GRADE 1 Breeders’ Cup winner Magnum Force has made a fast start to his stud career at Ballyhane Stud with his first four mares already scanned in foal. French stakes winner Asidious Alexander (Prix Six Perfections), Sunday Smart (dam of Up The Pace), Gold Vision (sister to Radley Stakes winner Aqlaam Vision) and Odessa On My Mind (sister to Balanchine Stakes winner Most Beautiful) have already tested in foal to the son of Mehmas.
Ballyhane owner Joe Foley said: “He’s had a busy start and has settled into the routine nicely; he’s been very popular with breeders and has attracted an impressive first book of mares so hopefully he’ll be lucky now.”
Foley also reported the arrival of Sakheer’s first foals and says breeders have been delighted with them. “The Sakheer foals are coming fast now and he seems to be getting good, strong foals with breeders already re-booking mares into him on the strength of their foals, which is always a good sign.”
both Lyons and Weld
GER Lyons has been sent five two-year-olds by Juddmonte and Dermot Weld has received three, according to a report on sportinglife.com. The Lyons draft includes two fillies and a colt by Frankel, a Dark Angel colt and a filly by Bated Breath. The Frankel colt, named Francillon, is out of Viadera, which Lyons trained to win at listed level before she went to the US and won a Grade 1 race. The Bated Breath filly is a half-sister to Babouche, which Lyons trained to win the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.
Dermot Weld has been given a Frankel filly and a colt and filly by Kingman. The Kingman filly is out of Big Break, a full-sister to Famous Name, a prolific stakes winner for Weld and Juddmonte.
his first mares in foal
THE Irish National Stud’s new stallion Arizona Blaze has had his first mares scanned successfully in foal. Among them is Elegant Madame, a two-year-old winner on debut. She is a half-sister to Summer Sands who placed in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and hails from the family of Coventry Stakes winner Hellvelyn. Also in foal to the Group 1-winning sprinter is Hi Milady, a half-sister to Group 3 Anglesey Stakes second Hard Yards. Alumni Lia, from the family of Persuasive and Creative Force, has also scanned in foal.
Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud, said: “Arizona Blaze has adapted seamlessly to his new role. We are impressed with the quality of mares within his first book which points to how well he has been received by breeders in Ireland, the UK and France. Among them are proven stakes producers Hard Walnut, Elpida, Gadfly and Margaret’s Mission.”
LIAM Walsh from Wexford won The Irish Field Connolly’s Red Mills Breeder of the Month vote for January. He bred I’ll Sort That, winner of the Grade 1 Ballymore (Slaney) Novice Hurdle at Naas.
TOPGEAR, the Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett who stands at Capital Stud in Co Kilkenny, has had his first mares scanned in foal. A spokesperson for Capital Stud said: “Early scans have been very positive, and we are grateful to the breeders who have shown Topgear such strong support in his first season.”