It is disappointing when a talented two-year-old doesn’t return to the track at three, instead going straight to stud. Fasliyev was injured, so that was understandable, and Holy Roman Emperor was reportedly being prepared for the classics when shipped to stud to replace the infertile George Washington. Teofilo remained in training at three but was unable to return to the track due to a setback, but he covered his first book at four.

Two of that trio became leading sires, and classic sires, whereas the other one was one of those stallions who make a flashy start with first-crop juveniles only to have that spark peter out. He has, however, sired many winners and some talented stakes winners.

Dark Angel, on the other hand, was a somewhat lowly-rated Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner who was surprisingly packed off to stud rather than enter training at three. This was before the enhanced three-year-old sprint programme that has been such a tremendous addition to the calendar.

The move proved to be huge success and he now commands one of the highest fees in Europe. He is the stallion who gave us Group/Grade 1 stars Battaash, Harry Angel, Hunt, Lethal Force, Mecca’s Angel, and Persuasive, he has a growing string of sons at stud, and it could just be a matter of time before he gets his first Group 1 classic star.

​Those sire sons include Lethal Force, Tough As Nails, current freshmen Alhebayeb and Heeraat, and also Gutaifan, a leading sprint juvenile who, like his sire, covered his first book of mares as a three-year-old. The latter stands alongside his sire at Yeomanstown Stud.

Gutaifan's Timeform rating of 117 is higher than that of his sire (113), he was a Group 1-placed dual Group 2 scorer, finished down the field in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on his only time out of the frame, and from just over 200 mares mares in his initial season, he has 151 individuals in that first crop.

He is the best of eight winners out of Alikhlas (by Lahib), his dam’s siblings include listed scorer and dual 12-furlong Group 2-placed filly Sahool (by Unfuwain), and also the dams of Maraahel (by Alzao) and Ventura Storm (by Zoffany). The former, a dual Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes winner, was placed in a string of the top 10-12 furlong Group 1 events, while the latter, a 12-furlong Group 1 scorer in Italy and now Group 1-placed in Australia, was runner-up in the Group 1 St Leger.

So Gutaifan represents what has been a stamina-oriented immediate family, and it seems that his sire’s speed must have combined with that from the third generation of his pedigree, even though his unraced third dam, Manal (by Luthier), was a full-sister to the Group 1-placed middle-distance pattern winners Tip Moss and Twig Moss.

There you will find Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner Muhbubh (by Blushing Groom), seven-furlong Group/Grade 2 scorers Kayrawan (by Mr Prospector) and Sayedah (by Darshaan), and six-furlong Group 2 winners Magical Memory (by Zebedee), Haatef (by Danzig), and Asfurah (by Dayjur), among others of note.

This is going to make Gutaifan an interesting prospect as a stallion, and, like his sire, he will probably get his best winners at anywhere from five to 10 furlongs.

