slots.
• For the twelfth year in a row, Ecurie des Monceaux was the leading August vendor, selling 45 yearlings at and average of €451, 714, but it was also a terrific sale for Nicolas de Chambure and his team, who sold the top lot, the Dubawi half-sister to Bucanero Fuerte (Fr), for €2.4 million along with 14 other yearlings for a total average price of €340,895.
• Siyouni has long been the stallion king of France and, with Mqse De Sevigne (Fr) winning her second Group 1 in three weeks across the road just before the start of the final session, and the scintillating prospect of Paddington (GB) running in Tuesday's G1 Juddmonte International, the stock of the Aga Khan Studs' star resident really couldn't be higher. At Arqana over the last three days, 15 of his yearlings sold for a total of €6,950,000, putting him behind only Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB) on the sale's sires' table.
• Freshman sires featured prominently, with Ghaiyyath's €455,000 average for three sold giving him bragging rights, but it was also a notable debut for Haras d'Etreham's Hello Youmzain, whose stock drew many favourable comments and who ended the sale with 19 sold at and average of €128,789. His initial stud fee was €25,000.

Coulonces Back in Spotlight With Another Japanese Buyer

On Saturday Anna Sundstrom sold a homebred Sottsass (Fr) colt to Mitsu Nakauchida for 525,000gns, and a day later another Japanese trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, also found favour with Sundstrom's Coulonces Sales draft. He selected a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of the G3 Prix Miesque winner Magic America (High Yield) for €1,000,000.

“I was interested in buying a yearling by Wootton Bassett, as I think he has the ability to succeed in Japan as a sire,” said the trainer who has launched successful international raids on the Breeders' Cup and Saudi Cup. “I have been here all three days, and my impression is that this is a very strong market. I was on my final bid for this colt.”

Last year, Yahagi was responsible for buying the sale's top lot, a €2.1 million brother to the Arc winner Sottsass (Fr). This time he signed for two yearlings, including a first-crop son of the 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko for €140,000.

The Tweenhills stallion has made a rock-solid start, but far more interesting than the fact the Kameko posted an impressive €177,500 average for four yearlings sold were the buyers of his sons and daughters. The Hong Kong Jockey Club snapped up a colt by Kameko on Friday for €310,000 and, along with  Yahagi, French trainer Yann Barberot also featured on the list of buyers. 

Speaking about the strong start from the £15,000 sire, David Redvers of Tweenhills said, “Delighted. It's been a great start. There is a mixture of happiness and sadness because, when a horse is sold abroad, it lessens the exposure for the stallion at home. But, wherever he does well, it will be a good thing. I think we have some really exciting yearlings to come. The ones I have seen tend to be really sharp-looking. If they are out of a fast mare, he seems to be putting that strength into them. With the Roaring Lions, I rarely saw one that didn't look as though it would need at least 10 furlongs at three.”

He added, “With the Kamekos, we certainly have one going to Book 1 and he is out of a very fast mare and looks very sharp. He could be his first two-year-old runner. Sheikh Fahad wants to expose Kameko to the market so he is selling some of his nice ones.”

A Siyouni for Restrepo and JR Ranch

“We've waited three days for this filly,” said Ramiro Restrepo after signing for lot 279, a Monceaux-bred Siyouni daughter of the unraced Lucerne (GB), a Frankel (GB) half-sister to the treble Group 1-winning miler Charm Spirit (Ire).

At €700,000, she was another significant purchase in Europe by the American-based JR Ranch, who gave £250,000 for Ocean Vision (Ire) (US Navy Flag) at the Goffs London Sale in June. 

Restrepo, who acts as Marquee Bloodstock, continued, “She is going to be a cornerstone, hopefully a foundation mare down the line for us. We bought Ocean Vision for the same partner, JR Ranch. He has a lot of passion for Thoroughbred racing and this filly has it all: temperament, class, physique, beautiful pedigree. She's out of a Frankel mare who is a half to Charm Spirit, a major Group 1 winner, and Dream And Do is in the family, who is one of Siyouni's Group 1 winners.”

Restrepo added that the filly will be the first to race in France for JR Ranch and that she will be trained in Chantilly by Tim Donworth, who previously trained Ocean Vision.

He said, “I have known Tim since he was on the Flying Start course. We bought Ocean Vision, who was one of the nicest horses in his yard. He brought the horse over to America for the Grade II and our partner was super-impressed with how he handled himself and the love that he showed for the horse, so it was only right to replace one in his barn.”

Stroud: 'It Has Been Great To Get The Principals Here'

Just a few hours after his Craven Breeze-Up purchase Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) confirmed himself one of the best two-year-olds in Europe when storming to G1 Prix Morny glory for KHK Racing Ltd, Anthony Stroud rounded off a weekend to remember by signing for a Camelot (GB) colt with “a stallion's pedigree” on behalf of Godolphin for €850,000.

Purchased from Gestüt Ammerland, the Camelot colt brought Godolphin's total spend at Arqana over the past few days to €5,350,000 across 10 yearlings, which made the operation the leading buyers at this year's sale.

“Very nice horse from Gestüt Ammerland,” Stroud said of lot 267. “We bought the half-brother [a Shamardal colt for €1.6m] here last year and we like him. This colt obviously has a stallion's pedigree and the team thought he was one of the picks of the sale. He's a nice staying horse.”

