German Sire Ranks Bolstered By Power Of Three

The list of German stallions has been boosted to 38 this year with the addition of three new recruits: one from Ireland, one returning from France, and one who has never left the stud where he was born other than to go to the races. 

In the case of Alson (Ger), who is now the sole stallion at the Jacobs family's historic Gestut Fahrhof, his repatriation following a racing career partly based in Chantilly with Andre Fabre is a welcome move. Alson is the only son in Germany of the veteran Areion (Ger), a multiple German champion sire who earned his first of three championships in 2013 when taking the title from his father Big Shuffle. A classy sprinter in his days, his group wins including the G2 Goldene Peitsche, Areion is now 27 and in his twilight years at Gestut Etzean. The arrival of his Group 1-winning son, who was a top-class 2-year-old, is therefore good news for the German breeding scene.

Fahrhof's Andreas Jacobs regards Alson's sire as “the most under-rated stallion in Europe” and he will doubtless be hoping that his own new recruit flies a little less under the radar on a broader European level. His origins need little explanation as Alson was bred at another of Germany's most historic stud farms, Gestut Schlenderhan, and the two revered breeding operations have now joined forces to stand the 5-year-old.

“The partnership between Schlenderhan and Fahrhof is very strong,” says Jacobs. “We used to run Asterblute together, which is now Peter Schiergen's training yard. My grandfather and grandmother were very close to the baroness, the mother of Georg [von Ullmann], so we have a lot of personal links. It's a wonderful partnership and when Alson became available we didn't even need to discuss it, we just said we'd stand him 50/50.”

A young stallion could hardly ask for better backing than from two such prominent studs and Alson owns a pedigree that should ensure he has broad appeal. 

“Starting with his dam line, he's out of a Galileo mare, who is out of a Monsun mare, which is probably fairly long distance so the mating was obvious to go to Areion,” Jacobs notes. “Areion is very consistent with his winners to runners. [His sire] Big Shuffle was a Moyglare-bred and he was as tough as nails. Big Shuffle worked best over Surumu and Kongisstuhl, which is Monsun, and that's why this was an obvious mating. I think in Germany he will be popular because of these three stallions. And then he comes from a dam line which is the 'A' family of Schlenderhan–not the 'A' family of Allegretta but the other one–and in Germany everybody knows the family.”

Among the seven mares that Fahrhof plans to send to Alson is the dual South African Grade 1 winner Blueridge Mountain (Giant's Causeway); Eridea (Ger) (Camponologist), a half-sister to the treble Group 1 winner Earl Of Tinsdal (Ger) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}); the Group 1 runner-up and Listed winner Path Wind (Fr) (Anabaa), a close relation to the G2 Park Hill S. winner and G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Wild Coco (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}); and Raipura (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}), a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winners Wild Illusion (GB) and Yibir (GB), both by Dubawi (Ire).

Then there's also a septet from Gestut Schlenderhan, led by the G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) winner Iota (Ger), who is already the dam of the Group 1-winning Adlerflug (Ger) brothers In Swoop (Ger) and Ito (Ger), who stand at stud respectively in Ireland and Germany. The Ullmann family will also send another Preis der Diana victrix in Well Timed (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), as well as  Mondaine (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), a half-sister to the G1 Prix Ganay winner Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Jacobs notes that German stallions can be slower to fill than their counterparts in Britain and Ireland. He says, “It's like two worlds and I see that with our own mares. The German breeders book all their international sires before Christmas and their national sires post-Christmas, so within Germany the big booking time is January and we are in that phase now. Alson has been well received and I think people wanted to see what we will send him.

“Schlenderhan and Fahrhof own the horse in partnership together with a few other share-holders. He came to us in August straight from racing so he has had some time to settle down but he has a really nice character and is filling out well. We have a routine where we lunge the stallions every morning and that has already helped him to look a lot stronger.”

Alson spent his first season in training in Germany with Jean-Pierre Carvalho, winning on his 2-year-old debut at Munich before picking up a second win at Clairefontaine two months later. He landed his first stakes win in a Group 3 at home in Baden-Baden and then made two return trips to Paris, finishing runner-up to subsequent Classic winner Victor Ludorum (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and then taking his own top-level win in the G1 Criterium International. Switched to Andre Fabre's stable the following season, Alson was third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and won the Listed Prix Matchem as well as finishing runner-up in the G3 Prix Perth.

