The brilliant middle-distance horse Montjeu (by Sadler's Wells) died quite young at stud but was already established as one of Europe's leading classic sires. That tally includes Marked Marvel, the three-length conqueror of Brown Panther in 2011's edition of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster. He stands at Haras d'Etreham in France.

The best of three stakes winners out of the Group 2 Falmouth Stakes runner-up Waldmark (by Mark of Esteem), those siblings include Walderche (by Monsun), the Group 3 Prix Penelope scorer whose Andre Fabre-trained son Waldgeist (by Galileo) advertised his classic potential with victory in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in late November.

Waldmark is a half-sister to the Group 1 Deutsches Derby winner and Haras du Thenney stallion Waldpark (by Dubawi), who also had his first foals in 2016, and their dam is the dual joint-champion Wurftaube (by Acatenango), a Group 1-placed filly who won both the Group 2 Gerling Preis and Group 2 Deutsches St Leger.

Her half-sister Wurfscheibe (by Tiger Hill)  was a multiple pattern winner in Germany and her stakes-placed half-sister Wurfspiel (by Lomitas) is the dam of this year's Grade 1 Man O' War Stakes winner Wake Forest (by Sir Percy), a colt who was Group 1-placed in Italy before crossing the Atlantic.

MASKED MARVEL (GB) - b.2008 - Montjeu - Waldpark, 4 wins inc St Leger (Gr1), Bahrain Trophy (Gr3), Cocked Hat Stakes (L), 2nd Craven Plate (Gr3), 3rd Coronation Cup (Gr1), Bacardi Hill Stakes (Gr2). Sire in France. First foals in 2016.

FOALS CATALOGUED
bf - Mandina (by Saint Des Saints)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - Mona Vassy (by Sleeping Car)     Arqana     Dec      €24,000
bf - Orange Bitter (by Night Shift)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - Sainte Russy (by Saint Des Saints)     Arqana     Dec      €40,000
bf - Sary Flight (by Turtle Bowl)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - To Much Fun (by Act One)     Arqana     Dec      ​not sold

The earliest stallion sons of Shamardal (by Giant's Causeway) with runners include Lope De Vega and Casamento and their early success augurs well for the prospects of those in earlier stages of their second career. Haras de Saint Arnoult's Sommerabend is among them and he covered 71 mares in his first season.

The high-class miler was prolific, his blacktype wins featured the Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud and the Group 2 Grosse Europa Meile at Munich, and Timeform rated him 120 at the age of seven.

His dam, Sommernacht (by Monsun), was runner-up in the Group 3 Premio Primi Passi over six furlongs at San Siro as a juvenile, but his siblings include the 11-furlong Group 3 scorer Sommertag (by Tiger Hill), 10-furlong listed race winner Sinnerman (by Tiger Hill), and the stakes-placed middle-distance filly Sommerflora (by Pivotal).

His grandam, Shona (by Windwurf), was a stakes winner in Germany and her descendants also include the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin scorer Sirius (by Dashing Blade), whose best performance in 2016 was when runner-up to Ito in the Group 2 Gerling-Preis, also over 12 furlongs.

SOMMERABEND (GB) - b.2007 - Shamardal - Sommernacht, 12 wins inc Prix du Muguet (Gr2), Grosse Europa Meile (Gr2), Prix de la Porte Maillot (Gr3), Prix Edmond Blanc (Gr3), Prix Luthier (L), Prix Jacques de Bremond (L), Grand Prix Anjou-Bretagne (L), 2nd Prix du Palais-Royal (Gr3), Prix Perth (Gr3-twice), 3rd Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2), Prix du Pin (Gr3-twice). Sire in France. First foals in 2016.

FOALS CATALOGUED (updated)
bf - Anasy (by Gone West)     Arqana     Dec      not sold
bc - Calle A Venise (by Invincible Spirit)     Arqana     Dec      €15,000
bc - Cruise Dancer (by Ishiguru)     Arqana     Dec      ​not sold
bf - Estella (by Acatenango)     Arqana     Dec      €20,000
bc - Fedora (by Cape Cross)     Arqana     Dec      €6,000