Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Expert Eye was always thought to have what it takes to succeed in the breeding shed, and now his first foals have begun to arrive, the early signs are that the Juddmonte stallion is not going to disappoint.
First up was the winning mare Domitilla, who foaled the bay filly in the picture on Saturday (January 25) at Old Buckenham Stud in Norfolk, England. The mare is out of listed winner Dan Loose Daughter and hails from the family of G3 winner Killachy Loose and 2019 2-year-old listed winner Ifrachy.
Next came Precious Gem, a daughter of Sadler’s Wells who won the G3 International Stakes at the Curragh. She produced a bay colt on Monday. Owned by Sally Rowley-Williams and born at Ballyogue Stud in County Waterford, Ireland, the foal is from the family of G1 winners Rock Of Gibraltar and Intricately, and is described by John Lenihan as “a good size with plenty of bone, good colour, correct, a very nice foal”.
In the early hours of Tuesday, Oeuvre d’Art, a multiple winner who was placed in the G2 Oaks d’Italia and the G3 Premio Mario Incisa at Milan, produced a bay colt at Trinity Park Stud in Berkshire, England. He is described by Becky Marsh as “a lovely, strong colt with plenty of class”.
Within a few hours on Tuesday, Rickrack foaled a dark bay colt at the Irish National Stud. The mare is a winning half-sister to three black-type performers, including listed winner and G1-placed Arasin, and was purchased at the 2019 Tattersalls December Sales for 120,000gns.
Expert Eye covered a full book of 139 mares in 2019, with more than half of them either black-type performers and/or black-type producers.
Juddmonte is supporting the son of Acclamation with a strong book of mares in 2020, including dual G1 winner Heat Haze (a daughter of the great Hasili and herself dam of G3 winner Mirage Dancer), Atone (a winning full-sister to six-time G1 winner Midday)' G2 winner Modern Look (dam of G3 winner Grand Jete), Across The Floor (a half-sister to champion Flintshire), Palmette (a full-sister to Showcasing), Tiadargent (a full-sister to 2-year-old G2 winner Restiadargent), and listed winners Rostova, Swiss Range, Scottish Jig and Variable.
Expert Eye stands at a fee of £17,500 for the current breeding season.