“What he did at the races as a 2-year-old was quite impressive, to be the best German 2-year-old since the Second World War in terms of what he delivered race after race,” says Jacobs. “And on the back of Galileo and Monsun mares, those later-maturing German bloodlines, it wasn't obvious that he would do that. That's something special. I think we all realise in Germany that the world is going in that direction. If you look at the stallion roster of Coolmore, it's all about speed, speed, speed, so we had to wake up, and we are proud to have a German-bred who was so successful as a 2-year-old in France.”

Japan Meets Germany

It is not just Alson's first book that is occupying the mind of the Fahrhof maestro at the moment as Jacobs was also instrumental in ensuring that dual Group 1 winner Japan (GB) would become the first son of Galileo to stand at stud in Germany. As the horse's breeder during his family's ownership of Newsells Park Stud, Jacobs is naturally delighted to see Japan retire to his home country, where he will stand at Gestut Etzean alongside Amaron (GB) and Areion.

“I am very happy that Etzean has the horse, they are such a good breeding operation,” he says. “I was very strong organising the deal for Japan and was happy to see a partnership between Coolmore, Etzean and myself. He is a wonderful character and he retired sound, which is very important for Germany. Aidan O'Brien was very positive and stressed that he is a very genuine horse.”

Etzean manager Ralf Kredel is equally delighted to have such an exciting newcomer, particularly after the death of the stud's stalwart Lord Of England (Ger) last October in the year that he featured as the sire of the German Oaks winner Palmas (Ger) and grandsire of German Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr), by Lord Of England's Derby-winning son Isfahan (Ger).

“The response to Japan has been very good,” says Kredel. “Nearly all the big studs have booked nominations and they are sending decent mares, which is more important than the sheer number of mares. I think he might end up with around 70 mares, which is a good number for Germany.”

He continues, “I was already pleased when I saw him for the first time at Aidan O'Brien's and he has let down already in the last few weeks. There is a committee of the Jockey Club in Germany going to see the new stallions and they were very impressed with him.”

As a 1.3 million gns yearling, it is no surprise that Japan takes the eye, and he has a rock solid race record to go with his good looks. Winner of the G2 Beresford S. at two, he was third in the Derby, just half a length behind the winner, his stable-mate Anthony Van Dyck (Ire). His 3-year-old season progressed impressively, with victories in the G2 King Edward VII S., G1 Grand Prix de Paris, G1 Juddmonte International and a fourth-place finish in the Arc behind Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who was co-bred by Newsells Park Stud with Gestut Ammerland and Coolmore. Remaining in training at four and five, Japan added the G3 Ormonde S. and G3 Meld S. to his tally of wins, along with another four Group 1 placings. He will receive strong backing from Etzean's own broodmare band along with outside mares. 

“We have reduced our numbers slightly but we will send him 10 of the 25 mares owned by the stud,” says Kredel. “That includes the dam of [German Oaks winner] Miss Yoda, Monami (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}), who was a champion 2-year-old herself.”

Etzean will also send a sister to GI Beverly D S. victrix Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who is another from the family of Yibir, as well as Strawberry (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}), the dam of last year's champion 2-year-old in Germany, the Group 3 winner Sea Bay (Ger) (New Bay {GB}).

“Also our clients with mares on the farm are sending him some good mares including the Guineas winner Lancade (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), who was bought for him at the Arqana Sale,” Kredel adds. 

“The German broodmare band has definitely become more international in the last 15 years, but still we have a big source of non-Danehill line mares and I think that's one of the reasons why we have got a horse like this.”

The stud's Classic winner of last season, Palmas, suffered a ligament injury in the G1 Prix de l'Opera and has now been retired. She will be a future mate for Japan but in her first season she has a date with the champion sire of Britain and Ireland.

“She was very sore after the Opera and we decided last week that she would not go back into training. She will now go to Frankel (GB). She obviously works very well with Japan as well but the plan is to go to a foreign stallion while she is a maiden,” Kredel confirms.

