Twelve ace racemares who could have their first runners this year

Pedigree buffs take note, Found and Treve are among a glittering array of broodmares whose early offspring could make their debut on a racecourse this year.

Acapulco

Initially trained in the USA by Wesley Ward before joining Aidan O’Brien, showed uncommon pace and precocity to win the Queen Mary Stakes in impressive fashion. She then found only Mecca’s Angel too good when lining up as a rare two-year-old runner in the Nunthorpe. Acapulco’s first foal, bred by Coolmore, is a two-year-old filly by Galileo.

Amazing Maria

Winner of two Group 1s and the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, Amazing Maria’s first foal, a two-year-old filly by Dubawi named Amazing Grace, is in training with David O’Meara. Amazing Maria’s half-sister by Frankel, named Turandot, is also in his care.

Arabian Queen

Produced a shock when outpacing the previously unbeaten Derby winner Golden Horn to win the Juddmonte International. By Dubawi out of dual Lancashire Oaks winner Barshiba, her first date upon retirement was with Frankel. The resultant offspring is a two-year-old colt named Spirit Mixer, in training with Andrew Balding.

Ballydoyle

Ballydoyle is impeccably bred, as a Galileo sister to Misty For Me, a champion who later became the dam of Roly Poly and US Navy Flag. She lived up to her pedigree by winning the Prix Marcel Boussac and finishing second to Minding in the 1,000 Guineas. We will soon find out if Ballydoyle can also be an accomplished broodmare, as her first offspring is a Fastnet Rock two-year-old filly named Monday and in training with Aidan O’Brien.

Ervedya

Ervedya was the highlight of the first crop of stallion Siyouni. The first foal out of the Aga Khan’s French 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Prix du Moulin heroine is a two-year-old filly by Sea The Stars named Erdana who is in training with Jean-Claude Rouget.

Found

One of the most admirable racemares of recent times. From 21 starts for Aidan O’Brien – including eight at three and ten at four – she finished out of the first three just once. Her most notable victories came when leading home a one-two-three for her trainer in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and taking the scalp of Golden Horn to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Found’s first offspring is an unnamed two-year-old colt by War Front in training with O’Brien.

Mecca’s Angel

She may have cost her trainer Michael Dods only 16,000gns as a yearling and once raced in a Class 6 nursery at Southwell, but she blossomed into an elite sprinter who took back-to-back renewals of the Nunthorpe.

Her Cinderella story was completed when Coolmore bought her in a big-money private deal at the end of her racing career. Her first foal by Galileo is a two-year-old colt named Hudson River in training with Aidan O’Brien.

Pleascach

Pleascach was bought by Godolphin after showing top-class ability for her genius breeder, trainer and original owner Jim Bolger.

She defeated Found to take the Irish 1,000 Guineas before her sale to Sheikh Mohammed’s operation. She later carried the royal blue silks to victory in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Her first date in retirement was with Darley’s flagship sire Dubawi and the resultant foal is an unnamed two-year-old colt in training with Charlie Appleby.

Qualify

Godolphin bought 50-1 Oaks winner Qualify for 1,600,000gns at the end of her Classic season and immediately sent her to Dubawi.

Charlie Appleby is yet to take the wraps off the resultant foal, the three-year-old filly Adept.

Qualify’s offspring are likely to need a trip.

Ribbons

Ribbons’ first foal, an unraced three-year-old filly by Frankel named Tilly Frankl, is in training with James Fanshawe. She was reported to be a backward two-year-old.

Ribbons could also be represented by her two-year-old daughter by Dubawi, sold to Westerberg for 725,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1 last autumn and in training with Ralph Beckett under the name Missile.

The Fugue

The first two foals out of The Fugue, both fillies by Dubawi, named Fughetta and Counterpoint, haven’t run yet.

They could be beaten to the track by the Dansili mare’s third offspring, a two-year-old colt also by Dubawi who was sold to Qatar Racing for 1,000,000gns. He has been named Mahomes in honour of the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, and is in training with John Gosden, who oversaw The Fugue’s glittering career.

Treve

Al Shaqab Racing have two youngsters out of their popular dual Arc heroine who could make their debuts this year – Qous, a three-year-old colt by Dubawi, and Paris, a two-year-old filly by Shalaa. Both are in training with Andre Fabre.