Opening Test

It’s that time of year where stallion masters are holding their breath. For some, it’s awaiting a stallion’s first runners. For others, and equally just as important, are the arrivals of a first crop of foals. 

There is nothing quite like the whispers of the bloodstock industry to fuel a notion, and for studs all over the world there will always be the pressure to receive positive chat. That starts early on as breeders look to see whether a stallion is stamping his stock. It’s not a recipe for racecourse success, but it is certainly a driving force behind early commercial appeal.

The 2024 intake of new stallions contained a number of top-class performers with the good looks to get the market pulses racing.

Many of them are backed up by the prices that they made at auction themselves including Coolmore’s high-flying trio Paddington, Little Big Bear and The Antarctic.

The Antarctic, a full-brother to champion sprinter Battaash, was a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling. Little Big Bear, meanwhile, made €320,000 at the Arqana August Sale a few months before Paddington realised €420,000 in the same ring at the October auction.

Paddington, a product of a successful Wildenstein family, was one of the summer highlights of the 2023 season with successive wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Sussex Stakes confirming his place as one of the most durable and versatile horses of recent seasons.

Juddmonte, Newsells Park, Rabbah Bloodstock, White Birch and Ecurie des Monceaux, who raised and sold Paddington, were among those to join Coolmore in sending mares to the horse last year at €55,000. In the end, the son of Siyouni covered a book of 145, a figure more reflective of the slower start he had to his debut season.

“We vaccinated the new stallions early in the year and they were held up,” says Mark Byrne, part of the nominations team at Coolmore. “The consequence was that they ended up in quarantine. That obviously wasn’t ideal but it was for the greater good of the horses. So they started off a little on the back foot, and thankfully they got through it.”

He continues: “Paddington was such a good racehorse and hardy too. To win those four Group 1 races in a couple of months was incredible. 

“I met Henri Bozo [director of Monceaux] recently and he’s very positive about the horse. He says he has a very good foal by him. Peter Brant [White Birch] also has some very good foals here, in particular one out of [Grade 2 winner] Toinette. He also sent him Unaided [dam of Grade 1 winner Uni]. They just show the calibre of mare that Peter Brant has supported the horse with.

“Car Colston Stud, also brilliant breeders, sent its stakes producer Forest Crown and Denis Brosnan of Croom House Stud, another very good breeder, also has a very good foal out of Pussycat Lips. Tanya Gunther, who bred Justify with her father John, was also saying that they have a good filly by him at their Glennwood Farm in Kentucky.”

Like Paddington, champion two-year-old Little Big Bear, has been supported by an array of leading breeders that resulted in a 156-strong book at a fee of €27,500. They include his trainer Aidan O’Brien, who saddled the son of No Nay Never to win the Phoenix Stakes by seven lengths.

“He has the backing of an impressive roster of breeders,” says Byrne. “Oakgrove Stud have a good foal and so does John Tuthill of Owenstown Stud. A lot of people who bred to him are coming back into him off the back of the foals.

“And there are some good mares still to foal to him like Lady Gorgeous, who bred champion two-year-old Pretty Gorgeous, and Awohaam, the dam of [Middle Park Stakes runner-up] Castle Star. 

“He was an extremely exciting two-year-old and he’s the most fabulous horse to look at. He’s got loads of size and scope. Aidan always speaks about how classy he was – he has used him plenty and is breeding back to him as well. 

“His foals are looking like him and I think he’ll be extremely commercial at the sales.”

The Antarctic, who covered a first book of 123 at €6,000, also boasts a fast profile as a Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed juvenile who trained on to win a Group 3 sprint at three. Some smart commercial investors used him last year, among them his own breeder Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud.

“The likes of Eddie O’Leary, Rathasker and Ballyphilip Stud all used The Antarctic last year,” says Byrne. “Manister House Stud also have a good filly out of Bright Glow. 

“It’s a commercial pedigree and he was rated the same as Havana Grey on 113. He cost 750,000gns as a yearling and is just the type of horse you fall in love with straightway. Thankfully he’s got off to that start where he’s stamping the stock in his mould and you can imagine them getting up and running early.”

