WHY DOES THE SHUTTLE ONLY WORK IN ONE DIRECTION?
In the last 72 hours, several Australian stallions have shone in France. However, the shuttle seems to be at a standstill. Why? Is this also the case in the other direction, that is to say the European stallions who will be breeding in Australia?
By Adrien Cugnasse
Sunday is Dubai Honour (Pride of Dubai) who won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1). The day before, Mgheera (Zoustar) dominated the Prix Hampton (L). Two products of Australian stallions but who were conceived in Europe. When you look closely, this is becoming extremely rare. If you look at the long list of black type events already run this year in Europe, you can find traces of the successes of Bright Stripes (Starspangled Banner) a Ireland, they Stay Alert (Fastnet Rock) en Angleterre, d’Atzeco (Fastnet Rock) en Italie et de Maigret (Counterattack) in Germany. That’s six wins out of the 300 black type events that have been run since January in the five major European countries. A drop in the ocean of bold type.
Is the shuttle broken?
Among the fathers of these black type winners, only Starspangledbanner (Choose) continues to take the plane. Pride of Dubai (Street Cry) et Zoustar (Northern Meteor) have not been breeding in Europe this year. Landline Rock (Danehill) has not bred in the Northern Hemisphere since 2021 (and he retired in 2024). Counterattack (Redoute’s Choice) has never officiated in the Southern Hemisphere. In England, this year, there were simply no more Australian-born stallions offered for public service. In Ireland, there are only two left, Kuroshio (Exceed and Excel) and Starspangledbanner. If we look at the top 50 stallions for the 2024 European season, we find only one Australian by birth (again and again Starspangledbanner) but three Americans (No Nay Never, Justify and Caravaggio).
At the same time, we learned this morning at dawn that Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) would no longer make the trip and that he would now only cover in Europe. After some resounding failures in Europe of established stallions in the antipodes – So you Think (High Chaparral) from Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) – one may therefore wonder whether “double season” is a dead and buried concept.
Two rooms, two atmospheres
In fact, we see that the top 50 sires of winners in Australia still include a significant number of stallions born in the Northern Hemisphere: Theophilus (12e), Tornado (13e), American Pharoah (20e), Shala (31e), Maurice (36e), Justify (43e), Almanzor (49th) and Flourishing (50th). In Australia, Coolmore continues to offer Churchill (Galileo), St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) and Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj). For his part, Darley offers breeders from the antipodes Blue Point (Shamardal), Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), Harry Angel (Dark Angel), Native Trail (Oasis Dream), Grown up (Shamardal) or even Winner of the Games (Shamardal).
We don’t take the risk of sending a stallion to the other side of the world for tourism. If they go there, it’s because the local market is interested in them. In terms of shuttle, in 2024, it’s a bit like “two rooms, two atmospheres”: Europe doesn’t want Australian sires or no longer wants them, but Australia and New Zealand are still opening the door a little to young stallions from Europe.
Does this really not work?
The market, all over the world, has become ultra-selective, even though in horse racing and breeding, success remains the exception. This is particularly true in Ireland and England. And the market, precisely, needs positive examples to cling to in order to start a trend. A good number of the first sons at the stud of Dubavi (Dubai Millennium) or Pivotal (Polar) have not worked miracles, but a few notable successes (Siyouni, New Bay, Zarak, Night of Thunder…) are enough for them to be perceived as fathers of fathers. When Justify (Scat Daddy) ou No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) “come out” of the classics, we have already forgotten the other sons of Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) who have gone out the back door to stud outside Europe… My question is: in the ocean of young sires who start every year, have enough Australian stallions been tried in Europe to be certain that it is a complete and utter failure?
To be completely honest, I’m not sure. Because in the end, they have always been an ultra-minority among the dozens of newcomers who arrive every year in the European park. Now, as we know, even among the best profiles, you have to try a lot to “bring out” a pearl. In addition, several have had quite enviable results with their products designed during their European seasons, such as Landline Rock (13% of black types per starter), Exceed and Excel (12% of black types per starter) or even Starspangledbanner (13% black types per runner). Such a success rate corresponds to the top 20 active stallions in Europe (according to this criterion). But to make an impression and convince European breeders to seek out more Australians, it would have taken an equivalent success – at sales and in Grs1 – to that of a Lope de Vega (Shamardal), and a Wootton Bassett or of a Kingman (Invincible Spirit). This is the power of the positive example. On the other hand, anything that does not correspond to this is not considered a success. There is no nuance, no “flexibility” in the judgment of the “invisible hand”: it is black or it is white. Some Australian stallions have transmitted respiratory problems that have cooled the European actors. And when a horse like Redoute’s Choice fails – against all expectations – in Europe, the breeders are like
…
