Nancy Sexton profiles the new recruits standing at a fee of £6,000 and above
No fewer than 15 G1 winners are among the stellar group of stallions set to stand their first season in Europe next year. Leading the way are Cartier Horse of the Year Kingman at £55,000 and, at €50,000, Australia, one of two Epsom Derby winners to retire to stud, alongside Ruler Of The World.
Overall, it is an outstanding yet varied list of talent, including sprinters of the class of Slade Power and brilliant milers such as Charm Spirit, Kingman, and Toronado.
Anodin
b Anabaa - Born Gold
As a brother to Goldikova, expectations were high for Anodin from the start and, although a G1 win eluded him, he played his part in enhancing the reputation of his family.
Winner of the 2013 Prix Paul de Moussac, he was G1-placed on four occasions in 2014, notably when flying from the rear of the field to grab second on his final start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Although a high-class miler, he also acquitted himself well over 9 1/2 furlongs when second in the Prix d’Ispahan.
Anodin takes the place at Quesnay of his sire Anabaa, a former stalwart of the French industry. Haras du Quesnay: €7,500 ($9,170)
Australia
ch Galileo - Ouija Board
The product of two champions, it was apparent that Australia had inherited his share of his parents’ ability when a fast-finishing second on his debut at the Curragh in June 2013 after badly missing the break.
Even then, the vibes surrounding Australia suggested that he was a colt out of the ordinary and he confirmed that reputation when running out the six-length winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes from Free Eagle.
His performance when third - beaten only three-quarters of a length - to Night Of Thunder in a vintage renewal of the 2,000 Guineas proved he could hold his own in top company over a mile. However, it was over 1 mile and a quarter and 1 mile and a half that he later flourished when recording authoritative victories in the Epsom and Irish Derbys and Juddmonte International.
A narrow loss to The Grey Gatsby in the Irish Champion Stakes and subsequent hoof injury robbed Australia of the chance to bow out on a high. However, the ease of his previous victories, not to mention his versatility and 2-year-old career, will ensure that he will be remembered as one of the leading lights of a vintage generation.
There are certainly few better bred horses at stud; not only is he a son of Galileo, already responsible for G1-producing sires New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, and Teofilo, but he is out of champion Ouija Board, herself the product of Lord Derby’s successful Samanda family. Coolmore: €50,000
Charm Spirit
b Invincible Spirit - L’Enjoleuse
Charm Spirit will stand his first season at Tweenhills Farm in England before switching to Haras de Bonneval in Normandy for 2016.
Third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at 2, he developed into one of the leading milers of 2014 thanks to victories in the Prix Jean Prat, Prix du Moulin, and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The latter two victories were secured over older horses, while his only defeat in six starts during 2014 came when he ran fifth in a vintage 2,000 Guineas.
Invincible Spirit has made a cracking impression as a sire of sires, with the likes of Lawman and I Am Invincible to his credit. Given the support that Charm Spirit will receive from the Al Thani family as well as outside breeders, it will be no surprise to see him follow suit. Tweenhills Farm & Stud: £25,000
Garswood
b Dutch Art - Penchant
Only out of the first four on three occasions in 15 starts, Garswood signed off his career with a victory in this year’s Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. That win came over 6 1/2 furlongs but he was also effective over 5 furlongs, as illustrated by his success in the Roseberry Stakes at Ayr as a 2-year-old, and over 7 furlongs, the distance over which he won the Lennox Stakes and Free Handicap.
Garswood will stand alongside his sire Dutch Art at his birthplace, Cheveley Park Stud. He is the first foal out of his dam, who is a daughter of another Cheveley Park stalwart in Kyllachy and relation to the G1-placed miler Infallible. Cheveley Park Stud: £7,000
Kingman
b Invincible Spirit - Zenda
Not only was Kingman one of the most brilliant milers of recent times but he is supported by a powerful Juddmonte family, one which has gifted the operation Oasis Dream.
Kingman was high-class at two, when his unbeaten season culminated with a win in the Solario Stakes. However, he was truly brilliant in 2014, whether it be when running down Night of Thunder in the St. James’s Palace Stakes, quickening past Toronado to take the Sussex Stakes, pulling five lengths clear on unsuitably heavy ground in the Irish 2,000 Guineas or romping home in the Prix Jacques le Marois. He met his only defeat when half a length off Night Of Thunder in the 2,000 Guineas and unsurprisingly ended 2014 as the Cartier Horse of the Year.