Aidan always speaks about how classy he was – he has used him plenty and is breeding back to him as well

Chaldean in front

In Britain, Juddmonte’s Chaldean was understandably well received, covering 99 black-type performers and/or producers within a first book of 173 at a fee of £25,000. Broken further down, they include six Group/Grade 1 winners and five dams of Group/Grade 1 winners. Indeed, he covered more Group winners, stakes winners and black-type runners than any other sire of his generation in Britain and Ireland.

Chaldean is the first son of Frankel to stand alongside his illustrious sire at Banstead Manor Stud, which is indicative of his race record, good looks and pedigree. A 550,000gns foal purchase by Juddmonte and one of four stakes winners out of his high-flying dam Suelita, Chaldean was forward enough to break his maiden in July of his two-year-old season at Newbury, after which he rattled off wins in the Acomb, Champagne and Dewhurst Stakes to end 2022 as the joint champion juvenile.

That preceded a Classic season at three during which he won the 2,000 Guineas and ran second in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Juddmonte can claim to have bred the first Group 1 winners by numerous various resident stallions, going back to Warning (by Known Fact) and Xaar (by Zafonic). Don’t bet against the operation pulling off the same feat with Chaldean given its early support included sending the dams of its current Classic hopefuls Better Together (out of Shared Account) and Swelter (out of Hot Snap) as well as Group 1 winner Timepiece and the Group 2-winning stakes producer Modern Look.

Godolphin, the Aga Khan Studs, Haras de Saint Pair and Newsells Park Stud were others to use the horse in year one.

It would be fair to say, from seeing the Chaldean foals at Juddmonte and from what we have seen at outside farms, they are much like their sire. Strong bodied, close coupled, good clean limbs and with an attractive head

“We are aware of approximately 93 live foals on the ground now,” says Shane Horan, Stallion Nominations Manager at Banstead Manor Stud. “These are broken up into 50 colts versus 43 fillies. Colour wise we have a pretty even split of bays and chestnuts as well as a handful of greys.

“It would be fair to say, from seeing the Chaldean foals at Juddmonte and from what we have seen at outside farms, they are much like their sire. Strong bodied, close coupled, good clean limbs and with an attractive head. 

“As Chaldean did as a foal, his stock look like precocious types at this early stage. There has been the occasional foal which has been bigger and more scopier than expected and this probably where the mare is having a strong influence. This is something we often found with Frankel’s progeny – where the mare often dictated what the resulting foal looked like physically while Frankel could clearly impart the engine.”

He adds: “The response to the stallion in his second season has been equally satisfying while the season is not over yet, he looks set to cover another quality book of approximately 150 mares. Many of his first time users returning to him again which is always an encouraging sign.”

Darley trio

Darley’s intake for 2024 was also brimming with miling talent, comprising the Group 1 winners Modern Games and Triple Time at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Native Trail, also the champion two-year-old of 2021, at Kildangan Stud.

At £30,000, Modern Games was the most expensive in a reflection of an international record that consisted of five Group 1 victories at two to four years, among them the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Lockinge Stakes and back-to-back Breeders’ Cups (Juvenile Turf and the Mile).

Nor will it have escaped the notice of savvy breeders that he is bred on the same Dubawi – Galileo cross as leading sire Night Of Thunder and the ascendant Ghaiyyath.

“When you look at Modern Games, you can see how he was such a sound, consistent racehorse,” says David Appleton, part of the nominations team at Darley. “He’s very well proportioned and he has a great attitude as well. You can see how he was able to travel around the world so many times and compete so consistently at the top level. It takes a lot for a horse to go abroad, do that and then come back and compete at the top level at home. It’s not something you see every year.” 

Modern Games received strong home support, with the Godolphin allocation including such mares as Grade 1 winner La Pelosa and Queen Mary Stakes heroine Jealous Again. However, he has unsurprisingly caught the imagination of outside breeders as well.

“It’s well documented that he covered a restricted book [141 mares] in the end,” he says. “There were 15 Group/Graded winners and nearly 60 stakes performers in there, and I think you can see that quality coming out in his foals. I’ve seen a few of them come through the covering shed and at different farms, and there genuinely hasn’t been a bad one yet. He’s a lovely horse and there’s a lot of Dubawi in them in terms of their shape and make. He’s seem to be stamping them with plenty of size and strength.”

