On your Mark's

The dizzying heights of Too Darn Hot and Blue Point seem a distant memory, such is the pace at which the stars of 2023 have risen to established status. This year’s rookie sires had big shoes to fill and in many camps, the jury is still out to whether they have succeeded. Mohaather is the leader in terms of quality with three stakes winners to date. No Nay Never debuted with five, Night Of Thunder with seven. Mehmas had four but a whopping 55 winners accompanied them.

What can we expect in 2025? The yearling sales have been muddling to say the least. With the exception of a beautifully bred daughter of ST MARK’S BASILICA out of the prolific producer Prudenzia (of Magic Wand and Chiquita fame), that topped the Arqana August Yearling Sale, the headlines have been dominated by the established sires with the rookies in their shadows. The aforementioned G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club victor was the most expensive recruit in the class of 2025, debuting at a fee of €65,000. Making his debut in late July, he was pitched straight into G1 company in the Phoenix Stakes the following month, before shedding his maiden tag at the third attempt over the same course and distance. A podium finish in the G1 National Stakes followed, before eclipsing the stable first string Wembley (Galileo) in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes.

His ambitious juvenile campaign indicates his class was clearly evident from the outset, though a mid-summer debut suggests a Royal Ascot juvenile is unlikely to feature next year. Despite winning a 6f maiden, the offspring of the unbeaten Classic winner’s three-year-old campaign that concluded with a dramatic G1 Irish Champion Stakes victory, will likely be seen to best effect like their sire, from August onwards and over trips beyond seven furlongs.

The son of Siyouni, who has already enjoyed success in France with his son City Light, has been well supported by his masters at Coolmore and is one of the most exciting prospects of this year’s class with 141 first-crop two-year-olds to represent him.

Joining him in the upper echelon of the market is the five-time G1-winning miler PALACE PIER, who received over 100 mares in his debut season at a fee of £55,000. A son of Kingman, who continues to hold his own at Juddmonte despite sharing a covering shed with one of the best in Europe, he reached his peak from Royal Ascot of his three-year-old season and only got better with time.

His sire is more than capable of siring precocious and classy juveniles but based on his pedigree, that influence will need to shine through if he’s going to threaten for the title. Like St Mark’s Basilica, he also won in August at two and patience is a must until at least the same month before there will be any indication as to what he might go on to achieve with his autumn juveniles and first three-year-olds.

Fellow Darley inmate, standing at the Irish division at Kildangan, is one of Dubawi’s quicker sons SPACE BLUES. The neat winner of his only start at two progressed with each season he raced, not scoring in group company until his four-year-old season, something the market needs to keep in mind and look upon favourably. Nineteen runs over four seasons with wins in four countries should be enough to encourage breeders and agents to keep the faith beyond his first juveniles. €420,000 and €320,000 Arqana October yearlings purchased by Peter and Ross Doyle, and Stroud Coleman respectively were the highlights of his yearling sales, quite the return from a debut fee of €17,500.

Starting at a similar fee of €15,000 for the same outfit’s French division is the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner VICTOR LUDORUM, also a G1-winning juvenile and yet another son of the breed-shaper Shamardal. He raced over three seasons and held his form throughout, chasing home Baaeed (Sea The Stars) in the G1 Prix du Moulin as a four-year-old. He was popular, covering 154 mares at Haras du Logis, and enjoyed some fireworks of his own in the sales ring with Oliver St Lawrence going to €420,000 at the Arqana August Sale for a colt. Victor Ludorum raced exclusively in France and won the first of three in an unbeaten juvenile campaign on September 1 at Longchamp over a mile, so is another we are unlikely to see represented in the Brocklesby.

Speaking of early speed, there is an exciting group to accommodate that audience this term, headed by the G1 Middle Park winner SUPREMACY, who hailed from the record-breaking first crop of Mehmas. History often repeats itself, in which case progeny of Supremacy should be getting involved a lot earlier than the aforementioned later-maturing types, and over 5f and 6f. Yeomanstown, who stand him, supported him heavily at the sales and in the breeding shed as is customary. A final field of 118 will go to post for him come next March and will be expected to make a bright start. He failed to recapture his juvenile brilliance in three starts at three, which renders this first crop of two-year-olds crucial in determining his future place in the market.

In a similar boat is the Irish National Stud’s G1 Phoenix Stakes winner LUCKY VEGA (Lope De Vega), who unlike his sire, did the majority of his best work at two. That’s not to say his three-year-old campaign was a no-show. In three starts, all at G1 level, he managed to place and in the process showed his versatility on good to firm and soft to heavy ground. Yulong Investments have thrown their weight behind him and though he stood his first season in Australia and subsequently had a head start, he was off the mark quickly in New Zealand with a winner in a 650m trial. A debut winner himself, his foals impressed and his yearlings maintained momentum. Maxi Joorabchian, in tandem with George Scott, went to 180,000gns to secure a colt out of a half-sister to the G1 Middle Park Stakes winner Hail (Dayjur), a colt who we can safely assume will have top-flight juvenile targets on his radar.

Another looking to hit the ground running is Newsell Park Stud’s G2 Norfolk Stakes winner A’ALI (Society Rock). Although he came up short in three attempts in G1s, he plied his trade admirably well at G3 and G2 level and held his form in open company against older sprinters over five furlongs. Stroud Coleman Bloodstock signed the ticket for him at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale back in 2019, and have thrown their weight behind him, signing for his three priciest yearlings. With speed and precocity in abundance, expectations are naturally high for a rapid start.