GUTAIFAN (IRE) - gr.2013 - Dark Angel - Alikhlas, 4 wins inc Flying Childers Stakes (Gr2), Prix Robert Papin (Gr2), 2nd Prix Morny (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2017.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED
Brc - Aja (by Excellent Art)     Goffs UK     August     £40,000
Bf - Al Andalyya (by Kingmambo)     Tattersalls     October     50,000gns
Bf - Always Gentle (by Redback)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Bc - Alyaafel (by Cape Cross)     Arqana     August     €170,000
Bc - Anadolu (by Statue Of Liberty)     Goffs     February     €31,000
Bc - Anadolu (by Statue Of Liberty)     Goffs     October     €50,000 (p/s)
Bf - Anna Law (by Lawman)     Tattersalls     October     180,000gns
Brc - Aqraan (by In The Wings)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Grc - Arabian Pearl (by Refuse To Bend)     Tattersalls     October     225,000gns
Grf - Asgardella (by Duke Of Marmalade)     Goffs     October     €13,000
Bf - Avenbury (by Mount Nelson)     Goffs UK     August     £15,000 (p/s)
Bc - Bali Breeze (by Common Grounds)     Goffs     October     €105,000
Grc - Beguiler (by Refuse To Bend)     Goffs UK     August     £75,000
Grf - Bella Ophelia (by Baltic King)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Grf - Best New Show (by Clodovil)     Goffs     October     €25,000
Bc - Boom And Boom (by Lawman)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Grc - Boucheron (by Galileo)     Goffs     February     €38,000
Grc - Boucheron (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     48,000gns
Bf - Brosnan (by Champs Elysees)     Goffs     October     €8,000
Grc - Burning Dawn (by Bernstein)     Tatts IRE     September     €12,000 (p/s)
Bc - C'Est Ma Souer (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bc - C'Est Ma Souer (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     November     55,000gns
Grc - Can Dance (by Manduro)     Arqana     August     €16,000
Bc - Cape Factor (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Grc - Carallia (by Common Grounds)     Tattersalls     October     50,000gns
Bc - Caribbean Queen (by Celtic Swing)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grc - Champs d'Or (by Champs Elysees)     Tattersalls     October     3,000gns
Brc - City Dazzler (by Elusive City)     Goffs     February     not sold
Brc - City Dazzler (by Elusive City)     Tatts IRE     September     €20,000
Bf - Classic Style (by Desert Style)     Tatts IRE     September     €15,000
Grc - Cockney Rhyme (by Cockney Rebel)     Goffs     February     €23,000
Grc - Cockney Rhyme (by Cockney Rebel)     Tattersalls     October     21,000gns
Grf - Coco Rouge (by Shamardal)     Goffs     October     €26,000
Grc - Cosenza (by Bahri)     Tattersalls     October     2,000gns
Bc - Coursing (by Kyllachy)     Goffs UK     August     £20,000
Bc - Crystal Morning (by Cape Cross)     Goffs UK     August     £50,000
Bc - Dame Alicia (by Sadler’s Wells)     Goffs     October     not sold
Bc - Deora De (by Night Shift)     Goffs UK     August     £58,000
Grf - Dinka Raja (by Woodman)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bc - Divine Design (by Barathea)     Goffs     October     €55,000 (p/s)
Brf - Dixiedoodledandy (by Desert Style)     Goffs     February     not sold
Bc - Dominatrix (by Whipper)     Goffs UK     August     £100,000
Bf - Don't (by Invincible Spirit)     Arqana     November     withdrawn
Grf - Doula (by Gone West)     Tattersalls     October     4,500gns
Bc - Dust Flicker (by Suave Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     140,000gns
Blc - Edge Of Love (by Kyllachy)     Goffs UK     August     £5,000
Brc - Elektra Marino (by Mount Nelson)     Goffs UK     August     withdrawn
Grf - Ellasha (by Shamardal)     Tattersalls     October     ​30,000gns
Bf - Exclusion (by Include)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bc - Female Strategy (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Tatts IRE     September     withdrawn
Bc - Female Strategy (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Tattersalls     November     withdrawn
Bc - Flames To Dust (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     August     £13,500
Bc - Galileo's Star (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     October     21,000gns
Bc - Galileos Daughter (by Galileo)     Tatts IRE     September     €8,000
Blc - Gerash (by Layman)     Goffs     October     €52,000
Bc - Great Artist (by Desert Prince)     Arqana     October     €6,000
Bc - Green Chorus (by Oratorio)     Tattersalls     October     withdrawn
Bc - Green Poppy (by Green Desert)     Goffs UK     August     £7,000
Bc - Green Ridge (by Green Tune)     Arqana     October     €18,000
Br/grc - Hairicin (by Hurricane Run)     Goffs     October     €40,000
Bc - Heeby Heeby (by Lawman)     Tatts IRE     September     €9,500
Grf - Holly’s Kid (by Pulpit)     Goffs     February     not sold
Grf - Holly’s Kid (by Pulpit)     Tatts IRE     September     €16,000
Bc - Island Sunset (by Trans Island)     Tattersalls     October     45,000gns
Grf - Kyanight (by Kodiac)     Goffs UK     August     £5,500
Bf - La Reine Mambo (by High Yield)     Goffs     October     €6,000
Bc - Lady Catherine (by Bering)     Goffs     November     not sold
Grf - Lady Marita (by Dandy Man)     Tatts IRE     September     €12,000
Bc - Lady Natilda (by First Trump)     Goffs     October     withdrawn
Bc - Lathaat (by Dubai Destination)     Goffs     February     €17,000
Bc - Lathaat (by Dubai Destination)     Goffs UK     August     £32,000
Bf - Lillebonne (by Danehill Dancer)     Arqana     August     €65,000
Grc - Lily Again (by American Post)     Tattersalls     October     43,000gns
Bc - Lost Shilling (by Noverre)     Goffs     February     €31,000
Bc - Lost Shilling (by Noverre)     Goffs UK     August     withdrawn
