Quality Follows Classify at Castlebridge

John Murrell and Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez were responsible for one of the star turns of the 2015 Tattersalls December Mare Sale when they sold Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) a few months after her victory in the G1 Investec Oaks and it seems likely that the couple will be in the news again as the auction begins again on Dec. 4.

Qualify realised 1.6 million gns when knocked down to John Ferguson and the couple are again using The Castlebridge Consigment for three outstanding lots of a sale teeming with international talent.

Two of the trio are top-level winners and bred on the same Fastnet Rock–Galileo cross as Qualify. Leading the way is Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1868), who was bred by Dermot Weld's late mother Marguerite out of her G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Zhukova was shrewdly placed by Dermot Weld to land the GI Man O'War S. at Belmont in May.

Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1549) was a breakthrough for her young trainer Joseph O'Brien when winning last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. She was bred under the O'Briens' Whisperview Trading Ltd banner and was the first and only foal to race so far for Inner Real (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to miling champion Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) (Danehill). Whilst she was unable to add to her score this season, she was not disgraced in high company.

Only Mine (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}) (lot 1864) has been a fine servant in three campaigns with Murrell and Regalado-Gonzalez's third regular trainer Joe Murphy, adding two Irish listed races to the black type she achieved at two and three. Regalado-Gonzalez bought a half-brother by Dawn Approach (Ire) for 170,000 gns at Tattersalls Book 1 last year.

Castlebridge chief Bill Dwan, who manages their bloodstock interests, explained: “John and Chantal are predominately into racing and generally sell their stock at the end of their racing careers–in previous years they sold good racemares such as Qualify and Yellow Rosebud.”

Dwan knows the family well, as Castlebridge sold Zhukova's half-brother Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire} to Godolphin as a foal at Goffs for €1.1 million and he looked a rising star in winning the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket.

“We prepared Zhukova for the yearling sales, where she was unsold, so I recommended her to John, as we liked her a lot at home,” he said. “Intricately was purchased after winning her maiden and Only Mine was purchased after her first run.

“Hopes are high. The three of them are all very good racemares. Two of them are Group 1 winners and all three have good pedigrees. Zhukova has a nice update with her 2-year-old half-brother winning the Autumn Stakes and he looks a serious contender for next year's Classics.

“The Fastnet Rock-Galileo cross is one that worked well previously in Australia, but to be honest crossing anything with Galileo's blood seems to work as he's a sensational sire and broodmare sire.”

The three on the market were much the best of around a dozen to appear in their red-and-yellow silks in 2017. However the couple, who relocated to Guernsey after selling a chemical business, are both maintaining an active connection with racing which they have held for many years.

Murrell once owned a stable in Newmarket as well as horses including Gentilhombre (GB), who had back-to-back victories in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in 1976 and 1977 and later became a stallion in Japan. Regalado-Gonzalez bred the first foal by Sea The Stars (Ire), who was born at Castlebridge Stud in 2011.

“The strategy is to try to keep the standard of horses at a high level, but this isn't easily achieved given the competition,” said Dwan. “The (currently yearling) Zoffany half-sister to Zhukova is a nice prospect for Dermot Weld.

“Both John and Chantal try to attend the races as much as they can and were present at Zhukova's Man O'War win in the USA and Intricately's Moyglare win, as well as Only Mine's win at the Curragh this year. John also deals directly with the trainers and takes a keen interest in the business.”

They are certainly not the only members of another formidable 120-strong Castlebridge group. Dwan was asked to handle the mares from the Ballymacoll dispersal, representing the last vestiges of a glorious equine tapestry weaved at the Weinstock's stud in County Meath for more than half a century.

Members going under the hammer include Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) (lot 1826), multiple Group 1 winner and daughter of the mighty Hellenic (GB). Her daughters Angel Vision (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 1820) and Cannonbury (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 1819) and Floria Tosca (Ire) (Shamardal) (lot 1873) are also being sold as well as a group of the daughters of Highland Gift (Ire), who produced the decorated brothers Golan (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}) and Tartan Bearer.

Dwan said: We are grateful to have been given the opportunity to sell these wonderful broodmares on behalf of the Weinstocks. The Ballymacoll Stud bloodlines have been developed and nurtured over generations by Peter and Wendy Reynolds and the Weinstock family, so there's no doubt it will be an emotional day.

He continued, “There has been huge interest in the Ballymacoll mares across the globe, as it is a unique opportunity for people to access bloodlines that don't come up for public auction very often. Given the stud's success in breeding top-class animals for generations around the world, it's really a once-in-a-lifetime chance to buy into their bloodlines.”

Dwan has plenty of others to show including Absolute Blast (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 1863), who has gone from strength to strength in the care of Archie Watson this term. Although unsold at the Goffs London sale, she went on to take third in the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio in Italy.

“We're lucky to have a good quality draft of mares and fillies at Tattersalls this year, so it's difficult to single out any one in particular,” he said diplomatically.