Pedigree Analysis: Tiggy Wiggy

This seasons progressive filly Tiggy Wiggy confirmed she had huge ability when running out a pillar to post winner of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. Before her Group 1 triumph she was a dominant winner of the Group 2 Lowther stakes. She was also second in the Group 2 Queen Mary behind Anthem Alexander. 

Tiggy Wiggy has now confirmed herself Europe's best two-year-old filly of 2014. She is also the first Group 1 winner by her sire Kodiac, a Danehill half brother to high class sire Invincible Spirit.

She is out of the winning Kheleyf mare Kheleyf Silver. She has one other racing progeny in Iftaar a winning 3yo gelding by  Bushranger. 

Kheleyf Silver is a half sister to Group winner & multiple stakes placed Masta Plasta. The third dam is the winning Anisaata. She is the dam of the listed winning Ras Shaikh, dam of Group 3 Criterion stakes winner Racer Forever. This is also the immediate family of Listed winner & Group 2 Ribbelsdale stakes placed Gallic Star. This is also the immediate family of American stakes winners Magallen, Golden Arrow & French Group 1 placed Bin Nashwan.

Kheleyf Silver has a yearling colt by Big Bad Bob catalogued as Lot 1065 in the upcoming Tattersalls Book 2 sale. She also has a filly foal by Bated Breath. 

 

Finsceal Beo celebrates rare double

Finsceal Beo "Gaelic for living legend" certainly lived up to that billing as a racemare. She was crowned European Chanpion 2yo after wins in the Group 2 Rockfel stakes & the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. 

Returning as a 3yo, she added the 1000 guineas & Irish equivalent to her already impressive record. She just failed to land he treble when finding Darjina too good in the French 1000 guineas. The Irish classic proved to be her last win. Finsceal  Beo returned as a 4yo but proved abit dissapointing. After a frustrating 4yo campaign. Finsceal Beo was retired to stud. 

By leading sire Mr Greeley, Finsceal Beo is out of the dual stakes placed Musical Treat. She is a half sister to Group winner Frozen Power & the stakes placed pair Musical Bar & Zabeel Park. 

Finsceal Beo's first mate, was champion stallion Galileo. This cross has yet to prove fruitful. The resulting offspring was Finsceal Fior. This colt was sent into training with his dams handler Jim Bolger. However an injury he picked up while in training curtailed his career and he was never seen on the race course. 

Her second cover was to Galileo's world champion half brother Sea The Stars. That produced Too The Stars, who sold as a foal at Goffs in 2011 for a record €800,000. 

She was then sent to Montjeu where that foal subsequently named O'l Man River sold for €2,850,000 to Coolmore as a yearling. 

Finsceal Beo has a yearling full sister to Finsceal Fior & foaled a filly by world champion Frankel this year. 

Finsceal Beo now has a 100% record at stud with her first two runners Too The Stars & O'l Man River both becoming winners, including one at stakes level. She had a rare double today with Too The Stars winning her maiden at Kempton Park & O'L Man River remaining undefeated in two starts in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes. 

Both horses hold Group 1 claims, with O'l Man River a leading ante post favourite for the Epsom Derby. Finsceal Beo has certainly made a thrilling start to her second career. 

"Craftsman proves a Master" at stud

Mastercraftsman exploded onto the racing scene as a two-year-old in 2009. At the time his sire Danehill Dancer was in the process of being crowned champion sire that year.

When Mastercraftsman retired to Coolmore in 2010, breeders were quietly confident he could be a force to be reckoned with. His fee was set at €20,000. A very reasonably priced fee for a dual Group 1 winning two-year-old & classic winning three-year-old. 

His first crop foals sold at auction in 2011 averaged €29,678, with a median of €25,500 for eighteen sold. Mares in foal to him that year averaged €19,377 with a median of €16,876. 

His first yearlings averaged higher then his foals with an average of €46,806 & a median of €30,158. His second crop of foals averaged less then his first crop at €20,957 with a median of €16,666. Mares in foal averaged higher then the year previous at €21,282 & a median of €18,289. 

His second crop of yearlings in 2013 averaged €48,072 & a median of €30,871. His foals that year averaged €37,768 with a median of €36,260, a much better return then the previous year.  While Mares in foal averaged €38,339 with a median of €24,316. 

Mastercraftsman first crop of two-year-olds brought him Group 1 Racing Post Triphy winner Kingston Hill as well as Group 3 winners Craftsman, Amazing Maria, Master Carpenter, The Grey Gatsby & Vague Naouvelle. The success if his first crop led to him becoming Europe's champion First Season Sire of 2013.

