New kids on the block: part one

Cover image courtesy of Coolmore

Every champion sire has to start somewhere, and for many, the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale is the perfect opportunity to showcase their progeny on an international stage. With buyers from all around Australasia, as well as Hong Kong and beyond, many highly anticipated yearlings will be offered in early January, with buyers hoping to secure the next superstar, both on the track and in the breeding barn.

In part one of a four-part series, The Thoroughbred Report runs through all 26 first-season sires represented on the Gold Coast next month, starting with seven stallions who have commanded high service fees based on their stellar racetrack success, and in one case Northern Hemisphere breeding, records.

Wootton Bassett (GB) (Iffraaj {GB} x Balladonia {GB} {Primo Dominie {GB}})

2023 service fee: $93,500 (inc GST)

Already boasting tremendous Northern Hemisphere success, Wootton Bassett (GB) has taken his talents to Coolmore Australia as a shuttle stallion, with his first Southern Hemisphere progeny going through the ring as yearlings on the Gold Coast.

Since his first crop in 2013, which contained just 21 runners, the striking son of Iffraaj (GB) has gone on to produce 261 individual winners, nine of which have won at Group 1 level, featuring names such as Almanzor (Fr), Wooded (Ire) and King Of Steel (USA). Both Almanzor and Wooded stand in Australasia, the former in New Zealand and the latter in Australia, with excitement building around what further stallion prospects he can produce.

Unsurprisingly, he has been met with an avalanche of support from Australian breeders, having initially been offered for $71,500 (inc GST) in his first two breeding seasons. In 2021, his first standing at Coolmore Australia, he was visited by 190 mares, returning 127 live foals. With 39 offerings in the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale catalogue representing 30 per cent of his foals from his first Southern Hemisphere breeding season, buyers have plenty of opportunities to acquire a member of his initial Sourthern Hemisphere crop.

Among his progeny to feature in the sale is Lot 793, a colt out of the G1 Tatt's Tiara winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible) who was victorious on 12 occasions throughout a glistening racetrack career. Her foals have already commanded attention in the ring, her colt by Justify (USA) sold for $750,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Sale.

Formidable as a 2-year-old runner in France, Wootton Bassett won all five of his starts in his juvenile year, including the G1 Prix Jean Luc Lagardère to close out a glistening season. With large representation and strong support from breeders, alongside Coolmore themselves, Wootton Bassett looks poised to feature prominently in January and beyond.

Bivouac (Exceed And Excel x Dazzler {More Than Ready {USA}})

2023 service fee: $66,000 (inc GST)

Electric sprinter Bivouac looked destined for a stallion career at Darley Australia from the start, and now buyers can finally get their hands on his first crop of yearlings.

Victorious in the Listed Lonhro Plate and G3 Kindergarten S. as a 2-year-old, Bivouac took the racing world by storm in his 3-year-old year, winning the G2 Run To The Rose H. and the G1 Golden Rose S. in succession in the spring, before a famous victory in the G1 Newmarket H. down the Flemington straight in the autumn.

Chasing Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) as the ‘grey flash’ stormed away to claim The Everest, he would go one better when returning to Flemington, turning in an impressive display in the G1 VRC Sprint Classic (now Champions Sprint), winning by 3.3l.

Represented by 38 yearlings in the sale, Bivouac delivered 120 live foals from 157 coverings in his 2021 season, and 94 from 135 in 2022. With 31 per cent of his first crop on offer, opportunities are rife.

Amongst the offerings is Lot 681, out of Group 2 winner Flying Ice (SAf) (Go Deputy {USA}), a strong 2-year-old performer when racing. The yearling that may garner the most interest is Lot 935, a filly out of the G1 Stradbroke H. winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force), who has already produced the G3 Typhoon Tracy S. winner Hellfest (Fastnet Rock).

Farnan (Not A Single Doubt x Tallow {Street Cry {Ire}})

2023 service fee: $55,000 (inc GST)

Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan is one of the most anticipated first-season sires of the sale, and the dynamic performer has a 39-strong offering for his maiden Magic Millions offering.

Fetching $550,000 at this very sale in 2019 out of the draft of Vinery Stud, expectations were high from the word go, joining master trainers of 2-year-olds Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Breaking his maiden at Canberra in a 2-year-old race by 4.8l, Farnan went on to dazzling highs, winning the G2 Silver Slipper S., the G2 Todman S. and the G1 Golden Slipper S. against a backdrop of lockdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse cheering her star colt on, surrounded by family remains one of the memorable moments of racing from the period.

Instantly popular with breeders, Farnan has had no shortage of support since his first season in 2021, which saw 192 mares visit him, returning 121 live foals, with 32 per cent of those set to go through the ring next month.

There was no second-season syndrome either, with 189 coverings in 2022, for 115 live foals. It’s not just quantity either, a number of high-class mares have visited him, with one of the highlights being Lot 768, a strapping colt by the brilliant I Am Excited (Snitzel), winner of the G1 The Galaxy H. over 1100 metres, alongside the G2 Gilgai S. and the G2 Victory S.

Crowned Champion 2-Year-Old for 2019/20, the brilliant son of Not A Single Doubt is sure to have some popular progeny from his first crop, with breeders undoubtedly hoping for some results on par or in excess of the price commanded for Farnan as a yearling some five years earlier.

Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon x Naturale {Bel Esprit})

2023 service fee: $55,000 (inc GST)

Out of a full sister to the legendary Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) in the form of Naturale, Ole Kirk was destined for stardom from day one, knocked down as a yearling for $675,000 at the 2019 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.

