Using a ‘profitability index’, Weatherbys have compiled a chart of the leading stallions dividing average yearling sales price by covering fee. But which sires made their list?
A complete analysis of bloodstock sales for 2022 in Europe’s major racing nations is included in the annual Weatherbys’ Bloodstock Sales Review.
The 56th edition, which has recently been published, includes sale details for all foals, yearlings and older horses in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. It also includes foals and yearlings either foaled in Europe or by European-based sires at the major auctions in North America and Japan.
To mark the publication, Weatherbys have compiled a top ten of the most profitable British and Irish-based yearling sires of last year. Their method involved working out a ‘profitability index’ for each sire by dividing their 2022 yearling average by their covering fee of 2020, when the offspring in question were conceived.
1. MEHMAS
2022 yearling average: 70,481gns / €88,066
2020 covering fee: €7,500
Profitability index: 11.74
Standing at Tally Ho Stud (Ireland) for €60,000 in 2023
Mehmas has quickly established himself as the go-to European sire for fast, early horses with a touch of class, having obliterated the record for number of first-crop two-year-old winners in 2020. He clocked 56 in total that year, including unbeaten Middle Park Stakes hero Supremacy and Gimcrack winner Minzaal.
After Minzaal won the Haydock Sprint Cup last year and the likes of Going Global, Lusail, Malavath and Persian Force also flew the flag for him throughout 2022, his yearlings – the last bred at a low fee before his freshman heroics – sold like hot cakes. He had 72 lots make an average of 70,481gns/€88,066, led by a half-sister to Norfolk Stakes runner-up Walbank knocked down to Richard Knight for 450,000gns.
This is the second year that Mehmas has topped this chart, and it will be fascinating to see if he can maintain his position in 2023 with his fifth crop of yearlings conceived at a justifiably much higher price of €25,000.
2. ARDAD
2022 yearling average: 62,967gns / €78,677
2020 covering fee: £6,500
Profitability index: 9.69
Standing at Overbury Stud (GB) for £12,500 in 2023
A speedily bred son of Kodiac, Ardad won the Windsor Castle Stakes and Flying Childers at two. He has shown with his first two crops of racing age that he is getting precocious and pacey stock in his own image: think dual G1-winning two-year-old and Commonwealth Cup hero Perfect Power and other classy juveniles such as Crispy Cat, Eve Lodge and Vintage Clarets.
He was sent 26 mares in his third season at Overbury Stud, and so was represented by only 14 yearlings at the sales in 2022. That meant, though, that they had considerable rarity value and those who kept the faith in him were rewarded with an average price of 62,967gns/€78,677.
3. COTAI GLORY
2022 yearling average: 36,653gns / €45,797
2020 covering fee: €5,000
Profitability index: 9.16
Standing at Tally Ho Stud (Ireland) for €12,500 in 2023
Cotai Glory made a bold show with his first two-year-old runners in 2021, delivering 35 winners at a strike-rate of 40 per cent, led by Prix Robert Papin scorer Atomic Force. The son of Exceed And Excel impressed again in his sophomore season last year, with The Platinum Queen becoming the first two-year-old to win the Prix de l’Abbaye since Sigy in 1978.
Many of his third crop of yearlings, bred off a fee of just €5,000, returned big profits for breeders, as they made an average price of 36,653gns/€45,797 with a high of 350,000gns given by Blandford Bloodstock for a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas heroine Cachet.
4. NIGHT OF THUNDER
2022 yearling average: 179,894gns / €224,778
2020 covering fee: €25,000
Profitability index: 8.99
Standing at Kildangan Stud (Ireland) for €100,000 in 2023
Night Of Thunder was the first-season sire sensation of 2019, supplying 28 winners at an exceptional clip of 58 per cent and matching Fasliyev’s record of seven stakes scorers in a freshman year. He has maintained a steady flow of classy runners since, and was represented last year by the top sprinter Highfield Princess.
The son of Dubawi’s yearlings of 2022, bred at an increased fee of €25,000 in the afterglow of his debut juveniles running, sold for an average of 179,894gns/€224,778. Stonestreet and Coolmore partnered on the dearest of the 96 lots, an 800,000gns half-sister to stakes winners Ross Castle, Snazzy Jazzy and Ten Year Ticket.
