We found out which country's Guineas is the best stallion making race – now for the fillies

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Here, Martin Stevens scores each of Europe's three major 1,000 Guineas to assess which has been the best springboard to a successful career at paddocks – subscribers can get more great insight every Monday to Friday.

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Forget the Six Nations Championship in rugby, the Prestbury Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and even the Eurovision Song Contest.

Surely the most talked about competition between Britain, Ireland and France last year was this email’s inquiry into which country’s 2,000 Guineas had been the best stallion-making race in the new millennium.

I expect that debate still rages over the controversial decision to award a score-draw to 2008 winners Falco and Henrythenavigator and there are still arguments over George Washington getting a point on the strength of a single foal. Britain’s decisive victory is being discussed long into the night up and down the major racing jurisdictions in western Europe 12 months on, no doubt.

At the risk of once again fanning the flames of nationalist animosity, Good Morning Bloodstock today examines which race has been the most reliable launchpad for a successful broodmare career since the year 2000: winning the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp or the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, which takes place on Sunday.

2000

1,000 Guineas: Lahan

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Bluemamba

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Crimplene

Bluemamba was the least worst of these three disappointing 1,000 Guineas winners at stud, with the four winners she produced including one at the royal meeting in Indigo Cat. In fairness, she appeared to have her issues as she produced no foals between 2004 and 2010. Crimplene bred only two foals, one of whom was the Group 3-placed Crimson Sun, while Lahan left four foals, all of whom were ordinary winners.

Bluemamba (left): 2000 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner was the dam of four winners including Indigo CatCredit: Ed Byrne

Score: A weak contest but Bluemamba puts the French 1,000 Guineas one ahead.

2001

1,000 Guineas: Ameerat

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Rose Gypsy

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Imagine

An easy victory for Ireland here as Imagine bred a stellar 11 winners, two of whom – Horatio Nelson and Van Gogh – struck at the top level and another two of whom – Red Rock Canyon and Viscount Nelson – were placed in Group 1s. Rose Gypsy had six winners to her name, including Danish Group 3 scorer Chinese Mandarin, while the best of Ameerat’s seven winners was useful dual-purpose performer High Bridge.

Imagine: Irish 1,000 Guineas winner of 2001 has been a resounding success at studCredit: MSI Caroline Norris 50% NO PRIVA

Score: One each for France and Ireland, with Britain not yet off the mark.

2002

1,000 Guineas: Kazzia

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Zenda

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Gossamer

A tough call, this one, as all three produced Group 1 winners. Zenda gets the nod, though, as the best of her six winners, Kingman, was a true champion and since Elmalka won the 1,000 Guineas this month is now the sire of a domestic Classic winner. Kazzia bred Dubai Sheema Classic hero Eastern Anthem and stakes winners Kailani and Zeitoper, while Gossamer left Racing Post Trophy victor Ibn Khaldun and is ancestress of recent international top-flight scorers Program Trading and Zardozi.

Zenda: Juddmonte's Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine produced Kingman during her second career

Score: France goes two-one up over Ireland, with Britain still yet to strike.

2003

1,000 Guineas: Russian Rhythm

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Musical Chimes

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Yesterday

Russian Rhythm’s own breeding record wasn’t great, with Royal Ascot third Safina the best of her four winners, but she is proving more influential in the second generation, with her daughters having bred the likes of Good Guess, Marenko and Zonderland. It’s enough to see off the disappointing pair Yesterday, on four winners with no black type, and Musical Chimes, on two winners with no black type either. 

Russian Rhythm: Cheveley Park's top-notcher is proving more influential through the second generationCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: Britain gets on the board, but France still leads the way.

2004

1,000 Guineas: Attraction

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Torrestrella

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Attraction

Another tight contest. Attraction bred nine winners, led by Group 1-placed Elarqam and fellow stakes scorers Fountain Of Youth and Maydanny, while Torrestrella left only five foals but all won, and three of them – Farmah, Intilaaq and Wusool – took Pattern races. Attraction wins by a short head, though, due to Elarqam being a true top-notcher and her long service at stud.

Attraction: a force on the track and at paddocksCredit: Duke of Roxburghe

Score: Anglo-Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Attraction gives a point to both Britain and Ireland, making them even with France on two. Exciting!