Home support has also been a key behind the launch of Triple Time, the pillar to post winner of the 2023 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. By Frankel, he belongs to one of the most important families of the current era as a son of the remarkable mare Reem Three, the dam of seven stakes horses in all and granddam of last year’s Royal Ascot winners Rosallion (St James’s Palace Stakes) and Inisherin (Commonwealth Cup). It’s a family that has been cultivated to great effect by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum, whose own support of Triple Time included sending stakes producer Emirates Queen, a Group 2-winning half-sister to Dubawi, and Group 1 winner Fonteyn. In all, he covered 155 mares at a fee of £10,000.

“There were five Group winners in his book, including from our Godolphin broodmare band, and 26 stakes performers,” says Appleton. “The foals I’ve seen have a bit of [damsire] Mark Of Esteem in them. They look like they could be quite forward – they look quick, they look strong and they have a lot of strength to them through their quarters. To this point he’s a pure-breeding bay.”

He added: “He beat a very good field from the front in the Queen Anne in a quick time, where he quickened off his own hot pace. He’s also from that phenomenal family. I think people have latched on to the fact that you can’t really breed to much more pedigree, especially at that fee.”

Breeders also evidently like what they see from the first foals of Native Trail given the level of repeat business. A son of Oasis Dream, Native Trail’s unbeaten championship juvenile campaign took in wins in the National and Dewhurst Stakes. Add in the fact he won the Irish 2,000 Guineas at three and it’s easy to see how he has garnered so much early respect from commercial breeders. An opening book of 179 mares, including those from Forenaghts, Ballyhimikin, Kildaragh and the Royal Studs, gives him plenty of ammunition going forward.

“The Irish team are very pleased,” says Appleton. “We share photos of his foals between us regularly and I also saw a good one in Leicestershire recently. He’s a big strong horse and he seems to be putting a bit of scope into them. 

“He was obviously a fantastic two-year-old who trained on at three, and from a fantastic Juddmonte family as well. He represents real commercial appeal and he’s going to have every chance. All the best Irish breeders have used him and people have come back this year off the back of the foals.”

Respect for Mostahdaf

First-season support from a number of high-profile outside breeders means that Shadwell’s young Frankel stallion Mostahdaf will also have every chance.

A half-brother to Group 1 winner Nazeef from the family of top sprinters Pastoral Pursuits and Goodricke, this May foal won six of his first seven starts including his 7f debut early on at three. He went on to develop into an excellent older campaigner when his wins included the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International, achieved in contrasting styles.

“From what we’ve seen and from what people are telling us, they seem good-sized foals with a lot of substance, the response from breeders has been hugely positive,” says Will Wright, Shadwell’s UK Nominations and European Marketing Manager. “They seem to have plenty of quality, just like him – that’s one of his selling points. 

“He was an outstanding racehorse rated 128, the same as Ace Impact that same year and also City Of Troy. He was very good in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, when he quickened from the back of the field, but then in the Juddmonte International he made all for another impressive success. He defeated the winners of 15 Group 1s in those races. But it’s not just performance because he’s got that quality, quick pedigree being a half-brother to Nazeef and related to two champion sprinters.”

Shadwell themselves have several well-related Mostahdaf youngsters on the ground including a colt out of Alaflaak, the dam of Oaks entry Falakayeh, and a colt out of stakes winner Ataared.

“We’re delighted with our foals,” says Wright. “We like to think he’s good value and some really good outside breeders have supported him as well. Those include The Royal Studs, Highclere Stud, Kirsten Rausing, Meon Valley, Lynch Bages, Juddmonte, Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs and Hascombe and Valiant. This and the rest of his profile gives him a every chance of producing top-class racehorses.”

The Shadwell colours were also carried to good effect by Mutasaabeq, a multiple Group 2-winning miler. By Invincible Spirit and out of 1,000 Guineas heroine Ghanaati, herself a relation to Nashwan and Deep Impact, he stood for one season at the National Stud in Newmarket prior to his sale to India.

