Racing

Ghaiyyath to begin stud career at €30,000 in Kildangan

Stallions fees have been reduced across the board in climate of economic uncertainty

Ghaiyyath ridden by jockey William Buick on the way to winning the Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse in August before his retirement. Photo: David Davies - Pool/Getty Images

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Brian O'Connor
Mon Nov 9 2020 - 14:42

Ghaiyyath, the world’s top-rated racehorse this year, will begin his stallion career at a fee of €30,000 next year.

The son of Dubawi, who raced for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, will stand at Kildangan Stud in Co. Kildare for 2021.

On Monday Ghaiyyath’s initial fee was announced among the list of stallions in the Sheikh’s Darley breeding empire in Europe.

They include Dubawi himself, one of the world’s leading stallions, who stands at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket at an unchanged fee of £250,000 (€276,000).

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That is in contrast to the majority of the 28 stallions Darley stand in all between England, Ireland and France with 17 of them having their fee reduced in a climate of economic uncertainty.

Over a third have had their prices trimmed by at least 25 per cent.

Even Teofilo, who enjoyed a highly successful 2020 with six individual Group 1 winners, including last week’s Melbourne Cup hero, Twilight Payment, has been cut from €40,000 to €30,000.

The notable exception is another Kildangan-based sire, Night Of Thunder, whose price has trebled for next season to €75,000.

Another notable new recruit at Kildangan is the Middle Park and Prix Morny winner Earthlight (€20,000) while the top-rated two year old in quarter of a century, Pinatubo, will stand in England at a fee of £35,000 (€39,000).

A challenge

Darley’s director of stallions, Sam Bullard, said: “It is a source of great pride that the best horse in the world this year, and the best two year old for a generation, are not just retiring to Darley having raced for Godolphin but are themselves the sons of Darley stallions.”

He added: “While 2020 has undoubtedly been a challenge there has been remarkable resilience in parts of the yearling market and buyers have shown great confidence in the product of European breeders’ labours.”

In other flat news Saturday night’s shock 73-1 Breeders Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia has been boosted almost a stone in official ratings to a mark of 120.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board raised Aidan O’Brien’s runner 13lbs in official handicap terms following his defeat of stable companions Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez at Keeneland.

Saturday night’s other Irish-trained winner at the Breeders Cup, Tarnawa, has been hiked by 2lbs to a career high mark of 121 after defeating Magical in the $4 million Turf race over a mile and a half.