Zarak

By Brian Sheerin and Katie Petrunyak Danish buyer Morten Buskop was left thanking his lucky stars on Sunday that his unnamed but long-standing client was more stubborn than him as he came out on top for the €190,000 Zarak (Fr) foal who led the way at the second session of the Arqana breeding stock sale.  There's nothing quite like seeing the sales house back up when a highly regarded horse walks into the ring and it became evident pretty quickly that the Haras de Montaigu-drafted colt had plenty of suitors...

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...

The Tattersalls Somerville Sale has meant that a return to Newmarket could be delayed no longer but this column sprang, or perhaps staggered, into life on the final day of Baden-Baden's Grosse Woche. The scribbling started reasonably early on Sunday morning from a desk in the press room that boasts one of the best views in the racing world, looking out across the turf to the wooded mountains of the Black Forest. It was also the desk that was once occupied by British-born but German-based racing correspondent David Connolly-Smith, who...

In the European edition we really shouldn't be overstepping our boundary to encroach on the territory of our American colleagues who did such a fine job in conveying the stories from Belmont Park last week. Racing faces different problems in different jurisdictions and, from an outsider's perspective, it is hard to get fully behind racing in America when a number of its major participants remain overly reliant on medication. But if you read Cynthia Holt's wonderful account of being at Belmont 50 years ago to bear witness to arguably the...

At Newmarket last Tuesday, a fellow racegoer suggested that the racecourse really should up its game in encouraging more people to attend the Craven meeting. I disagreed politely. For a start, there was a decent enough crowd there, enough for atmosphere but not so many that it was tricky to manoeuvre between pre-parade ring, parade ring and racecourse. And secondly, marketing a midweek meeting accompanied by Arctic temperatures just as many people have returned to work and school after the Easter holidays is not the easiest task. I know we...

One of the most passionate horsemen in France, Pierre Talvard began breeding over four decades ago from a caravan on a handful of acres. Today, his Haras du Cadran stretches over 400 hectares on the rolling Orne hills in Normandy, with 117 mares stationed on the farm. Over the last decade Cadran has been a regular name in the leading breeder lists in France, with graduates including French Derby winner and sire The Grey Gatsby (Fr), and Group 1 winners Gentoo (Fr) (Loup Solitaire {USA}), Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer (Ire}),...

Is it just me or should France be known as the bloodstock land of opportunity? This is the country that saw Wootton Bassett (GB) and Walk In The Park (Ire) pull themselves up by the bootstraps after entering the stud book at relatively modest sums. There are few serious racing nations that provide as much of a chance for a stallion to flourish than France does. Take Kauto Star (Fr), the greatest staying chaser of the modern era, as an example. He hailed from the largely unheralded Village Star (Fr)...

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Summer job as a stud groom at Highland Farm in Paris, Kentucky, that was managed by Peter Kirwan in 1999. Everything looked big and new at the time especially the Clydesdales that were kept on the farm not far from the Thoroughbreds! Biggest influence on your career? My friends Benoit Jeffroy and Gabriel Leenders. Unlike me the two of them are born and raised in this game and they have been keen to share their knowledge and experience with me since I decided to...

Eight stallion shares and five breeding rights were offered at the Arqana Online Sale Tuesday, and leading the fray was a share in the Aga Khan stallion Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), which realized top price of €460,000. Secured by Marius Cypres, the share was one of two purchased by the Bridge Consignment, who also went to €56,000 for a share in the Haras d'Etreham sire Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). "We're very happy," said Cyprès. "To be able to invest in a share in Zarak is a unique opportunity. He's...

The Aga Khan Studs' stallions Sea The Stars (Ire), Siyouni (Fr) and Zarak (Fr) are all set to stand for increased fees in 2023. Heading a powerful roster, Sea The Stars, sire of the brilliant Baaeed (GB) and Stradivarius (Ire), will cover at an all-time high of €180,000 at Gilltown Stud. Currently third in the sires' table behind Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars is the sire of 19 Group 1 winners among his 101 stakes winners. His rising number of sons at stud include the aforementioned duo,...

DEAUVILLE, France--It's beginning to feel as if it's John O'Connor's world and we're just living in it. After selling 27 yearlings for almost 6.5 million gns at Tattersalls last week, Ballylinch Stud, which he manages, was then represented by a Group 1 double at Ascot's Champions Day when first Bayside Boy (Ire) won the Queen Elizabeth II S., followed by the triumph of Bay Bridge (GB) in the Champion S. Both are sons of Ballylinch resident New Bay (GB), and Bayside Boy was bred and is co-owned by Ballylinch, while...