Windstoss The Hometown Hero

The third new recruit to the stallion ranks is a proper homegrown success, and that doesn't just mean Germany, for Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) has never actually  left the stud where he was born other than to go racing. The G1 Deutsches Derby winner was the first foal of his dam Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ire}), and was born in 2014 at Gestut Rottgen. Sent into training with Markus Klug at the farm's private facilities within the beautiful walled estate on the outskirts of Cologne, his 3-year-old season saw him at his brightest and best, winning a Derby Trial at Dusseldorf before sensationally being brought down in another at Hanover. In the Derby itself, things were a little more straightforward, and Windstoss built on that success with another Group 1 strike in the Preis von Europa. He remained in training until he was seven and, frustratingly, has not won again in the intervening years, though he has racked up plenty of Group placings, including finishing third behind Cracksman (GB) in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom. 

“He only changed his stable,” says Rottgen manager Frank Dorff. “He was born and did everything in the same place, other than racing.”

Windstoss's ascent from the foaling unit to the stallion unit completes the circle and makes him the only son of the GI Breeders' Cup winner and fellow Deutsches Derby winner Shirocco standing in Germany. That of course also means he is a fairly lonely flag-bearer for the Monsun line, which is dwindling in the late stallion's home country, with only Windstoss's stud-mate Protectionist (Ger) keeping him company in this regard. 

Dorff admits that Windstoss's lengthy racing career makes him harder to market in his new career. “He hasn't retired as a star,” Dorff says. “His best wins were a few years ago, but on the other hand, the typical German breeders realise that he was a very tough and consistent horse.”

They will also know that his half-brother Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) brought up an incredible double for their young dam when winning the following year's German Derby. He is now at stud in France at Haras de Longechaux, where he is expecting his first foals this year, but he remains in the ownership of Rottgen. 

Wellenspiel is not in foal presently but she has a yearling full-sister to Weltstar on the ground and her barren status allows for an overseas trip to visit Waldgeist at Ballylinch Stud this season. 

Meanwhile at Rottgen, Windstoss will have his fair share of the home broodmare band. 

“We're sending him nine mares, which is a lot for us,” Dorff says. “We bought four mares for him, three in Arqana, two of those very well-bred mares from the Aga Khan, one by Dansili (GB) and one by Oasis Dream (GB).”

Clearly all three of the new boys in Germany this season will have decent chances at studs with international reputations who will lend them plenty of support. Times may gradually be a-changing even in the country famed for its middle-distance specialists, but one only needs to look at the recently published Longines world rankings of top racehorses and top races to note that it is still that sector of race that carries the greatest prestige. 

For the fifth time in seven years, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was named as the best race in the world, and it will have escaped nobody's attention in the bloodstock business that last year's Arc was won by the unconsidered German-bred Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the patriotic colours of Karl-Dieter Ellebracke's Gestut Auenquelle. The stud is currently home to the veteran former champion sire Soldier Hollow (GB) whose sire In The Wings (GB) has been such an influence in Germany, also through his son Adlerflug, who sadly died last year and is the country's current champion sire for the second year running.

Andreas Jacobs is already thinking ahead in this regard. He says, “It's good to have two really top horses coming into Germany in Alson and Japan. Let's see if the Germans can secure Torquator Tasso for next year. He could be the natural successor for Adlerflug.”

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Classic Sibling Awaited At Historic Röttgen

There can be no better breeding home run than for a mare to produce a Derby winner as her first foal. In the case of Gestüt Röttgen's homebred Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ger}), this auspicious entree to her stud career happened not once but twice, with her first two foals both becoming winners of the G1 Deutsches Derby.

Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and his half-brother Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) are the product of nine generations of Röttgen breeding, stretching back to the purchase of one of the stud's first mares, Winnica (Pol), around 1930. Wander back another five generations beyond her and you will find the Hungarian superstar mare Kincsem (Hun).

The brothers' consecutive Classic wins led to champion breeder honours in Germany in 2017 and 2018 for the long-established Cologne farm. In fact, Röttgen is closing in on its century as a Thoroughbred stud, having been founded in 1924 in the grounds of Röttgen Castle by owner Peter Paul Mülhens. Following the death in 1985 of Maria Mehl-Mülhens, the stud has remained in the ownership of the Mehl-Mülhens family trust and is managed by Frank Dorff. The family's name appears in the title of the German 2,000 Guineas, the Mehl-Mülhens Rennen, which is run at its local racecourse of Cologne.