Dullingham intent

It’s well known that fast horses and the commercial market tend to go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise see how well supported sprinters such as Shaquille and Dragon Symbol were in their first seasons.

July Cup winner Shaquille was a welcome recruit to Britain, retiring to Dullingham Park Stud in Newmarket where he covered an opening book of 158 mares at £15,000 under the management of Steve Parkin’s team. 

Earlier this year, the son of Charm Spirit changed hands to Zhang Yuesheng’s Yulong Investments alongside fellow Dullingham stallion Soldier’s Call. Thus there is now some certainty over his future, and indeed if Yulong support Shaquille in the same way as its Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega, whose first two books contained just over 100 Yulong mares, then he will definitely not lack for opportunity.

“The feedback has been very positive from breeders so far,” says Yulong’s Paul Curran. “Before we bought Shaquille, I had already been hearing word that his foals are exceptional. Witnessing them myself, I can wholeheartedly agree with that. He really stamps his stock; he is a beautiful looking horse himself, well balanced with a striking presence. And you can see these characteristics throughout his stock thus far. 

We have already booked 27 of our own mares into him for the 2025 breeding season, which is a very strong number thus far

“We have had a lot of breeders return in 2025 on the back of the foals produced from their 2024 cover. That to me is a huge testament to the sire. In any case of business, if you can have customer retention it speaks volumes for your product. That’s the power of satisfaction.”

Yulong is well established as a powerhouse in Australia, where it stands champion sire Written Tycoon and exciting young sires Alabama Express and Lucky Vega. The latter also shuttles to the Irish National Stud and now with the acquisition of the Dullingham Park stallions, Yulong has a firm foothold in Britain – and one that could only become stronger.

“It’s a really exciting time for us to have such youthful stallions and one of Shaquille’s calibre especially,” says Curran. “We have already booked 27 of our own mares into him for the 2025 breeding season, which is a very strong number thus far. As I said, the outside support has been very strong.”

British breeders also have the option of Dragon Symbol, who was first past the post in the 2020 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before running placed in the Nunthorpe Stakes and July Cup. The five-time winner is next off the line at Whitsbury Manor Stud, who bred Dragon Symbol out of its fast Good Enough family. 

Dragon Symbol covered 140 mares at £8,000 in 2024 and is booked full again for 2025, with plenty of repeat business.

“We have been delighted with his foal so far, and crucially so are our breeders,” says Joe Callan, Head of Bloodstock and Sales at Whitsbury Manor Stud, which was associated with no fewer than around 65 mares in his first book. “We can say how impressed we are, but the true testament is he will cover a bigger book this year on the back of them and that’s a hard thing for a stallion to achieve in their second year.”

For Sophie Buckley’s Culworth Grounds Farm, the arrival of El Caballo – like Dragon Symbol, a high-class sprinter bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud – marked a first delve into stallion ownership. A tough six-time winner whose career highlight came in the Sandy Lane Stakes, he shares his sire Havana Gold with Havana Grey, all of which likely helped drive a good first book of 100 mares. He’s supported by a commercial group of shareholders and has duly received the backing of successful breeders on both sides of the Irish Sea, which should stand him in good stead going forward.

They’ve got that strong, quality Kodiac look to them

With 251 mares in his first book, it was Prix Jean Prat winner Good Guess who was the busiest within this intake. Tally-Ho Stud have built up an enviable following among breeders, having previously launched the likes of Kodiac and Mehmas from a relatively humble level. Add in Good Guess’ race record, highlighted by a wide-margin win in the Prix Jean Prat over six other Group 1 winners, good looks (420,000gns yearling) and the fact he’s a son of the ever-popular Kodiac and his popularity at an opening fee of €17,500 isn’t hard to fathom.

“He’s a very good-looking horse – there are a lot of people who remember him as a yearling,” says Henry O’Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud. “And I think we’re seeing that come through in his foals. We’re hearing good reports from breeders on them and we’re delighted with the ones we have. They’ve got that strong, quality Kodiac look to them. Hopefully he can continue that Kodiac legacy.” 

