Is the foal getting on well and is it by the one who faces his runners next year?And dare I ask who did you cover the best mare with?Is she the dam of the high priced foal last sales?Glad you are chipper...over the man flu then!

Glad the foal is doing well I always prefer the 'improver' sort against the 'little model' type as those sorts almost always let you down.I'm guessing if he goes on the right way this year you will sell him at Dec'wont you?I'll let you into a secret I really don't mind the idea of breeding a Gold Cup winner,and as for the Rugby that was an awful long time ago.Does your father remember me did I ever play against him?I don't know about never forgetting things now I do it all the time I never forget a face even from years ago but increasingly I'm forgetting peoples names,old age no doubt!
And you aren't the first person mind maybe the first man to draw comparisons with an Elephant and mebut that's another thing altogether!

Join the club proxygene, I havn't got a clue what sires these two go on about half the time.

"is it by the one who faces his runners next year"??

The code breakers at Bletchley park had an easier time breaking the enigma code.

Given we're in an educating / informing sort of mood...what do you think of Frank Rohault?  There is a 3yo son of 'ours' (not owned by us) with him - meant to be good. I've been mulling sending him the half sis we want to keep.  Risking being vulgar..is he grande d'argent

yer ma,I'm guessing you mean Francois Rohaut,yes I know him and sending him a filly would be a good idea as imo he is a very talented trainer capable of getting the best out of a filly,good choice yer ma......and the last bit NO!

Thank you - I'll investigate further.  She's an orphan (and none the worse believe it or not) so want to do best by her.  Going to be a 3yo so no hurry.  I like the sound of the last bit.

Oh but you see Pot M I really am elephant blessed.........honest looking in the mirror what stands out a mile is my big nose and at my age I'm covered in wrinkly skin!!!What did you think I was on about Sorry to hear about your father mentioning him I thought he was still with us tacked is not one of my strong points.Good luck with the foal keep us updated as to his progress I'm always interested.
And I do agree looking at him I couldn't imagine he'd get a Gold Cup winner least of all at Cheltenham mind you there is always a first.....you rather than me for that mind!

yer ma,Francois Rohaut is as I said a very good trainer esp' with fillies thinking about it I might of sounded a bit cavaliering when saying 'No'I know people all work on different budgets.Like all things prices vary if some say have several in training then perhaps they may get a deal above an individual who has just the one.I suppose the right answer should be he's very competitive.but I'm guessing with the filly you are wanting some black type I'd say with Francois you will at least get the best chance of attaining some assuming she herself has the ability he seems always to get the best out of them,and importantly he's straight with his owners.If she's developed well despite being an orphan I can't see that being a problem......didn't exactly stop Sir Percy did it,good luck I hope it all goes well for you,choosing Francois is a very 'switched on' idea well done!

Posh Paddy, I didn't think for a minute you were having a go! I just think that sometimes we might get a bit boring when we go off on a tangent so it was an apology for that really.
The large part of the appeal for that stallion I - and many others - did not get in foal to was his first seasonality. Given that he is now established as very tricky, Northern and Southern hemisphere, it was no good anyone so much as passing me a barge pole! The mare in question is booked but given as you say I needed to crack on early I sure left it very late before making my mind up. I love my 1st seasoners and I didn't think this year was easy in that respect and proven commercial stallions are few and far between and in many cases over priced I feel.

Prima Donna, no need to worry about putting your foot in it, my father died a few years ago, but I think if he's looking down he would be chuckling when we have an exchange or two, he'd have loved to have your sporting record that's for sure.

I took a photo of the foal today and as we spend so long pouring over pictures of horses in this game  I sometimes think a picture is more educational than the eyes! Certainly I was really struck how he is a real member of the 'family'  which can be good, but not always. And harking back to the new born foals and the progress they make...
I daresay we were all bombarded by the picture of the Alfred Nobel foal out of Applaud that Coolmore are using in their publicity. I did think that it was a really well balanced likeable type and I can well see why they would be shouting about it. HOWEVER it could well be a perfect illustration of the ready and able type that won't go on couldn't it?
The Ripvanwinkle foals however didn't look like they were the type to grind to a halt.

