Thought I'd do an update on First Season Sire who have got off the mark as there have been a flurry of winners in recent days: Sioux Nation - 4 Winners from 14 Runners Havana Grey - 4 Winners from 24 Runners Tasleet - 3 Winners from 5 Runners Jungle Cat - 2 Winners from 2 Runners U S Navy Flag - 2 Winners from 5 Runners Expert Eye - 2 Winners from 10 Runners Rajasinghe - 1 Winner from 2 Runners James Garfield - 1 Winner from 3 Runners Saxon Warrior - 1 Winner from 4 Runners Unfortunately - 1 Winner from 5 Runners Kessaar - 1 Winner from 8 Runners Harry Angel - 1 Winner from 12 Runners Those yet to get off the mark are: Cracksman (1 runner to date) Massaat (5 runners to date) Zoustar (5 runners to date) Washington DC (4 runners to date) Lightning Spear (1 runner to date) Those with no runners so far: Cloth of Stars Gustav Klimt Hawkbill Idaho (not sure he'll get many flat runners) Order of St George (again not sure many flat runners) Poet's Word Roaring Lion Smooth Daddy
Lightning Spear has had one runner at Goodwood. If you could call it a runner. I've been impressed by the Havana Grey runners. Do you know which bands these first season sires are in?
Ah, thanks for that I will correct it. By Bands do you mean for the Restricted Races? Don't forget that for those races the sale price (if sold) overrules the sire median price.
Thunder Cat runs for the same owners as Roaring Lion. Balding has had one of the best 2yos out so far this season so must have some feel for the level needed. I'll be there to shout him on.
Update, stats from Racing Post as of today: European First Season Sires Havana Grey - 13 winners from 34 runners Sioux Nation - 6 winners from 21 runners Tasleet - 4 winners from 9 runners James Garfield - 3 winners from 5 runners Jungle Cat - 2 winners from 2 runners Cracksman - 2 winners from 3 runners (RP not updated yet but he’s had a winner apiece in Italy and Spain this weekend) US Navy Flag - 2 winners from 7 runners Expert Eye - 2 winners from 12 runners Harry Angel - 2 winners from 15 runners Second Thought - 1 winner from 1 runner Rajasinghe - 1 winner from 3 runners Unfortunately - 1 winner from 5 runners Saxon Warrior - 1 winner from 6 runners Kessaar - 1 winner from 11 runners Yet to get off the mark: Cloth of Stars (1 runner) Gustav Klimt (1 runner) Roaring Lion (1 runner) Lightning Spear (2 runners) Recoletos (2 runners) Smooth Daddy (2 runners) Washington DC (5 runners) Massaat (6 runners) Zoustar (10 runners) Yet to have a runner: Poet’s Word Idaho Order of St George
From that list I’d say that Tasleet has been the surprise package and that Kessaar and Zoustar are the disappointments. Havana Grey is absolutely flying, as you’d expect from a horse with his profile, he’s already ahead of where Ardad was this time last year.
Havana Grey is doing so well, and another smart investment by Whitsbury (following Showcasing). It goes without saying that these First Season Sires have to have all their offspring running against previous strong 2yo sires and the champion 2yo sires for the last two years have been Mehmas and then Kodiac. But Havana Grey is currently outpointing them and in fact Mehmas is currently 20th in the UK/Ire list with only 2 winners from just 11 runners. Now Mehmas has always been a slowish starter but presumably the main reason for his drop is he didn't cover so many mares in his 3rd season at stud. In the same table Havana Grey has 12 winners from 32 runners and Kodiac (3rd) has 6 from 24.
Yes Mehmas has his smallest crop of 2yos to race this year, only 85 mares covered in 2019 so guessing he’ll have around 60-70 2yos based on average fertility. Just hope that he does keep producing the goods or there are going to be a lot of unhappy breeders at next year’s yearling sales - he covered his biggest book to date in 2021 with 292 mares!
Before we head into Royal Ascot, here are the latest stats. RP are only counting runners in GB/IRE so I'm basing it off that although obviously many of these sires have had winners/runners in France, Italy, Spain, etc. Havana Grey - 15 winners from 44 runners Sioux Nation - 7 winners from 26 runners Expert Eye - 5 winners from 19 runners Tasleet - 4 winners from 13 runners James Garfield - 3 winners from 19 runners US Navy Flag - 3 winners from 11 runners Kessaar - 3 winner from 17 runners Jungle Cat - 2 winners from 2 runners Roaring Lion - 2 winners from 4 runners Unfortunately - 2 winners from 5 runners Cracksman - 2 winners from 6 runners Zoustar - 2 winners from 12 runners Harry Angel - 2 winners from 18 runners Rajasinghe - 1 winner from 4 runners Massaat - 1 winner from 7 runners Yet to get off the mark: Cloth of Stars (1 runner) Gustav Klimt (1 runner) Hawkbill (2 runners) Saxon Warrior - (8 runners) Lightning Spear (2 runners) Poet’s Word (2 runners) Recoletos (2 runners) Smooth Daddy (2 runners) Washington DC (7 runners) Yet to have a runner: Idaho Order of St George
Today's runners for FSS at Ascot are: 3.05 Coventry Stakes 3. Bradsell (Tasleet) 4. Harry Time (Harry Angel) 5. Holguin (Havana Grey) 7. Lakota Blue (Sioux Nation) 17. Waiting All Night (Rajasinghe)
Havana Grey is doing so well, and his dad has had a good couple of seasons with 2yos. I wouldn't worry about Saxon Warrior as most of his bridesmaids will have been miler/staying types (there have only been a handful of 7f races so far). More of a worry for Coolmore is where is this year's retiring superstar coming from. I thought Sioux Nation might have done better considering his numerical advantage. He could be being affected by having been mated with more stamina laden mares. He could do better in the Autumn. The amazing sire so far, for me, has been Cracksman. I must be honest and say I didn't fancy him to be a good sire and that was based on his requirement for soft ground to show his brilliance. But fair play he's had some good 2yos who seem to handle good/good to firm ground.
It will be interesting to see what they do with Cracksman's fee next year on the basis that he has shown he can get precocious types. Obviously there's a long way to go yet with the season yet and a lot can happen but they really took the knife to him in his tricky 3rd season (cut from £25k to £17.5k) and his book dived from a high of 147 in his first season to 84 last year.
FSS runners at Royal Ascot today: 2.30 Queen Mary 2. Carmela (Tasleet) 6. Katey Kontent (Havana Grey) 10. Love Reigns (U S Navy Flag) 12. Maria Branwell (James Garfield) 13. Maylandsea (Havana Grey) 16. Omniqueen (Tasleet) 5.35 Windsor Castle 1. Bolt Action (Kessaar) 4. Eddie's Boy (Havana Grey) 8. Guiteau (James Garfield) 9. Kaasib (U S Navy Flag) 16. Rocking Ends (Havana Grey) 18. Silencer (Kessaar) 22. Star of Lady M (Havana Grey) 23. Union Court (Havana Grey)
