Vadeni | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oysters, a Broken Ankle and Normandy’s Finest: It Could Only be the Route des Etalons

Not even a blanket of snow and some icy country lanes could deter those on the annual Normandy bloodstock pilgrimage more formally known as the Route des Etalons.

With plenty of new sires to show off this year, many of France's major stallion studs welcomed in breeders and members of the public during the weekend showcase which is now in its 14th year. At Haras de Bonneval, the French home of the Aga Khan Studs stallions, more than 600 people turned out on Saturday to see the quartet of stallions neatly split into established stars and freshmen, with Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr) filling the role of the latter.

“We had a large number of people. I don't know if it's the place where you do a huge amount of business as such, but you see a lot of people that you don't see through the year so it's a great time to catch up and talk about the horses,” said Georges Rimaud, manager of the Aga Khan Studs.

“The horses showed themselves well. Rather than people talk about them amongst themselves without seeing them, it's lovely to be able to show them to people and for them to make their own minds up. We were lucky to have very good weather – although it was very cold – but when you see a horse in the sun you can really appreciate them, so it was a very good day.”

Jean-Claude Rouget was the trainer responsible for both Vadeni and Erevann, and though he was required to be on duty in Cagnes, his assistant Jean-Bernard Roth was in attendance to reminisce about the racing careers of both horses with Pierrick Moreau, best known as one of Arqana's auctioneers, who was the MC for the day at Bonneval.

“We've already had a lot of bookings and when people are here to see the horses you can have a different discussion with the breeders about their mares and their matings,” Rimaud added. “It was great to have Jean-Bernard here, he's a well-known figure, and I think that added something special to the shows. At the end of the day I think we were all quite pleased but quite tired. It was very pleasant to see so many people.

“We see some people who are not horse people, for example our neighbours, who are farmers next door. They are busy most of the year but it is a good opportunity for them to come in and see what we do here.

“It's important to show what we do to a larger public, especially in these days when racing can sometimes be looked at unfavourably.”

Through the sale of caps and wrist-warmers, the shows at Haras de Bonneval also raised money for Au Dela des Pistes, France's organisation for the retraining of racehorses.

All in all I thought it was great, and I wonder, are we Brits being left behind by not having something similar? – Sara Cumani, breeder

Sumbe's Haras de Montfort et Préaux was open for both days of the Route des Etalons, with manager Tony Fry battling on despite recently breaking his ankle and requiring the surgical intervention of seven screws and a plate. While he wouldn't pass the trot-up at the moment, it takes more than mere broken bones to deter the hardy Fry, who was on parade along with the farm's five stallions, who certainly were moving with a lot more fluency.

“Yesterday, we had around 250 people and again today [Sunday] there has been a good steady stream of visitors,” reported Fry. “I think in a week's time we'll know how much business we have actually done but the horses seem to have been well received and it's just a wonderful opportunity to show them.”

Sumbe of course has three new recruits, Angel Bleu (Fr), Mishriff (Ire) and the homebred Belbek (Fr), who were the subject of a recent TDN feature. The latter, who won the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in the colours of his owner-breeder Nurlan Bizakov, has a bonus incentive scheme to launch him on his stud career, with the breeder of Belbek's first maiden winner set to receive €10,000 and the breeder of his first group winner in line for a €50,000 bonus.

Fry added, “There are a lot of people who come on the Route des Etalons just for a day out, but that's fine, you want to encourage people to get involved, and there have been a lot of young people coming through as well, which is great.”

Sara Cumani of Fittocks Stud was one of the English breeders to have travelled to France for the weekend and joined a united nations touring party which included Alix Choppin, Tina Rau and Marina Marinopoulos. It was the first time on the Route des Etalons for Cumani, who said that it had been a worthwhile weekend.

“It was lovely to see the studs, the horses, to meet the people and to put faces to names,” she said. “I had my list of horses I wanted to see and we managed to see them all, which was great.

“We had a really lovely time at Haras de la Hetraie. [Stud owner] Pascal Noue is a real character and I was so impressed with the horses, who looked amazing with fantastic coats. He gave us a lot of insight into stallion psychology, which was fascinating, and all his stallion handlers are women. The horses were so well behaved and Pascal said he'd always rather have women handlers over men.

The condition of the horses was what really stood out, but they also offered us some lovely oysters and crepes, so all in all it was a really good visit.”

The Cumanis own a mare in partnership with Henri Bozo's Ecurie des Monceaux who is heading to Galiway (GB) this year. The stallion's home, Haras de Colleville, was the final stop on the tour after two days on the road.

Cumani continued, “Luca is a very big believer in knowing what a stallion does, rather than what they look like, but I think that if you spend a lot of time trying to get the physical aspects right then it is important to see them, especially when they first go to stud, rather than when they are more rounded and have let down. I certainly find it useful and I particularly wanted to see Zarak and Galiway as we are using them, and they didn't disappoint.”

