'A great range' - Darley unveils southern hemisphere fees for European stallions

Darley has announced fees for seven of its stallions who will not shuttle to Australia but will instead cover to southern hemisphere time. 

The group is led by Kildangan Stud's Night Of Thunder, whose first top-level winner, Kukeracha, is from his only Australian-bred crop. The son of Dubawi saw that crop achieve 39 winners at an 87 per cent strike-rate winners to runners, and no fewer than 11 per cent stakes winners to runners. He will stand for €50,000.

Palace Pier (£25,000) shuttled to Australia last season but remains at Dalham Hall Stud this time. The champion miler covered an extremely well-bred group of mares, with 20 of the 97 mares being stakes winners, and a further 15 dams of stakes winners; Godolphin has 13 mares in foal to him, including sisters to Astern and Midshipman. 

Leading second-season sire Cracksman (£17,500) is another Dalham Hall resident available to breed to southern hemisphere time. Frankel's world and European champion is the sire of the unbeaten Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact and Listed winner and Deutsches Derby third Weracruz from his first crop. 

Cracksman: leading second-season sire is available to cover southern hemisphere timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Another debutant into the Australian market is Naval Crown (€10,000), who beat Home Affairs and Artorius in the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot last year.

Iffraaj (£10,000), perennial champion sire in New Zealand, is also available alongside first-season sire and Derby hero Masar (£12,500) at Dalham Hall, while Space Blues completes the seven-strong line-up at €15,000.

Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said. "We are pleased to be able to offer southern hemisphere breeders a great range, from top international proven stallions to younger commercial options. 

"Night Of Thunder is doing as phenomenally well in Australia as he is here, and Palace Pier's first Australian crop is so well bred, it's a near certainty his second crop will be in great demand at the sales. 

"As ever, our stallions are available to view by appointment, and we very much welcome visitors during the July Sales."

Dalham Hall Stud

Palace Pier - £25,000

Cracksman - £17,500

Masar - £12,500

Iffraaj - £10,000

Kildangan Stud

Night Of Thunder -  €50,000

Space Blues - €15,000

Naval Crown - €10,000

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