Hello Youmzain (Fr), the leading first-season sire in France this year, has had his fee increased to €40,000 as he prepares to stand his fifth season at Haras d'Etreham in 2025.
The sire of two black-type winners from his first crop, namely the G3 Prix des Chenes winner Misunderstood (Fr)–who also finished third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere–and G3 Prix Eclipse scorer Electrolyte (Ire), Hello Youmzain was introduced at a fee of €25,000 back in 2021. He remained at that level the following year, before being dropped to €22,500 for his third and fourth seasons, but the success of his first runners has forced a price hike which sees him become one of the most expensive stallions at stud in France.
Hello Youmzain is joined on the Etreham roster by five other stallions, including two new additions to the ranks in Victor Ludorum (GB) and Metropolitan (Fr), both previous winners of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.
Victor Ludorum, whose first yearlings sold for up to €420,000 in 2024, moves from Haras du Logis to Etreham as part of a new partnership with Darley. The son of Shamardal, who also won the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, remains at a fee of €15,000 for the fourth consecutive year.
This year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Metropolitan will also command a fee of €15,000 as he begins his stallion career at Etreham next season, while another winner of that Classic, Persian King (Ire), remains at €25,000, having produced 13 individual winners from his first crop so far, only four fewer than Hello Youmzain in Europe. Persian King reportedly covered just over 100 mares this season.
G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto (Ire) has had a small reduction in his fee at €12,000 (from €12,500), having received 140 mares in his first season at Etreham in 2024, while the roster is completed by City Light (Fr) at an increased fee of €10,000 (from €7,000). He was reportedly fully booked with 150 mares visiting him this season, while on the racecourse his second crop of juveniles included the G3 Prix Miesque winner Mimos (Fr).
Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure said, “We are approaching this breeding season with great excitement. Hello Youmzain and Persian King's first two-year-old crops have made remarkable debuts. City Light is again in the spotlight with his second generation and Victor Ludorum's yearlings were very impressive and warmly received by buyers. Onesto was strongly supported for his first year, and we are thrilled to welcome a new top-level sire this season–we couldn't ask for better!
“We are delighted to stand sires with these high calibre profiles and, as always, are committed to meeting the expectations and needs of breeders, who we wish an excellent upcoming breeding season.”
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