Grf - Love Action (by Motivator)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Grf - Lovely Thought (by Dubai Destination)     Tattersalls     October     8,000gns
Bf - Mags Rock (by Fastnet Rock)     Goffs     February     not sold
Bf - Mansiya (by Vettori)     Goffs     October     €27,000
Bf - Maracuja (by Medicean)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Grc - Margarita (by Marju)     Goffs UK     August     £28,000
Grf - Maybe Grace (by Hawk Wing)     Tattersalls     October     20,000gns
Grf - Midnight Oasis (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     August     £48,000
Bc - Mimisel (by Selkirk)     Tattersalls     October     75,000gns
Bf - Miskin Diamond (by Diamond Green)     Goffs UK     August     £62,000
Brc - Miss America (by Bernardini)     Tatts IRE     September     €13,500
Grc - Miss Mary (by Multiplex)     Goffs     November     €10,000
Bf - Montefino (by Shamardal)     Goffs     October     €360,000
Grc - More Respect (by Spectrum)     Goffs     October     €85,000
Grc - Ms Sasha Malia (by Verglas)     Tattersalls     October     75,000gns
Bf - Murrieta (by Docksider)     Tattersalls     October     12,000gns
Bc - Musica E Magia (by King's Theatre)     Goffs     November     ​not sold
Bc - Musically (by Singspiel)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Brf - Naruko (by Street Cry)     Tatts IRE     September     €15,000
Bf - Nectar Grey (by Mastercraftsman)     SGA     September     €8,000
Grf - Novel Fun (by Noverre)     Tatts IRE     September     €20,000
Brc - Oh Sedulous (by Lawman)     Goffs     October     €95,000
Grc - Ophelia’s Song (by Halling)     Tatts IRE     September     €5,000 (p/s)
Brf - Payphone (by Anabaa)     Tattersalls    October     45,000gns
​Grc - Peace Talks (by Pivotal)     Tatts IRE     September     €20,000
Grc - Pilosa (by Arcano)     Tattersalls     October     24,000gns
Grc - Princess Of Troy (by Tiger Hill)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bf - Queenofthenorth (by Halling)     Tattersalls     October     not sold
Grf - Rahaala (by Indian Ridge)     Goffs UK     August     £45,000
Brc - Rayon Rouge (by Manduro)     Goffs UK     August     £18,000 (p/s)
Bf - Reality (by Slickly)     Baden-Baden     August     €7,000
Bc - Renaissance Rio (by Captain Rio)     Tattersalls     October     80,000gns
Grc - Rex Regina (by King’s Best)     Osarus     September     withdrawn
Grc - Rex Regina (by King's Best)     Arqana     October     ​withdrawn
Grc - Rex Regina (by King's Best)     Arqana     November     withdrawn
Grf - Rhythm And Rhyme (by Elnadim)     Goffs UK     August     £8,000
Bc - Rich Gift (by Cadeaux Genereux)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bc - Ride For Roses (by Barathea)     Goffs UK     August     £33,000
Grf - Rugged Up (by Marju)     Goffs UK     August     £20,000
Bc - Rumline (by Royal Applause)     Goffs UK     August     £42,000
Bc - Sabinillas (by Clodovil)     Tatts IRE     September     €18,000
Bf - Salmon Rose (by Iffraaj)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Grc - Scarborough Lily (by Dansili)     Goffs     November     €3,500
Grc - Scarlet Rosefinch (by Cockney Rebel)     Tattersalls    October     20,000gns
Bc - Scent Of Summer (by Rock Hard Ten)     Tattersalls     October     28,000gns
Bc - She’s A Character (by Invincible Spirit)     Tatts IRE     September     €27,000
Grc - Silken Satinwood (by Refuse To Bend)     Goffs UK     August     £12,000
Bc - Spicy (by Footstepsinthesand)     Tatts IRE     September     €38,000
Grc - Soxy Doxy (by Hawk Wing)     Goffs UK     August     not sold
Bc - Spirited Acclaim (by Acclamation)     Goffs UK     August     £26,000
Bc - St Athan (by Authorized)     Tatts IRE Ascot     September     £15,000
Grf - Stained Glass (by Dansili)     Goffs     February     withdrawn
Grf - Stained Glass (by Dansili)     Goffs     November     €1,000
Bc - Streamer (by Medicean)     Tattersalls     October     18,000gns
Bc - Suite (by Invincible Spirit)     Goffs     October     €25,000
Bf - Supreme Seductress (by Montjeu)     Tattersalls     October     200,000gns
Grf - Sveva (by Danehill Dancer)     Tattersalls     October     9,000gns
Bf - Tamarisk (by Selkirk)     Goffs UK     August     £70,000
Grc - Teeline (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     February     €40,000
Grc - Teeline (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     October     €150,000
Brf - The Oldladysays No (by Perugino)     Goffs     November     not sold
Bf - Timbre (by Dubai Destination)     Tatts IRE     September     €2,000
Bc - Tooley Woods (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls     October     8,000gns
Grf - Tranquil Sky (by Intikhab)     Goffs     October     €8,000
Bc - Treasure The Lady (by Indian Ridge)     Goffs     February     €13,500
Bc - Treasure The Lady (by Indian Ridge)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
Bc - Twiggy’s Girl (by Manduro)     Tatts IRE     September     not sold
B/brc - Ursula (by Namid)     Goffs     November     €1,000
Grf - Vale Of Belvoir (by Mull Of Kintyre)     Goffs     November     €4,500
Bf - Valentina Guest (by Be My Guest)     Goffs     February     €9,000
Bf - Valentina Guest (by Be My Guest)     Tatts IRE     September     withdrawn
Grf - Violet's Gift (by Cadeaux Genereux)     Tattersalls     October     38,000gns
Bc - Whatever You Do (by Barathea)     Goffs     February     not sold
Bc - Whatever You Do (by Barathea)     Tatts IRE     September     €32,000
Bc - With A Twist (by Excellent Art)     Goffs     October     €4,500
Bf - Wonderful Town (by Bernstein)     Goffs     October     €5,000
Bf - Worthington (by Kodiac)     Goffs UK     August     £30,000
Bc - Xema (by Danehill)     Goffs UK     August     £100,000
Brf - Yet Again (by Oasis Dream)     Tatts IRE     September     ​€20,000

