In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we hear from Dermot Cantillon.
TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year?
DC: This time last year there were some very positive comments coming from the breeze-up men for Night Of Thunder (Ire). This year I'm hearing similar talk about Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). A Group 1-winning 2-year-old, so it will be interesting how his breezers sell but it could be a similar story.
TDN: Have you bought/raised/sold any by Belardo? Does he typically stamp his stock?
DC: I have a small share in a filly by Belardo that I bred. She's out of Mokaraba (GB) (Unfuwain), a very consistent producer, and is in training with Johnny Murtagh. I understand her season target will be the valuable Ballyhane race at Naas in August.
TDN: Hope for the 2020 flat season?
DC: The Flat season begins in Ireland in late March so as usual I'm full of optimism for my varied interests on the flat. A horse with the potential to go to Melbourne for the Cup would be nice and a speedster for Ascot is always an ambition!!
TDN: We have been running a series in TDN recently on value sires. What European stallion(s) do you think represents the best value?
DC: Ours is a game of fashion and a horse who is out of fashion but represents serious value is Lawman (Fr). Standing at Haras de Grandcamp in France for an advertised fee of €10,000, he has had 5 Group 1 winners and 33 stakes winners. Almost all the of the stallions with their first runners in 2020 will statistically fail to match what Lawman has achieved.
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