Mastercraftsman also shuttles to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand, where High Chaparral formerly stood before his outstanding success led him to stand at Coolmore's. Australian based farm. His Shuttke crop have also yielded him Listed winner JackOfFall. 

Mastercraftsman's progeny were always expected to train on. Because of the success of his two-year-olds, many people were beginning to turn heads & notice his achievements. When his first crop turned three-year-olds there was great anticipation & also a bit of pressure for his three-year-olds to deliver, just as he had done. 

The Grey Gatsby got the ball rolling when winning the Group 2 Dante stakes, he was also a Group 3 winner as a two-year-old. Mastercraftsman now had two potential Derby horses in The Grey Gatsby & RP Trophy winner Kingston Hill. However connections of the former decided to swerve Epsom & head for the Prix Du Jockey Club. The Grey Gatsby duly obliged becoming his sires first classic winner & second individual Group 1 winner. Just a few weeks later Kingston Hill found all but Australia to good when running a fine second in the Group 1 Epsom Derby. 

The dry summer ment that Kingston Hill wasn't seen out after the derby until the Leger. While The Grey Gatsby had dissapointed on a return trip to France for the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris. 

Mastercraftsman was again in the headlines when The Grey Gatsby finished an honest second to Australia in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. Connections then revealed their colt would tackle Australia again in the Irish Champion Stakes while Kingston Hill was on course for a tilt at Britain's oldest classic, The St Leger.  

Saturday 13th September proved to be a phenomenal day for Mastercraftsman as his two Group 1 runners both came back as Group 1 winners. Kingston Hill was a very good winner of the Leger, while just a few hours later The Grey Gatsby out battled dual derby winner Australia in a thrilling Irish Champion Stakes. 

Mastercraftsman has since jumped to become the fourth leading sire in Europe behind Galileo, Invincible Spirit & Shamardal. He has also jumped ahead of Sea The Stars on the European Second Crop sires list. 

With Danehill Dancer now pensioned, a new generation of sires at Coolmore bid to take up the mantle piece. Mastercraftsman is well on his way to achieving that. 

"Value Sires" first foals

Dragon Pulse

Dragon Pulse set pulses racing in his 2yo career stepping up from his maiden win to winning the Group 2 Futurity stakes from subsequent Dewhurst winner Parish Hall & Derby placed Astrology. Dragon Pulse sold at the Goffs Orby sale for €120,000 as a yearling. He was described as a beautiful looking son of leading sprint sire Kyllachy. Dragon Pulse's first crop foals look the part & I am a huge fan of them. I think they will make a nice profit for the breeders at the sales. Dragon Pulse stands at The Irish National stud for a fee of €6,000. 

Born To Sea

This son of sire of sires Invincible Spirit looks sure to be a hit as a sire with his first foals. He is a 1/2 brother to two young sire sensations in Sea The Stars & Galileo. He is also a half sibling to four other stakes winners/performers. Born to Sea won his debut race, the Listed Blenheim stakes before running second in the Group 3 Killavullen. He also performed creditably as a three-year-old. He stands at Rathaskar stud for €10,000

Harbour Watch

 This attractive looking son of top class sprinter & proven sire of sires Acclamation was an unbeaten 2yo, his wins included the Group 3 Richmond stakes beating fellow Group winner Casper Netscher. Harbour Watch is a 1/2 brother to dual South Afriacn Group 1 winner Europa Point. He is also from the family of top class 2yo colt Timber Country. His first crop look good attractive individuals. Harbour Watch stands at Tweenhills stud for £7,500. 

Requinto

Requinto proved to be one of the top two-year-olds of his generation. He won four of his eight starts included three at stakes level including the Group 2 Molecomb stakes, the Group 3 Richmond & the Listed Danehill Dancer stakes. He is out of top two-year-old Damson. This is from the family of Group 1 2yo Arcano. Requinto's first foals have really pleased me. He stands at Coolmore stud at €4,000. 

Sir Prancealot

This son of Group 1 winner Tamayuz was described by leading trainer Richard Hannon as " a horse with a great attitude & a huge amount of ability". Sir Prancelot won three of his six career starts including the Group 2 Flying Childers & LR national stakes. Sir Prancealot is out of LR winning 2yo Mona Em & is a 1/2 brother to LR winner Nice Appluase. This is from the family of some stakes winning two-year-olds including Maledito, Bufalino & Govoner General. Sir Prancealot should do well with his first foals. Among them is a 1/2 sister to Group 1 2yo Toormore & Group 2 2yo Estidhkaar. He stands at Tally Ho stud for a fee of €6,000. 

