‘I Do The Matings As If I Were Rich’: Cadran’s Pierre Talvard on Plans for 2023

One of the most passionate horsemen in France, Pierre Talvard began breeding over four decades ago from a caravan on a handful of acres. Today, his Haras du Cadran stretches over 400 hectares on the rolling Orne hills in Normandy, with 117 mares stationed on the farm. Over the last decade Cadran has been a regular name in the leading breeder lists in France, with graduates including French Derby winner and sire The Grey Gatsby (Fr), and Group 1 winners Gentoo (Fr) (Loup Solitaire {USA}), Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer (Ire}), and Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}). 

Last year was an outstanding one for Cadran, with stakes performances from Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), Sippinsoda (Fr) (War Front), Anna Karenine (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}), and Kyrov (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), as well as Jean-Claude Seroul's Marianachic (Fr) (Authorized{Ire}), Wootton City (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Marianafoot (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Talvard came agonisingly close to enjoying a second Classic victory at Chantilly when La Parisienne (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) went down by a short head to Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Prix de Diane. 

Talvard, always a passionate supporter of his protégées at the races, was in tears of joy at the finish exclaiming that it felt as if they had won the race. La Parisienne stays in training for 2023, with the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe her objective, having been balloted out of the race last year. 

“She spent two months here after Arc weekend and is now back in training” says Talvard, who lights up at the mention of the filly trained by his great friends and frequent business partners Carlos and Yann Lerner for Peter Bradley and associates. “And she is magnificent. She has put on topline, she looks stronger than last year. We just have to hope she gets in the race this time. But it should help pass the year. Her dam, Skysweeper (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), will return to Zarak. He has really impressed me this year, his statistics are fantastic. I also like the cross of Dubawi and Hurricane Run.” 

Skysweeper is out of the Lomitas (GB) mare Varsity (GB), and had already produced a group winner in GM Hopkins (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). She was bred by Talvard and bought back by her breeder alongside Carlos Lerner for €44,000 as a yearling, and then again for €12,000 as a broodmare carrying to Makfi (GB). The resulting filly foal, Scripturale (Fr), was Listed and Group 3-placed; La Parisienne is her first group winner. Her New Bay (GB) yearling colt sold for €90,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale in 2022, with the Lerner father-and-son training duo reinvesting in this family. 

The 104-rated Queen Trezy (Fr) was bought by Talvard and his associates at the most recent Arqana December Sale for €800,000 from her breeder Haras d'Etreham. Queen Trezy is from the first crop of Etreham's Almanzor (Fr) and out of Elodie (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to Group 1 winners We Are (GB) and With You (GB). She finished second in the competitive juvenile G3 Prix des Reservoirs, before placing four times at stakes level at three including third in the G1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary. 

“She will be covered by Lope de Vega (Ire), which suits my partners as Ballylinch Stud is one of them,” explains Talvard, “She is by Almanzor and out of a Dansili mare. The resulting foal will be an outcross, which is essential for me. She's a mid-sized mare, which I prefer over big mares as you never know what they will produce and how to cross them. Lope De Vega puts size and scope in to first foals, so I like him for maiden mares. I have had success with the sire; we bred Trixia De Vega (Fr) for Jean-Claude Seroul who went on to be a Listed winner, and I sold a Lope De Vega colt very well last year [for €575,000 to Godolphin].” 

That colt was out of Golden Lilas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the full-sister to G1 Prix de Diane victrix Golden Lilac (Ire), who returns to the Ballylinch flagship sire this year. Talvard elaborates, “She unfortunately lost her foal this year. She had already been to Lope De Vega once before, and she will return to him. She produced a colt who was perfect in every way. We sold him at Arqana last year, where he was bought by Godolphin. She is already in foal.” 

Another recent purchase by Talvard is the multiple group performer Flighty Lady (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}). “I was delighted to have bought this mare this year in partnership with three others,” he says. “She is a maiden by a good broodmare sire in Sir Percy and was a Group 1 performer. Her dam is by Dansili, another very good damsire. She's a very attractive mare, average-sized and from the close family of Early March. She finished third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and placed several times at group level in the States. She has already been covered by Wootton Bassett and she is in foal. He should suit her.” 

Sir Percy is continuing to grow his reputation as a broodmare sire, with 95 winners from his daughters and 30 2-year-old winners, including the G2 City Of York S. winner Shine So Bright (GB).

Like Zarak, for example, he produces horses that want to race. Last year, he was already impressive, but this year has been exceptional.

