The next generation

Sepoy (pictured) and Helmet, who took Australian racing by storm in 2011 and 2012, were two exciting additions to Darley’s 2013 European roster and have both attracted high-class books of mares. With the covering season approaching its halfway mark, they already have a healthy number of mares scanned in foal.

Sepoy was rated the best Australian juvenile colt for 35 years, having won the G1 Blue Diamond and the G1 Golden Slipper – the latter being a race that that has now been won by a Darley-sired runner for the past three years. He was then crowned World Champion three-year-old Sprinter, having bettered his older rivals in the G1 Manikato Stakes.

He has proved very popular with European breeders and mares scanned in foal to him to date include juvenile Group winner Mother Of Pearl, a sister to Turtle Island.

Also due to produce foals by Sepoy in 2014 are Easy To Imagine (dam of G1-winning sprinter Tangerine Trees), Imperialistic (dam of Dubawi’s German 1,000 Guineas winner Electrelane), plus Supreme Seductress – a half-sister to G1 winner Menhoubah.

Helmet won the G1 Sires’ Produce and the G1 Champagne Stakes at two, before landing the G1 Caulfield Guineas in record time.

Among the first mares to be scanned in foal to the son of leading sire Exceed And Excel is Lucky, who won the G3 Athasi Stakes at three and is a full-sister to multiple G1 winner King Of Kings. Also in foal to him are G2 winner Reine de Romance (who was third in the G1 Del Mar Oaks), and fellow G2 winner Uriah – already a proven Stakes producer courtesy of G2 Hong Kong Derby Trial winner and G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup second Uramazin.

Another proven producer scanned in foal to Helmet is Wish List, dam of G2 Superlative Stakes winner Firth of Fifth. Magical Peace, dam of Group-winning sprinter Hoh Mike, is also expecting a foal by Helmet next year.