Dark Angel (by Acclamation) has been a surprise hit at stud and there are already several stallion sons among his 38 individual stakes winners. Group 1 star Lethal Force and Group 1-placed Tough As Nails have two-year-olds – with the former having made a very promising start with his earliest runners – Group 2 winner Alhebayeb has yearlings, Gutaifan was one of the most popular new sires of 2016, and Markaz began his career at Derrinstown Stud in the spring.

The roll of honour also includes the pattern-winning sprinter Heeraat, a Mickley Stud stallion who covered 97 mares in his first season and whose first foals made up to 38,000gns. He won once from three starts at two, two from eight at three, got his Group 3 win at four and earned a Timeform rating of 118.

Heeraat is a half-brother to the Listed Dragon Stakes winner and Group 3 Molecomb Stakes third Ambiance (by Camacho) and his dam, Thawrah (by Green Desert), is an unraced half-sister to the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Malhub (by Kingmambo), a blacktype sire in South Africa, and to the US Grade 3 scorer Dhaamer (by Dubai Destination).

Thawrah's siblings also include her full-sister Nebraas and what makes that one notable is that she is the dam of the dual Group 3 scorer Yellow Rosebud (by Jeremy), of pattern-placed stakes winner Seeharn (by Pivotal), and of the stakes-placed handicapper Megan Lily (by Dragon Pulse).

Arjuzah (by Ahonoora), who won the Listed Sceptre Stakes and finished third in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, is the grandam of Heeraat and this half-sister to listed scorer Ormsby (by Ela-Mana-Mou) was a full-sister to Missing You, the stakes-placed grandam of the juvenile stakes winners Dubai Dynamo (by Kyllachy) and Sadeek (by Kyllachy).

If you go back to the fourth generation of the family then you will find branches that lead to the Group/Grade 1 winners Mourjane (by Pitskelly), Anka Germania (by Malinowski), Deputy Commander (by Deputy Minister), and Sudirman (by Henrythenavigator), along with a string of other stakes and pattern winners who including the Group 1-placed sprinter and successful sire Dandy Man (by Mozart).

The relationship of those horses to Heeraat is remote, but as a talented Dark Angel horse who has Green Desert as a broodmare sire and a leading sprinter among his close relations, he has the potential to sire some talented sprinters and milers.

HEERAAT (IRE) – b.2009 – Dark Angel – Thawrah, 5 wins inc Hackwood Stakes (Gr3), 2nd Hackwood Stakes (Gr3), City Walls Stakes (L). Sire in England. First foals in 2016.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED:
bc - All Fur Coat (by Multiplex)     Goffs UK     Aug     £150,000
bc - Aquasulis (by Titus Livius)     Tattersalls     Oct     31,000gns
​bc - Ardbrae Tara (by Galileo)     Goffs     Sept     €57,000
bc - Blades Princess (by Needwood Blade)     Goffs UK     Aug     £10,000
bc - Contenance (by Dansant)     Tattersalls     Nov     26,000gns
​bc - Coy (by Danehill)     Goffs UK     Aug     withdrawn
bc - Coy (by Danehill)     Tattersalls     Oct     30,000gns
bc - Ellway Queen (by Bahri)     Tattersalls     Oct     9,500gns
bc - Emperatriz (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Goffs UK     Aug     £14,000
bc - First Rains (by Green Desert)     Goffs     Oct     not sold
bf - Flirtinaskirt (by Avonbridge)     Goffs UK     Aug     £30,000
bf - Fortunately (by Forzando)     Goffs UK     Aug     £28,000
bc - Future Regime (by Xaar)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €2,200
bf - Honky Tonk Queen (by Mizzen Mast)     Tattersalls     Oct     2,000gns
bc - Kallisima (by Arcano)     Goffs UK     Aug     £5,500
bc - Lady Caprice (by Kyllachy)     Goffs UK     Aug     £28,000 (p/s)
​bc - Lexington Rose (by Captain Gerrard)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €29,000
bf - Limegrove (by Captain Gerrard)     Tattersalls IRE Ascot     Sept     not sold
bc - Madam Mojito (by Smart Strike)     Goffs UK     Aug     £18,000
bc - Mimi Mouse (by Diktat)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €20,000
bc - Obsessive Secret (by Grand Lodge)     Tattersalls     Oct     25,000gns
bf - Otrooha (by Oasis Dream)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €14,000
bc - Passkey (by Medicean)     Tattersalls     Oct     4,000gns
bc - Piranha (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs UK     Aug     £100,000
bc - Plead (by Bering)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bc - Princess of Rock (by Rock of Gibraltar)     Tattersalls     Oct     16,000gns
bc - Ringtail (by Street Cry)     Goffs UK     Aug     £48,000
bf - Say A Prayer (by Indesatchel)     Tattersalls     Oct     6,000gns
bf - Skylla (by Kyllachy)     Goffs UK     Aug     £32,000
bf - Sophie'jo (by Agnes World)     Tattersalls IRE Ascot     Sept     £5,000
bc - Sound Of Life (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €24,000
bf - Tenbridge (by Avonbridge)     Tattersalls IRE Ascot     Sept     £3,000
bf - Tiger Club (by Dr Fong)     Goffs     Oct     €7,000
b/brc - Tomintoul Magic (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Goffs UK     Aug     £48,000
bc - Virtuality (by Elusive Quality)     Tattersalls     Oct     100,000gns
bc - Word Perfect (by Diktat)     Tattersalls     Oct     7,500gns
bf - Zaghruta (by Gone West)     Goffs UK     Aug     £3,000