2005

1,000 Guineas: Virginia Waters

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Divine Proportions

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Saoire

Yet another one that’s going to take some unpicking, as all three mares are evenly matched. Virginia Waters is dam of four winners, including Listed scorer Emperor Claudius; Divine Proportions bred five winners, headed by Group 3 victor Eightfold Path and Listed-placed Diodorus and Numen; and Saoire produced six winners, including Listed laureate Requisition. It might be controversial, as Virginia Waters is granddam of Irish Oaks runner-up Rain Goddess, but I’m giving it to the rather less ritzily bred 4,000gns foal Saoire, as her blueblooded rivals this year were disappointing at stud overall, really.

Saoire: a 4,000gns foal purchase but no slouch on the track or at studCredit: Whitaker Edward

Score: Ireland goes ahead, three-two-two.

2006

1,000 Guineas: Speciosa

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Tie Black

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Nightime

A walkover for Galileo’s first Classic winner Nightime, dam of seven winners led by world champion Ghaiyyath, fellow top-level scorer Zhukova and Listed-placed Knight To King and Sleeping Beauty. She is also granddam of Listed winners Mauiewowie and Something Exciting. Speciosa, who bred six winners but none with black type, can’t compete with that, and Tie Black, lost to Lyme disease in training, likely wouldn’t have been able to either.

Nightime: Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine and the dam of world champion Ghaiyyath

Score: Ireland pulls clear. It’s four-two-two now.

2007

1,000 Guineas: Finsceal Beo

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Darjina

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Finsceal Beo

A straightforward decision as Finsceal Beo produced six winners including Beresford Stakes scorer Ol’ Man River and Grade 3-placed hurdler Foreign Secretary. That’s not the best return for a dual Classic heroine, but poor old Darjina produced only two foals, both colts who didn’t run, in a troubled broodmare career; a crying shame when she was such a towering talent.

Finsceal Beo: dual Guineas winner and dam of Beresford Stakes scorer Ol’ Man RiverCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: Finsceal Beo gives both Britain and Ireland a point, making it five to Ireland, three to Britain and two for France.

2008

1,000 Guineas: Natagora

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Zarkava

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Halfway To Heaven

Impossible to split Halfway To Heaven, whose five winning offspring include champions Magical and Rhododendron (herself dam of Derby hero Auguste Rodin), and Zarkava, who has bred four winners led by Zarak, now one of Europe’s leading young sires, Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya and Listed scorer Zarkaya. Natagora was no failure, as dam of four winners including the smart pair Mankib and Raaqy, but she has been outclassed here.

Halfway To Heaven: top-class mare and producerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: One each to France for Zarkava and Ireland for Halfway To Heaven, which sees Ireland pull clear on six, with Britain and France both on three.

2009

1,000 Guineas: Ghanaati

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Elusive Wave

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Again

Not much in this. Ghanaati, dam of multiple Group 2 winner and National Stud newcomer Mutasaabeq, Group 3 victor Waafy and Royal Ascot scorer Afaak, is a narrow winner over Again, who has bred dual Group 1 runner-up Delphinia, Listed winner Indian Maharaja and Group 2-placed Delano Roosevelt. Elusive Wave isn’t miles behind, having produced Listed winner Admire Virgo and Grade 2-placed Satono Solomon in Japan.

Ghanaati: dam of multiple Group 2 winner and National Stud newcomer MutasaabeqCredit: MARK CRANHAM

Score: Ghanaati puts Britain into a clear second on four points, two behind Ireland and one ahead of France.

2010

1,000 Guineas: Special Duty

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Special Duty

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Bethrah

Special Duty is far from Juddmonte’s best broodmare, and none of her offspring have shown her own brilliance, but her four winners do include Middle Park Stakes second Task Force and Listed scorer Elegant Verse, whereas Bethrah’s four winners include a highly rated pair in Taqareer and Terwida, but neither have black type. Special Duty gets the vote, then.

Special Duty: dam of Middle Park Stakes second Task ForceCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Score: Special Duty gives a point to Britain and France. That makes it six to Ireland, five to Britain and four to France.

2011

1,000 Guineas: Blue Bunting

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Golden Lilac

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Misty For Me

Another no-brainer. Blue Bunting’s four winners include just the one stakes performer, in Listed third Blue Creek, and Golden Lilac has just one scorer on her breeding record, handicapper King Of The Plains. Model broodmare Misty For Me, however, has produced six winners including multiple Group 1 strikers Roly Poly and US Navy Flag, not to mention US Grade 3 scorer Cover Song and Listed-placed Simply Glorious.

Misty For Me: has produced top-notchers in Roly Poly and US Navy FlagCredit: Patrick McCann

Score: Ireland stretches clear again, on seven points. Britain, on five, and France, on four, have it all to do.

