By Emma Berry
With the stallion fee announcements coming in thick and fast this week, it is worth reflecting on the busiest stallions in France for the 2024 covering season, following our recent round-up of the figures for Britain and Ireland.
Firstly, our thanks must go to our esteemed colleague Adrien Cugnasse of Jour de Galop for sharing the figures he painstakingly put together this summer. They show that Haras de Colleville's Galiway (GB) was the busiest boy in the country by some margin with a book of 248 mares – the largest ever recorded by a Thoroughbred stallion in France.
It is pleasing to see another son of Galileo (Ire) thriving at stud, and the Wertheimer-bred Galiway, who started out at €3,000 back in 2016 is another success story, not just for Colleville's Guy Pariente, but also for the reputation of the proper dual-purpose stallion. That's rarely really 'a thing' in Britain and Ireland these days, but such sires, like the late Poliglote (GB), who had the rare distinction of being both Champion Flat and National Hunt sire in France during his reign at Haras d'Etreham, still cut the mustard in France. And so they should.
Galiway's fee, after four years at €3,000, rose steadily to €30,000 in 2022, and he remains at that price for next year.
Galiway's dual Group 1-winning son Sealiway (Fr) was also in demand, covering 157 mares at Haras de Beaumont in his second season, having been the busiest of the new stallions the previous year. Beaumont is making something of a habit of this, and its unbeaten Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire), representing the same line as a son of Cracksman (GB), was the most sought after among the new stallions in France this year, covering 182 mares.
The Aga Khan Studs had two new arrivals this season and both were well supported, with Erevann (Fr) covering 168 mares, making him the third busiest of the Flat brigade in France, and Vadeni (Fr) covered 128.
Breeders will no doubt have been hoping that, as a son of Dubawi (Ire) and the Classic winner Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Erevann will follow a similar path to his fellow Haras de Bonneval resident and Dubawi stallion Zarak (Fr). The latter started out at €12,000 and will be €80,000 in 2025. He covered 144 mares earlier this year and France's leading stallion Siyouni (Fr) covered 127.
City Light (Fr), one of an increasing number of Siyouni's sons at stud and France's leading first-season sire of 2023, was kept busy at Haras d'Etreham with 105 mares sent his way, while his stud-mate Hello Youmzain (Fr) covered 124. Etreham also introduced Frankel's G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto (Ire) this year and he was sent 120 mares.
Among the other stallions who were new to French studs in 2024, Sumbe's Mishriff (Ire), who had his first season delayed by a year through a foot injury not long after arriving at Haras de Montfort, covered 112 mares, and his fellow multiple Group 1 winner Angel Bleu (Fr) attracted 95. Next year he will have competition from another son of Dark Angel (Ire) at Sumbe when champion miler-elect Charyn (Ire) returns from his swansong in Japan.
The G1 Champion Stakes winner Bay Bridge (GB) retired to Haras du Mesnil, which has such a good track record with its dual-purpose sires, and he was duly supported with 102 mares.
It was both surprising and pleasing to see that the 2005 Derby winner Motivator (GB), sire of course of the great Treve (Fr), continues to thrive since his move two years ago from Haras du Quesnay to Haras du Hoguenet. At Anthony Baudouin's farm he covered 80 mares this year at the age of 22, which is a credit to all those who have cared for the son of Montjeu (Ire) throughout his stud career.
France's 25 busiest Flat stallions
* denotes first covering season
Galiway 248
Ace Impact* 182
Erevann* 168
Sealiway 157
City Light 150
Zarak 144
Vadeni* 128
Siyouni 127
Hello Youmzain 124
Onesto* 120
Anodin 119
Muhaarar 114
Intello 112
Mishriff* 112
Goken 107
Persian King 102
Bay Bridge* 102
Seabhac 100
Seahenge 98
Angel Bleu* 95
Zelzal 88
Motivator 80
Headman 75
Wooded 71
Armor 70
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