This year has seen a 6% decrease in the number of live foals registered to date in the General Stud Book, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The returns to September 30, 2024 show that a total of 12,578 foals have been born in Britain and Ireland, 840 fewer than the 2023 figure of 13,438.
It marks the first time in the last decade that the overall foal crop has fallen by more than 4% from one year to the next. The 6% drop is consistent both in Britain, where the number of live foals has decreased to 4,074 (from 4,356), and in Ireland, where the reported figure is 8,504 (from 9,082). Britain had previously noticed the most significant decline during Covid when the number of live foals fell from 4,655 in 2019 to 4,236 in 2020, a decrease of 9%.
In total, 15,983 coverings have been recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2024, a 14% drop compared to the 2023 figure of 18,572. Of the 21,578 broodmares reported at stud, 2,205 were not covered. There were 5,759 no returns and a total of 220 were barren.
Meanwhile, the 165 stallions recorded in Ireland this year is a decrease of 19 from 2023, while the number fell in Britain by 10 to 103.
Top-class stayer Order Of St George (Ire) was the busiest stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland as he covered 311 mares from his base at Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud in County Cork, while another Coolmore inmate, Calyx (GB), was the busiest Flat stallion on 273.
Good Guess (GB), a newcomer to Tally-Ho Stud for 2024, headed the remainder on 250, while Sioux Nation (246), Mehmas (Ire) (244), Wootton Bassett (GB) (223) and Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (217) were the other Flat stallions who covered at least 200 mares.
Dark Angel (Ire), who is on his way to being crowned champion sire for the first time in 2024, covered a book of 134 mares at Yeomanstown Stud, including the Oaks winner Qualify (Ire) and the Kodiac (GB) mare Bear Cheek (Ire), the dam of his Group 3-winning sprinter My Mate Alfie (Ire).
Reigning champion sire Frankel (GB) covered another star-studded book of 192 mares at Banstead Manor Stud, including Group 1 winners and producers such as Dar Re Mi (GB), Mecca's Angel (Ire) and Quiet Reflection (GB), who is responsible for this year's leading two-year-old filly by Frankel, Lake Victoria (Ire).
The dams of Frankel's fellow top-level winners Courage Mon Ami (GB), Hurricane Lane (Ire), Inspiral (GB) and Nashwa (GB) also paid return visits, and so too did Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's blue hen Reem Three (GB), the dam of Triple Time (Ire) by the Juddmonte stallion.
Now 22, Dubawi (Ire) covered 106 mares at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud, including the dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and triple King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Enable (GB), plus the 1,000 Guineas heroine Mawj (Ire) and her dam Modern Ideals (GB), who has already produced the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Modern Games (Ire) from a previous mating with Dubawi.
Winters Moon (Ire), the dam of another Darley stallion in Earthlight (Ire) and this year's leading two-year-old colt in Shadow Of Light (GB), also visited Dubawi, along with proven Coolmore mares such as Maybe (Ire), the dam of Saxon Warrior (Jpn), and Misty For Me (Ire), whose offspring include the multiple Group 1 winners U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly.
The 20 busiest Flat stallions in Britain and Ireland in 2024:
- Calyx (GB), Coolmore, 273
- Good Guess (GB), Tally-Ho Stud, 250
- Sioux Nation, Coolmore, 246
- Mehmas (Ire), Tally-Ho Stud, 244
- Wootton Bassett (GB), Coolmore, 223
- Phoenix Of Spain (Ire), Irish National Stud, 217
- Churchill (Ire), Coolmore, 192
- Frankel (GB), Banstead Manor Stud, 192
- Native Trail (GB), Kildangan Stud, 179
- Space Blues (Ire), Kildangan Stud, 177
- Lope De Vega (Ire), Ballylinch Stud, 175
- Chaldean (GB), Banstead Manor Stud, 173
- Camelot (GB), Coolmore, 172
- Sea The Stars (Ire), Gilltown Stud, 172
- Blackbeard (Ire), Coolmore, 171
- Sergei Prokofiev, Whitsbury Manor Stud, 166
- Starspangledbanner (Aus), Coolmore, 166
- New Bay (GB), Ballylinch Stud, 164
- Ghaiyyath (Ire), Kildangan Stud, 162
- Gleneagles (Ire), Coolmore, 162
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