Roaring Lion 40k. About what I expected.

Zoustar 25k. Think they'll struggle at that. A bit too punchy. he might be a good stallion, but think it will be very difficult selling a zoustar yearling to a Eng/Ire trainer down the line.

Camacho up to €12k which seems very reasonable in the current climate. 

Anyone heard what Dandy Man is going to be? I’m guessing 17.5 - 20k.

where did you come across that one PP or did you camm them? Ta

Can't say Dandy Man at 12.5k is a bargain - median's barely gone past 20k and thats when he was hot.

PotM - of the 20-30k lot (hard to stomach that this is the new 'value' section I know) who you like.  Saxon W / Merchant N / Expert Eye / Zoustar / Cracksman / Harry A.  Roaring Lion 40k - redvers better promise to have his checkbook out.  Presumably they'll deal on fee for the better 2nd/3rd seasoners - ribchester, caravaggio?.  Surely Tasleet is a safe bet at the money with a showcasing friendly mare, not going to make us rich though?  Very wary of euro spending too!

PG it was in The Irish Field today on Ballyhane’s ad for him.

I have enjoyed reading some of the epitaphs for Walmac's Johnny Jones who I did meet in his study at Walmac in a different universe I think I once occupied.
The one quote attributed to him yer ma was 'never give your opinion unless you are being paid for it'!

Quite easy to adhere to his maxim here - I can't see any value!

I do think that we need some proof over the next fortnight that the industry isn't totally fracked a la Goffs this past week which has been pretty hairy.

I was talking to a fellow Breeder who has applied for an Expert Eye and when I moaned about the price they said they felt that they had no choice given the difficulty of fashion and image being so important to getting a yearling sale place.

I get that, but you have to be mighty sure that the mare will pick up that expensive nomination and run with it because if it's not a good enough individual you won't get the bl00dy thing in anyway.

I've applied for one too incidentally -hypocrisy being my middle name- but I am a long way from being sure I would take it up if they deign to oblige.

Further to my post is EE really getting 100-120 mares of this quality looking to use him? Surely he isn't that sought after at £20k is he? This is all a little smoke and mirrors to me.

A bit off topic, but I’ve been reading a copy of the new “bloodstock notebook” including essays from industry people.

I’m old enough to have heard a few decades of Kirstin Rausing (the Tetrapac multi billionairess) pleading poverty, but this takes the biscuit.
“There was no way I could afford to buy a stallion prospect, having already got myself deep in hock to buy the stud” she says.

When those of us who have to borrow money to pay our stallion fees read her tripe it really gets my goat. Like when we regularly hear from ultra rich racing/breeding folk who say “we have to make it pay”. My first reaction is always...WHY!?

So, PotM what's your verdict on the last week? Is the industry totally fracked or did you get your fillies away to good buyers for profitable amounts?

Well done PM, delighted you have got out in one piece which is nothing short of miraculous given an all female cast and highly selective buyers. The barometer of a good sale now seems to be breaking even and above.

I have decided to keep my powder dry (for the time being) until the dreaded Brexit is resolved - could be a long wait....

Try "yearling", predictive text!

My plan is to spend a little more on the good mare(s), and a lot less on the "normal" mares (those that still just about merit breeding).

best mare  - Cracksman (am I mad!?)

cheap mare - Adaay

havnt figured out the other three yet. Usually go to Cheveley but nothing tempting me there this year.

Interesting, Wily! Whatever the decisions any of us make, we have to believe in them 100% as it is a long time awaiting the foal from signing the nomination. Good luck to you, you may well be right. I'm going the other way a bit, spending the total budget more evenly among the mares than I sometimes have as I can see that yielding steady enough returns to keep afloat and give the younger mares more of a chance to become the next "good one". In dodgy times using established sires is often safer, but with so many new sires around this year they have to be considered where not too over-priced or taking huge books to threaten fertility or sales slots. It's a proper minefield to traverse....

proxygene
I bought a mare in foal to Mayson.  Any thoughts on him?

A nice stallion at the price (£4k) and a nice colt will sell ok. His stock seem to act well enough on fast going.

Depends on your definition of decent I suppose. Mine is a stallion that transmits ability commensurate with fee, with soundness of wind limb and temperament. In the mid range market at least, trainers, and thus agents too, will tolerate unsoundness of wind and limb, but never temperament. Galileo Gold exhibited that difficult temperament himself, which doesn't bode well for his chances at stud. Conversely, following the discussion above, Mayson is a decent stallion by my reckoning, though it would take stamina in a dam line to give him a chance of a Guineas winner.

That feels like a Coolmore sort of deal doesn't it. I wonder how significant a shareholder they had remained in the horse.
I spent some time considering him as I don't mind being a bit leftfield, but luckily decided he want for me.
Had he been so cold he had covered hardly anything?

have all the first season sires proved they can do the job now?

havn't heard about Cracksman or Harry Angel, but I don't think Darley tend to announce that sort of thing.

Two more confirmed as having first mares scanned in foal being Tasleet and Poets Word. Think a good few of us are breathing a sigh of relief now!

Any more info Potm? just thinking about making a late decision on a first season horse and don't want to waste a shot if you have some relevant info.


did I hear Gregorian might be heading back to Ire?