She added, “It was very nice to go to Haras de Beaumont and to meet Pauline Chehboub. It's always nice when you go to a farm and the principal is there, and I was taken with Sealiway.

“It was also fantastic to see Haras d'Etreham, which is a beautiful farm, and I absolutely loved Hello Youmzain. He's got so much chunkiness and size, and he walks really well. I'll be very interested to follow him this year, and my fellow travellers very much liked Onesto, who is in a similar mould to Chaldean.”

Cumani's final thoughts on the Route des Etalons initiative are surely shared by others. She said, “It was an interesting trip, and of course it helps enormously when you get delicious French eats on the way. All in all I thought it was great, and I wonder, are we Brits being left behind by not having something similar?”

The post Oysters, a Broken Ankle and Normandy’s Finest: It Could Only be the Route des Etalons appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Vadeni and Erevann Boost Bonneval’s Sire Power

It is hard to remember a time when France had a stronger intake of new stallions than the group which comprises the class of 2024.

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.”

The post Vadeni and Erevann Boost Bonneval’s Sire Power appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Stallions Fees: That Was The Week That Was

Our man in Ireland, Brian Sheerin, timed his run to the altar to perfection, leaving his colleagues to sort through and try not to miss any of the plentiful stallion fee announcements over the last week or so. He's now back from his Tuscan honeymoon and has been banned from getting married again.

In case any of you were similarly distracted by nuptials, holidays, or binge-watching The Dry, here's a handy TDN overview as to who's up, who's down, and who's new on the stallion scene. (And a tip to those of you entrusted with sending out press releases: try to send them well before 6pm. Certain members of the European desk get a little tetchy if the pouring of the first gin is delayed.)

The Big Boys

Some things in life remain reassuringly expensive, and that can certainly be said for the top stallions in Europe. In this elite sector, it is not usually a case of finding enough breeders to stump up the money, more a worry for the stallion owner as to how not to offend those who won't make the cut for said horse.

Dubawi (Ire) became the most expensive stallion in the world earlier this year when his fee was raised to £350,000, and he remains at that level for 2024. He is now joined by Frankel (GB), who has gone up from £275,000 and is about to wrestle the champion sire trophy back from his Newmarket neighbour.

While the rock-solid trio of Wootton Bassett (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Siyouni {Fr) have all had their fees increased after yet more notable results on the track this season, some of the others in this higher bracket have been held at 2023 prices.

We're including Invincible Spirit (Ire) in this section. He was at his highest price of €120,000 between 2016 and 2019 and dropped to €60,000 in 2022. He has been listed as private since this start of the 2023 covering season, but by dint of seniority (he will turn 27 in January) and influence, he deserves to be included here.

Dubawi £350,000 (-)
Frankel £350,000 (+ £75,000)
Wootton Bassett €200,000 (+ €50,000)
Sea The Stars €200,000 (+ €20,000)
Siyouni €200,000 (+ €50,000)
No Nay Never €150,000 (- €25,000)
Kingman £125,000 (-)
Lope De Vega €125,000 (-)
Night Of Thunder €100,000 (-)
Baaeed £80,000 (-)
New Bay €75,000 (-)
Invincible Spirit PRIVATE (-)

The Middle Ground

Those on the rise in this sector include this season's three 'buzz' sires, the freshmen Too Darn Hot (GB) and Blue Point (Ire), each of whom has been represented by at least one Group 1 winner, and leading second-season sire Havana Grey (GB), who shows no signs of stopping after his breakthrough season in 2022.

We also have the three most expensive new arrivals, led by the four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB).

Various press releases from studs last week referred to the challenging yearling sales in 2023 when announcing reduced fees. Often the top end of the market is immune to this, but that wasn't the case this year and there were retractions in most sales sectors, though it has to be said that these came after a frankly extraordinary 2022, the first fully normal season post-pandemic.

There have been some notable reductions in fees at most levels of the market, and the results of the foal sales will no doubt determine how many deals there are to be done.

Too Darn Hot £65,000 (+ £25,000)
Havana Grey £55,000 (+ £36,500)
Blue Point €60,000 (+ €25,000)
Dark Angel €60,000 (-)
Zarak €60,000 (-)
Paddington €55,000 NEW
Camelot €50,000 (- €10,000)
Mehmas €50,000 (- €10,000)
St Mark's Basilica €50,000 (- €15,000)
Palace Pier £45,000 (- £5,000)
Showcasing £45,000 (-)
Starspangledbanner €45,000 (- €5,000)
Ace Impact €40,000 NEW
Pinatubo £35,000 (-)
Sea The Moon £32,500 (+ £7,500)
Kodiac €35,000 (- €5,000)
Modern Games £30,000 NEW
Churchill €30,000 (-)
Galiway €30,000 (-)
Teofilo €30,000 (-)

Twenty-Somethings

Sioux Nation is a big climber in this bracket but he too has had some fine representatives in his second season with runners. Congratulations are due to Caroline Hanly and Sean Ronan for breeding a horse as tough as his son Brave Emperor (Ire), whose 15 outings in two seasons have resulted in nine wins, including four group wins.