Ecurie Melanie is Talvard's biggest partner, and they own a number of mares together including Night Music (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), Happy Approach (Fr) (New Approach ({Ire}), Mint Julep (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Golden Lilas and Tickle Me Green (Ger). 

“A Talvard special,” laughs the breeder, “Tickle Me Green is a daughter of Sea The Moon who was quite a good racemare. She comes from a nice Cheveley Park family. She has a nice Oasis Dream yearling colt and is unfortunately not in foal this year to Lope De Vega. She has been covered by Siyouni.  She's a very attractive mare, and so I hope that this mating will produce a lovely foal.” 

The Gorlsdorf-bred and raced mare was a Listed winner in France and multiple Group-placed, including second in the G2 Prix de la Nonette. She was bought for €800,000 by Talvard, Ecurie Melanie and Gandharvi Racing at the Arqana December Sale in 2021 in foal to Oasis Dream (GB).

Bred and raced by Talvard's longtime associate, Ecurie Melanie, quadruple laureate Sippinsoda (Fr) (War Front {Ire}) returned to Cadran at the end of 2022 to begin her second career. She is another that will head up the road to visit the French champion sire Siyouni. 

“We sold her dam, Let's Misbehave (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), at Arqana last December [for €920,000 to BBA Ireland], and so we have brought the daughter home,” says Talvard. “She deserves to go to Siyouni as she was a good performer on the track; she was a Listed winner and finished fourth in the G1 Prix Saint Alary just a short-head from Queen Trezy, and a length from Place du Carrousel (Ire), who went on to win the G1 Prix de l'Opera. She also finished second in the G3 Prix Chloe.”

Another Cadran/Melanie homebred, Roman Candle (GB) (Le Havre {Fr}), now stands at Haras de l'Hetraie after a promising career came prematurely to an end–but not before he made five appearances at group level, always in the first five home, including a win in the G2 Prix Greffuhle. He was the second foal and first runner for his dam, Holy Dazzle (GB) [Sunday Break {Jpn}]. 

Talvard continues, “Holy Dazzle has a lovely foal by St Mark's Basilica (Fr), and she will go to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) this year. He has had a great start, although it is too early to really be able to judge him, as is the case for all sons of Deep Impact (Jpn). However, Deep Impact has such influence in Japan and across the world, that his sons merit our interest. She's a small mare but she produces good-sized foals. She has a nice Siyouni colt, who was a June foal, in training with Carlos and Yann [named Wapi], that we retained in a partnership. I like him a lot.”

He continues, “One that I really like is Kerila (Fr). She's a daughter of Makfi, and her first three foals are very nice horses; Darkness (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is a 2-year-old Listed winner and group-placed, and Shaikha (Fr) (Ribchester {GB}), who won the Prix de Lisieux in a record time. She has a very nice Wootton Bassett 2-year-old in training with Andre Fabre for Al Shaqab Racing. She is in foal to Wootton Bassett, and she will return to him this year. She's a small mare and he will give her a bit of size and quality. I really liked her first foal by the sire, and now that he has gone into training with André Fabre, I am dreaming. We bought her in foal for the first time to Siyouni from the Aga Khan, and that foal was Darkness.” 

Talvard continues, “I bought back Silver Lining (Fr), the half-sister to Wally (Fr), at the end of last year. She is by Caravaggio and she finished fourth in the Prix d'Aumale. A maiden, she will go to Blue Point (Ire) to give her a bit of size, and to keep the speed. Another son of Shamardal, but all our mares have Galileo in their pedigree and as I don't like inbreeding the choices are limited. Sons of Shamardal, sons of Dubawi, sons of Deep Impact or Kodiac and Siyouni are lines that we use. But if you don't want to inbreed to Danehill or Galileo you are restricted in your choice. I need to use stallions who regularly produce good-looking stock, as they all go to the sales, like Wootton Bassett, who is nearly certain to give you an attractive yearling.” 

I do all the foaling, and all the mares foal here. I want to take pleasure in each arrival.

Wootton Bassett left Haras d'Etreham for Coolmore in 2020, where he now commands a fee of €150,000, having begun his career at a modest €4,000 in 2012. Now sire of six Group 1 winners, his best-bred crops are still to come. 

Talvard adds, “Due to foal to Wootton Bassett this year is Chuppy (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), on her maiden cover. She is the full-sister to Wonderful Tonight (Fr), and she will visit Mehmas (Ire) this year. Marianabaa (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}), the dam of G1 Maurice de Gheest winner Marianafoot, and dual Listed winner Marianachic (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}), will be covered by Zarak.