2012

1,000 Guineas: Homecoming Queen

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Beauty Parlour

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Samitar

Homecoming Queen and Beauty Parlour both have one top-level winner to their names: Shale in the Moyglare Stud Stakes for the former, and Blowout in the First Lady Stakes for the latter. However, Homecoming Queen also has Japanese Grade 3 scorer Danon Mckinley and stakes-placed Berkeley Square and First Of Spring, whereas Beauty Parlour has no other black-type horses. With Samitar boasting ‘just’ Japanese Grade 3 winner Danon Chaser on her record, Homecoming Queen gets the verdict.

Homecoming Queen: a multiple black-type producer at studCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: Britain moves to within one of Ireland. France is still struggling. It's seven-six-four.

2013

1,000 Guineas: Sky Lantern

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Flotilla

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Just The Judge

Sky Lantern’s feat of producing Falmouth Stakes heroine Snow Lantern among her five winners is easily enough to see off Just The Judge, dam of three winners including German Listed scorer Nash Nasha, and Flotilla, who has been a bitter disappointment so far, with none of her first five runners having graced a winner’s enclosure.

Sky Lantern: her most notable progeny is Falmouth Stakes winner Snow LanternCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: Britain draws level with Ireland, with France still out with the washing. Seven-seven-four.

2014

1,000 Guineas: Miss France

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Avenir Certain

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Marvellous

Britain’s charge is halted by Miss France, whose first three offspring – all daughters by Galileo aged between four and seven – are yet to yield a winner. That leaves it a close-run thing between Avenir Certain, whose first foal Des Ailes was a Grade 2 winner in Japan, and Marvellous, who has only one winner but that is the classy two-year-old Fort Myers. The higher status of Des Ailes’ stakes victory gives it to Avenir Certain.

Avenir Certain: first foal Des Ailes was a Grade 2 winner in JapanCredit: Edward Whitaker

Score: A much-needed win for France makes it seven-seven-five.

2015

1,000 Guineas: Legatissimo

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: Ervedya

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Pleascach

Granted, it’s early days for these mares, as they are still only 12 years old, but, all the same, it’s a bit disappointing that neither Legatissimo and Pleascach have produced a winner yet, despite being mated with blue-chip sires. That leaves the door open for Ervedya, whose second foal was Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Erevann, who began his new career as a stallion at Haras de Bonneval this year.

Ervedya: her son Erevann is now standing at Haras de BonnevalCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Score: The French comeback continues. It’s now seven-seven-six.

2016

1,000 Guineas: Minding

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: La Cressonniere

Irish 1,000 Guineas: Jet Setting

Minding’s feat of producing last year’s impressive National Stakes victor Henry Longfellow as her second foal seals this competition for her. Jet Setting has bred two winners, including Japanese Grade 3-placed Pace Setting, while La Cressonniere has also bred two scorers in Japan, neither of whom have black type, in their early days at paddocks.

Minding tops the charts for the 2016 1,000 Guineas contestCredit: Patrick McCann

Final score: Britain pips Ireland at the post. It's eight for Britain, seven for Ireland and six for France.

This will have made Newmarket heroine Minding's narrow defeat at the hands of Jet Setting at the Curragh all the more agonising for the Irish operation Coolmore: if only she had prevailed, their home nation would have prevailed in this competition, if that's not too strong a word for this overview of 1,000 Guineas winners.

And, yes, I am keenly aware that a British writer declaring both the Newmarket 2,000 and 1,0000 Guineas superior to its counterparts at Longchamp and the Curragh for the breeding shed looks a little jingoistic. But show me where my working out is wrong.

Just please, please, don’t let healthy debate descend into division as it did when I discussed stallion-making races last year. There’s enough rancour and resentment in this world already.

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Must-read story

“When a new owner comes into the game, or a big owner is looking to take on another trainer, I want to be in that conversation,” reflects trainer George Scott in an interview.

Pedigree pick

A simple choice for Tuesday with the beautifully bred Mutaawid making his debut for owner-breeder Shadwell and trainers John and Thady Gosden in the maiden over a mile and half a furlong at Nottingham (3.10).

He is a Frankel full-brother to last year’s European champion older horse Mostahdaf, triumphant in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International, and a half-brother to Nazeef, also a dual Group 1 winner in the Falmouth Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes.

Their dam Handassa is a Listed-winning Dubawi half-sister to US Grade 2 winner and Grade 1 third Desert Stone from the family of July Cup-winning full-brothers Goodricke and Pastoral Pursuits.

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Good Morning Bloodstock is our unmissable email newsletter. Leading bloodstock journalist Martin Stevens provides his take and insight on the biggest stories every morning from Monday to Friday.