A round up of all the action for the Darley stallions over the past week
Dominance in Dubai
Thursday was the first day of the Dubai World Cup Carnival and the biggest race of the day, the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, produced a 1-2-3 for Darley stallions. Sent to the front straight from the gates, the evergreen Heavy Metal, a son of Exceed And Excel, never saw a rival, skipping clear in the straight to record a facile four-and-a-half length victory.
Heavy Metal was winning his 13th career race, having won the G2 Richmond Stakes as a two-year-old when in training with Mark Johnston and the G3 Burj Nahaar last season.
Running on well to take second was dual G1 winner Thunder Snow (Helmet) with North America, a son of Dubawi, back in third. Making his first start of the season, Thunder Snow ran a race full of promise and looks primed to be a leading player in the rest of the series and the Dubai World Cup.
Exceed And Excel will be covering this season at a fee of €50,000 October 1, Special Live Foal, while his son Helmet will stand at Dalham Hall Stud at a fee of £12,000, alongside Dubawi at £250,000, both October 1, Special Live Foal terms.
Sing when you’re winning
Earlier on the card, the G3 Singspiel Stakes was also dominated by the Darley stallions with Dubawi’s impressive son Benbatl winning from Emotionless (Shamardal). A Royal Ascot Group winner last year, his first season to race, Benbatl ran on well to record an easy two-and-a-quarter length victory on his first start of 2018. The four-year-old looks destined to take high honours this season with the G1 Dubai Turf mooted as a likely target on Dubai World Cup night.
Dubawi is the sire of 93 lifetime Group winners, including 33 that have won at the highest level. He was also the world’s leading yearling sales sire last season with an average of £751,000, the third successive year that he has finished on top.
Californian Air suits daughter of Manduro
Manduro’s five-year-old daughter Plein Air developed an excellent record in Italy and on Sunday, she transferred that class to the US when winning her first start stateside in the Listed Astra Stakes at Santa Anita.
Bouncing from the gates in front in the 12-furlong turf contest, the Bob Baffert-trained mare gamely held on in the straight to win by three-quarters of a length.
Unraced as a two-year-old, she had won seven of her ten starts in Italy, including the Listed Premio Archidamia in Rome. A model of consistency, the only time that she finished out of the first three was when fourth in the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio.
Manduro will cover this season at Haras du Logis in France at a fee of €7,000, alongside his Champion juvenile son Ultra, who is also at €7,000, both October 1, Special Live Foal.
Selling well in the sun
The first major Australian yearling sale started on the Gold Coast with some excellent results for Darley’s shuttle stallions.
Brazen Beau, whose first European-bred foals were well received last Autumn, had his first Australian crop tested by the market with excellent returns as 15 of his yearlings made A$100,000 or more. With a top colt of A$275,000 (£159,000) for a son of Bella Jewel and a filly out of Grand Strategy selling for A$250,000 (£144,000) and bought by some of the best trainers in the land, it will no doubt be exciting times when his first runners hit the track later this year.
Two European stallions that both sired four Stakes performers in their first crop were Dawn Approach and Epaulette and both returned excellent results from their second Australian crops. With two selling for an average of A$305,000 (£176,000), Dawn Approach starred with Godolphin buying his high price of A$450,000 (£260,000) for a son of Very Discreet.
Epaulette returned a very healthy average of A$155,000 (£89,000) for his four that sold including a A$240,000 (£138,000) filly out of Icy Heels.
Perennially one of the leading stallions at the sales is Exceed And Excel and again his progeny didn't disappoint with an average of A$280,000 (£162,000). His top lot was a colt out of Oasis Rose, bought by James Harron Bloodstock for A$600,000 (£346,000).
Open for business
Saturday was the conclusion of the record-setting ITM Stallion Trail in Ireland and Kildangan Stud opened its doors on both Friday and Saturday. With 750 visitors to the stud over the two days and the 14 stallions on parade behaving impeccably, it was a tremendous success.
European Champion miler Ribchester, who will be covering his first season at a fee of €30,000 Oct 1, Special Live Foal, has settled in beautifully to his new home and wowed observers with his magnificent stride.
