Coolmore fees for new stallions
 

George Washington - 60k euro
Hurricane Run - 30k euro
Ad Valorem / Aussie Rules - 15k euro

the top two look quite competitively priced!

I hate the Sheikhs and Coolmre equally but why is there such backlash against the Darley retirements but hardly a mention of the completey ludicrous retirement of 3yo Aussie Rules?

I agree wiht you about Aussie. Though I am flat out sick and tired of good, sound 3 y/o being retired to stud. It is KILLING racing. AND........THEY DON'T EXACTLY NEED THE MONEY.

They actually announced it before the BC. I just saw the $15,000 though. Why would you retire a sound 3yo for a $15,000 stud fee?

Beats the **** out of me. I don't know why you would retire a sound horse who is that good period. Especially if money is no obstacle. Take a page from Greg Gilchrist and Art Sherman, they didn't sell because Fog was a once in a lifetime horse.

Though I agree that the bloodstock business is choking off the racing business, I think that you have to seperate Coolmore and the arabs. Coolmore is strictly a business whereas Shiekh Mo and the boys have a rather large hobby

I agree about the Shieks's treating things as a hobby. At least, some of their actions support it. But, I can't, as a racing fan, imagine retiring 2 of the best 3 y/o in the country to stud. They have very litle (repsectably speaking) to loose, and the world to win.

But why?
They don't need the money, and why not race the few great horses you have? It boggles the mind.

Looking over the coolmore stallion roster it does seem that Aussie Rules would not really be missed too much if they ran him another year.

They are in it for the ego part. They have failed miserably in producing an American stallion base and they now feel that they have 2 big pieces of the puzzle. Look up the stallions that they are currently standing in America Gainesborough/Shadwell/Darley and compare them with their chief rival Coolmores American stallion division.

Brock,
what do you think HRun would have stood for had he been retired after last year's Arc?

Im more than happy they brought him back, but I think this son of Montjeu would have stood for more if he had not raced a step in 2006.


Repent

Totally agree...this is about cementing Darley @ Jonabell as a superior Stud farm in KY. They just completed renovations on the farm last year and now need a marquis stallion (or 2) to draw interest...They are running their operation as a business only to furthur the goal of being the biggest/most influential/most sought after (add your own phrase) lineup of stallions in the bluegrass.

why is giants causway private? usually when i see a horse go private, they're much older, having health or fertility problems and such. is this a way to deal on a mare by mare basis? what is the benefit(s) of having a horse like this guy go private?
also, do stud fees ever actively pursue a mare, or do they just accept or reject what comes their way?

From what I've read I think it means they dropped his fee but don't want to publicize that so made it private instead.

I know of some instances whree farms have approached a mare owner (that they have had other previous dealings with) and offered them a very reduced rate on a top stallion that the fasrm owned shares in (the stud was not on said farm) with the deal being that that mare would go to one of their other studs (on the farm) the following year. i don't know how often this sort of thing goes on but i would expect it is not all that uncommon.

I agree that Aussie Rules should continue running. I think he can pick up a few more major wins, especially in the US. But with that said, out of all the retiring stallions, his pedigree is head and shoulders above the rest. His family is probably the best family in Europe. They're produced top stallions, top producers, and multiple classic winners all tracing back to major bluehen Mumtaz Mahal.

That just makes it even more baffling that they retired him to stand for $15,000. Wouldn't a good campaign next year have doubled or tripled that?

Like I said, I think he should continue running. I think they're desperately trying to figure out who's going to be their heir apparent to Danehill. They're retiring everything Danehill that's shown any type of class... he would be the one I think stands the best chance. In my mind, he'll get a full book at that price, but yeah... he could have done more, no question. In reality, I would have loved to see him stand at Ashford. I would have bred to him this spring.

as a side note, here are the current stallions by danehill with coolmore. the best is probably Danehill Dancer. they also have Catcher In The Rye, Oratorio, The Rock, Spartacus and Fastnet Rock down under. Aussie Rules fits in somewhere between Catcher In The Rye and Oratorio!

Repent, my guess in 80-100k.. as a world champ tag to his name, he'd get a lot of attention.. Oh by the way, what do you think of next year with all the little Falbravs, Hawk Wings and High Chaparrals running around?

Im assuming you're ranking them in order of class of pedigree? If thats the case, I would putt Aussie Rules first, followed by Oratorio and then Catcher in the Rye. Of course, these are unproven studss...

Interestingly enough, Danehill Dancer has every right to be a solid stallion. For those interested in pedigrees and class of female family, both Danehill Dancer and Street Sense hail from the bluehen Lianga, who is their 3rd and 4th dam, respectively.

As a type of racehorse, Aussie Rules fits in between those two.. not quite up to Oratorio's level and the latter did win a G1 at 2 and 2 of the biggest 10f races in Europe at 3. and better than what the Catcher showed. dont know enough about breeding to class them by prospects at stud..

Oh ok, thats what I was asking... if you ranking them on pedigree or performance. My ranking is more on pedigree.

thanks for the HRun opinion.
I was thinking the same, but I dont always have a good feel for the Euro market.

as for next year's first crop sires, I can not wait.
2003 was awesome with Hawk Wing, Dubai Destination, Dalakhani, Alamshar, High Chaparral, Nayef(my favorite) and of course the big horse, Falbrav running.
now we will start to see their offspring.
clear something up for me though.
where does Falbrav stand?
Im assuming in 2 locations depending on the time of year, but I thought it was announced after his retirement that he would stand in Japan along with other 2003 retirees Moon Ballad and Grandera.
but a friend told me he was in Newmarket.
wherever he is,
I just want to see his offspring run.
he was so game at 8-12f.
I guess we are a year away from Rakti and Doyen's runners.
want to see those also.



Repent