A STALLION’S third season is often said to be challenging, given the length of time that has passed since he last ran and the absence of any offspring on the track.

However, Magna Grecia’s connections won’t have any such concerns. Indeed, this could be a very busy year for the young classic star. There were three six-figure prices among his foals sold in Newmarket, headed by a 210,000gns colt, plus a top price of €90,000 for one of his fillies at Goffs.

His sire’s stallion sons excelled again in 2021: Kingman well-established as one of Europe’s premier sires; I Am Invincible continuing to set the track and auction ring alight in Australia; ongoing success for Cable Bay, Lawman and Mayson; first Group 1 winners on the board for Shalaa and Territories; plus eye-catching freshman campaigns for National Defense and Profitable.

However, even that was not the best advertisement for Magna Grecia during 2021 because he is a half-brother to the brilliant dual classic winner and newly crowned Horse of the Year, St Mark’s Basilica. That celebrity, now also on Coolmore’s roster, is a son of Siyouni (Pivotal), so represents a different sire line to Magna Grecia, a son of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) of course.

Both horses won a Group 1 at two, both won a mile classic at three, and both have tremendous potential. Magna Grecia made a winning debut over seven furlongs at Naas two weeks before failing narrowly against future classic and triple Group 1-star Persian King in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.

A fortnight later, he beat subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas victor Phoenix Of Spain by a head when winning the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster. His brother landed the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at two and got his two classic wins in France, whereas Magna Grecia went to Newmarket, hit the front over a furlong out and stormed clear to beat King Of Change by two and a half lengths in the 2000 Guineas.

The runner-up went on to land the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, fourth-placed Madhmoon became a Derby-placed pattern winner, while sprint ace Ten Sovereigns was fifth. They are all stallions too, the last-named another Coolmore horse.

Magna Grecia is out of the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes winner Cabaret (Galileo), a half-sister to Group 3 Solario Stakes victor Drumfire (Danehill Dancer) and Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Ho Choi (Pivotal), that latter one later being a blacktype winner in Hong Kong.

The Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes winner and Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes-placed Ugo Fire (Bluebird) appears under the third generation of the pedigree, whereas the Group/Grade 1-scorers Pearly Shells (Efisio) and Frenchpark (Fools Holme) plus last season’s high-class filly Pearls Galore (Invincible Spirit), are under the fourth.

Magna Grecia could be the next big sire by Invincible Spirit and, in addition to the inevitable juvenile winners, he looks likely to get most of his best in the seven-to-12-furlong range.

MAGNA GRECIA (IRE), Bay 2016. 4th top rated 3yr old colt in Ireland in 2019. Top rated 3yr old miler in Ireland in 2019. Won three races, £457,666, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 3 years including, Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.1, also placed second in Godolphin Autumn Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2020, first crop now yearlings

Stands at: Coolmore Stud, Fethard, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, E91 XK26, Ireland.

Contact: Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Mark Byrne, Neil Magee, Kevin Buckley, or Hermine Bastide

Telephone: +353 (0)52 6131298

Email: sales@coolmore.ie

Web: www.coolmore.com

Fee: €17,500