A Fresh Look

Cover image courtesy of The National Stud

Written by TDN Europe

It's that time of year: with just weeks to go to the start of the turf season in Europe, thoughts are turning to which of this year's freshman sires will be making a splash with their first runners.

With 26 European first-crop stallions to consider, we have asked the views of those who have seen a good range of young stock at the sales.

Ross Doyle

We have a system where we see every single horse at the foal sales and the yearling sales amongst our team, so we get a very good overview on what stallions are throwing, and types and temperaments.

Obviously we buy for other people but when we're buying for Richard Hannon, we're often buying horses on spec, so our budget is limited to a point. So we are able to take a bit of a gamble on a physical by a stallion that we like the look of, where other agents might be tied down a bit to instructions, or an owner wanting a specific established stallion.

We bought close to 100 yearlings last year and that includes four by Ribchester (Ire), four by Profitable (Ire), three or four by Ardad (Ire), a couple by Aclaim (Ire), and a couple by Churchill (Ire). As far as physicals go, all those horses were stamping their stock in their own way, and in the way you'd like them to.

They are all getting a consistent type of horses that we liked. I see there are an awful lot of Ardads in the breeze-ups, which is interesting. The breeze-up men must have liked the look of them.

As a racehorse, he was hard-knocking all year long at a very good level, and he's a good-looking horse with a good pedigree, by one of the outstanding sires in Europe in many years.

It would also be no surprise if Aclaim did well—he's by Acclamation with a very good pedigree, from Montjeu's family. He got a very nice type and I really liked the way the Aclaims improved with time, even from the foal sales to yearlings. I think that's a great sign in young stock. They were grand types as foals but they really came back as very good yearlings.

It's the first time in a good couple of years that we have really seen five or six horses that potentially have a solid chance on the types they are getting or on how they're bred. That makes it an extremely competitive first-season sire list.

If I was to tip one, I think Ribchester has a good chance on the types he got, and I know the feedback coming from Hannon's and other places that have them is that they've got lovely temperaments and they carry themselves well. They seem to be showing all the right signs. Churchill is probably going to be a slower burner but we liked his stock as well.

Oliver St Lawrence

I loved the Almanzors (Fr) at the yearling sales last year. I think he'll be the stallion of this generation. We bought two Almanzors, a colt and a filly (Lots 158 and 185 at Arqana's Deauville Select Sale).

There is a colt out of Minakshi (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) who is with Ger Lyons; he's our first horse in Ireland. He is a lovely colt and I know Ger is very happy with him. He's not going to be early but he looks a nice type.

For (leading) first-season sire, I'm going to go with Ribchester. I thought they were nice types. I don't think they'll be early-early, but I'd like to think they'll be out in July in time to make an impact.

We bought one and we have a homebred out of Shumoos (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), who was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint.

Matt Coleman

I guess Churchill is the headline act of the first-season sires and I have heard some good words on his stock from Ireland. He has obviously covered a good book of mares and was well supported by Coolmore. He has covered large books of mares ever since he went to stud and, from what I hear, even this year people are giving him plenty of support.

Also at Coomore I think Highland Reel (Ire) has a chance. He obviously wouldn't have covered anything like the book that Churchill covered. I bought one yearling by him and I liked his stock. I would expect his horses to be a little more backward, though he won the Vintage S. at Goodwood in his 2-year-old year.

I think he's still the highest-earning European racehorse of all time and in every country, on every ground, he was just a really adaptable and consistent horse. If he breeds stock that were as tough and hardy as he was then he'll have a chance.

Of the English-based sires I thought Time Test (GB) and Ulysses (Ire) both produced quite nice stock. Again they probably wouldn't have had the greatest books but they had nice stock. The British breeders are probably keeping more of their mares at home this year and they are two of the unproven sires in Newmarket that breeders are gravitating towards to take a bit of a chance with.

Time Test produces a very nice-looking horse and he is himself well bred, from one of the best Juddmonte families. He's a son of Dubawi (Ire) and he was talented so I think he has a bit of a chance.

Of the speedier horses I think Ardad is interesting. I liked his stock, they looked sharp and I tried to buy a couple. He produced a nice type of horse and they looked like they would be fast and early. I actually underbid Ardad at the breeze-up sales. I bought Prince Of Lir (Ire) and underbid Ardad within 10 minutes of each other and they both won at Royal Ascot that year.

It would be great for the British breeding industry if a few more of these British stallions did well because I think that at the moment, for the 'working' breeder', there's not that many proven sires in the mid-division market in the UK.