There's a number of young stallions here on the verge of being loved or loathed, depending on how their first runners fare. (Mind you, those decisions are now often made as early as the foal sales, with some later having to admit they were wrong to judge so harshly so soon.)

It is good to see the dependable Nathaniel (Ire), who had another Group 1 winner this year in Poptronic (GB), given a little boost, and similar comments apply lower down the fee scale to Golden Horn (GB), who has risen from £8,000 to £10,000. In both cases, however, they have covered plenty of National Hunt mares.

By the way, Nathaniel and Cracksman are on the list as their sterling-to-euro price conversion elevates them to just beyond the 20,000 mark.

Chaldean £25,000 NEW
Little Big Bear €27,500 NEW
Sioux Nation €27,500 (+ €10,000)
Acclamation €25,000 (- €2,500)
Ghaiyyath €25,000 (-)
Persian King €25,000 (-)
Saxon Warrior €25,000 (- €10,000)
Sottsass €25,000 (-)
Hello Youmzain €22,500 (-)
Blackbeard €20,000 (- €5,000)
State Of Rest €20,000 (- €5,000)
Torquator Tasso €20,000 (-)
Cracksman £17,500 (-)
Nathaniel £17,500 (+ £2,500)

A Bit of Value

We won't name every stallion in the lower fee brackets here as Oliver St Lawrence provides the excellent service of a full list every year and we are reliably informed that his cards are already being printed in time for the sales.

It is worth remembering that bloodstock journalists generally have lemonade pockets, even if they have champagne tastes. In solidarity with small breeders, we are looking here at a selection of stallions whom we consider to offer value for a variety of reasons.

Vadeni, €18,000 NEW
Let's not forget how brilliant he was at three.

Shaquille, £15,000 NEW
Extremely fast horse who is introduced at a level which is bound to have breeders beating a path to the new Dullingham Park stallion yard.

Oasis Dream, £15,000
Tremendous value for a horse of this class. Yes, he's rising 24, but it was only two years ago that he was represented by the champion two-year-old Native Trail (GB), who joins Kildangan Stud this year at €17,500.

Mostahdaf, £15,000 NEW
A whole lotta horse who had a humdinger of a season and is rated only one pound behind Equinox (Jpn). And he's by Frankel, no less.

Earthlight, £15,000
Not all sons of Shamardal will take off in the way that Blue Point did with his first runners, but Earthlight's stock have been popular as foals and yearlings, and it's worth sticking with him at this unchanged fee at what could turn out to be his cheapest level.

Study Of Man, £12,500
His fee has also been held at his 2023 price after a year in which a number of people sat up and took notice of his first runners, led by the G2 Beresford S. winner Deepone (Ire). Classily bred, and as a son of Deep Impact (Jpn) his stock should only improve with age.

Erevann, €8,000 NEW
Failed narrowly to notch his Group 1 win, but he was a solid performer. By Dubawi out of Siyouni's first Classic winner Ervedya, Erevann has the pedigree to succeed and is pitched in at a reasonable starting price.

Dream Ahead, £6,500
He remains woefully underrated and should not be overlooked at his lowest price in 12 seasons at stud in three different countries.

Iquitos, €6,000
A horse that produces two stakes winners from his first crop of only five foals is going to get noticed, and this treble Group 1-winning son of Adlerflug (Ger) has moved from his home farm of Gestut Ammerland to Gestut Graditz and now Gestut Rottgen. His fee is up from €4,000 last year but remains enticing.

Awtaad, €5,000
The Irish 2,000 Guineas winner remains at the same fee he's been for the last two seasons even after notching two Group/Grade 1 winners this year. Awtaad may not be prolific but he is more than capable of siring a good horse.

King Of Change, €5,000
He has been clipped in from €6,000 ahead of his first runners hitting the track in 2024. It remains deeply regrettable that his sire Farhh (GB) does not have better fertility because he is plainly a good stallion. Time will tell if King Of Change can pick up the baton but he's a Group 1 winner from a decent enough family and it's worth taking a chance at this price.

The post Stallions Fees: That Was The Week That Was appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sea The Stars and Siyouni to Stand at €200,000 in 2024

Sea the Stars (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr), the flagship stallions of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland and France respectively, have each had their fees increased to €200,000 for 2024. Representing a career high for both stallions, Sea The Stars stood at €180,000 in 2023 and covered 180 mares, while Siyouni covered 135 at €150,000.

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.”

The post Sea The Stars and Siyouni to Stand at €200,000 in 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post