“In France, I mostly use Zarak, Siyouni, and the three Haras d'Etreham sires: Almanzor, Persian King (Ire) and Hello Youmzain (Fr), and I still support The Grey Gatsby as he is our homebred.  I have a share in him, but in general I try not to take shares in stallions as you are then obliged to use them, which is also the reason I don't have stallions on the stud. I prefer to be free to make my choice of mating based on the mare and send her to the best possible sire.”

With such elite breeding stock in his paddocks, Talvard takes his mating planning seriously, working on it from the start of September through to the end of the year. 

“I do a couple every night,” he says. “I have a few rules; there is not to be any inbreeding, and the bloodlines need to work. I follow the race results of every race in the world throughout the year, and see what sires are succeeding and how their progeny race. Like Zarak, for example, he produces horses that want to race. Last year, he was already impressive, but this year has been exceptional. Even in smaller races, if there is one by Zarak in the race, it will be in the first three. They love their racing. He has such a pedigree as well, even if he is expensive I will use him. I have four going to him this year. 

“Another stallion who impressed me last year was Cracksman (GB), who I am sending two or three mares. We were really not expecting him to produce 2-year-olds, but he did. Jean-Claude Rouget has two for this year that look very good. John Gosden has several very well-bred 3-year-olds by him that haven't debuted yet. Another that I really like is Earthlight (Ire). I have a lovely filly by him, and I think he is at reasonable price. I have to balance with some of the very expensive sires that we are using, as we also need to think of our budget.”

Talvard adds, “I don't add up the nominations bill. I do the matings as if I were rich, and if the mare deserves the cover she will go to the stallion. I do this job because I want to breed beautiful foals; I do all the foaling, and all the mares foal here. I want to take pleasure in each arrival.”

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“Everyone Is Welcome,” – Opportunity Knocks On La Route Des Etalons

Is it just me or should France be known as the bloodstock land of opportunity? This is the country that saw Wootton Bassett (GB) and Walk In The Park (Ire) pull themselves up by the bootstraps after entering the stud book at relatively modest sums. There are few serious racing nations that provide as much of a chance for a stallion to flourish than France does.
Take Kauto Star (Fr), the greatest staying chaser of the modern era, as an example. He hailed from the largely unheralded Village Star (Fr) but the cream was still provided with the right chance to rise to the top here.

A similar story was shared on one of the final stops of this year's Route des Etalons at Haras de Montaigu as the stud's Mathieu Leffray, along with his brother and father, sourced a mare by the name of Idaho Falls (Fr) for the miserly sum of €500 from the French equivalent of Done Deal.


What has that got to do with anything, you might ask? Because it was Idaho Falls who went on to produce multiple Grade 1-winning chaser Allaho (Fr), the highest-rated son of Haras de Montaigu's No Risk At All (Fr), who played a starring role on the Route des Etalons.

No Risk At All has proven his versatility as a jumps sire given he is also responsible for Champion Hurdle-winning mare Epatante (Fr) and, as he stood proud in the French sunshine, another high-class prospect, Allegorie De Vassy (Fr), hardened her reputation for Cheltenham Festival honours when winning by a street at Thurles.

Opportunity does not just knock for the National Hunt breeder alone at Haras de Montaigu, either, with G1 Prix Morny and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Dabirsim (Fr) new to the roster, as Emma Berry highlighted in her preview of La Route.

Along with the opportunities available to Flat an National Hunt breeders in France, another thing that quickly became apparent whilst touring through Normandie was how interconnected the breeding sector is, with every stud playing host to a foreign-registered vehicle and many of the same faces who toured the Irish Stallion Trail a week previously spotted in attendance.

One man in particular who reported an increased level of international traffic, largely down to young sires Persian King and Hello Youmzain, was Nicolas de Chambure of Haras d'Etreham. A strapping son of Kingman (GB), the French 2,000 Guineas winner Persian King is quite the contrast to the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Hello Youmzain (Fr), but both stallions, whose foals sold well in 2022, compliment each other at stud.

“We have great expectations for them,” de Chambure said. “We put in plenty of work in getting Persian King and Hello Youmzain purchased and then by putting the syndicate together to support them.

“When the foals arrived, it was the first step towards seeing a little bit more of them, and obviously the breeders had high expectations and they've met those expectations so we are very happy.
“Persian King and Hello Youmzain are very different horses. That is also why we took the risk to retire two horses in the same year because they have very different profiles and are from different sire lines.

