A STALLION’S foal sale prices tend to be a guide to how the yearling market will receive him, and if that holds true for Ten Sovereigns then he could figure among the leading stallions at the likes of the Goffs Orby, Tattersalls Book 1 and 2, Goffs UK Premier, Tattersalls Ireland September and Deauville August auctions this year.

He had a €165,000 filly at Goffs in November plus colts who made €130,000 and €125,000 at that venue, there was a 130,000gns colt in Newmarket, plus 13 others who fetched at least €50,000 in the ring. There are 127 in his initial crop, so it also seems likely that he will be a leading freshman in 2023, especially if at least a few of his juveniles show his talent.

He burst onto the scene with a seven-length debut score over six furlongs at the Curragh in late August, ran away with the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes over the course and distance a week later, and maintained his unbeaten record with victory in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The mile stretched him in the Group 1 2000 Guineas where he finished fifth to Magna Grecia, and he returned to sprinting. After finishing fourth to Advertise in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, he put up one of the most impressive sprint performances of the year to beat that same rival by almost three lengths in the Group 1 July Cup.

Ten Sovereigns is a first-crop son of the high-class sprinter No Nay Never (Scat Daddy). That stallion now covers elite mares at Coolmore, has a first classic winner in Grade 1 Premio Las Oaks heroine Brooke in Chile, his ill-fated son Wichita was runner-up in the 2000 Guineas, whereas last year Alcohol Free, a Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner at two, landed both the Group 1 Sussex Stakes and Group 1 Coronation Stakes.

Ten Sovereigns is the best of several winners out of Seeking Solace (Exceed And Excel), a stakes-placed daughter of the Group 3-placed Flamelet (Theatrical). Third dam Darling Flame (Capote) was runner-up in the Group 3 Cherry Hinton Stakes, she is out of the US Grade 1-winner and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks third My Darling One (Exclusive Native) and so is a half-sister to the talented Heart Lake (Nureyev).

That colt won the Group 3 Concorde Stakes and later added a major prize in Japan, the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo. That was at a time when only the Japan Cup held Group 1 status in the country, so although that mile contest was a local Group 1 it counted only as listed in sales catalogues.

Darling Flame is also significant as she is the grandam of Shamal Wind (Dubawi), an Australian sprinter whose haul features the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate over five and a half furlongs at Caulfield.

In addition to the inevitable juvenile winners and sprinters, Ten Sovereigns looks likely to get plenty of milers and so has the potential to become a classic sire.

TEN SOVEREIGNS (IRE), Bay 2016. Champion 3yr old sprinter in Europe in 2019. Jt Champion 3yr old colt in England & Ireland in 2019. Won four races, £749,220, over 6 furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Darley July Cup Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, John Sisk & Son Round Tower Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2020, first crop now yearlings.

Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, E91 XK26, Ireland.

Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee, Kevin Buckley, or Hermine Bastide

Telephone: +353 (0)52 6131298

Email: sales@coolmore.ie

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €17,500