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED:
grc - Abhasana (by Hawk Wing)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bc - Al Amlah (by Riverman)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     ​€25,000
grc - Alnawiyah (by Dalakhani)     Tattersalls     Oct     15,000gns
bc - America Alone (by Dalakhani)     Goffs     Sept     ​€40,000
b/grc - Analasa (by Singspiel)     Goffs     Oct     
bf - Antibes (by Grand Lodge)     Goffs     Feb     €15,000
bc - Assumption (by Beckett)     Goffs     Feb     €4,000
bc - Assumption (by Beckett)     Goffs     Sept     ​€10,000
bc - Azia (by Desert Story)     Tattersalls     Oct     105,000gns
grf - Belclare (by Verglas)     Goffs     Oct     
brf - Birthday (by Singspiel)     Goffs     Sept     ​€20,000
roc - Caerella (by Alzao)     Tattersalls     Oct     
grf - Calibrate (by Rail Link)     Arqana     Oct     not sold
grc - Call This Cat (by One Cool Cat)     Goffs UK     Aug     £42,000
bc - Cantaloupe (by Priolo)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
grc - Cape Violet (by Cape Cross)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €15,000
bc - Caribbean Ace (by Red Clubs)     Tattersalls     Oct     72,000gns
brf - Charcoal (by Primo Valentino)     Tattersalls     Feb     800gns
bc - Cheeky Weeky (by Cadeaux Genereux)     Goffs     Sept     ​€10,000
bc - Cherrego (by Borrego)     Goffs UK     Aug     ​£8,000
bf - Chevanah (by Chevalier)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     ​not sold
​bf - Clara Zetkin (by Elusive City)     Goffs     Feb     €1,000
b/grf - Clara Zetkin (by Elusive City)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Clodilla (by Clodovil)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €17,500 (p/s)
bf - Coffee Date (by Bob And John)     Goffs     Feb     €1,200
bc - Coin From Heaven (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €21,000
b/grf - Comes A Time (by Arcano)     Goffs UK     Aug     £45,000
bc - Crown Light (by Zamindar)     Tattersalls     Oct     120,000gns
bc - Dalannda (by Hernando)     Goffs     Oct     
​bf - Dawn Chorus (by Mukaddamah)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €23,000
bc - Defensive Boast (by El Gran Senor)     Tattersalls     Oct     18,000gns
bf - Eleganza (by Balmont)     Tattersalls     Oct     12,000gns
bc - Exempt (by Exceed And Excel)     Tattersalls     Oct     26,000gns
bf - Exotic Girl (by Antonius Pius)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Feeling Wonderful (by Fruits Of Love)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
bc - Fickle Feelings (by Nayef)     Tattersalls     Oct     22,000gns
​bc - Fine Silk (by Rahy)     Goffs UK     Aug     £22,000
bc - Floatlikabutterfly (by Bernardini)     Goffs     Feb     €7,000
bc - Floatlikabutterfly (by Bernardini)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     not sold
grf - Fortuna Limit (by Linamix)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €6,500
grc - Gentle Spirit (by Sea The Stars)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Glyndebourne (by Rahy)     Goffs UK     Aug     £30,000
bc - Gold Again (by Touch Gold)     Tattersalls     Oct     ​180,000gns
grf - Gold Queen (by Grand Lodge)     Goffs     Oct     ​
brc - Haleniya (by Azamour)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €5,500
bc - Hankering (by Missed Flight)     Goffs     Sept     ​not sold
bc - Hay Now (by Key Of Luck)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bc - Heat (by King's Best)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     ​€50,000 (p/s)
bc - Hurricane Irene (by Green Desert)     Goffs     Sept     ​​not sold
grc - Intrepid Queen (by Theatrical)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
grc - Jawaaneb (by Kingmambo)     Goffs UK     Aug     £55,000
bf - Jemima's Art (by Fantastic Light)     Goffs     Feb     €2,000
bf - Jemima's Art (by Fantastic Light)     Goffs UK     Aug     £13,500
bf - Karjera (by Key Of Luck)     Goffs     Oct     
grc - Key Girl (by Key of Luck)     Goffs     Sept     ​€20,000
b/grf - Kowara (by Kodiac)     Goffs     Sept     ​€12,000
brf - La Vita Bella (by Mtoto)     Goffs     Feb     not sold
brf - La Vita Bella (by Mtoto)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Lady Of Kildare (by Mujadil)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
