Lope De Vega (Ire), whose new top-level winners in 2023 include Program Trading (GB) and Arapaho (Fr), has had his fee held at €125,000 for the fourth year. Four of the Ballylinch Stud stallions will stand in 2024 at the same price as they were advertised this year, while the fee for Waldgeist (GB) has been reduced.
Ballylinch Stud's managing director John O'Connor said, “The Ballylinch stallion roster had another flagship year in 2023, with our proven sires Lope de Vega, New Bay and Make Believe being responsible for some of the highest rated two-year-olds across Europe. Despite this success and outstanding results in the sales ring for our stallions, we have listened to breeders in a year which saw sales returns experience significant retrenchment and have decided not to increase our fees for 2024.”
Lope De Vega covered 177 mares this year, the same number as his stud-mate New Bay (GB), whose fee for 2024 is €75,000. New Bay stands alongside one of his Group 1-winning sons, Bayside Boy (Ire), who will embark on his second season at stud at a fee of €15,000 after covering 134 mares in his first book.
Make Believe (GB), the sire of multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire), has his largest crop making their debut next season, and he will stand in 2024 at €10,000, which is also the fee for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB), down from €12,500 in 2023.
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