Sea The Stars Stallion Career

Sea The Stars set pulses racing during the flat season in 2009, becoming World Champion with wins in the 2000G/Epsom Derby & Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe. 

When it was announced the unbeaten three-year-old would be retired to stud, rumours were circulating that he would be sold to stand in Japan. Thankfully his owners the T'sui's were dedicated to keeping him in Ireland. It was then rumoured that he would stand at The Irish National Stud, where he was foaled and raised & also where his dam the legendary Urban Sea spent until her death in April 2009. It was later announced Sea The Stars would stand at The Aga Khan studs alongside proven Group 1 sires Dalakhani & Azamour. With a fee set at €85,000, 130 mares were booked to the impeccably bred six times Group 1 winner, among them were 90 Group 1 winners/producers. 

Sea The Stars was always guaranteed to become a successful stallion. By leading miler Cape Cross, a son of the top class Green Desert. Sea The Stars was out of Arc winner Urban Sea. His half siblings included Dual derby winner & world leading sire Galileo, dual Group 1 winner & sire Black Sam Bellamy, Group 1 placed pair Melikah & All To Beautiful, Grade 1 winner My Typhoon & LR winning 2yo Born To Sea. 

There was great anticipation when Sea The Stars first crop turned two-year-olds. With 117 registered with Weatherby's. These two-year-olds included some regally bred youngsters out of Group 1 winners such as Alpine Rose, Speciousa, Zarkava, Queens Logic, Finsceal Beo, & Vodka. Sea The Stars profile suggested he would not become a major sire of two-year-olds. He himself won two of his three starts at two including at Group 2 level. While many judges expected that he should sire some Group 1 class two-year-olds. His only stakes winner among his first two-year-olds was Group 3 winner My Titania. However he did get some unbeaten eye catching two-year-olds including Rip Roaring, Taghrooda & Sea The Moon. While it was a fair start for his first crop. Some judges had been dissapointed with Sea The Stars first two-year-olds. However better things were to come. 

It was revealed that Sea The Stars received his lowest book of mares in 2011 which was his second season at stud receiving 87 mares, however his books increased rapidly in 2012 covering 150 mares and decreasing again in 2013 to 96 mares. 

Sea The Stars progeny were always expected to be in demand in the sales ring. His average sales for his first crop of foals in 2011 was €324,085 with a median of €246,305. While he had two mares in foal to him averaging €492,500. 

In 2012 his foal average decreased to €197,010 & the median to €230,000 however he only had three foals up for grabs at auction that year. He had five mares sell in foal to him for an average of €367,000 with a median of €480,000. His first yearlings averaged €248,767 with a median of €180,000. His top priced yearling was Edkhan who sold in Arqana for €1.200,000. 

In 2013 he had sixteen foals sell at auction for an average of €186,375 & a median of €180,000. He had nine mares sell in foal for an average of €224,000 with a median of €170,000. While his second crop of yearlings stood at twenty-three sold for an average of €185,054 and a median of €116,144, a decrease from his first Yearling sales in 2012. His highest priced yearling in 2013 was Globalist who sold for 460,000gns at Tattersalls. 

His first crop of three-year-olds however have brought Sea The Stars to be behind only the exceptional sire Galileo on the European sires of three-year-olds list. He is also the third leading sire in Europe in order of prize money behind only exceptional sires Galileo & Invincible Spirit. He is the sire of NINE individual Stakes Winners including three Group 1 winners. They are dual Group 1 winner Taghrooda, unbeaten German derby winner & Arc favourite Sea The Moon & Prix Alary winner Vazira. While his Group/Listed winners include Zarshana, Anipa, My Titania, Afternoon Sunlight, Sivoliere & All At Sea. 

The exceptional year Sea the Stars has had with his first classic crop will insure that he will continue to be well supported from breeders. His early yearling sales this year already look to become some of his best with two yearlings in the top 10 at Arqana at prices of €700,000 & €600,000. He has thirty-five yearlings catalogued in the prestigious Tattersalls Book 1 yearling sale in October, while at Goffs Orby sale he has eight yearlings. The Aga Khan Studs have also announced that due to high demand for Europe's most exciting young stallion Sea The Stars will cover a limited book of mares to Southern Hemisphere time. 

(Photo from pedigree query blog)