Life After Monsun At BBAG

Under a sunny sky and with a backdrop of thundering hooves from the racecourse next door, a decent turnout of potential purchasers filled the BBAG sales complex at Iffezheim on Thursday ahead of the one-day sale, which takes place Friday.

Though there were plenty of international operatives in attendance–including the Seitz family of Brookdale Farm; the Hong Kong Jockey Club team; New Zealanders Paul Moroney and Gary Mudgway; Jaber Abdullah, David Redvers, Federico Barberini and Anthony Stroud–the notable absentee this year is Monsun (Ger), or rather any offspring by the late, great German stallion.

“We have a number of first-crop yearlings by young German sires, such as Campanologist and Jukebox Jury (Ire),” said BBAG’s Assistant Manager Klaus Eulenberger. “We have 30 fewer horses and fewer by international sires, but overall I think the pedigrees this year are slightly stronger.”

He added, “We’re happy to have some nice, well-bred fillies from established German families and that’s what a lot of people come here for.”

A clearance rate of 67% in 2014 saw 166 of the 249 horses offered change hands, bringing turnover of €8,171,500 for an average price of €49,226 and median of €30,000. Gestut Schlenderhan’s Monsun colt named Fast Lightning (Ger) topped the sale at €450,000, a price which, like the sire himself, will be a hard act to follow.

Of the more established sires in the sale, New Approach (Ire) has just one yearling catalogued, an attractive bay colt named Woodkid (Ger) (lot 147), who is a son of the listed winner Waldtraut (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from a strong black-type family that includes Classic winners Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu [Ire}). He is consigned by Gestut Brummerhof, a stud that quite rightly boasts on its sales-ring posters of being the home of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victrix Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}), who went through the ring at BBAG in 2009 for a lowly €9,000 and went on to won five Group 1 races.

Another female Arc winner, Treve (Fr)–who will attempt a record-breaking third consecutive victory in the race next month–has done wonders to promote the merits of her sire, the Derby winner Motivator (GB), who has just one yearling in the sale, a filly out of the winning Avonbridge (GB) mare La Bikina (GB) (lot 232). She is consigned by Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg, whose draft topped last year’s sale with 10 yearlings sold for €992,000. Previous graduates of Stauffenberg Bloodstock at this sale include the G1 Deutsches Derby hero and recent GIII American St Leger winner Lucky Speed (Ire) (Silvano {Ger}), a €46,000 purchase in 2011.

“There’s a huge difference in the catalogue this year in that there is no more Monsun,” said Philipp Stauffenberg. “We have to rely on some of the younger, improving sires so we have to wait to see what they can achieve. As always there are some strong female lines here.”

Among the aforementioned first-season sires, Campanologist and Jukebox Jury are most strongly represented with 15 yearlings apiece. They include lot 139, a colt offered by Gestut Fahrhof out of Turfflamme (GB) (Lomitas {GB}), a listed-winning half-sister to this year’s G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) winner Turfdonna (Ger) (Doyen {Ire}).

Also among the freshman ranks at the sale are Amico Fritz (Ger), Excelebration (Ire), Helmet (Aus), Mayson (GB), Nathaniel (Ire), Power (Ire), Requinto (Ire), Rio De La Plata, Scalo (Ger), Sir Prancealot (Ire), So You Think (NZ) and Tai Chi (Ger).

The sole yearling by Darley’s reverse shuttler Helmet is a strong chestnut colt (lot 144) reminiscent of his sire. The first foal of the winning Haafhd (GB) mare Vivid Blue (GB), he was pinhooked by his consignor Ronald Rauscher at Tattersalls’ December Sale for 68,000gns.

With 24 withdrawals at the time of writing, 222 lots are set to go under the hammer from 10 a.m. local time.