Mehmas

DONCASTER, UK--The desire of John Dance to develop Manor House Stud into a major force was well on show during the first day of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale in Doncaster yesterday as the owner came out on top at £120,000 for the session-topper (lot 109), a well-related son of Dark Angel (Ire). While the day's ceiling was a far cry from the record high of £440,000 achieved in 2019 by the Kingman (GB) colt Admiral Nelson (GB), no one could dispute the vibrancy of a trade that wound...

There are banners along the High Street of my home town of Newmarket saying 'Welcome back to racing'. Though we've been fortunate in England to have been able to allow crowds gradually to return to racecourses earlier than some other countries, it has only really been in the last few weeks that it has felt like the proper pre-pandemic experience. And where better to have the people back in force than at York, widely regarded by many to be the best racecourse in the country? Any amount of time spent...

Four days of selling in Deauville wrapped up on Tuesday with the single-session v2 Yearling Sale, back from a pandemic-necessitated hiatus in 2020. From 129 offered, 96 yearlings were sold at a clearance rate of 74.4%; it was 79% in 2019. With 14 fewer sold, the aggregate dipped 28.6% to €2,912,500. The average was down 18.2% to €30,339, while the median dropped 20.9% to €24,500. Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency signed for the joint top lots at €140,000, a filly by Toronado (Ire) and a colt by Mehmas...

It has been quite the week for two young stallions from Tally-Ho Stud. We barely stopped hearing about Mehmas (Ire) last season during his record-breaking assault on the freshman sires' championship, and the big question is always how a stallion will follow up on that early promise. It can be a long way to fall after a reputation is so swiftly created, but in the case of the 7-year-old son of Acclamation (GB) it looks very much as if he is consolidating his position as a stallion to follow with...

Near the entrance to The Royal Studs at Sandringham is a magnificent bronze commemorating the Prince of Wales's homebred Persimmon (GB) (St Simon {GB}), whose racing record highlights the fact that things were done a little differently back in the 1890s. Very differently, in fact. The Coventry S. winner of 1895 went on to win the Derby and the St Leger and, kept in training, he returned to Royal Ascot to win the Gold Cup, which had been his principal 4-year-old target. Exactly a century later, the horse who was...

To an extent, when Coolmore wins two of the weekend's premier Classics in Europe and Godolphin wins another, it feels like we are harking back to the glory days around the turn of the century, when the battle of the superpowers was epitomised by those back-to-back duels between Galileo (Ire) and Fantastic Light in the 'King George' and Irish Champion Stakes. Honours even. And it was honours even at Epsom, with the dazzling victory of Ballydoyle's Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Cazoo Oaks, followed by the satisfying success...

It seems harsh, when the British and Irish Classics have so far have been split two apiece between Jim Bolger and Aidan O'Brien, to suggest that this season is all about Bolger. But, let's face it, it is.  Plenty has been written about Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the fact that both sides of their families are very much ingrained in the Bolger breeding and training academy. What is equally admirable, especially in the case of Mac Swiney, is the fact...

Khalid Abdullah's legacy will live long in Thoroughbred genealogy thanks to the female families he cultivated, like the one that supplied him Sunday's 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Cadoo Oaks contender Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}). Juddmonte's sires, likewise, have started the season off with a bang. In this space last week we were singing the praises of Frankel (GB) off the back of a week of intercontinental successes. While Frankel remains poised to have an excellent season, in the space of 35 minutes at Sandown on Friday along came his...

Clearly headed inside the final 200 metres, Fayathaan (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) battled back gamely from the rail and outgamed longshot Cirano (Ity) (Arcano {Ire}) to take out Sunday's G2 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) at the Capannelle. Forwardly placed beneath Alberto Sanno from the start, Fayathaan proved difficult to settle, tossing his head about as they raced into and round the bend at the 1000-metre mark. Still rank as the field neared the entrance to the straight, Fayathaan responded nicely to take up the running approaching the final quarter mile....

Osarus has unveiled the catalogue for its Breeze Up Sale at La Teste Racecourse on Apr. 27. The breeze will take place the day prior from 2:30 p.m., and will be broadcast live on France Sire TV with individual videos available after on the Osarus website. There are 65 2-year-olds catalogued for the sale, including a Siyouni (Fr) colt out of the two-time winner Letthemusictakeus (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 17), a half-sister to the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Coronation S. winner Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal...

Breeze-up consignor Roger Marley works in partnership with John Cullinan through their Church Farm & Horse Park Stud banner. The duo has been responsible for pinhooking and breezing such talented juveniles as G2 Flying Childers S winner Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the record-breaking champion first-season sire of 2020. Currently preparing a team of around 40 juveniles from his Yorkshire base, Marley gave us his thoughts on some of this year's freshman sires and reflected on Mehmas's progression from a 62,000gns Tattersalls Book 2 yearling to...

It's that time of year: with just weeks to go to the start of the turf season, thoughts are turning to which of this year's freshman sires will be making a splash with their first runners. With 26 European first-crop stallions to consider, we have asked the views of those who have seen a good range of young stock at the sales. First in the hot seat is bloodstock agent Ross Doyle. He says, "We have a system where we see every single horse at the foal sales and the...