Kingman is by emerging sire of sires Invincible Spirit but adding further lustre to his profile is the fact that he is out of Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Zenda, herself a half-sister to leading sire Oasis Dream. Banstead Manor Stud: £55,000
Mukhadram
b Shamardal - Magic Tree
This admirable performer filled the frame in 14 of 16 outings for William Haggas, including on eight occasions at G1 level.
Mukhadram gained a deserved first G1 success earlier this year in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, in which scored by two lengths from Trading Leather. However, he ran many creditable races in defeat, notably when second in the Dubai World Cup and Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and third in the King George.
Making Mukhadram particularly appealing is the fact that he is one of only three sons of Shamardal at stud in Britain and Ireland - another is this year’s dominant European leading first-crop sire Lope De Vega. His dam, Magic Tree, is a half-sister to G1 winners Kirklees and Mastery and is another successful descendant of the powerful Mesopotamia clan. Nunnery Stud: £7,000
No Nay Never
b Scat Daddy - Cat’s Eye Witness
Raw speed and precocity were the hallmarks of this horse, who broke the juvenile Ascot track record for 5 furlongs when successful in the Norfolk Stakes for trainer Wesley Ward. He later returned to Europe to bag the Prix Morny at the expense of subsequent G1 winners Vorda and Rizeena.
No Nay Never was a seriously good 2-year-old, but he was also never out of the first two at 3, running second in the Swale Stakes on his only try on dirt before taking the Amsterdam Stakes and falling only narrowly short in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
One of only two sons of Scat Daddy at stud in the Northern Hemisphere, he offers European breeders access to the increasingly influential Hennessy branch of the Storm Cat line, one particularly noted for producing 2-year-olds. Coolmore: €20,000
Olympic Glory
b Choisir - Acidanthera
This multiple G1 winner joins the burgeoning Al Shaqab roster at Haras de Bouquetot in Normandy.
Olympic Glory should be well known to French breeders, having won the 2012 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and this year’s Prix de la Foret, in which he stormed from last to first to deny Gordon Lord Byron. In between, he was the wide-margin winner of the Queen Elizabeth II and Lockinge Stakes. Added to that, he was a precocious performer who was a G1 winner and dual G2 winner at two.
He is the first French-based son of Choisir, whose son Starspangledbanner made such an impact with his first 2-year-olds in 2014. Haras de Bouquetot: €15,000
Ruler of the World
ch Galileo - Love Me True
Ruler Of The World made rapid progress as a 3-year-old, going from a maiden victory at the Curragh to Epsom Derby hero within the space of three starts.
A tough performer, he also won this year’s Prix Foy at the expense of Flintshire and ran third in the 2013 QIPCO Champion Stakes.
One of the most appealing aspects of Ruler Of The World is his pedigree. Not only does he share his sire, Galileo, with the likes of New Approach and Rip Van Winkle, but he is a half-brother to Duke Of Marmalade and a member of the respected Lassie Dear family responsible for champion sire A. P. Indy. Coolmore: €15,000
Sea The Moon
b Sea The Stars - Sanwa
The first son of Sea The Stars to stand at stud worldwide, Sea The Moon turned in a display of sheer relentless galloping to win this year’s German Derby by 11 lengths.
With wide-margin wins in the Fruhjahrs-Preis des Bankhauses Metzler and Oppenheim-Union-Rennen also to his credit, Sea The Moon spent much of the summer vying for favouritism for the Arc but was robbed of the opportunity to compete after suffering a career-ending injury when second in the Grosser Preis von Baden.
Sea The Moon is supported by one of Germany’s very best families since his dam, Sanwa, is a sister to champion Samum, the sire of four G1 winners, and multiple G1 scorer Schiaparelli.
He will be supported by a number of mares belonging to his owner-breeders, Neike and Heike Bischoff-Lafrentz Bischoff, as well as Lanwades owner Kirsten Rausing, who plans to send a group of 15, including champion Albanova. Lanwades Stud: £15,000
Slade Power
b Dutch Art - Girl Power
Slade Power lit up the 2014 season by pulling off the Diamond Jubilee Stakes - July Cup double for Eddie Lynam. On each occasion, he scored in clear cut fashion to stamp himself as one of Europe’s leading sprinters, a position he had threatened to assume in 2013, when his three victories included the QIPCO British Champion Sprint Stakes and Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
Although highly progressive, he also came to hand relatively early, winning his second start at 2, a 6-furlong maiden, before developing into a dual-Listed winner at 3.
