TWO European freshman sires of 2018 got a Group 1 winner in their first crop. Both are members of the Coolmore team, and one is a two-year-old star who looks set to sire sprinters and milers and whose fee has soared to €100,000. The other is a Galileo-sired Derby hero who promises to become a source of milers, middle-distance horses, and contenders for the now lucrative stayers programme. His fee remains at just €8,000.

His comparatively small number of first-crop yearlings sold suggested that Ruler Of The World’s best early results may come from among his offspring representing owner-breeders.

Iridessa carried owner-breeder Annemarie O’Brien’s colours to victory on her debut at Killarney in mid-July. She changed hands in late August but remained in training with Joseph O’Brien and, after finishing third in a listed contest at Leopardstown, she shot to the head of the ante-post market for the Group 1 Investec Oaks at Epsom following her defeat of Hermosa in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

Ruler Of The World’s small number of runners to date also includes the Italian colt The World Is Your who has been placed in seven-and-a-half-furlong and nine-furlong listed contests.

The stallion’s initial results represent a promising start, especially when you consider that he did not start his racing career until early April of his three-year-old season. He followed that debut success with a runaway Group 3 score at Chester before his classic success. His best performance as a four-year-old was when beating subsequent US champion Flintshire easily in the Group 2 Prix Foy.

Ruler Of The World’s stakes-winning full-brother Norway could be a Derby and St Leger candidate in 2019, his half-brother Annus Mirabilis (by Montjeu) is a Group 2 winner in Australia, and the European champion Duke Of Marmalade (by Danehill) is his eldest sibling. The latter, a five-time Group 1 star, began his career under the Coolmore banner but had moved to South Africa by the time his best runners emerged. Group 1 classic stars Simple Verse, Star Of Seville and Nutan, plus Group 1 Gold Cup hero Big Orange, head their sire’s roll of honour.

Their Group 3-placed dam Love Me True (by Kingmambo) is a granddaughter of Lassie Dear (by Buckpasser), and that US Grade 3 winner is famed as the ancestress of many leading stallions. The dynasty-maker A.P. Indy (by Seattle Slew) is one of her grandsons, and this is also the immediate family of the leading sires Summer Squall (by Storm Bird), Al Mufti (by Roberto), Lemon Drop Kid (by Kingmambo), and Honor Grades (by Danzig), as well as of many others who have sired stakes and pattern winners at all levels.

Ruler Of The World’s profile should strengthen in 2019 and beyond.

RULER OF THE WORLD (IRE). Champion 3yr old in Europe in 2013 (9.5-10.5f.). Top rated older horse in Ireland in 2014 (11-13f.). Won four races, £1,070,242, from 1 mile 2 furlongs to 1½ miles, at 3 and 4 years including, Investec Derby Stakes, Epsom Downs, Gr.1, Qatar Prix Foy, Longchamp, Gr.2, MBNA Chester Vase, Chester, Gr.3, also placed second in Qatar Prix Niel, Longchamp, Gr.2, and third in Qipco Champion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1.

Retired to Stud in 2015, and sire of the winners of 5 races, and £344,383, including IRIDESSA and The World Is Your.

Stands at: Castlehyde Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland.

Contact: David Magnier, Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, John Kennedy, Cathal Murphy

Telephone: +353 25 2531966

Email: info@castlehyde.com

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €8,000