Coolmore Unveils Fees, City of Troy to Start at €75,000

Epsom Derby (G1) hero City of Troy has been given an opening fee of €75,000 when he begins stallion life at Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2025. The gifted Justify colt retires the winner of four group 1s, headed by this year's Derby at Epsom. City of Troy was unable to race to equine immortality in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), but he is regarded as a golden prospect for the leading global breeding operation. Using the exchange rate of Nov. 6 (€1=US$1.07), City of Troy's fee equates to about US$80,500. "Coolmore are delighted to welcome three outstanding new prospects for 2025," said Coolmore's director of sales David O'Loughlin. "City of Troy has long been the apple of Aidan O'Brien's eye and he couldn't be more positive on his sire Justify. He was an outstanding 2-year-old and again proved by far the best of his generation this year." While Auguste Rodin (IRE) is expected to take on this month's Japan Cup (G1), he already has an equally impressive CV with top-tier triumphs in the 2022 Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1) at Doncaster followed by the Derby, Irish Derby (G1), Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in 2023. He added the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot this year. "Auguste Rodin must be the best-value horse in Europe at €30,000 and is a fantastic-looking individual," said O'Loughlin. "Six group 1 successes at 2, 3, and 4, he's by a sensational stallion in Deep Impact, while his first three dams all performed at the highest level over a mile or less." It was only Nov. 4 that Coolmore also announced 2023 National Stakes (G1) winner Henry Longfellow (IRE) also would be retiring to its Irish headquarters in Tipperary. O'Loughlin added: "Henry Longfellow also offers tremendous value at just €15,000. Like his sire Dubawi, he went unbeaten in three starts at two including the group 1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, and he's arguably his best-looking son ever to retire to stud. "He showed top class form over a mile this season, most notably when going down by just a neck to Rosallion in the group 1 St James's Palace Stakes. And to cap it all, he's out of one of the best Galileo mares of all time and bred on the same cross as Night of Thunder." The biggest news among the established guard was with Wootton Bassett (GB), who has carried all before him this season with his first crop of Irish-bred 2-year-olds. His rise continues ever further and he will be available at a career-high €300,000. This is not only a big rise from the €200,000 fee of this year but comes in an extraordinary contrast to his opening fee back in France in 2012, when he was covering at €6,000 at Haras d'Etreham. No Nay Never, Coolmore's other six-figure stallion in Ireland, had his price trimmed slightly to €125,000 from €150,000. Camelot (GB), who was €50,000, has had a fine year with the likes of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) queen Bluestocking (GB) and Irish Derby winner Los Angeles (IRE). He climbs back to €75,000, his fee of 2022. Hello Youmzain Increases at Haras d'Etreham Haras d'Etreham was among a number of French studs to announce its fees. Hello Youmzain (FR), on track to make history among French sires with his first 2-year-olds this year, is set at €40,000, up from €22,500 in 2024. Currently Europe's leading first-season sire, he leads by both group winners and black-type horses and has a 40% win rate from just more than 40 runners. A major addition to the French stallion roster, Metropolitan (FR), the only classic winner by Zarak (FR) and the best miler of his generation in France, will debut at €15,000, as already announced. Charyn introduced at €35,000 at Sumbe Sumbe's five-strong roster at Haras de Montfort et Preaux in 2025 will be led by new arrival and soon to be crowned champion miler Charyn (IRE). The 4-year-old Dark Angel (IRE) colt is being prepared for one more start later this month in Asia after his fine victory at Ascot on Champions Day. A statement from Sumbe said: "Charyn's achievements in 2024 have been nothing less than remarkable with a historical treble of stallion-making group 1 wins in the Queen Anne Stakes, Prix Jacques le Marois, and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. "He is a rightful champion miler in Europe and perhaps the best horse of the year. We are looking forward to running him in Japan on Nov. 17, which will mark his final race before coming to France as a stallion with a fee of €35,000." Sea The Stars hits new high at Aga Khan Studs Another fine campaign for Sea The Stars (IRE) sees him elevated to a new peak fee of €250,000 at the top of the Aga Khan Studs roster in 2025. The 2009 Cartier Horse of the Year has made steady gains since retiring to Gilltown Stud in Ireland for 2010 and had been available at €200,000 this year. A statement from the Aga Khan Studs said: "Sea The Stars has enjoyed another fruitful season and is currently the leading sire of 3-year-olds in Europe in 2024, a crop that includes group 1 winner Sosie and group 2 winner and Arc runner-up Aventure. "He has achieved his highest ever number of annual stakes winners this year, with 28 to date including group-winning 2-year-old The Lion In Winter, currently favorite for next year's Two Thousand Guineas, and his yearlings have sold for an average of €363,000. His stud fee will be €250,000 in 2025." Siyouni (FR) heads the roster at Haras de Bonneval and his fee of €200,000 is unchanged. His flagbearer Mqse de Sevigne (IRE) added three more top-level victories to her impressive record. Zarak remains one of the brightest of the emerging talents and he shoots up to €80,000 from €60,000 after a return headed by Metropolitan. Blue Point, Too Darn Hot and Night Of Thunder big movers at Darley Dubawi (IRE) sits top of the tree in Darley's roster for 2025 with his fee unchanged at £350,000 for the third consecutive year, while Blue Point (IRE), Too Darn Hot (GB) and Night of Thunder (IRE) were the sires to be given the most notable promotions for the operation. Using the exchange rate of Nov. 6 (£1=US$1.29), Dubawi's fee equates to about US$450,000. Darley reported 22-year-old Dubawi will cover "a reduced number next year," on the heels of a campaign which saw him sire his fourth Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner in Notable Speech (GB) as well as the Epsom Oaks (G1) winner Ezeliya (FR). Kildangan resident Blue Point has surged to six-figure status at €100,000, having leapt up to €60,000 for this year following his stellar freshman season. Three-time group 1 winner Rosallion (IRE) has been his flagbearer along with top-class sprinters Big Evs (IRE) and Kind of Blue (GB). Another member of the Irish division is Dubawi's son and heir apparent Night of Thunder, who was behind the Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics (GB) and brilliant juvenile fillies Desert Flower (IRE) and Fairy Godmother (IRE). He will stand at a fee of €150,000 in 2025, up from €100,000. Too Darn Hot, who has managed equally sensational returns in both hemispheres from his first two crops, has jumped from £65,000 to £90,000 at Dalham Hall. The first yearlings by Palace Pier (GB) (£32,000) and Space Blues (IRE) (€16,000) have gone through the ring this year, while Naval Crown (GB) and Perfect Power (IRE) (€9,000 and £7,500) will be well represented at the forthcoming foal sales. First-season sires Earthlight (IRE) (€12,500), Ghaiyyath (IRE) (€20,000), and Pinatubo (IRE) (£30,000) have all made promising starts with their first runners. Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said: "To have three stallions of the caliber of Blue Point, Night of Thunder, and Too Darn Hot is a source of immense pride to the whole team, particularly as they are sons of our own breed-shapers Dubawi and Shamardal. "Our roster provides breeders with a wealth of choices for their mares, from our proven sires to exciting young stallions, and we look forward to showing them in the coming months."