5. KODI BEAR
2022 yearling average: 39,830gns / €49,768
2020 covering fee: €6,000
Profitability index: 8.29
Standing at Rathbarry Stud (Ireland) for €15,000 in 2023
Kodi Bear has won the respect of breeders by siring 12 black-type performers, including top-class sprinter Go Bears Go, from his first three inexpensively bred crops. His fourth crop of yearlings, whose cost of conception was still a mere €6,000, sold for an average price of 39,830gns/€49,768 with a high of 210,000gns paid by Kevin Ryan for a full-sister to G3-placed filly Scarlet Bear.
6. HAVANA GREY
2022 yearling average: 53,196gns / €66,468
2020 covering fee: £6,500
Profitability index: 8.18
Standing at Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB) for £18,500 in 2023
Havana Grey took the breeding world by storm last year, with his first crop of two-year-olds yielding 42 winners at a strike-rate of 49 per cent, as well as no fewer than 13 black-type performers, headed by G3 scorers Eddie’s Boy, Lady Hollywood and Rumstar.
It was no surprise, then, that the son of Havana Gold’s second crop of yearlings were in such strong demand. Some 88 lots – conceived at an advertised fee of just £6,500 – sold for an average of 53,196gns/€66,468, led by a colt out of the winning Swiss Spirit mare Dotted Swiss bought by Karl and Kelly Burke for 325,000gns.
7. FARHH
2022 yearling average: 96,768gns / €120,911
2020 covering fee: £12,000
Profitability index: 8.06
Standing at Dalham Hall Stud (GB) for private fee in 2023
Farhh has compiled an impressive progeny record in spite of being subfertile, with 23 black-type performers to his name from his six small crops of racing age. Last season’s Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Fonteyn and Poule d’Essai des Poulains third Tribalist are the latest stars to show him in a good light.
The son of Pivotal had only 12 yearlings offered for sale last year, and due to their scarcity value they all found new homes for an excellent average price of 96,768gns/€120,911, with a high of 400,000gns paid by Kevin Ryan for a half-brother to Listed scorer Guilded. Fine results indeed, seeing as those lots were bred off a fee of £12,000.
8. NEW BAY
2022 yearling average: 70,655gns / €88,284
2020 covering fee: €15,000
Profitability index: 5.89
Standing at Ballylinch Stud (Ireland) for €75,000 in 2023
New Bay showed considerable promise as a sire from the moment his first two-year-olds raced in 2020, and he took his place at the top table last year when Bay Bridge and Bayside Boy notched a memorable G1 double for him on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot and Saffron Beach added the Prix Rothschild at Deauville to her CV.
The son of Dubawi’s rise through the ranks was reflected at the yearling sales, where he was represented by 60 lots who had been bred off a fee of just €15,000 but changed hands for an average price of 70,655gns/€88,284. Richard Knight bid 475,000gns for the most expensive of all, a half-brother to G2-placed The Acropolis.
9. KESSAAR
2022 yearling average: 27,214gns / €34,004
2020 covering fee: €6,000
Profitability index: 5.67
Standing at Tally Ho Stud (Ireland) for €5,000 in 2023
Kessaar made a promising start with his first-crop of two-year-olds in 2022, supplying 25 winners at a strike-rate of 45 per cent, including black type-placed Bolt Action and Ipanema Princess.
Buyers evidently liked what they saw, as they spent an average of 27,214gns/€34,004 on the son of Kodiac’s 25 yearlings who sold at auction last year, in spite of them having been conceived at a fee of just €6,000. Pick of the bunch was the three-parts sister to Listed winner Geocentric bought by Durcan Bloodstock for 155,000gns.
10. STARSPANGLEDBANNER
2022 yearling average: 96,625gns / €120,733
2020 covering fee: €22,500
Profitability index: 5.37
Standing at Coolmore Stud (Ireland) for €50,000 in 2023
Starspangledbanner has long been known as a reliable source of high-class two-year-olds and sprinters but in 2022 he revealed a new aspect to his abilities, with Aristia, Rhea Moon and State Of Rest winning top-level races over ten furlongs and California Spangle becoming a star of the Hong Kong racing scene.
Consequently there was strong competition to buy his yearlings, with 72 lots bred off a fee of €22,500 selling for an average of 96,625gns/€120,733. A high of 600,000gns was bid by Richard Knight for a colt out of Lily Agnes Stakes winner Great Dame.
• The Weatherbys Bloodstock Sales Review also features comprehensive overviews of the trading year for Tattersalls, Goffs, Tattersalls Ireland and Arqana, as well as tables of the leading sires of 2022 by yearling average, lists of the year’s most expensive yearlings and foals, and a roll of top historical auction prices.
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