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Plus: Baron Philip von Ullmann answers 5 quick-fire bloodstock questions

Written by Leo Powell

By some way the best sire to go to stud in 2023, Baaeed was described by jockey Jim Crowley as “the perfect racehorse”. He heads into new territory this autumn when his first crop yearlings come under the hammer at all the major European sales, starting in Deauville on Saturday.

Reaction to his first nine foals sold last year, who averaged more than three times his £80,000 stud fee, was universally positive, and has fuelled anticipation for the yearlings who will represent Baaeed this coming weekend at Arqana, and later at Goffs and Tattersalls. As you might imagine, they have a wonderful spread of top-class international pedigrees, and come from many of the best breeders in the business.

It is noteworthy that Japanese buyers were among those who purchased his foals, while Shadwell spent 400,000 gns last December to acquire the Barton Stud-consigned, Aislabie Stud-bred son of the French Group 3 winner Waliyak.

Predicting sire success is a game of roulette, but there is no doubt the odds are in your favour if the sire possesses a number of qualities: conformation, soundness, top-class ability, and a fine pedigree. Allowances sometimes have to be made, but not in the case of Baaeed. He is as near to perfection if all these measures are combined.

One look at the individual will surely convince even the most critical judge of his excellent physique, while his race record over two seasons shows that he took his racing well. His record, which saw him win all but one of his 11 starts, included six victories in elite Group 1 company, and he had many of Europe’s finest runners trailing in his wake.

Above: Baaeed puts in a remarkable performance in the Gr.1 Juddmonte International.

With an unbeaten run of nine victories under his belt, each at a mile, Baaeed faced the ‘unknown’ when tackling 10 and a half furlongs for the first time, and showed himself to be a true champion with success in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. He added this York success to victories in the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Sussex Stakes and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. His half-dozen Group 1 victories matched the achievement of his sire, Sea The Stars.

When it comes to his pedigree on the dam side, Baaeed is a reminder of the foresight and judgement of Shadwell’s breeding programme. Forty-three years ago, they purchased Height Of Fashion from Queen Elizabeth. The daughter of Bustino had won what is now the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile and the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes. Height Of Fashion was a daughter of Highclere who won the Group 1 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Prix de Diane.

Height Of Fashion went on to become an outstanding producer, her eight winners all getting some black type, and six of them becoming stakes winners. Her influence for Shadwell has been enormous, with some 40 stakes winners descending from her. Height Of Fashion bred the exceptional four-time Group 1 winner and successful sire Nashwan, as well as Nayef, who was himself four times a Group 1 winner and a Group 1 sire. In addition, she had the Group 2 winner Unfuwain, who also went on to become a top-level sire

Height Of Fashion’s granddaughters include Group 1 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner Ghanaati, and she is third dam of Lahudood, a daughter of Singspiel and Baaeed’s grandam. Lahudood was crowned champion turf mare in the USA after she landed the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont, going on to cap her career with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Lahudood is responsible for six winners, including her Kingmambo daughter Aghareed, who won the same listed race as her dam and is responsible for the exceptional Baaeed, and his 11-time winning full-brother Hukum. Two of those victories were at Group 1 level, the Coronation Cup and a career best win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

With such impeccable credentials as a sire prospect, it is little wonder that Baaeed’s stock will be on everyone’s shopping list this coming sales season.

Don't forget the outstanding speedster Minzaal

There is also a buzz about the first yearlings to come on the market by Minzaal. That son of Mehmas was so unlucky not to race again after he dominated his opponents on what proved to be his final start, demolishing the field in the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup.

Minzaal had shown his talent at two when he captured the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes and ran a fine third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. A curtailed second season saw him stakes-placed on both runs, while in addition to his major career success at four he was only denied by Highfield Princess in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Above: Minzaal storms clear in the Gr.1 Sprint Cup.

Minzaal, like Baaeed, covered more than 160 mares in his first season at stud, and his first foals last year were enthusiastically received. Every leading pinhooker was in competition at some stage for his stock, and despite the large number of them that sold, they produced a very strong median figure that was more than four times his stud fee at Derrinstown. His best foal at Tattersalls was Kellsgrange Stud’s son of a winning Oasis Dream mare who sold to Tally-Ho Stud for 165,000 gns, and this just topped the €190,000 Rob Speers spent at Goffs for Oak Leaf Stud’s half-brother to the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes runner-up Jash on behalf of Old Mill Stud.

We may have to wait until the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale to see the first of Minzaal’s yearlings on sale, but it will be worth it.

Thoroughbred Thoughts - 5 quick questions with Baron Philip von Ullmann 

Baron Philip von Ullmann of Gestüt Schlenderhan answers five quick-fire bloodstock questions. Based near Cologne, Gestüt Schlenderhan is Germany’s oldest and one of its most prestigious private studs, having been founded in 1869.

The Ullmann family have played a pivotal role in European racing and breeding. Few would argue against the stud’s most important influence being the production of the great Allegretta - the dam of Urban Sea, Allez Les Trois and King’s Best. They also famously bred, raced and stood Adlerflug as well as raced and stood Monsun. These are just three of their many significant achievements and Philip is looking to create many more, having already seen the homebred Goliath triumph in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in his own silks.

1. Proudest moment as a breeder? 

Even though my parents technically bred him, I like to think that I had a part to play as I picked him as a weanling and he was my favourite horse, so I’d have to say Goliath and his King George win last year. Having bred the sire and dam line for generations just makes it feel even better.

2. Which Shadwell stallions did you support in 2025? 

We have been a strong supporter of Baaeed from year 1, and have sent him 3 classy mares this year. We will for the first time sell a yearling at Tattersalls and will sell a Baaeed filly out of the sister to In Swoop in Book 2.

3. One piece of bloodstock advice for your younger self? 

Having just turned 30, I would hope to still be able to categorise myself as young, but my biggest piece of advice is to follow through with your philosophy. If you’re breeding to sell, then choose the right marketable stallions, if you want to be an owner-breeder, try to choose proven stallions - physical and character attributes of the sire and mare are more important than nicks.

4. One thing you would like to see changed in the thoroughbred industry? 

An increase in prize money, more synergies between the leading governing bodies of UK, Ireland, France & Germany (also outside Europe), more government subsidies (or at least support) in tackling transportation and veterinary costs, and in general less spite, schadenfreude and ‘doomsday’ perception of the sport.

5. A horse to follow? 

⁠For 2026, I fancy our horse Torpedo. This year I‘d love to see a European horse win the Japan Cup: so either Goliath or Calandagan.