Over at Rathbarry Stud, hopes run high that Group 3-winning sprinter Bouttemont can do the same for Acclamation. At €5,000, the six-time winner offers breeders access to the same sire line responsible for Dark Angel and Mehmas. 

Bouttemont covered just over 80 mares last season. One breeder in a good place to gauge his prospects is co-owner Jack Cantillon of Tinnakill House Stud. 

“Just looking at the foals coming out of the mares, Bouttemont is doing a great job of producing well put-together, strong horses with great bone and a lovely, athletic walk,” says Cantillon. “It’s very heartening to see that they’re inheriting the good looks of not only him but also Acclamation.

“We look forward to continuing the legacy of Acclamation with our friends and partners Rathbarry Stud.”

Speed is also a key selling point behind Castle Star, the recipient of over 90 mares in his first season at Capital Stud. The son of Starspangledbanner was a precocious two-year-old for Fozzy Stack, winning the Marble Hill Stakes and running second in the Middle Park Stakes. Supporters include Jerry Horan, who says: “They’re good sized, athletic foals with a good outlook. We’re delighted with them.”

First foals are also arriving for Dubai Mile and Marie’s Diamond, two high-class and tough horses.

Dubai Mile is new to Coolagown Stud in Ireland at €5,000 having commenced his stud career at Manton Park. The only son of Roaring Lion at stud, Dubai Mile won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud for Ahmad Al Shaikh and Mark Johnston, both of whom have supported the horse in years one and two at stud. 

Al Shaikh so far has three foals on the ground by Dubai Mile, all of whom are out of stakes mares. They include Princess Salamah, dam of last year’s Group 3-winning sprinter Al Shabab Storm, and the Group 1-placed Zghorta Dance. Johnston has sent his stakes mare Deirdre.

Al Shaikh is on the record as confirming he’ll continue to support Dubai Mile at stud and in the sale ring, which could be good news for those breeders who have contributed to a rise in popularity for the horse at his new home with Davey Stack at Coolagown Stud.

Meanwhile, if Marie’s Diamond’s foals have inherited any of his own durability, then they will be in a very good place going forward. The son of Footstepsinthesand won seven of 65 starts, including the Anglesey Stakes at two and a fast running of the Paradise Stakes at four, and stood his first season in 2024 for €6,000 at Diamond Stud Bellewstown.

 

‘I love a fast racehorse’  – what the breeders think

Charlie Budgett, Kirtlington Park Stud

“I’ve been very impressed with Dragon Symbol since the first time I saw him, and even more so now as we have a few belting foals by him. We supported him strongly last year with our own mares along with client mares, and we will be doing the same this year again.”

John Bourke, Hyde Park Stud

“I have two good El Caballo colt foals. They’re good, strong, correct types that look sharp and precocious. You’d think they’d be early.”

Peter and Michelle Morgan, Carmel Stud 

“We have been very impressed by the first foals by Dragon Symbol, so much so we have decided to send him two mares ourselves this year. He makes a lot of sense for us as yearling sellers, he covered a good book last year, they look sharp – so hopefully we’ll be selling nice yearlings on the back of his successful first runners.”

Dermot Cantillon, Tinnakill House Stud

“I love a fast racehorse and Shaquille was top of the class. We bred two top mares to him and have been rewarded with two exceptional fillies. We’ve also got a very good-looking colt by Ace Impact. One of our priorities at the Arqana December Sale last year was to purchase a mare in foal to him and we achieved our goal with Bird Of Paradise. There was great rejoicing when she produced a very forward-looking colt.”

Dwayne Woods, Brook Stud

“We’ve got an absolute belter of a Modern Games colt. He’s the best that the mare has had and as good as any foal we’ve had by a first-season sire. He’s a beautiful colt.”

Peter Kavanagh, Kildaragh Stud

“The young stallions that stand out for me on the evidence of their foals are Chaldean, Native Trail and Shaquille. We have two foals by each on the farm and they are all well above average.”

Ted Voute

“The Mishriff foals have good size and substance. They have a tremendous outlook and all seem to be a deep bay colour. No matter if the mare is small or big, he’s putting a lot of quality into his foals. They look exciting.”