“The foals also looked different and were what you'd expect from their stallions. We will keep a good eye on them throughout the spring and right up to the yearling sales. That's going to be very important for them and then hopefully they will be spread out among good trainers around Europe. We will be supporting them as well.”

De Chambure added, “The fact that British and Irish breeders can see that these good French sires have appeal to the main pinhookers and trainers in the industry, I think that will give them the confidence to increase their trust in these French stallions on the whole. It has been very positive.”

Etreham also has the first 2-year-olds by City Light (Fr), a smart miler by Siyouni (Fr), to look forward to in 2023 while, interestingly, de Chambure revealed that breeders are now adopting a different approach to the mares they are sending to Almanzor (Fr).

He explained, “City Light has over 90 2-year-olds to run this season and, being a son of Siyouni, there is a bit of a buzz about him. The first reports are positive. His 2-year-olds are quite racey and, by the end of the year, we can expect them to be showing what they can do because they should be 2-year-olds.

“Almanzor has four or five exciting horses who have just turned three. He has an important year ahead of him but I think he has the numbers coming and breeders have adapted in the mares that they have been sending him. We are going to continue to see him improve and his next big horse is just around the corner, I am sure of that.”

That horse could well be the Aga Khan's Rajapour (Ire), unbeaten in three starts at two and, crucially, hailing from the smart Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare Raydara (Ire), who is exactly the type de Chambure will be encouraging breeders to send Almonzor going forward.

“We were all a bit surprised that Almanzor had been throwing some size and, from his first crop, we got a few who were a bit big and backward. We all realised that and, even though they were like that, he showed that he can sire a really good horse. They can quicken and they have a turn of foot. Most of the breeders, the mares they have sent him now have a bit more speed and are more short-coupled, and we have seen the difference in the progeny.”

a half an hour down the road from Etreham, some of the finest National Hunt sires standing in France were on show Haras de la Hetraie , including Gold Cup-producing Kapgarde (Fr), whose Fakir D'Oudaires (Fr) took the feature G2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles on Sunday.

The sire of last year's Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard (Fr) was joined in parade by fellow accomplished National Hunt stallion Great Pretender (Ire), best known for being the sire of Benie Des Dieux (Fr) and Greaneteen (Fr).

But it wasn't all about the stallions at Haras de la Hetraie, as not only did the stud offer top-notch entertainment when For Fun (Fr) lived up to his name by trying his hardest to break away from his handler, but the spread on offer was not bettered on the trip.

If it's French onion soup made by the boss himself, Pascal Noue, a fine selection of cured meats and enough oysters to feed a small village, Haras de la Hetraie was worth the trip even for those who hadn't got a mare in tow.

However, the majority of the people who made the trip to Sumbe were there in a professional capacity, according to Mathieu Le Forestier, nominations and racing manager at the stud, who reported that a lot of business had been done across the two days.

Easy to see why. Horses like Mishriff (Ire) don't retire to stud very often and, despite the fact that his debut season will be interrupted due to a slight setback, Le Forestier explained how interest in the stallion has not dwindled in the slightest because of it.

He said, “We envisage him covering 140 mares this year, which is a good number. The Prince [Faisal] will send him 35 to 40 mares of his own, which leaves about 100 nominations in Mishriff. “There have been virtually no cancellations from breeders after we announced his setback and the interest in him did not wane. We expect that he will resume covering on Mar. 15 and we don't see it being a big issue, except maybe for in the case of maiden mares.


“There aren't many alternatives to a horse of the quality Mishriff has in France and we have waited a long time to have a freshman with credentials as good as he has in the stud book here. Selling him is not the hardest job in my life.

“The good thing about Mishriff and Golden Horde (Ire) here at Sumbe is that they do the talking. We have done a lot of business over the past two days. There have not been many passers by and most of the people that have come here have been serious breeders.”

On the 2020 G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde, who stands for €8,000, he added, “Golden Horde has been popular. He'll have good numbers but, most importantly, the right blend of people who breed to race and those who breed to sell have used him. We have 15 yearlings by him that we plan to race and they will be divided up between Andre Fabre, Jean-Claude Rouget, Roger Varian and Clive Cox.”

The sentiments shared by Le Forestier about Mishriff were be echoed by Mathieu Alex at Haras de Beaumont about G1 Qipco Champion S. winner Sealiway, set to stand for €12,000 this season, and very much the pride and joy of Pauline Cheboub's operation.