Windstoss and Weltstar revived a Derby heritage for Röttgen which began in 1932 with its first winner of the race, Palastpage (Ger), but had stalled since the 1959 victory of Uomo (Ger). There will undoubtedly be high hopes for three younger half-sisters of the recent Derby winners who have been retained by the stud.

“Wellenspiel's 2-year-old by Dubawi (Ire) has been named Well Disposed and she will go into training with Markus Klug by the end of this month,” says Dorff, who will be able to keep a close eye on the filly's progress at Klug's private training centre within the walls of the extensive grounds at Röttgen. Well Disposed will join her 3-year-old half-sister Wellenpracht (GB), who is from the first crop of resident stallion Protectionist (Ger).

He adds, “Wellenspiel also has a yearling filly by Sea The Stars (Ire). She will not be offered for sale. The plan is to retain her for breeding, hopefully after she has won some Group races.”

Wellenspiel is currently in foal to Soldier Hollow, and is therefore carrying a full-sibling to the second of her Derby winners, but she will be rested this year owing to her late covering date. Röttgen will, however, be breeding from 29 mares in 2021, including five maidens.

Other members of the Rottgen 'W line' include the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner and G2 Diana Trial runner-up Well Spoken (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The daughter of the champion 2-year-old Well American (Bertrando) is currently in foal to Areion (Ger) and will be covered in France this year by Haras d'Etreham's young stallion Almanzor (Fr).

The Gestut Rottgen-bred Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) was the most expensive colt sold at the BBAG Yearling Sale of 2019 when bought for €700,000. The Godolphin colour-bearer won on his second start for Charlie Appleby in November and his dam Weltmacht (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}) was one of the early foalers at the stud this season, delivering a filly from the first crop of Arc winner Waldgeist (GB). She heads next to Soldier Hollow.

Of wider international acclaim is Röttgen's 'A family', which includes the farm's 1981 G1 Preis der Diana winner Anna Paola (Ger) (Prince Ippi {Ger}). Her descendants have continued to make an impression across the racing world and they include the 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), Australian-born stallion Helmet (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who is now at stud in Germany, as well as the Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power (Ire) (Shirocco {Ger}).

Members of this family remaining within the Röttgen broodmare band include the G2 Diana Trial winner Akribie (Ger), from the first crop of Reliable Man (GB), who will visit Juddmonte's Oasis Dream (GB) in her first season.

Anna Desta (Ger) (Desert Style {Ire}) has already produced last season's listed Derby Trial winner Adrian (Ger) and she will visit that colt's sire Reliable Man again. Her daughter Anna Katharina (Ger), by the late Röttgen homebred stallion Kallisto (Ger), is in foal to Ballylinch Stud's New Bay (GB) and has another visit to Ireland on the cards as she is booked in to Camelot (GB) at Coolmore.

The stud's more precocious 'D family' is represented by the treble listed winner Diatribe (GB) (Tertullian), who descends from the same clan as Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and is the dam of dual Group 3 winner Degas (Ger) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and G3 Mehl-Mülhens Trophy runner-up Dina (Ger) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Her 2-year-old filly by Lope de Vega (Ire) is now in training in France with Philippe Decouz for owner and footballer Antoine Griezmann, and this year the mare will visit Too Darn Hot (GB) in Newmarket. The maiden Dapriva (Ger), a daughter of Pivotal (GB), is also bound for Britain and will return to Cheveley Park Stud, were she was conceived, to produce a variant on the successful Galileo-Pivotal cross with a visit to Ulysses (Ire).

For all studs in mainland Europe, there have been extra complications involved this year when it comes to sending mares to British stallions since the UK's departure from the EU.

“Brexit is a big problem for breeders,” Dorff explains. “Most breeders sent their mares before to England before the end of December. I hope by the time the mares have to come back from England, there will be a better working solution for the transport of horses.”

The 18-year-old Kastila (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ger}) has been a stalwart of the Röttgen ranks with three of her offspring all having been placed at Group 1 level. Of those, Kassiano (Ger) and Kasalla (Ger) are both by Soldier Hollow, and Kaspar (Ger), who was third in last year's Deutsches Derby, is a son of Pivotal (GB). The proven producer will visit Best Solution (Ire), whose first foals are arriving this season in Germany, after she has foaled to the multiple Group-winning sprinter/miler Millowitsch (Ger), one of three sires currently resident in the elaborate Röttgen stallion wing.

