It’s a new season and for the young second crop sires it’s a clean slate with the achievements of the past 12 months consigned to history as we look ahead to see what their three year-olds might do with the benefit of maturity.
As we come to the end of the first month of the new season there is an interesting sire sitting on top of the table by earnings and it’s Cambridge Stud’s shuttler Almanzor (Fr), whose first crop of yearlings dazzled buyers at sale rings around Australasia.
Buyers warmed to the progeny of Almanzor in no uncertain terms with buyers spending up big on the first offspring of the champion son of Wootton Bassett.
There were 43 Almanzor yearlings sold at Karaka Book 1 in 2021 at an average $190,698 and here in Australia they sold through the roof with three averaging $506,667 at Magic Millions, six at Inglis Classic averaging $221,667 and four at Inglis Premier averaging $182,500.
It was always anticipated that they might need some time, although in New Zealand he sired Dynastic to win the Karaka Million giving him Champion First Season Sire honours and immediate success.
The next 12 months will tell the real story for Almanzor and his first two Australian winners this season do look as though they will be stakes contenders in the Chris Waller trained Manzoice and Liam Howley’s Virtuous Circle, who won at Moonee Valley on Saturday, read about him here.
There are a lot of trainers and owners invested in Almanzor, so his progress is something that will be of interest to many and also those who have supported his sire Wootton Bassett (GB), who returns to Coolmore this spring of this second season in Australia.