Asked if there had been much international interest at Haras de Beaumont on Saturday and Sunday, Alex said, “Yes, German, Irish, English, Swedish, Danish, American–we have had plenty of interest. This is business but also, and this is very important, the Route des Etalons gives us a chance to open our doors to the public and the industry needs that. Tourists, neighbors, it doesn't matter, everyone is welcome and we have to open the doors and explain our game. We have to show them that we love our horses. We have a mission.”

He added, “Sealiway was a champion two-year-old, which is extremely important nowadays. He won a Group 1 in England, the Champion S., where he beat three Classic winners, so he is a serious horse for France. That type of horse usually retires somewhere else. This place is for him. If it wasn't for him, none of this would be here. He's an extremely important horse and stallions like him are extremely important for this country. You've seen it with Le Havre (Ire), Siyouni (Fr), Wootton Bassett (GB), the whole country is propped up by them because they attract breeders from abroad. Also, they prop up the sales. So we need stallions like that.

“There has been a short-supply of top-class stallions in France and then we had three or four good ones at the same time. I don't know why that is. Siyouni is getting old, Le Havre is dead and now Wootton Bassett is gone. There is an opening and we need new good ones coming through. French people know that and, without mares, it doesn't matter how good Sealiway is, we need the mares. We are in the process of sorting out the mares for him this year and the important thing is numbers.”

If La Hetraie boasted the best food of the tour, well then the biggest crowd was recorded at Haras de Bonneval, where over 100 people turned out to see Siyouni and co strut their stuff during one of the afternoon sessions on Saturday.

Siyouni may have been the star attraction but Zarak (Fr), one of the hottest properties the country has to offer and set to stand for €60,000 this term, sent tongues wagging. Even Alain De Royer-Dupre turned out to say a few words about his Group 1-winning son of Dubawi (Ire) who has quickly made his mark at stud.


One of the more famous studs in France, Haras de Bouquetot, were provided with an opportunity to showcase some of its newbies, with Galileo Gold (GB) having made the move from Tally-Ho to stand alongside fellow newcomer Thunder Moon (Ire). Armor (GB) should make plenty of appeal to breeders, being a speedy son of No Nay Never, but there was no doubting the star attraction, as Wooded (Ire) wowed everyone in attendance and makes plenty of sense at €12,000.

Whether you are a high-end breeder on the Flat, want to produce the next big jumping star or are in search of a bit of value over both codes, the 2023 Route des Etalons confirms that there is something for everyone in France.

Three takeaways from the Route des Etalons
After a helter-skelter two days touring some of the best studs in France, here are some takeaways from a memorable trip.

Important Newbies
Mathieu Alex obviously has a vested interest in seeing Sealiway succeed but he spoke frankly and honestly about the need for another superstar stallion in France.

Siyouni is obviously operating at his pomp and, if Zarak continues on the trajectory that he is on, he could well take over the mantle but the importance of horses like Sealiway and Mishriff entering the stud book in France cannot be understated. Let's hope they are a success as there is clearly an opening there.

Exciting Times For Haras d'Etreham
Haras de Etreham managed Wootton Bassett from a €6,000 freshman to becoming a €40,000 stallion after just seven seasons before Coolmore swooped in and secured a deal for him to stand in Ireland in 2021 where he stands to this day for a cool €150,000.

Have Etreham uncovered the next Wootton Bassett in either Persian King or Hello Youmzain? That is obviously an exceptionally high bar to aim for but the early signs are promising.

In Persian King, Etreham can offer breeders a quality son of Kingman who has plenty of size while Hello Youmzain is exactly what you'd expect one of the fastest sons of Kodiac to look like.
The first foals by both stallions went down well in 2022, with some notable names signing for the progeny of the two, and it appears as though the future is bright for everyone at the famous French stud.

Dominance Of The Jumps
The dominance of the French-breds over jumps in Britain and Ireland is nothing new and a major highlight of the trip was getting the chance to see Kapgarde and No Risk At All in the flesh.
On Saturday, the Willie Mullins-trained It's For Me (Fr) (Jeu St Eloi {Fr}) shot to the head of the Champion Bumper betting when bolting up in a Navan bumper for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Jeu St Eloi is more or less an unknown as a stallion in Britain and Ireland, which goes back to the point made about France's ability as a nation to churn out top-class horses time and time again from relatively obscure origins.