blc - Lady Pastrana (by Key of Luck)     Tattersalls     Oct     50,000gns
grc - Lady Rockfield (by Rock of Gibraltar)     Goffs     Sept     ​€8,000
bf - Lanehaya (by Cape Cross)     Goffs     Oct     
grc - Lawman's Lady (by Lawman)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     withdrawn
grf - Lilly Be (by Titus Livius)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
grf - Lilly Be (by Titus Livius)     Goffs     Oct     
grc - Low Cut Affair (by Fast Company)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bf - Lucky Flirt (by Gulch)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Manaka (by Falco)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
grf - Mary Pekan (by Sri Pekan)     Goffs UK     Aug     £25,000
bf - Mayorstone (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     Oct     
grf - Medlaur (by Medicean)     Goffs     Feb     €1,000 (p/s)
brf - Mharashic (by Shirocco)     Goffs     Feb     not sold
brf - Mharashic (by Shicocco)     Goffs UK     Aug     £8,000
bc - Mistress Of Rome (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Goffs UK     Aug     £55,000
bc - Mokama (by Motivator)     Tattersalls     Oct     35,000gns
bf - Mount Lavinia (by Montjeu)     Tattersalls     Oct     48,000gns
bf - Na Zdarovie (by Cockney Rebel)     Goffs UK     Aug     £30,000
bf - Nordkappe (by High Chaparral)     Goffs     Sept     ​€15,000
bc - Normale Sup (by Authorized)     Arqana     Aug     not sold
grc - Patrimony (by Cadeaux Genereux)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     withdrawn
bc - Peacemaker (by High Chaparral)     Tattersalls     Oct     40,000gns
grc - Pitrizzia (by Lando)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €15,000
bf - Queen O'The Desert (by Green Desert)     Goffs     Oct     
bf - Red Blossom (by Green Desert)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €10,000
bf - Ribald (by Alhaarth)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Rosa Clara (by Peintre Celebre)     Goffs     Sept     €75,000 (p/s)
bc - Roseska (by Include)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €7,500
bf - Rumuz (by Marju)     Goffs     Sept     ​€16,000
b/grc - Sally Is The Boss (by Orpen)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Sassari (by Darshaan)     Goffs     Sept     €45,000
bc - Serene Dream (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £85,000
bc - Shady Nook (by Key Of Luck)     Goffs UK     Aug     £14,000
grf - She's A Minx (by Linamix)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €18,000
grc - Simply Topping (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     Feb     €10,500
grc - Simply Topping (by Exceed And Excel)     Tattersalls     Oct     35,000gns
bf - Smokey Ryder (by Bertolini)     Tattersalls IRE Ascot     Sept     £11,000
grc - Sodashy (by Noverre)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
grf - Special Return (by Rock Of Gibraltar)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €7,000
grc - Spicebird (by Ela-Mana-Mou)     Goffs     Oct     
grc - Summer Glow (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     Feb     €18,000
grc - Summer Glow (by Exceed And Excel)     Goffs     Sept     €70,000
​bc - Tartan Blue (by Kyllachy)     Goffs     Feb     withdrawn
bc - Tartan Blue (by Kyllachy)     Goffs     Sept     ​€32,000
brf - Tatiana Romanova (by Mr Greeley)     Goffs     Sept     ​€19,000
bc - Telltime (by Danetime)     Goffs UK     Aug     not sold
bf - Terme Cay (by Langfuhr)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €11,000
brf - Twinberry (by Tagula)     Goffs     Oct     
bf - Ur Secret Is Safe (by Dylan Thomas)     Goffs     Oct     
bc - Vampire Queen (by General Monash)     Goffs     Sept     ​€11,000
grf - Velvet Kiss (by Danehill Dancer)     Goffs UK     Aug     £9,000
​bc - Visual Element (by Distant View)     Arqana     Oct     €3,000
bc - Volcanic Lady (by Invincible Spirit)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €17,000 (p/s)
grc - Wild Ocean (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €15,000
bc - Xema (by Danehill)     Tattersalls     Oct     50,000gns
bf - Xerxes (by Key Of Luck)     Goffs     Oct     
grf - Yali (by Orpen)     Goffs     Oct     

