Siyouni

At €65,000, St Mark's Basilica (Fr) was the most expensive horse to retire to stud in 2022, with a racetrack performance and pedigree that justified the fee. After all, he was the world-champion three-year-old, European champion two-year-old and Cartier Horse of the Year, with a race record that included five straight Group 1 wins, from the Dewhurst at two straight through to the Irish Champion Stakes the following autumn. By Siyouni (Fr) out of the Galileo (Ire) Group-winning mare Cabaret (Ire), he is a half-brother to the Classic winner Magna...

So what became of the likely lads and lassies? Since 2011, there has been a seven-figure top lot each year at the Arqana August Sale.  We are talking about some of the best-bred horses in Europe here. Yearlings that have been given the best possible chance of being good from the day that they were born. But did time prove them worthy of their top lot status? We all know that, in this business, money doesn't guarantee anything. If that was the case, what a boring sport this would be....

What better accompaniment to a global fashion business, Parisian hotel and fabulous art collection than a Thoroughbred stud farm? Nothing, right? This was apparently the conclusion reached by Thierry Gillier, the founder of the uber-cool Zadig & Voltaire label, whose appropriation of the nom de plume of the celebrated French writer for his fashion brand has now been extended to his own nom de course at Haras Voltaire.  Just last week, Gun Of Brixton (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) became the latest graduate of the Normandy farm to advertise this burgeoning breeding...

Leading European sire Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}--Sichilla {Ire}, by Danehill) will again be available to cover a limited number of mares to Southern Hemisphere time in 2024 from his base at Haras de Bonneval in France. Siyouni, who has sired eight Classic races from eight to 10 furlongs, finished the 2023 season as the leading sire of milers, headed by Tahiyra (Ire), Paddington (GB) and Mqse De Sevigne (Ire), who collectively won nine Group 1 races. Mqse De Sevigne also annexed the G1 Prix d'Ispahan earlier this year. In Australia,...

Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will shuttle to New Zealand to stand at Windsor Park Stud, which was also the former southern hemisphere home of his broodmare sire Montjeu (Ire). Currently covering his first book of mares at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, the four-time Group 1 winner will become the first son of the Aga Khan Studs' Siyouni to join the stallion ranks in New Zealand. Siyouni's champion son St Mark's Basilica (Fr) shuttles to Coolmore's base in the Hunter Valley. Though Siyouni has remained in France throughout his stud career,...

MGSW & MGISP Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Knyazhna {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) has sired his first reported foal. Bred by Blazing Forest Stable, a colt out of Fire Assay (Medaglia d'Oro) was born Feb. 21 at Millford Farm. The foal is a half-brother to last year's GIII Holy Bull S. runner-up Shadow Dragon (Army Mule). Sacred Life commands a $2,000 stud fee at War Horse Place in Lexington.

Kirsten Rausing's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has produced her first foal, a filly by Dubawi (Ire). A fourth-generation Lanwades homebred, Alpinista, who is out of the Listed-winning Hernando (Fr) mare Alwilda (GB), herself a daughter of the treble Group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao), won six Group 1 races during her four seasons in training with Sir Mark Prescott in Newmarket.  Rausing said, "Following family tradition, the daughter of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner is a grey - all females in her...

Coolmore Stud's Mark Byrne has acknowledged that many breeders will be in two minds about covering their mares after what he described as one of the most "unusual" years of trade in 2023 but but encouraged supporters of the stud to retain the faith by saying "it's not always dark at five o'clock." Byrne was speaking during the Irish Stallion Trail where visitors to Coolmore got a chance to see newbies Paddington (GB), Little Big Bear (Ire) and The Antarctic (Ire). Parallels were drawn between the quandary facing breeders in...

It is hard to remember a time when France had a stronger intake of new stallions than the group which comprises the class of 2024. At Haras de Bonneval, the domain of the Aga Khan Studs' French line-up, the deluxe stallion unit contains two of the most sought-after sires in the country. They have recently been joined by another duo who will be aimed at emulating the feats of their elders. For the new recruits Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr) it will be no easy task to follow in the...

Frankel (GB) has recaptured the crown he first wore in 2021 and is the champion sire in Britain and Ireland for 2023, as well as being the leading sire in Europe, for the second time. It won't be the last. Whether or not he will be able to emulate the long reigns of his sire Galileo (Ire) and grandsire Sadler's Wells remains to be seen, but it would be unwise to bet against it. Yes, Frankel's launch into his stud career was the stallion equivalent of being born with a...

Sea The Stars (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr), the flagship stallions of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland and France respectively, have each had their fees increased to €200,000 for 2024. Representing a career high for both stallions, Sea The Stars stood at €180,000 in 2023 and covered 180 mares, while Siyouni covered 135 at €150,000. The Aga Khan Studs will have two new stallions next season, with last year's Cartier champion 3-year-old, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse S. winner Vadeni (Fr), joining the roster at Haras...

Erevann (Fr) is to join Vadeni (Fr) as another new recruit to the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval in Normandy in 2024. The son of Dubawi (Ire) and Ervedya (Fr), who became the first Classic winner for subsequent French champion sire Siyouni (Fr) when winning the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2015, won on debut at Deauville as a juvenile followed by two more consecutive victories, including the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac. Launched straight into Group 1 company thereafter, he was just a neck behind Inspiral (GB) when third...