This year’s covering season may now be well underway but it isn’t too late for a last-minute booking and, even better, armed with some pertinent facts about horses born later in the spring.
In recent years, many of the season’s major G1 contests have been won by horses foaled in April and beyond, including the July Cup, Prix Jean Prat, St James’s Palace Stakes, Prix de l’Abbaye, Middle Park, Prix Poule d’Essai de Pouliches, Diamond Jubilee, Nunthorpe, Dewhurst, Prix de la Foret, Prix du Moulins.
The early signs so far this season for the Darley stallions also look very promising, with no fewer than three Group-winning three-year-olds who were conceived in April, May and the end of June.
A Lilac Rolla (foaled on 4 April) opened Harry Angel’s 2024 Black Type account on 7 April when maintaining her unbeaten record in the G3 Priory Belle Stakes, a trial for the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas which she holds an entry for.
The John Cullinan-bred filly is one of two Classic trial winners for Harry Angel, with Esquire winning the Greenham on Saturday. He is sire of an unbeatable four Group or Listed winners in April – the best in the world! Harry Angel stands at Dalham Hall Stud at a very competitive £10,000, Oct 1 SLF.
Also on 7 April, Atlast (Farhh) who was born on the very last day in May, successfully stepped up to Stakes company in the G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp. He could well shape into a contender for the French Derby.
Two days later, the April-foaled Territories colt Lazzat remained unbeaten in four starts with a stylish victory in the G3 Prix Djebel. Territories is enjoying a superb start to the season in France, with seven winners so far.
It is also worth noting that the Listed Prix Cor de Chasse on the same card was won by another ‘late arrival’ in Vicious Harry (Harry Angel), with the G2 Prix Robert Papain third adding further Black Type to his record.
If you have a late foaling mare that you would like to discuss, please call the nominations team on +44 (0)1638 730070 or +353 (0)45 527600.