Stroud added, “I think it has been a good sale. The main thing is that it has been great to get the principals here like John Magner, Sheikh Mohammed, Al Shaqab, Amo Racing and now Wathnan Racing. There are many more and you couldn't come to a nicer place than Deauville for a sale, could you?”

Not only was this year's August Sale a hugely successful one for Godolphin with a view towards the number of high-class yearlings added to the system, but the performance of the Darley stallion roster was something that gave the team a lot of satisfaction. 

Dubawi was out on his own as the leading stallion at the sale with seven yearlings selling for €5,690,000 but his sons Night Of Thunder (Ire) and freshman Ghaiyyath (Ire) enjoyed some time in the limelight, with Godolphin snapping up all three offerings by the latter to the tune of €1,365,000.

Stroud commented, “We all have great faith in Ghaiyyath, including the boss, and the three that were here were a really good representation of the stallion. We've great faith in him so we will see what happens. We're very happy going forward.”

'We're Back': Al Shaqab Make A Statement With €3.5m Spend 

The smile on Benoit Jeffroy's face said it all after Al Shaqab signed for the ninth yearling purchased at this year's August Sale, a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from Haras du Mont dit Mont for €575,000, which helped bring the total spend for the operation made famous by Treve (Fr) to €4,135,000.

“It's great to be back,” Jeffroy beamed, as Al Shaqab set the foundations of a rebuilding process at Arqana over the past three days that saw the operation sign for yearlings by some of the most sought after stallions in the world, including Siyouni, Kingman and No Nay Never.

Jeffroy said, “Listen, it has been good to be investing in these yearlings and nice to get some yearlings that we liked and into fillies and new families. We have really enjoyed going around selecting them with Sheikh Joaan, who has been really involved throughout the past week and was here. He said, 'Let's go and find some nice horses for next year,'. Hopefully we have found some good ones.”

Elaborating on the reasoning behind the strongest spend at a yearling auction for many years by the operation, he said, “We spoke in May about trying to regroup and select more with a view towards the broodmare band. It's very tough to breed the [good] horses. We have 60 mares now compared to the big operations that have a lot more mares and access to all of the big stallions. “We just thought that we would stay a little more selective on the breeding side of things and to try and buy some more nice horses at the sales. That's the plan.”

That's not to say that it was all plain sailing. The strength of the market in Deauville meant that even the reinvigorated Al Shaqab operation struggled to land every punch but emerged from the 12 rounds at Arqana in better shape than it began. 

“First day was good but the second day we got beaten quite a few times. Today, we got beaten twice, but got one we really liked–the Wootton Bassett. It's been a really good market and, to be honest, the guys at Arqana have done a great job. There have been a lot of horses with good physicals and good pedigrees and we are lucky to have bought nine now.”

He added, “Last year we bought six or seven horses at Book 2, including Baheer (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who is quite exciting for Richard Hannon. We also bought some horses here in Deauville but not to this level. That's why I said to Sheikh Joaan, it's good to keep going with higher quality and the horses by the big stallions because, if you want to keep a mare, it's good to have one by a big stallion. Also, if you become a good racehorse and stallion, you want to be by a good sire. We are just trying to upgrade.”

Al Shaqab went on to sign for another Wootton Bassett for €675,000, elevating the spend beyond €4m. Interestingly, Amo Racing bought in to lot 235, the Wootton Bassett who colt €575,000, later on in the day. That represents a new partnership.

As well as recruiting runners for next year and beyond, Al Shaqab offered prospective buyers the first glimpse of progeny by the Haras de Bouquetot-based stallions Wooded (Ire) and Romanised (Ire), and Jeffroy described himself as pleased by the start the freshman sires have made.

He said, “Wooded has been very well received. His first yearling made €140,000. Personally, I find him quite exciting. They have great depth and are nice horses. I think we will see more from him in October and we are also pleased with Romanised. 

“We stand him on behalf of Mr Ho and the filly was very well sold here on Saturday. Romanised has some nice yearlings selling at V.2 so we are happy. Yes, they are on the cheaper side, but who knows? They might be the ones.”

Buy of the Day

Lot 255, B, C, Zarak (Fr) – (Just Sherry (Ire) (Intense Focus)
Vendor: Haras du Cadran
Buyer: Godolphin
Price: €175,000

It is almost cheating when selecting a horse who cost €175,000 as the buy of the day but, given that figure was over €50,000 below the average of this year's sale, it is probably fair to include the Zarak (Fr) colt [lot 255] who was snapped up by Godolphin. 

Zarak needs no introduction for a start, and this good-walking son of his, consigned by top breeder Haras du Cadran, boasted a lot of likeable attributes. Such a statement is backed up by the fact an operation the size of Godolphin felt they couldn't leave him behind at the money. 

He is out of Just Sherry (Ire) (Intense Focus), a dual listed winner in France, who hails from the family of the 2,000 Guineas winner Cockney Rebel (Ire).

A nice athletic colt, he looks one who will benefit with a bit of time under his belt and he'll certainly get every opportunity to fulfill his potential. 

Away from the Zarak, lot 294, a filly by The Grey Gatsby (Ire), caught the eye in selling to Dan Astbury for €82,000. She is a big girl, but has a walk to match and carries herself. 

The Grey Gatsby is an intriguing sire and this filly of Anna Sundstrom's [Coulonces] draft was a nice model and is one to look out for in time.

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