News - ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR)
Firstly we’d like to thank everyone for taking an interest in our foal gallery and supporting their favourites with a very close battle between the top three entries from Yulong in Victoria and Holbrook Thoroughbreds and Torryburn Stud in the Hunter Valley, but there can only be one winner.
Three Coolmore sires all in the Hunter Valley this spring - St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Starspangledbanner and Wootton Bassett (GB) - produced the top three lots in the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Friday at Newmarket.
Champion French stallion Siyouni has been riding high in Europe this year thanks to his outstanding three year old colt Paddington and dominant three year-old filly Tahiyra with his considerable talents on show in Australia last Saturday at Flemington where star mare Amelia’s Jewel and Cups contender Carini (Fr) were both in the winner’s circle.
The highly anticipated Strawberry Hill Stud Dispersal features 57 lots and a good number of the broodmares are in foal and Lot 44, LA Girl has added considerably to her worth in producing a glorious colt by 2021 European Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
One of the star Coolmore mares that will be covered this spring in Australia by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) is Fastnet Rock’s Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winning daughter Amicus and she produced a promising two year-old winner by Galileo at Leopardstown in Ireland overnight.
2021 European Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) has his first Australian foals arriving this spring following on from those born in the Northern Hemisphere earlier this year and one of those is a filly that has had a big pedigree update this year as she is a three-quarter sister to outstanding colt Paddington.
Coolmore owned super Siyouni colt Paddington marched to a fourth consecutive Group I win at Goodwood on Wednesday handling the heavy ground to beat older rivals and win the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m).
The magic year for champion French sire Siyouni continued overnight in France when the Group I Prix Rothschild (1600m) at Deaville was won by his four year-old mare Mqse de Sevigne, fittingly a homebred for the Rothschild family.
Few shuttle stallions have ever come to Australia with a race record like this one and his first foals born in the Northern Hemisphere this year are seen as something special.
Two Group I races in Europe run overnight with Coolmore’s rising star Siyouni colt Paddington winning the Coral Eclipse (1m2f) at Sandown, while in France last year’s Irish Derby winner Westover took the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m).
With his first Australian bred progeny to race here next season, Invincible Spirit’s dual Group I winning son Magna Grecia (IRE) has his first stakes-winner on the board with the Listed Prix Yacowlef (1000m) won by speedy colt Myconian.
When the shuttle stallions arrive back in Australia this year there is one in particular that has certainly gained in appeal in the past 12 months thanks to the deeds of his sire Siyouni.
The Group I Irish 2000 Guineas (1m) was run overnight at The Curragh with the Coolmore partnership owned Siyouni colt Paddington continuing his rapid rise to score a powerful victory.
2021 European Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica (IRE) has just completed his first season in Australia for Coolmore, but in the Northern Hemisphere his first foals are arriving.
Just two mares in foal to 2021 European Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica were offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale this week and they sold for 1.4million guineas and 800,000 guineas highlighting the high regard in which the champion son of Siyouni is held.
Covering his second Australian season this spring at Coolmore, Wootton Bassett (GB) added a new Group I winner to his tally overnight when exciting colt Al Riffa upset the favourites to win the Group I National Stakes (7f) at The Curragh.
Our next chapter in the Price Point series of stories looks at an interesting group that features the four most expensive third season sires in the country and these guys just had their first weanlings sell so there is a point for comparison in that area.
Australians have plenty of respect for champion French stallion Siyouni, so news that his finest son - Cartier European Horse of the Year in 2021 - St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) will shuttle to Coolmore Australia this spring will be warmly received by breeders.
The passing of legendary sire Galileo last year has opened the door for a new wave of sire talent to step up at Coolmore and St Mark’s Basilica is one of those younger sires being given a golden opportunity to succeed.