Dream Ahead

Having started with the new stallions for 2024, we are continuing the series with those in the lower price tier beneath the fee of 10,000, whether in euros or sterling. For the benefit of this piece we are treating them as one and the same, despite the current exchange rate of £1 = €1.16. This is the territory inhabited by many small breeders, and in plenty of cases the margins between operating at a profit and a loss are very tight indeed.  I am reminded here of a particularly interesting...

Our man in Ireland, Brian Sheerin, timed his run to the altar to perfection, leaving his colleagues to sort through and try not to miss any of the plentiful stallion fee announcements over the last week or so. He's now back from his Tuscan honeymoon and has been banned from getting married again. In case any of you were similarly distracted by nuptials, holidays, or binge-watching The Dry, here's a handy TDN overview as to who's up, who's down, and who's new on the stallion scene. (And a tip to...

Three more lots have been added to the Auctav March Sale set for Mar. 29. Dream Ahead 2-year-old Perhaps Traou Land (Fr) (lot 8) is a half-brother to seven winners and will be offered by trainer Edouard Monfort. Monfort said, "This colt is still growing. He should be ready late spring or early summer. I bought him at the sales, I liked him a lot. He is a late season-born colt. He is well made and has a good temper. From what he shows in the morning, he is very...

Dream Ahead anchors the 2023 Bearstone Stud roster and will stand for an unchanged fee of £7,500. He is the sire of 32 stakes winners (13 group) and four Group 1 winners worldwide led by GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine Glass Slippers (GB). Joining the son of Diktat, as announced on Thursday, is Belardo (Ire) at £6,500. Washington DC (Ire) will command £3,000, down from £3,500 in 2022. Mattmu (GB)'s fee has been reduced an identical amount, and he is priced at £2,000.

Triple Group 1-winning sprinter Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) has been tested in foal to Dubawi (Ire) for her first mating, owner/breeder Bearstone Stud revealed on Twitter on Thursday. Trained by Kevin Ryan, Glass Slippers won three black-type races culminating in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye at three. She added the G1 Flying Five S. the following season and, after missing by a neck to Wooded (Fr) in her l'Abbaye title defense, shipped to Keeneland to win the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Glass Slippers finished third in three starts...

Group 2 winner Mattmu (GB) (Indesatchel {Ire}), who was born and raised at Bearstone Stud, will stand there for £2,500 (Oct. 1st SLF) in 2022. Successful in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Phoenix Sprint, the bay was also third in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at York. From a select first crop of foals, Mattmu has a pair of winners from five runners, and one of his winners, Favourite Child (GB), ran second at listed level in France. Terry Holdcroft, owner of Bearstone Stud, commented, "Mattmu has impressed us...

Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), the sire of Breeder' Cup heroine Glass Slippers (GB), will move to Bearstone Stud in 2022. The sire of 32 black-type winners worldwide will command £7,500 (Oct. 1 SLF). A winner of five Group 1 races including the G1 July Cup and G1 Middle Park S., the 13-year-old first stood at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland in 2012 and later moved to Haras de Grandcamp in France in 2016. He also spent several seasons in Australia and has Group 2 winners Phobetor (Aus) and Shumookh (Aus) to...

The Arqana v.2 Yearling Sale, which took a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will return to its home in Deauville directly after the Arqana August Sale. A one-day event, the Aug. 17 sale features 146 colts and fillies geared toward precocity on the racecourse. Current poster girl is 2021 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}), while earlier distinguished alumni include fellow French 1000 Guineas heroine Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}) and Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War), who won the colts' equivalent in...

Putting two agonising defeats in the 2019 and 2020 renewals of Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. behind him on Saturday, Saeed Suhail's Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) was in front before the line this time to issue a 82nd Royal winner to Sir Michael Stoute. Last year's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G2 Hungerford S. winner was able to take his time among the group racing up the centre and when delivered by Ryan Moore wore down Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) inside the final 150 yards for...

On the back of the eagerly anticipated stallion fee announcements in Europe, Emma Berry spoke with a number of leading industry figures about value. Today we hear from Hubert Honoré. EB: Who have you identified as a first-year stallion at an appealing opening fee? HH: Sottsass (Fr), at €30,000, is very good value for what he's done; he was a very consistent horse. Also Wooded (Ire) was a good sprinter who was very well trained and he will get a good chance. He's not too dear at €15,000. EB: Best...

September ushered in the early rounds of the yearling sales in Europe, with the Goffs UK Premier, BBAG, Tattersalls Ascot and Arqana Select sales all having taken place within the last fortnight. Three of that quartet have at least been able to take place in their intended venues, albeit Arqana's flagship sale was three weeks later than usual. The one-day Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale was moved to Newmarket, and Park Paddocks will also host the Tattersalls Irelend September Sale next week, which has been reduced to two days from three,...

It was all about the fillies and mares in Sunday's G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five at The Curragh, with last year's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp heroine Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) prevailing after a tussle with compatriot Keep Busy (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Last seen finishing second to Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Goodwood's G2 King George S. July 31, the Bearstone Stud homebred was in touch against the far rail but under the pump at halfway. Rallying gamely to wear down Keep Busy in the...