MAHLER is well-established as being one of the leading sires of staying chasers, Soldier Of Fortune has sired top-level winners on the flat and over obstacles, Imperial Monarch got a first-crop blacktype winner recently, and they, like other sons of the phenomenal stallion Galileo (by Sadler’s Wells) are among the busiest sires at stud.
Most of the Galileo horses with runners so far are flat sires, as you would expect, and they include proven classic sires such as Frankel, Nathaniel, New Approach, and Teofilo, standouts among a growing double-digit tally of those by the Coolmore colossus who have had at least one Group/Grade 1 winner on the flat. The globetrotter and seven-time top-level star Highland Reel is among the many in earlier stages of their stud career. The Coolmore Stud resident had 120 registered first-crop foals in 2019, covered another triple-digit book last season, and looks likely to play a prominent role at the major yearling sales in 2020.
Highland Reel, who is out of a Group 1-placed full-sister to the Australian champion and multiple Group 1 scorer Elvstroem (by Danehill), is also the ‘nephew’ of another similarly talented horse in Haradasun (by Fusaichi Pegasus), and he comes from a branch of the family of Group 1 sire Starspangledbanner (by Choisir). He also has two full-brothers of considerable note.
Cape Of Good Hope showed plenty of talent as a member of the Ballydoyle team before moving to Australia and landing the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes last year. Idaho, on other hand, is a member of Coolmore’s stallion team. Although his celebrity brother is on the flat roster and has potential as a sire of top middle-distance and classic horses, Idaho stands at The Beeches Stud and has a future as a source of notable hurdlers and chasers.
Idaho won four times and earned almost £1.2 million in a four-season career, his top wins coming in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He finished third to Harzand in the Derby at Epsom, failed by just half a length to deny that star a classic double at the Curragh over three weeks later, and he is probably unlucky not to have got a classic victory of his own.
He was the odds-on favourite for the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster that September and was going well when he stumbled and unseated his rider three furlongs from home. The first three finishers – Harbour Law, Ventura Storm and Housesofparliament – were a long way clear of the rest, with the third only beaten by a total of three-parts of a length. Idaho had beaten that colt by a length farther than that at York.
Idaho covered 219 mares in his maiden season, so will have a big first crop of foals this year. He looks likely to be popular at the likes of the Derby and Land Rover Sales of 2023 and 2024, to get four-year-old point-to-point winners, and a lot of track success.
IDAHO (IRE), Bay 2013. Jt 4th top rated 3yr old colt in Ireland in 2016. Won four races, £988,860, from 1 mile to 1 mile 5 furlongs, 2 to 5 years including, Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes, York, Gr.2, Hardwicke Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes, Chester, Gr.3, also placed second in Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Curragh, Gr.1, P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3, and third in Investec Derby Stakes, Epsom Downs, Gr.1, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.1, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes, York, Gr.2, Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.3.
Retired to Stud in 2019.
Stands at: The Beeches Stud, Lismore, Co Waterford, P51 H70H
Contact: Robert McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy, or Peter Kenneally
Telephone: +353 (0)58 56254
Email: info@coolmore.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €4,000