Iquitos

As the countdown to the start of the covering season begins, a host of Germany's stallions will be on parade at Gestut Rottgen, in Cologne, on Saturday, January 27. The stud's own line-up of Windstoss (Ger), Millowitsch (Ger) and new recruit Iquitos (Ger) will be joined by visiting sires Best Solution (Ire) and Accon (Ger) from Gestut Lunzen, and Gestut Fahrhof's Alson (Ger). Also in attendance will be Japan (GB), who stands at Gestut Etzean, Destino (Ger) from Gestut Westerberg, Gestut Hof Ittlingen's homebred Neatico (Ger), and Rubaiyat (Ger), who...

Having started with the new stallions for 2024, we are continuing the series with those in the lower price tier beneath the fee of 10,000, whether in euros or sterling. For the benefit of this piece we are treating them as one and the same, despite the current exchange rate of £1 = €1.16. This is the territory inhabited by many small breeders, and in plenty of cases the margins between operating at a profit and a loss are very tight indeed.  I am reminded here of a particularly interesting...

Applying the core principles of breeding to stallions who were top racehorses while enhancing their own core families, Dietrich and Annabel von Boetticher's Gestut Ammerland has forged a reputation as one of the best owner-breeder operations in Europe.  The results of the Bavarian farm speak for themselves but let us offer a reminder here. At one stage Ammerland was home to around 50 mares, but generally the average number has been closer to 30: not quite boutique but also not behemoth.  Over the last 30 years or so, 60 group...

Our man in Ireland, Brian Sheerin, timed his run to the altar to perfection, leaving his colleagues to sort through and try not to miss any of the plentiful stallion fee announcements over the last week or so. He's now back from his Tuscan honeymoon and has been banned from getting married again. In case any of you were similarly distracted by nuptials, holidays, or binge-watching The Dry, here's a handy TDN overview as to who's up, who's down, and who's new on the stallion scene. (And a tip to...

We're starting to feel a little long in the tooth in this corner. The racing equivalent to the observation about policemen looking young these days now applies to the weighing-room, and on Saturday one young gun after another came out with a performance that would entitle them to be considered the next big thing.  Benoit de la Sayette has already achieved plenty in his nascent career. Now 20, he had his first ride in November 2020 and became the first apprentice attached to John Gosden's stable in almost 30 years. ...