How are the first crop sires faring so far?

Currently fighting out the top five positions on the First Season Sires list are Royal Applause, Danehill Dancer, Ali-Royal, Key of Luck and Woodborough.

Other sires involved in the runner up positions are Alhaarth, Bahamian Bounty, Desert King, Zamindar and Atraf.

Those not setting their first year alight with winners include Entrepreneur, Revoque, Bijou D`inde, Singspiel and Benny The Dip

Of the top five first season sires, Coolmore are involved in three of them, including Royal Applause, Danehill Dancer and Ali-Royal (dead). Key of Luck stands at Tara Stud and the dual hemisphere Woodborough stands at Joe Foley`s Ballyhane Stud and Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand, where he was one of the leading first season sires.

Danehill Dancer has been afforded every opportunity to get it right. By the good sire of juveniles - Danehill - he is also a dual Group 1 two-year old winner himself. Also in his favour is a large first crop (100), something his fellow stablemates also share. From that he has had over 50 runners in Europe which include Group 3 Prix du Bois winner Ziria and Listed Sweet Solera second Lady Dominatrix.

Royal Applause (by Waajib) from a first crop of 62 foals has done well with 43 runners and 17 winners of 22 races. At this stage four of them have stakes form, including Group 2 Richmond Stakes winner Mister Cosmi, Rose Bowl Stakes first and second, Kulachi and Approval. Acclamation was winner of the 6 furlong #200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes at Doncaster and was second in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown behind Berk The Jerk (Bahamian Bounty). Royal Applause, from a sprinting family, was the 2nd top rated 2-y-o in Europe and was a top class sprinter at four.

Ali-Royal boasts the achievement of being the first freshman sire of 2001 to sire a Stakes winner with Royal Rhapsody in Italy. Ali-Royal had the good fortune to get his career off to a good start with 80 offspring in his first season. From this number he has had 47 runners and 18 winners of 23 races. Ali-Royal ran from 2 to 4 and won 7 of his starts over 7 - 9 furlongs, including a Group 1 win. He was a full brother to 1,000 Guineas winner Sleepytime.

Key of Luck (by Chief`s Crown) has done remarkably well considering that his first crop consists of a mere 28 horses. This three parts brother to champion sprinter Anabaa (who has in his first crop 3-year-olds, classic hero Anabaa Blue and Group 1 winner Amonita) was quick off the mark with Listed winner and Group placed High Society. This filly was third behind Johannesburg and Wiseman`s Ferry in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs at The Curragh.

Woodborough has had plenty of runners and winners from a first crop of 79 horses, but as yet hasn`t had any stars. Woodborough himself was a precocious two-year-old and was joint 2nd top rated 2-y-o in Ireland in 1995.

Other stallions involved in the list of top first season sires include Alhaarth, Bahamian Bounty, Desert King, Zamindar and Atraf. Alhaarth was a European Champion two-year-old, but his sire Unfuwain would not be noted as a sire of precocious two-year-olds. It may be that his progeny will improve with maturity and over distances of 10 furlongs and upwards. Bahamian Bounty already has Listed winner and Group 2 placed Berk The Jerk and is another stallion whose first crop total less than forty. Desert King, another Coolmore horse and a son of Danehill, has made a slow start. He has five winners to his credit so far, including 7 furlong French Listed winner Red Briar. He himself was a Group 1 winner at two, but excelled at three, completing the double of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Derby.

Zamindar, who is now resident is Florida, has had Listed honours added to his tally by the smart filly Lipstick. He is a brother to Zafonic and is by juvenile sire Gone West. He was a talented two-year-old who placed at Group 1 level. Finally, Atraf, who is by the deceased Clantime, was a speedy two-year-old. He also suffers from lack of numbers on the ground with a total of 45 horses in his first crop. Of all the stallions reviewed here, Atraf, has the cheapest stud fee, only a mere #1,500. He has one Listed placed filly, La Martina, who ran in Italy.

Bringontheclowns has given Entrepreneur his first winner this season, he was runner up on his three previous starts and finally came good at the Curragh in a 7 furlong maiden. Singspiel, who was best at four and five, has Listed Sweet Solera winner Muklah to his credit along with one other winner. He is a half brother to Rahy (who is sire of Irish Champion Stakes winner Fantastic Light) and we may hear more about him in the next couple of years. Benny The Dip, Derby winner and Revoque are both slow off the mark and we may hear more of them next year. Revoque has only three winners, but in his favour, his filly Meanya, was placed in a Listed race in Italy.