Europe

Things change quickly in the world of first-season sires. It is a fickle and unforgiving land in which a sire can go from being the cock of the walk thanks to the appeal of his progeny at the yearling sales to quickly turning into a feather duster just a few months after his first representatives hit the track. With no fewer than 19 sires based in Great Britain and Ireland having had 50 or more live foals in their first crops in 2014, this year has been a busy one...

A colt foal by Kayf Tara (GB) topped the opening session of Goffs's two-day December National Hunt Sale on Wednesday when hammered down to Aiden Murphy for €57,000. Murphy was also responsible for the purchase of the third most expensive lot of the day, a Fleminsfirth colt that cost €50,000. Falling between those two was a son Shantou who cost Jimmy Murphy €52,000. A total of 160 foals were sold on the day for €1,758,000, at an average of €10,988 and a median of €8,000.

Former German sire Wiener Walzer (Ger) (Dynaformer–Walzerkoenigin, by Kingmambo) will stand in Turkey next year after being bought by the Turkish Jockey Club. The now 10-year-old stallion won the G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Rheinland-Pokal, and is a half-brother to G2 Beresford S. winner Port Douglas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil winner Walzertakt (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}); and G3 Bavarian Classic scorer Walzertraum (Rahy). His best progeny to date is the Group 2 winner Skarino Gold (Ger).

1st-KEM, £5,000, Mdn, 12-7, 2yo, 6f (AWT), 1:13.72, st/sl. +MEDAHIM (IRE) (c, 2, Kodiac {GB}--Novel Fun {Ire}, by Noverre), a €130,000 GOFNOV foal and 360,000gns TATOCT yearling, was sent off a big 12-1 and raced in mid-division early before emerging with his challenge in the straight. Storming by Saluti (Ire) (Acclamation GB) with 150 yards remaining, the bay drew away to record an impressive success by 3 1/4 lengths. The dam, who has a yearling filly by Approve (Ire), is a half to the G3 Prix de Cabourg winner Hunan...

STALLIONS STANDING BETWEEN 10K AND 20K One difference between the European and American stallion populations is that the European population, combined, is a lot smaller, which tends to put more of a premium on proven stallions, especially the few true up-and-coming, affordable European stallions not named Frankel. This year there are four stallions debuting in Kentucky at fees of $30,000+ (Frosted, Nyquist, California Chrome and Exaggerator), while in Europe the two highest-priced retirements are Shalaa (Invincible Spirit, €27,500 at Bouquetot in France) and The Gurkha (€25,000 at Coolmore). There is...

Dual G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) will be covered in 2017 by Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who joins the Al Shaqab stallion roster at Haras de Bouquetot for the coming season. Treve retired at the end of 2015 with six Group 1 victories to her name and nine wins in total from 13 starts. Now six, the standout among 120 well-credentialed mares at Sheikh Joaan Al Thani's Normandy farm is currently carrying her first foal by Dubawi (Ire). Haras de Bouquetot's manager...

4.45 Kempton, Mdn, £5,000, 2yo, 8f (AWT) MIKEY READY (Frankel {GB}) debuts for his owner-breeder Reiko and Michael Baum and trainer Ed Walker, having been led out unsold at 500,000gns at Tattersalls. Out of a half-sister to the brilliant Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and G1SW sire Thewayyouare, the bay encounters a dozen rivals on this belated debut.

Arqana's four-day December Breeding Stock Sale came to a close on Tuesday with a session geared towards the National Hunt realm. The lone six-figure transaction of the day was the €210,000 paid by Sarl LJ Negoce for lot 941, the 5-year-old stakes-placed mare Boreale du Berlais (Fr) (Presenting {GB}) in foal to Saint Des Saints (Fr). The final session saw an improved buyback rate of 24% (it was 29.5% last year) while the average and median both dipped (22.9% to €16,432 and 13% to €10,000, respectively). Last year's fourth session,...

KENTUCKY VALUE SIRES: The group of sires which went to stud in the U.S. in 2011 and had their first foals in 2012 (so we abbreviate as F2012) has been a very interesting group to follow, with as many as a dozen sires--maybe more--which have been jockeying for position at every signpost. While there are no 'breakthrough' six-figure sires yet, last week we included the group's one-two by both 2016 and cumulative progeny earnings, Lane's End's Quality Road ($35,000 for 2017) and Coolmore Ashford's Munnings ($25,000, both unchanged from 2016)...

Goffs UK has already received a number of well-bred entries for its 2017 Breeze Up Sale, which will see it's format slightly altered. The sale will next year be held earlier, with the breeze show the afternoon of Apr. 11 and the sale Apr. 12. This year's £170,000 co-sale toppers, Prince of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), both went on to Group 2 glory, the former winning Royal Ascot's Norfolk S. and the latter taking the Flying Childers S. and Royal Ascot's Listed Windsor Castle S....

Wootton Bassett (GB), Europe's leading second-crop sire who was thrust into the limelight this year by Almanzor (Fr), winner of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Champion S., proved a hot commodity during the third session of Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale in Deauville on Monday. He sired two of the top three highest-priced foals, with the day's most expensive mare also carrying to him. Key figures for the session took a hit compared to 12 months ago, but cumulatively the sale is not...

Godolphin's Canyon City (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) topped Monday's Tattersalls Ireland Ascot Sale with a bid of £85,000 from Neil King. The 3-year-old colt lot 95, who is out of a daughter of the excellent producer Colorspin (Fr) (High Top), was by far the most expensive transaction of the day, the next highest price being £26,000. The average and median at the sale, which was Tattersalls Ireland's last of the year, were both well up on last year at £4,830 (+26%) and £2,500 (+67%), respectively. The clearance rate was 66%.