Beaumec De Houelle (Fr) could be the next sleeper of a stallion for National Hunt breeders to take note of. One of the only sons of Martaline (GB) to stand in France, he won five of his six starts, including the G1 three-year-old hurdle at Auteuil in 2018.

Of course, jumps horses retiring to stud is nothing new in France, with Balko being another example, whereas it is quite rare in Ireland. Apart from Nickname, few entires have competed at the highest level, although who's to say what heights Sir Eric would have reached had he not suffered a fatal injury.

The French do things differently, that's for sure, and they are all the better for it. The proof, as they say, is in the eating, and there was a lot to digest on this trip.

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12 Questions: Sebastien Desmontils

First job in the Thoroughbred industry?

Summer job as a stud groom at Highland Farm in Paris, Kentucky, that was managed by Peter Kirwan in 1999. Everything looked big and new at the time especially the Clydesdales that were kept on the farm not far from the Thoroughbreds!

Biggest influence on your career?

My friends Benoit Jeffroy and Gabriel Leenders. Unlike me the two of them are born and raised in this game and they have been keen to share their knowledge and experience with me since I decided to move full time in the Thoroughbred business as well as many other people that I have met or worked with along the road.

Favorite racehorse of all time, and why?

Has to be the unbeaten champion filly Zarkava. Only thing small about her was her size. Big trainer, big owner, big jockey, big heart… massive turn of foot. Even her legacy will be big with her son Zarak that appears to be a serious improver at stud.

Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023?

If I knew I should be leading this game but if I have to guess I would say Invincible Army as I thought his yearlings that I have seen were eye catching looking sharp and ready to go with substance.

Greatest race in the world?

L'Arc de Triomphe.

If you could be someone else in the industry for a day who would it be, and why?

Willie Mullins for his ability to operate his business at the top of this game, selecting, training top-class horses year after year and always appearing as a proper gentleman that loves his sport.

Emerging talent in the industry (human)?

Christopher Head has all the ingredients to become one of Chantilly's leading trainers in the years to come.

Name a horse TDN should have made a Rising Star, and didn't?

Went through Thursday's edition and would strongly agree on the fact that Rajapour should have been one!

Under-the-radar stallion?

Zelzal covered a big crop of 189 mares in 2022 at €15 000 LF and has done really well so far with very limited crops and average quality mares.

Friday night treat?

Sharing a good dinner with my wife and friends at home testing nice wines talking about racing and breeding.

Guilty pleasure outside racing?

Hunting, Shooting and Fishing

Race I wish I'd been there for…

Arcangues's win in the 1993 Breeders' Cup Classic at 133-1 in which my dad had bought a small share following his syndication by Agent Frederic Sauque at the time. I have watched the replay so many times…. A lot more than my dad who never had much interest in horse racing and did not realize the performance that this was to win this race for a horse trained in Europe.

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Sea The Stars Heads Aga Khan Studs Roster as Fees Rise

The Aga Khan Studs' stallions Sea The Stars (Ire), Siyouni (Fr) and Zarak (Fr) are all set to stand for increased fees in 2023.

Heading a powerful roster, Sea The Stars, sire of the brilliant Baaeed (GB) and Stradivarius (Ire), will cover at an all-time high of €180,000 at Gilltown Stud. Currently third in the sires' table behind Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars is the sire of 19 Group 1 winners among his 101 stakes winners. His rising number of sons at stud include the aforementioned duo, who join the British ranks next season. Now 16, Sea the Stars started his stud career at €85,000 and his fee has risen gradually through his 13 seasons. For the last three years he has stood at €150,000.

Also on the rise is the current champion sire in France, Siyouni (Fr), whose fee will be increased from €140,000 to €150,000, having spent his first four years at stud standing for €7,000. The son of Pivotal (GB) has been represented by more than 30 stakes horses in 2022, including the Aga Khan's smart juvenile filly Tahiyra (Ire), who is unbeaten for Dermot Weld and won the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on her second start.

The roster at Haras de Bonneval is also enhanced by the rising young stallion Zarak (Fr). The son of Dubawi (Ire) and the champion racemare Zarkava (Fr) (Zamindar) has been represented by five group winners from his first two crops with a strike-rate of 11% stakes winners to runners. His fee, which started at €12,000 and rose to €25,000 last year, has been set at €60,000.

The trio of French stallions is completed by Group 1 winner Dariyan (Fr), a son of Shamardal out of the G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk), whose fee has been maintained at €5,000.

The post Sea The Stars Heads Aga Khan Studs Roster as Fees Rise appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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