First mares in foal for St Mark’s Basilica as Coolmore reveals outstanding book

Last season's dual French Classic winner and outstanding three-year-old St Mark's Basilica has his first mares in foal, including the dam of 2019 Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck, Coolmore announced on Tuesday.

The operation said in a press release: "St Mark’s Basilica has attracted probably the best first book of mares by any stallion at Coolmore."

Crowned European champion two-year-old in 2020 after success in the Dewhurst, the son of Siyouni retired to Coolmore at the end of an unbeaten three-year-old career with success in the French Guineas and Derby, Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes.

The four-year-old has successfully covered Believe‘N’Succeed, the dam of Anthony Van Dyck and New Zealand champion sprinter Bounding; Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Scream Blue Murder (the dam of Gleneagles’ Listed winner Too Soon To Panic); North Hill Farm’s Japanese Group winner Blanc Bonheur; Gay O’Callaghan’s Bosra Sham Stakes winner Angelic Light and Stonethorn Stud Farms’ Listed winner Drumfad Bay.

Moyglare Stud's Joailliere, a Listed-winning daughter of Dubawi and the dam of Siyouni's stakes winner Reve De Vol, has also been confirmed in foal, as well as Lynch Bages’ Listed performer Lacily, the dam of Molecomb Stakes winner Yalta; Knyazhna, the dam of multiple Group winner Sacred Life; Listed winner Twitch whose Magna Grecia colt foal sold for 210,000gns at Tattersalls December and Chrissycross, the dam of Greenlands Stakes winner Gustavus Weston.

Mares currently holding service include Ecurie des Monceaux’s star producer Prudenzia, the dam of Group 1 winners Chicquita and Magic Wand; and the dams of the dams of Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes winner Fancy Blue; Dewhurst scorer Beethoven; Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Sussex Stakes winner The Gurkha; plus Group winners Who’s Steph and Making Light.

This group also include Northern Farm’s triple Group 1 winner Argentina Carta Embrujada, W & R Barnett Ltd’s Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Mot Juste and Churchtown Bloodstock’s Lady Wannabe.

Mares yet to be covered include the Queen's top-class stayer Estimate, Prix Marcel Boussac winner Tiger Tanaka, Nassau Stakes winner Deirdre, Juddmonte International heroine Arabian Queen, Falmouth Stakes scorer Timepiece, the prolific Midday Grade 1 winner and producer Stacelita, Reckoning, the dam of Subjectivist and Sir Ron Priestley, and Recambe dam of the brilliant Laurens.

St Mark's Basilica stands this season for an opening fee of €65,000.

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