Yer ma, at what age did your orphan filly become orphaned?

I had one a few years ago that lost it's mother at 2 1/2 months old which I was reliably informed was too old to foster. You wouldn't think for a minute that it was held back though as it was a great eater at that stage and it was chaperoned by Granny and her foal and breezed through. However, it wasn't the soundest in training although sire and dam were not problematical in that sense, so I always wonder what might have been.

I think posting a photo - particularly off my phone - on here is beyond my capabilities. However the foal is only 6 days old so you could all be vile about it and I could still just about convince myself that, given time . . .

So, unlikely but I'll give it some thought!

Can ye lot explain to me whu there isn't a conformation photo of alfred nobel in the stallion book or the Coolmore website, he was potentially a stallion I thought would suit my mare but is it a case that there is something to hide or what is the reason, thanks

Alfed Nobel is very similar to Mastercraftsman......on the light side and atm leggy.If any of you want a much better looking son of Danehill Dancer out of a warning mare with a pedigree then take a look at Air Chief Marshal,looking at both of them there is no comparison Air Chief is a beautiful looking young sire.

yer ma,In the end did you get in touch with Francois Rohaut?

They are showing more interesting Alfred Nobel foals on his latest ad. It interests me that they have taken a new picture of the one out of Applaud which suggests to me that there aren't too many nice candidates. They are also showing a nice quality filly who looks the spit of the light backward type that would not ammuse the commercial lads, strange choice.

I'd totally agree ruby!

Money is astonishing but to be beaten by Monterosso by in a hack canter is just awful viewing.

To me now he was a overhyped flop based on his performances in a largely inferior circuit in Australia but his size and athletic brilliance(size of him and look) we always gave him a chance to succeed. He has not done it and its no fault of the trainer, the fact is he has no change in gear what so ever, he is as the starter of this thread said nothing but a beautiful looking boat.

I would not even attempt to pay the 50k odd fee he will be. Market him down in Australia. At least they bought Canford and Excellabration. Good buys!!

They will dual him it be weird if they did not considering previous form.

Henry I think can be there next big sire. They really need after Montjeu fall from grace, Danehill Dancer at the end of the road and less than inspiring starts for the new sires such as Dylan and Hurricane Run. Then again Montjeu has yet to prove he is a sire of sires so it may not be a complete and utter disaster but certainly is a big blow to them from the Holy Trinity of Coolmore sires over the past few years.

Fasnet obviously is going to be the next big thing, he stats are astounding.

Also they are badly lacking in the Galileo Department, RVW and Cape Blanco are not sexy enough for me to get the juices flowing compared to alternative of Frankel and Teofilo and to a lesser extent New Approach. Galileo has not delivered they success they hoped for in regarding sires they stand. They dont have any 2yr olds From Galileo colt side that are Classic contenders, Its Montjeu again and maybe a Pivotal in Nephrite. Another Irish Derby prob from the late maturing types but if Camelot wins the Derby he go the Dual Derby route and close off all Galileo.

It really is getting drastic for Coolmore in terms of Galileo Colts, they want to shake the Leprechaun at the Rainbow that has for so long brought riches to them. With Galileo already having a health scare its time to get ultra aggressive on his stock for a few years. Who knows if he will even last as long as Montjeu

You do know better Prima.

I just like to point out that So You Think is a 126 rated racehorse and certainly a sight to behold.
He has had a pretty full and successful career up here for a Southern Hemisphere horse, in fact leaving out their sprinters it's hard to remember an Aussie any where near as effective.

HOWEVER, wouldn't touch him with a barge pole at stud and I don't think they'll stand him up here.

