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Stallion update
March 2008
Dear Breeder,
If you have any late foaling mares or still haven’t decided on your mating plans, our latest update includes some stallions that you may wish to consider. Inevitably at this time of year some stallions are full, but this is the time of year when our Nomination Service really pays dividends as we package up mares and negotiate extremely good deals with the stallion owners who are keen to increase book sizes. R&B (Racing and Breeding) Bloodstock have already negotiated substantial discounts on stallion fees on behalf of our clients and we believe that we will be able to deliver even greater savings in the coming months. Within this update I have included stallions that we believe offer great value and have widespread appeal.
ACT ONE was a Group 1 winner at 2 and 3 and has made a solid start to his stud career with his oldest crop just four. He has already sired six black type performers from his first 2 crops (including the dual Gr1 winner Dancer’s Daughter) and he has a 57% winners to runners percentage from his first crop. For 2008 his fee has been reduced to an attractive £6K and at this fee he has genuine all round appeal for Flat and NH, for commercial and owner/breeders alike. With his size, scope and pedigree (by In The Wings the sire of Inglis Drever), Act One has attracted attention from dual-purpose trainers and breeders and this potential has been highlighted by his filly Dayia who won the Listed Fillies and Mares Bumper at Sandown on the 8th March.
BEAT HOLLOW retired to stud in the same year as Act One but strangely as a four times Gr 1 winning son of Sadler’s Wells and the Irish Oaks winner Wemyss Bight he was not particularly well supported in his first couple of seasons at stud. His first crop of only 38 foals however has produced 11% Stakes winners to foals. Unsurprisingly with the strong impact his first crop made, his book increased dramatically last year and he covered 154 mares and was supported by some of Britain’s leading commercial breeders as well as many prominent owner/breeders. It is very likely that we are still to see the best of Beat Hollow’s progeny and with so many quality mares foaling to him this year, this season may just be the best time to use him. His fee for 2008 is £8K.
Mention should also be made of the Group 1 winning miler OBSERVATORY who has made a good impact with his first 3 crops of runners. However it is his current crop of 3yo’s that makes him such an exciting proposition. The Henry Cecil trained Twice Over is unbeaten in two races (including the Zetland Stakes) and he is widely tipped as this years Derby winner (currently 8/1 second favourite). However you will not just be relying on Twice Over, the French trained African Rose looks very useful having won and twice finishing third in two Group 3’s from his only three runs. Add in to this the highly regarded Timetable and Foresight (2nd and 3rd in their only run) and you will understand why there is so much to look forward to. His advertised fee for 2008 is £10K.
For smaller flat breeders on a limited budget there is excellent value to be had by using the evergreen speed merchant MIND GAMES. He is a horse with all round appeal, he consistently throws tough, sound, fast horses, plenty of which win at two but also train on. Classy, tough speedsters such as Dazzling Bay, Always Hopeful, Romantic Myth, Viking Spirit ensure that his name is always prominent in the stallion league tables and his versatility has been highlighted by his 3yo son Rapidity who won four times in 12 days in February defying an 18lb rise in the handicap. With all this in his favour he is amazing value at his 2008 fee of just £1500 … a must for any type of breeder.
ICEMAN is a good looking horse with plenty of presence and he has the advantage of sharing his sire (Polar Falcon) with his illustrious stud companion Pivotal. Iceman was more precocious than Pivotal, impressively winning the Gr2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, he was also 2nd in the Gr2 Champagne Stakes and 3rd in the Gr1 Middle Park. In his first season at stud in 2007 he covered 153 mares including a number of speedy and choicely bred mares. His fee for the coming season is £5K.
The National Hunt breeding scene is starting to get into full swing and the excellent year that the progeny of KAYF TARA have had on the racecourse has meant that his book for this year is closed (please let us know if you would like to use him for a later foaling mare, as we maybe able to arrange a nomination). For breeders not wanting to cross the Irish Sea there are still some realistic, good value alternatives. OVERBURY (£3500) is having another strong year as his Cheltenham Festival winner Ballyfitz proved, and he also has the second favourite for the Grand National with last years Racing Post Trophy winner Simon.
A horse that arrived from Ireland last year virtually unnoticed is the highly promising Rathbarry owned REVOQUE. As well as siring Group winners on the flat he is the sire of a string of black type performers over jumps. There is a very strong belief that there are some very good years to come, as prior to coming over he covered large books of good mares (averaged 115 mares between 2004 and 2006). He is a lovely looking correct horse and if you don’t use him you may be kicking yourself in a couple of years time when he is back in Ireland, churning out high class winners and standing at a significantly higher fee than the £2000 that he is currently available for.
R&B Bloodstock Services provide a totally independent, professional service and works with breeders to find the most suitable stallions for their mares. We will use our knowledge, contacts, experience and our buying power to negotiate the lowest fee available either to one of the stallions featured or others that may be suitable for your mares. Simply contact me on 01304 822068 or 07890 603301 or by email simonhanson123@ntlworld.com for a no obligation conversation, we can talk through the options available and even do a mating analysis. If you respond to this update our service is absolutely free, saving you our standard £100 booking fee.
Yours sincerely
Simon Hanson
R&B Bloodstock Services