THE great Cheveley Park Stud stallion Pivotal (Polar Falcon) died last year.

The phenomenal stud record of his daughters already guaranteed that he would live on in pedigrees for years to come, but it seems that his male line will endure too, in large part due to the exploits of the outstanding French stallion Siyouni.

A juvenile Group 1-winner who was placed in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin and Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at three, the Aga Khan homebred began his career at Haras de Bonneval for a €7,000 fee; hard to believe now. That rose to €20,000 after his freshman year and has soared, hitting €140,000 last season, and retained at that level in 2022.

His initial stars were fillies, headed by the excellent pair Ervedya and Laurens. The former won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches-French 1000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Prix du Moulin, whereas the latter reeled off six Group 1s. The 1000 Guineas runner-up won the Prix de Diane-French Oaks, Matron Stakes, Sun Chariot Stakes, Prix Rothschild, Prix Saint-Alary and Fillies’ Mile.

Siyouni’s daughters also include Dream And Do and Etoile, winners in 2020 of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches-French 1000 Guineas and E.P. Taylor Stakes respectively, but he also has a pair of star sons. Those outstanding colts are both on the roster at Coolmore Stud, so the prospect of Siyouni becoming a source of notable stallion sons looks good.

His classic-placed Group 3 Jersey Stakes winner Le Brivido stands in France after a single season in England and the Group 1-placed multiple pattern winner City Of Light stands at Haras d’Etreham, both with yearlings in 2022, but that speedy pair differ in aptitude and prospects to Sottsass and St Mark’s Basilica.

The former beat Persian King when winning the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby, finished third to Waldgeist in the Arc and returned as a four-year-old to pick up the Group 1 Prix Ganay en route to a famous victory at ParisLongchamp on the first Sunday in October, beating In Swoop by a neck for a memorable career finale.

Sottsass covered 132 mares in his first season at Coolmore and has his first foals arriving now, and his €25,000 fee will no doubt look especially attractive compared to the €65,000 for St Mark’s Basilica. Like 2021’s dual classic-winning three-year-old champion, he is out of a daughter of Galileo.

Siyouni is one of the best French stallions of the modern era, a proven source of sprinters, milers and middle-distance horses, the sire of five individual Group 1 classic winners plus a colt who was short-headed in one. His long list of six-figure yearlings in 2021 was in addition to a colt that made €1.5 million in Deauville.

SIYOUNI (FR), Bay 2007. Jt 4th top rated 2yr old in Europe in 2009. Won four races, £447,798, from 5 furlongs to 7 furlongs, at 2 years including, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium, Longchamp, Gr.1, Prix La Fleche, Maisons-Laffitte, L, also placed second in Prix Jean Prat, Chantilly, Gr.1, Prix Robert Papin, Maisons-Laffitte, Gr.2, Prix La Rochette, Longchamp, Gr.3, Prix de Fontainebleau, Longchamp, Gr.3, and third in Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Longchamp, Gr.1.

Retired to Stud in 2011, and sire of the winners of 1078 races, and £32,711,387 including ST MARK’S BASILICA (FR), DREAM AND DO (IRE), ETOILE (FR), SOTTSASS (FR), LAURENS (FR), ERVEDYA (FR), SEACHANGE (FR), WALLY (IRE), AYLMERTON (AUS), FINSBURY SQUARE (IRE), VOLTA (FR), ACER ALLEY (GB), MISE EN SCENE (GB), POLICY OF TRUTH (FR), SACRED LIFE (FR), WHO KNOWS (FR), SIMONA (FR), AL RAYA (GB), CITY LIGHT (FR), DEVIL (IRE), BARKAA (FR), LA SIGNARE (FR), LE BRIVIDO (FR), SIYOUSHAKE (IRE), SPECTRE (FR), TRIXIA (FR), BOURREE (GER), SOUVENIR DELONDRES (FR), LIGHTS ON (GB), MEU AMOR (FR), ORENDINA (FR), REVE DE VOL (IRE), SEE YOU IN SPRING (AUS), SEEYOUBYME (FR), SHE DO (GB), SHINE FOR YOU (GB), TERTIUS (FR), TXOPE (FR), DARKNESS (FR), HONEY CAKE (IRE), NEW HARZBURG (GER), RAJANI (FR), ZAYKAVA (FR), MAQSAD (FR), NICE TO SEE YOU (FR), WALK IN MARRAKESH (IRE), EXPRESSIY (FR), FATALISTE (FR), SEQUILLA (FR), SULLY (FR), WATAYOUNA (FR), PAMPLEMOUSSE (IRE), STRAIGHT RIGHT (FR), SYRITA (FR), LADY SYBIL (FR) and MOCKLERSHILL (FR)

Stands at: Haras de Bonneval, 14270 Le Mesnil Mauger, France.

Contact: George Rimaud (Manager) or Fanny Cyprès

Telephone: +33 2 31 48 18 60

Email: george.rimaud@agakhanstuds.com

Web: www.agakhanstuds.com

Fee: €140,000