Coolmore don't unearth a Galileo/Danehill/Sadlers/Montjeu every 5 minutes it's just that sometimes it seems like it compared to what their competitors manage. With Montjeu out of the way if Galileo continues, then he will become so dominant they'll be charging a fee of the current combined pair anyway! I suppose any 'top' stallion only actually has to dominate the current competition and that will always be fluctuating in quality. Coolmore hype always had Caerleon as a lynchpin at the top of the market, history shows he was nothing like a supersire.

Fastnet Rock is no doubt most exciting but just because Ballydoyle doesn't look hot on 3yo's this year doesn't mean it's all over! In fact the above 4 horses were all 'aquired' in different ways and at different times of their career - Demi will be keeping a close eye on Attheraces from Ripon I am sure and Shanahan is always at Southwell. . .

Is it not also interesting that Dansili (16yo) is as you say Prima arguably the best Danehill right now, when as a racehorse he would certainly got a mile and a quarter in my opinion and is from a very stout line. Just the thing we always crab in our potential Danehill sires!

I think Coolmore have the clout to try something different. I don't imagine Canford Cliffs is struggling for mares this season and it really would have taken a very large imagination to see them standing a Taufan horse a couple of years ago! I appreciate he was the commercial beau ideal when it comes to race performance but if we met somewhere in the middle vis a vis screwball pedigree/brilliant racehorse then that would surely be a place to start.

I liked Daddy Long Legs in Dubai. Sure he ran like a dirt horse but he's tough and talented and I'm not sure that the Johannesburg and now Scat Daddy isn't worthy of further European investigation. Also that Speightstown 2yo from last year looked quite nice but ofcourse if the 2 of them are conformed like dirt horses then that would put a bit of a damper on it.

Understandably they only concentrate on the real cream at Ballydoyle but I think if a few of the 115 - 120 horses weren't sacrificed at the altar as pacemakers and developed to maximise their appeal then that might lead to a bit more variety. I know it is tempting for them to say 'so and so' must win a Group 1 at a grade 1 track before we take him seriously, but chasing unsuccessfully that that is just out of reach sure does tarnish a lot of prospects perhaps.

Yes Daddy Long Legs is a dire name! Dubai definitely has a quality problem doesn't it. We should be very very grateful that prestige keeps so many fabulous horses on our shores and Dubai deserves better support. I think Ballydoyle will be there for a while though given the money they are taking home!

If I have learned one thing from you on here Prima - and ofcourse I haven't - it is the danger of a mid to high price sire. I do think though that you perhaps stand a better chance with them in year 1 as there is always that bit more depth in the market for their offspring.
I wouldn't therefore be negative about those who are using Canford Cliffs because of this and if I had a broodmare band of sufficient size and quality then I would perhaps have had a go.

There will be a lot around at those 1st sales.

I have only one mare remotely near that class and I wouldn't have risked her on a horse that has a ton of pedigree questionmarks. Instead I have used a sire that would have no pedigree question marks even though he wouldn't be obviously commercial. I think that with the not so obvious, you are slightly compensated with fewer on the ground at Park Paddocks which has sometimes served me well.

I really don't see Canford being a long term prospect. However he has the looks of a horse with a pedigree so who knows. He also has the profile of a horse that would knit well with Danzig so that could swing it. But I'll be surprised.

Not sure about Daddy Long Legs confirmation lads, but he looked a beautiful mover on the turf in his maiden win at Gowran and in the Royal Lodge. Scat Daddy seems to be going well so he might be a prospect. Agree about the name, atrocious choice for a potential stallion. I wouldn't call a 3 mile hurdler that.

I bet you are Pot MAnd that's a good point about Excelabration....I had forgotten about his sale prices so yes he does need a bit more..reckon he will mind.And like you I too will take the ill bred beauty any day of the week!we all get bad sales from time to time I've said before about that 100k mare who lost an effing fortune after dumping absolute dregs on us year in year out..........still there's always next year!It keeps us all going!

neil d,I've recently seen Daddy On The Legs and he's not for me,he's never really done it for me.Is he that good?