Millowitsch, who joined the stallion ranks last season, has a rather unusual stud fee for 2021 of €1,111, which is derived from the fact that the 8-year-old son of the Titus Lives (Fr) stallion Sehrezad (Ire) is named in honour of Cologne comedian Willy Millowitsch. The carnival in the city has the traditional and equally unusual start time of 11.11am on Nov. 11 each year.

While Millowitsch's sireline is relatively obscure, the same cannot be said for his barn mate Protectionist (Ger), who has the somewhat forlorn honour of being the final son of the celebrated Monsun (Ger) in Germany.

“We have big hopes to keep the legacy of Monsun alive,” Dorff says of the Melbourne Cup winner whose victories closer to home include the G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin. “Monsun's progeny weren't really precocious, and Protectionist's offspring are not really precocious either. It is remarkable that he has had two 2-year-old black-type horses already.”

Still in the ownership of Australian Bloodstock, Protectionist retired to Röttgen in 2017 and his fee has remained at €6,500 throughout that time. The stud's support of its own stallions down the years is evident in the pedigrees outlined above and that remains the case with the current trio.

Dorff continues, “With Well Protected (Ger), who is out of [listed winner] Weichsel (Ger), and Wellenpracht, who is a half-sister to two Derby winners, we have two very nice 3-year-old horses by him in training who we think should be able to win black-type races this year. Protectionist's Australian owners are sending him around 10 mares each year and he receives some very good mares from us each year as well. He is also quite popular in Germany as more or less every big breeder has sent him mares in the last few years. But we have to realise that the number of mares in Germany is dramatically lower than in France, England or Ireland, so the number of his offspring is not comparable with stallions out of these countries.”

This season, Gestüt Röttgen has welcomed back Sven and Carina Hanson's Reliable Man (GB), a Group 1 winner in both France and Australia whose stock have fared similarly well in both hemispheres and include the G1 VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound (NZ) and G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Miss Sentimental (NZ). The 13-year-old, who shuttles to New Zealand's Westbury Stud, started his European career in Germany in 2014 and spent three seasons in France from 2018. As a son of the late Dalakhani (Ire), Reliable Man is one of the few remaining representatives of the Mill Reef line at stud, along with Sir Percy (GB) at Lanwades.

Dorff says, “We are very happy to have Reliable Man back in Germany. He is very well booked by the German breeders because in this country we have only a few proven stallions like him. We also expect some French mares to come as Germany is much closer and easier than going to England these days. For mares from abroad we offer a transport allowance, which reduces his fee.”

He adds, “Reliable Man has around 110 2-year olds from his first year standing in France to run in 2021 and so should have excellent season.”

As a member of the purchasing syndicate, Röttgen also has an interest in the fledgling career of another globetrotter with top-class form in Germany and Australia: Best Solution. A rare middle-distance runner by Kodiac (GB), he won the G1 Caulfield Cup as well as the G1 Grosser Preis Von Baden and G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, and he retired last year to stand alongside former German champion sire Soldier Hollow at Gestut Auenquelle.

“He covered the biggest number of mares in Germany last year and he is also very well booked this year. I'm really looking forward to seeing the foals by him that we are waiting for,” Dorff says of the 7-year-old stallion who was sent 71 mares in his debut season.

The fact that Best Solution's book was the largest in the country is a telling indication of the relatively small pool of mares in Germany. Last year, 29 stallions covered 778 mares, and the champion sire Adlerflug (Ger) had a book of just 39, though that is significantly larger this year, with increased interest from France, Britain and Ireland.

Dorff sees reasons for optimism, however, despite the ongoing disruptions of the Covid pandemic. He says, “The numbers of mares covered in 2020 was the same as the year before and I hope that the number of mares covered will stay stable this year as well. German racing is weak and the prize-money, compared to France, is very low. We therefore have a weak inland market for our yearlings. If you are a German breeder, you have to breed with fashionable stallions to be able to sell the yearlings to someone abroad, or you are an owner-breeder who has to pay the training fees. There are few people breeding for the domestic market.”

He adds, “But I have learned that some breeders who haven't had horses for a while have started to have an interest in breeding again. Maybe that's because they couldn't go on holiday this year—who knows? The stock market has also had a record-breaking year, so money is still around. This is a big chance for us.”

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