Admirable and Talented, What Lies Ahead for Pyledriver?

The bloodstock industry is always looking to the future, and although it can sometimes be wrong to focus too much on that in preference to the here and now, one can't help but mull over what it will hold in terms of a stallion career for newly crowned King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) winner Pyledriver . 

The thoroughly likable 5-year-old now has two group 1 wins to his name, with six black-type successes and seven wins overall—for a record of 12 wins or places from 18 starts.

So why would any stud not want to snap up such a top-class and consistent colt?

The main—and rather frustrating—reason is he is not fashionably nor desirably bred for the commercial market, one that craves precocity and speed above such high-class middle-distance talent. 

He is by Harbour Watch , a Tanqueray Richmond Stakes (G2)-winning son of Acclamation  who was retired to Tweenhills Farm for five seasons before an untimely end to his stud career as a result of arthritic joint issues. 

In his defense, the unfortunate Harbour Watch has sired a number of high-class and versatile performers, ranging from multiple Hong Kong group 1 winner Waikuku, Belmont Gold Cup Stakes (G2T) of 2021 and 2020 Prix du Conseil de Paris (G1) scorer Baron Samedi , and Prix Robert Papin (G2) victor of 2016 Tis Marvellous . 

Sticking to the positive elements, Pyledriver has an interesting page on his dam's side. La Pyle, a winner in France on the flat before going hurdling for Philip Hobbs, is a sister to 2019 Lodge Park Stud Irish E.B.F. Park Express Stakes (G3) winner Normandel  and a half sibling to 2016 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) winner Mont Ormel  (later Helene Charisma in Hong Kong).

The trio is out of the winning Aga Khan Studs-bred Lidana, a King's Best half sister to German and Italian group 1 winner Linngari , a high-class son of Indian Ridge.

La Pyle is no one-trick pony when it comes to producing winners, as Pyledriver's one- and two-year younger siblings, Country Pyle and Stockpyle, have also got off the mark. There is also the small matter of her Frankel  2-year-old filly, named Shagpyle, who is in training with William Muir and Chris Grassick.

The reality is that Pyledriver is unlikely to be snapped up for flat stud duties in Britain or Ireland due to prevailing market fashions—but might he find somewhere in France or Germany?

The latter nation shows little to no inclination toward producing sprinters and might surely be interested in taking on the only horse who bettered its Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero of 2021, Torquator Tasso , at Ascot Saturday, should he meet Germany's stringent but successful stallion conditions, of course.

Hindsight tells us it was a huge mistake that nobody picked Pyledriver up as a foal from the Tattersalls December Sale in 2017—and what chance is there of history repeating itself over his second career?