It all boils down to stud value I’m afraid. If they retire the horse now he doesn’t have to face FRANKEL and risk another thrashing. No matter how good he might be, breeders will remember how soundly he was beaten. Coolmore are going to have enough problems trying to get mares to him on the basis of his pedigree as it is, they could do without having to make excuses for his race record too! The fact that he is an outcross for Northern Dancer mares is neither here nor there. The fact is he is the only G1 winner, and one of only 4 Group winners full stop, by his sire who has been at stud for about 15 years and his dam line is hardly any better! His half-brother ZEERAN won in Sweden and only 1 horse under his first 4 dams managed to place at G1 level. You can see his dam’s pedigree on this page, http://www.tattersalls.com/cat/december/foals/2010/1005.pdf which was printed when his foal half-brother was catalogued for sale last year. He was withdrawn from the sale for an unknown reason and he being offered again at Tattersalls in October.
Not really a pedigree to get the blood racing. Have you ever used this site - I've found it really informative. You can go right back to the 3 foundation stallions of the Thoroughbred! http://www.pedigreequery.com/
His sire Tagula was a decent horse but he doesn't have the race record of a top sire. He did win a G1 (Middle Park i think) at 2 years old but after that always came up short against the very best. PN.....You said that Canford Cliffs could probably get a stud fee of 20k to begin with, do you honestly believe that is value for money for a breeder considering his pedigree, afterall isn't New Approach a Galileo Derby winner a similar price, I know which stallion I'd rather take a mare to
I heard a cracking story re Canford Cliffs today. Apparently a few days before the Lockinge someone from Coolmore called Richard Hannon and said "Mr Magnier doesn't want CC to run because of the ground" Richard Hannon replied "Ok, I won't run your half, but I will run the other half!" and ran the horse anyway!
PN....Racing these days has been ruined by the money in breeding. Owners are scared to risk there horse's reputations, just incase they get beat, and it knocks a few grand off the stud fee, and even when they do get beat excuses are always given, and 90% of the time the excuses arent genuine. It honestly wouldnt suprise me if Richard Hughes was under orders to make CC hang, if he felt Frankel had beat him, just so they had an excuse to give for the defeat. Just out of interest how much do you think the defeat to Frankel harmed Canford Cliffs stud fee?
I don't think the fact he was beaten by Frankel makes much of a difference, more the fact he was beaten full stop. If he'd beaten Frankel he would have probably added 10k to his fee, but a defeat has probably capped him around the 20k mark.