Beaten by a head in the opening two-year-old race of the Irish season, Tough As Nails then skated in by seven lengths at Tipperary, was short-headed by future Group 1 and classic star Power in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes, chased home Lilbourne Lad in the Group 2 Railway Stakes and then took third place in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, beaten by La Collina and Power and with Lilbourne Lad and Reply the next two home.

He stands at Old Meadow Stud in Co Kildare, there are 12 known members of his first crop, and his colts out of Fine Day and Remediate made €11,000 and €13,000 respectively when sold at Goffs as foals.

One of a growing number of stallion sons for leading sire Dark Angel (by Acclamation), Tough As Nails is the best of several winners out of Soreze. She won the Listed Marble Hill Stakes, is a daughter of the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Gallic League (by Welsh Saint), and she is among seven winners out of one-time scorer Run Bonnie (by Runnett).

That mare is, in turn, out of a one-time scorer called My Bonnie and that maked her a half-sister to the talented sprinters Is King and Ednica. Both won the Scurry Handicap when it carried listed status, and the latter also earned blacktype when runner-up in a listed contest and third in the Group 3 Railway Stakes.

Tough As Nails (IRE) – gr.2009 – Dark Angel – Soreze, 1 win inc 2nd Railway Stakes (Gr2), Marble Hill Stakes (L), 3rd Phoenix Stakes (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2015.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED (updated)
bf – Anne-Lise (by Inchinor)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €10,500
bc – Cloud Break (by Dansili)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €12,000
grc – Ebonywood (by Montbrook)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €25,000
bc – Fine Day (by Fantastic Light)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €11,000
bc – Remediate (by Miswaki)     Goffs UK     Aug     ​£12,000

The emergence of Dark Angel (by Acclamation) as a major European sire was something of a surprise given his lack of three-year-old form and his somewhat thin distaff line, but he repeatedly delivers the goods, his profile continues to rise, and he has a growing number of talented sons who are proving very popular with breeders.

Lethal Force is among the first of them and the dual Group 1 sprint star, a Cheveley Park Stud team member, has 99 known individuals in his first crop. He was the champion older sprinter in Europe in 2013, a Group 2 scorer over seven furlongs at the age of three, and although there are no wins on his two-year-old record, it would be a mistake to think that he did not show talent or precocity at that age.

He was runner-up over five furlongs at Ascot on his debut in early May, was short-headed but relegated to third over a further farther at Goodwood three weeks later, and then finished fourth in both the Group 2 Coventry Stakes and Group 2 Vintage Stakes, the latter over seven furlongs.

He skated in by nine lengths at Bath on his first start at three, was a neck runner-up to Swiss Spirit in a listed contest at Newbury a few weeks later, then finished third behind Slade Power in the Listed Sandy Lane Stakes, fourth behind Ishvana in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes, and later beat Strong Suit by a neck in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes.

The horse he beat in both the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Group 1 July Cup at four was Society Rock, the colt who had beaten him by a head in the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes earlier that year, and it was the brilliant Moonlight Cloud whom he chased home in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville that August.

Lethal Force is out of Land Army (by Desert Style), who is an unraced full-sister to Ascot Family, the stakes-winning dam of Group 2 Prix Robert Papin winner and Group 1 Prix Morny runner-up Family One (by Dubai Destination).

Their half-sister Flanders (by Common Grounds), who won the Listed Scarborough Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes, is the dam of Group 1 Sprint Cup star G Force (by Tamayuz) and of Louvain (by Sinndar), who is, in turn, the Grade 2-winning dam of champion and classic star Flotilla (by Mizzen Mast).

There is a mile pattern scorer and the Group 1-placed middle-distance listed scorer, Gain (by Mississipian), under the fourth dam, the talented and prolific Miss Ribot (by Sir Ribot), but it is the first two generations of the family where all of the speed is evident.

It is reasonable to presume that some of the Lethal Force runners will be talented juveniles and that, as time passes, his best will tend to be sprinters and/or milers.

