Lope de Vega Tops Ballylinch Stud's 2025 Roster

Lope de Vega (IRE) will stand for a career-high fee of €175,000 (US$185,646, €1=US$1.07) as Ballylinch Stud announced its roster for 2025, with Waldgeist (GB) set to be transferred to Gestut Lunzen. The son of Shamardal enjoyed a banner year this term with two classic winners in Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) heroine Rouhiya (FR) and Prix du Jockey Club (G1) victor Look de Vega (FR), in addition to Dewhurst Stakes (G1) and Middle Park Stakes (G1) winner Shadow of Light (GB). Other top-level winners in 2024 include American grade 1 scorers Program Trading (GB) and Carl Spackler (IRE), while the former Dermot Weld-trained Duke de Sessa (IRE) captured the Caulfield Cup (G1) last month. Lope de Vega was priced at €125,000 this year. Managing director John O'Connor said: "At Ballylinch Stud our stallion roster has a mix of proven high achievers and young talent with huge potential. We look forward to working with our clients to help them achieve continued success both on the racetrack and in the sales ring. "Lope de Vega continues to prove himself as a global sire sensation. He has again proven his effectiveness at the very highest level with the most group 1 winners, European classic winners, and black-type horses of any stallion worldwide this season. His ongoing success is underscored by his international appeal in the sales ring and the consistent results his progeny achieve on the global stage. His fee increase will coincide with a reduced book size for 2025." Waldgeist, having sired stakes winners Forest Fairy, May It Be, and Waldora from his first crop, returns to his female family's home roots in Germany. "Waldgeist has sired three stakes winners from his first crop this year, the highly regarded fillies May It Be, Waldora, and Forest Fairy. With his transfer to Gestut Lunzen in Germany under the management of Nikolas Schenke, Waldgeist returns to his roots, where his illustrious female family has thrived. We anticipate a bright future for Waldgeist as he continues to make an impact from his new home base." Top-class sire New Bay (GB), responsible for group 1 winners Saffron Beach (IRE), Bay Bridge (GB), and fellow Ballylinch resident Bayside Boy (IRE), will retain his 2024 fee of €75,000. The Prix du Jockey Club hero by Dubawi (IRE) is responsible for unbeaten Champagne Stakes (G2) winner Bay City Roller (IRE), German Two Thousand Guineas hero (G2) Devil's Point (IRE), and group 3 winner Alcantor (FR) this term. The last-named was also a half-length third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1). O'Connor added: "New Bay's latest crop of 2-year-olds has reaffirmed his status as one of Europe's finest sires, producing a plethora of highly rated and unbeaten juveniles. "His success on the track has resonated strongly in the sales ring, with yearlings selling for up to €620,000 and averaging €140,000 in 2024—almost four times their covering fee. With ever-improving books of mares, his future as a leading sire is assured and we anticipate a huge year for New Bay in 2025." The aforementioned Bayside Boy, a winner of the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) and 2021 Champagne Stakes, will stand for a trimmed €12,500, down from €15,000 in his first two seasons. O'Connor said of the 5-year-old: "Bayside Boy is New Bay's most precocious and fastest son to date. He's been given a great chance at stud with excellent books of mares in his first two seasons, in fact with those books he covered the highest percentage of both winners and black-type mares of any second-season sire in Ireland. "His foals look strong, well muscled, and very athletic, and now could be a very shrewd time to invest in him." Make Believe (GB), a proven group 1 sire courtesy of brilliant globetrotter Mishriff (IRE), has also been trimmed. His new fee is €8,000, down from €10,000 this year. His leading progeny this term include Italian group 2 scorers Lazio (GER) and Klaynn (IRE) as well as Prix Penelope (G3) scorer Making Dreams (IRE) and Prix Sigy (G3) winner Sajir (IRE). "Make Believe's black-type success rates are exceptional for a stallion at his fee, and his statistics rival some of the top sires in Europe, in fact his percentage of group winners to runners is the same as Siyouni, Havana Grey, Too Darn Hot, and Mehmas. "With seven stakes winners, including four group winners in 2024 alone, he offers breeders an unparalleled opportunity to breed top-class performers at a highly accessible fee. Trainers consistently praise his progeny for their attitude and will to win."