StableTalk

Two bits of sad stallion news this week. First, the death, at 21, of GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. Known up here as the "Iron Horse", he raced 13 times, won nine and was second the other four times.

As a 3-y-o, he was second in both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas before embarking on a wonderful summer campaign winning the St James's Palace, the Eclipse, the Sussex, the Juddmonte and the Irish Champion Stakes, all Group 1 races between 1600 and 2000m.

He was second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on slow ground before journeying to the USA and finishing second to TIZNOW in the Breeders Cup Classic on his first and only run on Dirt but he was an all-American bred (by Storm Cat of a Rahy mare).

As a stallion, great things were expected but no one was to know that the following year a certain 3-y-o called GALILEO would appear and we all know where that went. Inevitably, GIANT'S CAUSEWAY lived in GALILEO's shadow as a stallion and his record is nowhere near that of the younger horse. GIANT'S CAUSEWAY's best son would be SHAMARDAL who has carved out his own career as a stallion.

Coincidentally, the horse GIANT'S CAUSEWAY beat in the Sussex Stakes is also in the stallion news this week. DANSILI, a year older than the Iron Horse, was retired from duties due to declining fertility. On the same card at Churchill Downs where GIANT'S CAUSEWAY was second in the Classic, DANSILI was a close third in the Turf Mile.

As a stallion, DANSILI has done quite well - far and away his most successful progeny was HARBINGER whose 11-length demolition of a class field in the 2010 King George at Ascot earned him a rating of 135. HARBINGER is now developing a successful stallion career in Japan.

Just back from a wonderful week in Ireland (which is why Royal Ascot is still going strong), the highlight of which for me was a visit to the Irish National Stud in Kildare.

I've got some photos which I hope to upload in the coming days but I saw INVINCIBLE SPIRIT, still going strong at 17 years of age and of course the sire of the likes of MOONLIGHT CLOUD and the new season stallion star, KINGMAN.

I also saw DECORATED KNIGHT, the first season sire and son of GALILEO in whom, it's fair to say, the Irish National Stud are vesting a lot of hope for the future. The younger stallion, NATIONAL DEFENSE, was away as he is in the southern hemisphere on shuttling duties.

We saw a number of mares with foals and some ex-jumpers who have come for a well-earned retirement. It's a wonderful peaceful well-organised place and if you ever get to the Emerald Isle, give it a visit.

Then autumn yearling sales are well underway over here and at Goffs in Ireland it's the second day of their yearling book.

Highlights so far include a SEA THE STARS filly who went to Godolphin for 750,000 euros and a colt by NO NAY NEVER (the sire of TEN SOVEREIGNS) who went to John Magnier for 700,000 euros.

An earlier sale at Fairyhouse saw quite a high proportion of yearlings not reaching their reserve raising some concerns about over-production in Ireland.

Tattersalls Book 1 sale took place last week - 519 in the catalogue of the best yearlings go through the ring - more details here:

http://www.tattersalls.com/october1-sale-overview.php

Interesting to see the average down and the median up but neither by very much.

The star turn was the colt by Dubawi out of Dar Re Mi (making him a full brother to TOO DARN HOT) who went for 3.5 million guineas.

http://www.tattersalls.com/news_article.php?id=732

David Redvers buys for Sheikh Fahad and it seems likely the colt will end up with John Gosden and will run some time in 2019 and he is obviously an interesting prospect and a huge breeding success for Lord and Lady Webber's Watership Down Stud.

The Fasig Tipton yearling sale is in its final seassion and details are here:

http://www.fasigtipton.com/2018/The-October-Sale#/

The first progeny of AMERICAN PHAROAH have attracted plenty of interest but a colt out of AP DREAM went through unsold at $775,000.

As it's the end of the season we are already hearing about the new stallions joining the stud rosters for February 2019 and points onward.

Starting with Coolmore and the new stallions are GUSTAV KLIMT (€7500), MERCHANT NAVY (€20,000), SAXON WARRIOR (€30,000), SIOUX NATION (€12,500) and US NAVY FLAG (€25,000). While the fee for sending a mare to GALILEO remains Private and I believe his book is being reduced, NO NAY NEVER, a son of Scat Daddy, is going from €25,000 to €100,000 following a fantastic first season which saw him sire 2-y-o winners such as TEN SOVEREIGNS and LAND FORCE. CAMELOT's fee has also risen slightly to €40,000 while FASTNET ROCK remains unchanged at €70,000.

The MIll Reef Stakes winner KESSAAR has been retired to stud and won't run as a 3-y-o. He will stand alongside his own sire, KODIAC, at the Tally-Ho Stud.

Moulin winner RECOLETOS will stand at the Haras du Quesnay Stud in Normandy next year.

EXPERT EYE, who won the Breeders Cup Mile last weekend, has also been retired and will stand at Banstead Manor Stud (Juddmonte) at £20,000 alongside FRANKEL who is still at £175,000.

Over at Darley, the new star attraction will be CRACKSMAN who will stand for £20,000 in his first season. Joining him as new stallions on the roster will be HARRY ANGEL, also at £20,000 while HAWKBILL joins the roster at just £7,500 and JUNGLE CAT will stand at Kildangan Stud (the Irish arm of Darley) for €10,000 and dual Arc placed CLOTH OF STARS gors to Haras du Logis for €7,500.

The top Darley stallions remain SHAMARDAL (private) in Ireland and DUBAWI (£250,000) in England.

More updates later.