In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we hear from Charlie Vigors.
TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year?
CV: Mehmas (Ire) has an obvious chance because he has the numbers and they looked precocious types. We would also expect Awtaad (Ire) and Territories (Ire) to make a big impression.
TDN: Have you bought/sold any by Mehmas, Awtaad or Territories?
CV: We sold yearlings by both Mehmas and Awtaad who looked like they would make 2-year-olds. We also bought an Awtaad foal so hope he does well! Although we haven't had any of Territories's progeny we have been impressed by what we have seen of them and what trainers have been saying about them. We are sending one of our best mares to him this season.
TDN: Hope for the 2020 flat season?
CV: Plenty of winners! We have some potentially exciting graduates to follow as well as four of our own in training.
TDN: We have been running a series in TDN recently on value sires. What European stallion(s) do you think represents the best value?
CV: Havana Gold (Ire) for £10,000 at Tweenhills. He had a great first season and his current large crop of yearlings have been bred on the back of that. Anyone with a foal by him or who breeds to him this year could look shrewd once these yearlings hit the track.
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