Europe’s leading sires lists for 2010 have been finalised and there were clear-cut winners in all but one of the major racing jurisdictions.

Galileo headed the UK general sires list for the second time.  The Coolmore based son of Sadler’s Wells sired the Group 1 winning juveniles Roderic O’Connor, Misty for Me and Frankel making a third title more than feasible in 2011.

In France, the general sires was led by King’s Best who finished 300,000 euros ahead of Goldikova’s sire Anabaa.

The French sires list is almost inevitably headed by the sire of the Arc de Triomphe winner and in 2010 it was no different with King’s Best colt Worforce prevailing.  The leading sire of individual stakes winners in France was Darley’s astonishing young sire Dubawi. 

In Italy Blu Air Force emulated his sire Sri Pekan (Red Ransom) by becoming champion sire.  Blu Air Force won the title of champion sire more on number of individual winners (45) rather than quality.  He was represented by just one stakes winner in 2010.

Second on the Italian general sires list was Dubawi.  From just two crops to date, Dubawi has been represented by G1 winners Poet’s Voice, Makfi, Happy Archer and Secret Admirer . His finest representative in Italy was Worthadd, winner of both the Italian 2000 Guineas and Derby.

The closest title race occurred in Germany where Areion snatched victory from Sholokhov on the last day of the year at Neuss.

Areion (Big Shuffle) was represented by five individual Group winners including German 1000 Guineas winner Kali.  The new champion has just moved to Gestuet Auenquelle where Big Shuffle stood until his death last year.

Top earner for Sholokhov (Sadler’s Wells) was G1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner Night Magic.

In Japan, the general sires list was headed up by Kingmambo sire King Kamehameha.  He is the sire of Rose Kingdom who won the Japan Cup following the disqualification of Buena Vista.  It was first time since 1995 that the Japanese sires list was not headed up by Sunday Silence or one of his sons!