CONFESSION time. One of my favourite stallions is Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill), who despite worldwide success at the highest levels could still be used this year at a fee of €10,000.

Standing under the Coolmore banner at Castlehyde Stud, the 19-year-old has it all – a superb race record, a pedigree to die for, and success on the track. While his covering numbers have been declining, it is notable that the breeders who continue to avail of him are among the most successful in the business. If you want to breed a racehorse, look no further.

At the weekend, Holy Roman Emperor notched up his 99th flat stakes winner when the German-bred two-year-old Geography won the nation’s main juvenile race, the Group 3 Preis des Winterfavoriten. This was the colt’s second win in three starts, and he will now go into winter quarters as one of the country’s premier classic hopes.

As a son of Holy Roman Emperor, Geography has much to live up to. The French champion juvenile, winner of their Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, is already responsible for a plethora of Group and Grade 1 winners, and that list comprises such as Romanised (Irish 2000 Guineas and Prix Jacques Le Marois), Homecoming Queen (1000 Guineas), Morandi (Criterium de Saint-Cloud), Rockemperor (Turf Classic Stakes), Well Timed (German Oaks), Designs On Rome (four Group 1 wins in Hong Kong), Beauty Only (Hong Kong Mile), Rich Tapestry (Santa Anita Sprint Championship), Sheidel (Oakleigh Plate), Rollout The Carpet (New Zealand 1000 Guineas) Glorious Empire (Sword Dancer Stakes), and Mongolian Khan (NZ Derby, Australian Derby, Caulfield Cup), in addition to a pair of Brazilian Group 1 winners.

Fourth winner

A BBAG sale graduate where he cost €95,000 as a yearling, Geography is the fourth foal, runner and winner for the Italian stakes winner Guajara (Montjeu). Her other winners include the British stakes-placed gelding Groundbreaker (Oasis Dream). Guajara is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Goathemala (Black Sam Bellamy) who is herself dam of three stakes winners, to the German listed winner Galana (Black Sam Bellamy), and to the placed Ultra Appeal (Lawman), and she is dam of the Group 1-placed pattern winner Patrick Sarsfield (Australia).

While the majority of this family, heaving with blacktype, has performed best in Germany, a notable exception is Fame And Glory (Montjeu), a multiple Group 1 winner of the Criterium de Saint-Cloud at two, the Irish Derby, Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, Coronation Cup and the Tattersalls Gold Cup.