The only son of Dutch Art at stud in Ireland, Slade Power is a member of the increasingly influential Machiavellian sire line, which should make him an appealing prospect to cross with fast mares descending from Northern Dancer. Kildangan Stud: €20,000
Toronado
b High Chaparral - Wana Doo
For three seasons, Toronado mixed it with the best for the Richard Hannon yard, notably when denying Dawn Approach to take the 2013 Sussex Stakes and defeating Verrazano in this season’s Queen Anne Stakes. He was also a very talented 2-year-old who capped an unbeaten juvenile season by winning the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
There were occasions when Toronado emerged with credit even in defeat - only a head separated him from victory in the 2013 St. James’s Palace Stakes and 2014 Prix du Moulin while he wasn’t disgraced when a length off Kingman in this year’s Sussex Stakes.
A top-class miler from the Sadler’s Wells line, Toronado is out of a half-sister to G1-winning 2-year-old Casamento. The National Stud: £15,000
War Command
b War Front - Wandering Star
War Command’s victory in last year’s Coventry Stakes will live long in the mind. Sent to Royal Ascot off the back of a Leopardstown maiden victory, he made a sweeping move to lead a furlong out and win going away by six lengths. He later confirmed he was a 2-year-old out of the top drawer when successful in the Futurity and Dewhurst Stakes.
Following the transfer of Declaration Of War to Kentucky, War Command will be the only son of War Front at stud in Europe in 2015. Added to that, he hails from the same family of Silver Hawk, an influential sire in the U.S. and Europe. Coolmore: €15,000.
New stallions in the lower price range
G1 winners Dunaden, Kingsbarns, and Xtension are among the new options for 2015 available in the affordable price bracket below £6,000.
The admirable Dunaden - Overbury Stud: £3,000 - beat 60 G1 winners during his lengthy career. His nose victory over Red Cadeaux in the 2011 Melbourne Cup has to go down as one of the most thrilling performances seen in the race, but he also cut back to 1 mile and a half to take the Hong Kong Vase and carried top weight of 128 pounds to victory in the Caulfield Cup.
Those who support Dunaden are in line to be rewarded by the lucrative Dunaden Owners & Breeders’ Club, in which premiums of up to 64 percent will be awarded to the connections of winning progeny.
Xtension - Rathbarry Stud: €5,000 - was another tough customer who was a dual G1-winning miler in Hong Kong. Like his sire Xaar before him, he was also a talented 2-year-old, winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
It’s likely that we never saw the best of Kingsbarns - Coolmore: €6,000. The son of Galileo, who is from the same Mesopotamia family as Rip Van Winkle, looked a serious classic prospect following his win in the 2012 Racing Post Trophy. However, injury restricted his 3-year-old campaign to two back-end starts, the highlight of which was a third place in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Other sons of Galileo to retire to stud in 2015 include Battle Of Marengo - Ballyhane Stud: €6,000 - a G2-winning juvenile who won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at 3, and Listed winner Sun Central - Elusive Bloodstock: £2,000 - a half-brother to George Washington and Grandera.
Breeders looking for fast 2-year-olds have a number of options to choose from, namely July Stakes winner Alhebayeb - Tara Stud: €5,000; Bungle Inthejungle - Rathasker Stud: €5,000, an extremely fast juvenile who won the Cornwallis and Molecomb Stakes; Norfolk Stakes runner-up Coach House - Bucklands Farm & Stud: £3,000; Mill Reef Stakes winner Moohaajim - Rathbarry Stud: €5,000; and the G2-placed Burwaaz - Hedgeholme Stud: £2,500.
Also precocious was Gale Force Ten - Irish National Stud: €5,000 - who trained on at three to win the Jersey Stakes and run second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He shares his sire, Oasis Dream, with Morpheus - Tally-Ho Stud: €6,000 - a winning half-brother to Frankel and Noble Mission.
Another fast option is Hackwood Stakes winner Heeraat - Mickley Stud: £4,000 - while The National Stud welcomes G2 winner and July Cup third Gregorian - £4,500. He is standing in Newmarket in association with his breeder, Rathasker Stud, who have another son of Clodovil on their roster in Es Que Love - €5,000. His 51 starts included a victory in this year’s Lennox Stakes.
The G2-placed miler Albaasil - £1,750 - will stand at Longdon Stud, while popular stayer Leading Light - €4,500, winner of the St Leger and Ascot Gold Cup, is sure to be a favourite with jumps breeders at Coolmore’s National Hunt division.