THE fact that Calyx made such an outstanding start to his stud career when his first runners hit the track last year came as no surprise, given his own precocity. His sired some 25 juvenile winners, headed by a trio of stakes winners.
Persian Dreamer was a dual winner for Dominic Ffrench Davis, including the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket, while Classic Flower won three times for Patrice Cottier. She was a consistent performer at pattern level, winning the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly, and she was runner-up in the Group 3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville and third in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly.
Another daughter of Calyx, Zona Verde, was successful in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for Philip d’Amato, and this year she was second in the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita. Also in the USA, Angiolleta was a maiden winner at Del Mar for Doug O’Neill over a mile before placing in the Pike Place Dancer Stakes and Del Mar Fillies Juvenile Turf Stakes.
The best of Calyx’s first crop sons were Malc and Eben Shaddad. The former justified favouritism to win a novice stakes at Carlisle on his debut for Richard Fahey before being runner-up in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Eben Shaddad won a novice stakes at Newmarket for John and Thady Gosden by nearly four lengths on his debut and was third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.
In this era of enthusiasm for juvenile form, Calyx is closely related to the undefeated European champion two-year-old, Native Trail (Oasis Dream). He is a son of the brilliant miler and now leading international sire Kingman (Invincible Spirit) and out of Helleborine (Observatory), a Group 3 Prix d’Aumale winner who was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Native Trail, winner of both the Group 1 National Stakes and Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, is by one of the best sons of Green Desert (Danzig), and out of Helleborine’s unraced full-sister Needleleaf (Observatory).
Their dams have another notable full-sister in African Rose (Observatory), the Group 1 Sprint Cup winner and Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up whose best runner to date is her Group 3-winning daughter Fair Eva (Frankel). This is a speed-oriented branch of a more classic-distance family.
Calyx’s grandam New Orchid (Quest For Fame) picked up third place in the Group 3 Lancashire Oaks and her half-brother Distant Music (Distant View) was a Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes-winning juvenile champion who finished third in the Group 1 Champion Stakes.Talent over a mile, 10 furlongs and a bit farther features strongly in the next two generations, with US champion Vanlandingham (Cox’s Ridge), Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks heroine Funny Moon (Malibu Moon), Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Termagant (Powerscourt) and US champion Temperance Hill (Stop The Music) on the page.
Calyx ran away with a Newmarket maiden and beat Advertise by a length in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was off the track for nearly a year but easily won the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes at Ascot on his return. An injury incurred when second to Hello Youmzain in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes a few weeks later ended his racing career.
CALYX (GB), Bay horse, 2016. Won 3 races, value £154,958, at 2 and 3, over 6 furlongs, Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, Pavilion Stakes, Ascot, Gr.3, also placed second in Sandy Lane Stakes, Haydock, Gr.2, all his starts.
Retired to stud in 2020, and sire of 31 winners, of 41 races, and £1,010,680, including CLASSIC FLOWER (GB), PERSIAN DREAMER (USA), ZONA VERDE (IRE), Eben Shaddad (USA), Malc (GB), and Angiolleta (IRE).
Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, E91 XK26, Ireland
Contact: Christy Grassick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee and Tom Harris
Telephone: +353 52 6131298
Email: sales@coolmore.ie
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €12,500