LETHAL FORCE (IRE) – gr.2009 – Dark Angel – Land Army, 4 wins inc July Cup (Gr1), Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr1), Hungerford Stakes (Gr2), 2nd Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1), Duke of York Stakes (Gr2), Carnarvon Stakes (L), 3rd Park Stakes (Gr2), Sandy Lane Stakes (L). Sire in England. First foals in 2015.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED (updated)
chf – Ainia (by Alhaarth)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
chf – Amitola (by Choisir)     Goffs UK     Aug     £40,000
bf – Aromatherapy (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £15,000
bf – Arte Viva (by Giant's Causeway)     Tattersalls     Oct     3,500gns
chc – Bendis (by Danehill)     Goffs UK     Aug     £15,000
bf – Black Belt Shopper (by Desert Prince)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bf - Black Belt Shopper (by Desert Prince)     Tattersalls     Nov     not sold
bc – Border Minstral (by Sri Pekan)     Tattersalls     Oct     9,500gns
chc – Cardrona (by Selkirk)     Goffs UK     Aug     £44,000
bf – Cefira (by Distant View)     Tattersalls     Oct     40,000gns
grc – Chalet Girl (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £42,000
grf – Clinking (by Giant's Causeway)     Goffs UK     Aug     £24,000
chc – Cloghran (by Muhtathir)     Arqana     Aug     €90,000
grc – Cool Catena (by One Cool Cat)     Goffs     Oct     €55,000
bf – Craighall (by Dubawi)     Tattersalls     Oct     20,000gns
brf – Crinkle (by Distant Relative)     Goffs UK     Aug     £42,000
bc – Deora De (by Night Shift)     Goffs UK     Aug     £40,000
ch/grc – Dusty Red (by Teofilo)     Tattersalls     Oct     52,000gns
bc – Elidore (by Danetime)     Goffs UK     Aug     £16,000
chc – Entitled (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     Oct     7,000gns
brf – Fascination (by Galileo)     Goffs     Feb     (p/s) €12,000
brf - Fascination (by Galileo)     Tattersalls     Nov     37,000gns
brc – Fearless Flyer (by Brave Act)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
grf – Flame Of Ireland (by Fasliyev)     Goffs     Oct     (p/s) €9,000
bf – Focal (by Pivotal)     Baden-Baden     Sept     €26,000
chc – Furbelow (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     Oct     100,000gns
bl/grc – Ha'penny Beacon (by Erhaab)     Tattersalls     Oct     120,000gns
bc – Highland Starlight (by Dixieland Band)     Goffs UK     Aug     £7,500
bf – Hip (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     Oct     31,000gns
bf – Honky Tonk Sally (by Dansili)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
chf – Hope Island (by Titus Livius)     Tattersalls     Oct     8,000gns
grf – Hulcote Rose (by Rock of Gibraltar)     Goffs     Oct     withdrawn
grc – If So (by Iffraaj)     Tattersalls     Oct     38,000gns
chf – Indian Angel (by Indian Ridge)     Goffs UK     Aug     £33,000
bc – Kickingthelily (by Byron)     Arqana     Aug     withdrawn
chf - Lady In The Bath (by Forzando)     Goffs UK     Oct    not sold
grf – Lisiere (by Excellent Art)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
grf - Lisiere (by Excellent Art)     Tattersalls     Nov     43,000gns
grc – Madam Valentine (by Primo Valentino)     Goffs UK     Aug     £41,000
grc – Mayaar (by Grand Slam)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
grf – Meddle (by Diktat)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
bc – Midnight Fantasy (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs     Feb     €42,000
bc – Midnight Fantasy (by Oasis Dream)     Tattersalls     Oct     40,000gns
bf – Millsini (by Rossini)     Tattersalls     Oct     15,000gns
grc – Miss Dutee (by Dubawi)     Goffs     Feb     €38,000
grc – Miss Dutee (by Dubawi)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €42,000
grf – Miss Legal Eagle (by Authorized)     Goffs     Oct     (p/s) €9,000
chc – Molly Brown (by Rudimentary)     Tattersalls     Oct     50,000gns
bf – Mythicism (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £70,000
bc – Native Picture (by Kodiac)     Goffs UK     Aug     £74,000
bc – Never Lose (by Diktat)     Tattersalls     Oct     40,000gns
grc – Nutkin (by Act One)     Tattersalls     Oct     160,000gns
bf – Otrooha (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs UK     Aug     £24,000
brc – Pin Cushion (by Pivotal)     Goffs UK     Aug     £62,000
chc – Pivotal Era (by Pivotal)     Tattersalls     Oct     26,000gns
chc – Poetic Dancer (by Byron)     Goffs UK     Aug     £28,000
bf – Pretty Girl (by Polish Precedent)     Tattersalls     Oct     6,200gns
chf – Pretty Primo (by Kyllachy)     Tattersalls     Oct     38,000gns
b/brc – Princess Luna (by Grand Lodge)     Tattersalls     Oct     42,000gns
bc – Raggle Taggle (by Tagula)     Goffs UK     Aug     withdrawn
bc - Raggle Taggle (by Tagula)     Goffs UK     Oct    £20,000
bf – Razzle (by Green Desert)     Goffs UK     Aug     £8,000
blc – Red Sovereign (by Danzig Connection)     Goffs UK     Aug     £102,000
brc – Riccoche (by Oasis Dream)     Tattersalls     Oct     28,000gns
grf – Ring of Love (by Magic Ring)     Tattersalls     Oct     70,000gns
bc – Ronja (by El Corredor)     Goffs     Oct     €130,000
chc – Russian Dance (by Nureyev)     Goffs UK     Aug     £21,000
b/grc – Rustam (by Dansili)     Tattersalls IRE     Sept     €32,000
grc – Saddlers Bend (by Refuse To Bend)     Tattersalls     Oct     7,000gns
chf – Shena's Dream (by Oasis Dream)     Goffs     Oct     €7,500
bc – Smart Coco (by Smarty Jones)     Goffs     Oct     €42,000
b/grc – Soar (by Danzero)     Tattersalls     Oct     125,000gns
blc – Spontaneity (by Holy Roman Emperor)     Goffs UK     Aug     £2,500
bf – Spritzeria (by Bigstone)     Tattersalls     Oct     24,000gns
chc – Starfleet (by Inchinor)     Tattersalls     Oct     7,500gns
grf – Steal The Curtain (by Royal Applause)     Tattersalls     Oct     withdrawn
grf - Steal The Curtain (by Royal Applause)     Goffs UK     Oct    £11,500
b/grc – Tanda Tula (by Alhaarth)     Tattersalls     Oct     not sold
chc – Tussah (by Daylami)     Tattersalls     Oct     11,000gns
blc – Western Eyes (by Rock of Gibraltar)     Goffs UK     Aug     withdrawn
blc - Western Eyes (by Rock of Gibraltar)     Tattersalls     Nov     45,000gns
chc – Winifred Jo (by Bahamian Bounty)     Tattersalls     Oct     55,000gns
bc – Zarkalia (by Red Ransom)     Goffs     Oct     €50,000
ch/grf – Zubova (by Dubawi)     Goffs UK     Aug     ​£8,000