It didn’t take long for the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained colt to make an impression, winning the Listed Talindert S. on debut. With a 2-year-old win on the board, he would go on to dominate the spring stanza of the 3-year-old season, recording successive victories in the G1 Golden Rose S. and the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

Instantly attracting interest as a stallion, Ole Kirk’s fee of $55,000 (inc GST) was a cost that breeders were evidently happy to pay, with 170 coverings for 120 live foals in 2021, and 160 covers for 83 live foals from his 2022 book at Vinery Stud.

Of the 120 live foals from his first crop, 39 make their way to the Gold Coast, representing 32 per cent of his total produce from his debut season at stud. Amongst those set to go through the ring is Lot 248, a colt by the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who has already produced four winners from five foals to race.

Also catching the eye is Lot 712, a colt out of Glamorize (Sepoy), who is a half-sister to Lite’n In My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}), Written Beauty (Written Tycoon), Hi World (High Chaparral {Ire}), Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit), Immortal Love (Snitzel), I’mlovin’ya (Capitalist) and Ducimus, all of whom won black-type races.

Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB} x Spasha {GB} {Shamardal {USA}})

2023 service fee: NZ$30,000 (plus GST)

The sole New Zealand-based representative in this series, the fearsome Hello Youmzain (Fr) has settled in well to his new base at Cambridge Stud, with three of his first-crop yearlings finding their way to the Gold Coast for sale next month.

Victorious in five races from 12 starts, Hello Youmzain twice claimed Group 1 glory, taking out the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and the G1 Diamond Jubilee S., the latter of which he won at Royal Ascot. Successful as a 2-year-old in the G2 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte in his native France, the combination of strength and sustained speed turned him into a formidable foe during his racing career.

Making his way to New Zealand via the shuttle from France, Hello Youmzain has been taken to by breeders, covering 141 mares in his debut season, returning 96 living foals. His offerings on the Gold Coast are a much smaller representation of his total crop when compared to some of the other stallions profiled here, with just three per cent of his first-season foals available at the sale next month.

Although numerically small, there is still some well-related types splashed through the catalogue, including Lot 191, a colt out of Sienna Rose (More Than Ready {USA}), who is a half-sister to the speedy 2-year-old Ebhaar (I Am Invincible), alongside relations to Merchant Navy and Chatoyant (Flying Spur), who produced G1 Winterbottom S. winner and current Darley Australia resident Paulele.

Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire} x Nightime {Ire} {Galileo {Ire}})

2023 service fee: $27,500 (inc GST)

Regarded by many experts, and indeed buyers, as one of the most exciting stallion prospects across the world, interest remains high in the 2020 Europe Horse of the Year, Ghaiyyath (Ire), who has shuttled to Darley Australia for the last three Southern Hemisphere breeding seasons.

Impeccably bred, being by the legendary stallion Dubawi (Ire) out of the G1 Irish One Thousand Guineas winner Nightime (Ire), a daughter of the late Galileo (Ire), there is an incredible amount of strength to his family, his half-sister Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) was victorious in the G1 Man O' War S. at Belmont in the United States.

Covering 103 mares in his debut season of 2021 for 72 live foals, just three have been entered into the catalogue to be sold on the Gold Coast, a representation of just four per cent of his total maiden crop. He had similar numbers in his 2022 season, with 97 covers producing 50 live foals.

Among his progeny on offer is Lot 494, a colt out of well-related Street Cry (Ire) mare Brilliance, who is a three-quarter sister to G2 Tramway S. winner Pericles (Street Boss {USA}), as well as a half-sister to stallions Helmet, Bullbars and Epaulette. The Coolmore Stud offering is also related to the G2 Tea Rose S. winner Pearls (Exceed And Excel), along with recent Darley Japan arrival Adayar (Ire).

Ghaiyyath’s racetrack record stands among the best in recent European racing, winning nine of 13 starts, including the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket as a 2-year-old. From there, he would take out the G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange as a 3-year-old, before winning the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, the G1 Coronation Cup, the G1 Eclipse S. and the G1 International S. at the highest level.

There has been plenty of interest in his initial Northern Hemisphere crop, including a 1,050,000gns (AU$2,088,600) buy at the 2023 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, which topped the opening day of trade.

King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice x Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA})

2023 service fee: $27,500 (inc GST)

Now residing at Coolmore Australia, breeders flocked to King’s Legacy for his debut season at stud, with the brilliant son of Redoute’s Choice serving 213 mares in 2021, for a return of 131 live foals at an initial fee of $33,000 (inc GST).

Highly regarded as a 2-year-old, taking out the G1 Sires’ Produce S. at Randwick, the G1 Champagne S. and the G3 BJ McLachlan S., interest remained strong in 2022, with 147 mares visiting for 97 live foals.

With such high numbers of produce, it’s no surprise to see him so well-represented on the Gold Coast, with 43 lots up for grabs, representing 32 per cent of his total crop. Related to quality stallion Not A Single Doubt and the G1 Flight S. victress Oohood (I Am Invincible), he has visited some quality mares, including the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Toffee Tongue (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

That pairing has produced Lot 307, an August foal who is related to Hong Kong champion Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a full brother to Toffee Tongue. The bay colt is being offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds, who have taken six King’s Legacy yearlings to the sale. Support has also been strong from the likes of Newgate Farm and Coolmore Australia themselves, taking a number of his progeny north to go through the ring.

One of the highlight purchases out of this sale, King's Legacy was a graduate of the 2019 edition (the same year as Farnan) for $1,400,000, in a success story for the ever-prominent James Harron Bloodstock.