America Calling For Tattersalls Topper

Doldrums (Bernardini) was born in the U.S. and is now on her way back to her homeland after taking her turn as the headline act at Tattersalls' February Sale at 145,000gns.

The 6-year-old sold as lot 154 from the Godolphin draft with a May 4 cover to Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Aus) and will board at Frankfort Park Farm in Lexington.

“She will visit Empire Maker at Gainesway,” confirmed Olive Gallagher, who owns Frankfort Park with husband Brendan.

Agent Marco Bozzi did the bidding on behalf of her new Italian owners, who already have mares in America.

“She's a winner and it's rare to get a pedigree such as this,” commented Bozzi of the half-sister to GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Vacare (Lear Fan) and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon victor Abtaal (Rock Hard Ten).

Despite 81 withdrawals, a 26% increase in catalogue size for Tattersalls' 2016 opener ensured record turnover for the auction, which was up by 5% at 2,718,800gns but for 40 more horses sold than last year.

“Our 250th year will undoubtedly have sales which attract more headlines than today's fixture, but the 2016 February Sale has given a solid start to this special year in the long history of Tattersalls,” said Chairman Edmond Mahony.

Buyers from around 20 different nations participated in an auction which saw a 12% drop in average to 10,832gns and a decline in median of 29% to 5,000gns. A total of 251 horses sold, bringing a clearance rate of 82%, which fell six points from last year's 88%. With 38 lots sold at an average of 22,939gns, Godolphin was the sale's leading consignor by a wide margin and was also responsible for the second-top lot of the day in Soofiah (GB) (King's Best) (lot 155). A winner in December over six furlongs at Kempton, the sister to G2 Dubai Duty Free S. winner Sajjhaa (GB) will eventually join Craig Bennett's Merry Fox Stud broodmare band after being bought by Bennett's advisor and stud director Gary Hadden for 95,000gns. As a 3-year-old, however, she may initially return to training.

“We like King's Best mares and Kingmambo blood but we won't cover her until next year,” said Hadden.

Another Godolphin offering, the Street Cry (Ire) mare Emirates Joy (lot 138), was knocked down to Paul Shanahan and subsequently signed for by Mags O'Toole at 92,000gns. The 5-year-old half-sister to G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up Zip Top (Ire) (Smart Strike {Can}) is expecting her first foal by Exceed And Excel (Aus) next month.

Highclere Stud offered two mares for sale to dissolve a partnership and John Warren ended up buying out co-owner Yvonne Jacques to retain High Luminosity (Elusive Quality) (lot 136) when asking agent Linda Sadler to go to 95,000gns on his behalf. The unraced daughter of French champion 2-year-old Denebola (Storm Cat) from the stellar family of Machiavellian, Bago (Fr) and Maxios (GB) was sold in foal to Acclamation (GB) and is the dam of recent Turf Paradise winner Aussie Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The preceding lot, Don't Forget Faith (Victory Gallop), also consigned by Highclere, was the sole mare in the catalogue sold in foal to Juddmonte freshman Kingman (GB) and attracted a bid of 70,000gns from Robin Sharp of Houghton Bloodstock. He said, “She's for a new client. She was a good racemare and I love Kingman. We have a lovely filly foal by him on the farm out of The Miniver Rose (Ire). This is the first mare we've had for the client and she'll come back to Fox Farm.”

Completing a flurry of late-morning activity was the Green Desert mare Desert Sunrise (GB) (lot 137), a half-sister to G1 Middle Park S. winner Primo Valentino from the Peter Harris family of Connaught Bridge. One of six Godolphin consignees in the day's top 10 lots, the 6-year-old has already produced fillies by Sepoy (Aus) and Dawn Approach (Ire) and was sold in foal to Iffraaj (GB) for 62,000gns to Marc-Antoine Berghgracht of MAB Agency.

“She's been bought for a commercial breeder in France who will most likely sell the Iffraaj foal,” he offered.

The progressive gelding Aleator (Blame) (lot 232) headed the horses-in-training section and will leave Sir Mark Prescott's stable for warmer climes after Ted Voute went to 50,000gns to secure the 4-year-old on behalf of Prince Faisal Bin Khaled.

“He's for the King's Cup in 2017,” said Voute, who confirmed that the Kirsten Rausing-bred treble winner will travel to Saudi Arabia in company with an earlier purchase, Signed Sealed (Giant's Causeway) (lot 212), who was bought from John Gosden's Clarehaven Stables for 46,000gns.

A 2-year-old Mount Nelson (GB) filly out of the G2 King's Stand S. winner Dominica was the most expensive of the small section of untried stock to go under the hammer, selling for 10,000gns from Selwood Bloodstock to Matt Coleman.

Abunai (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a half-sister to GI E P Taylor S. winner Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), cost Jocelyn Targett 15,500gns just over two years ago at Tattersalls, only a handful of months before her son Moheet (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) topped the Craven Breeze-up Sale at 800,000gns. Offered in foal carrying the Group 3-placed Moheet's close relation by young Al Shaqab stallion Toronado (Ire), Abunai (lot 86) had plenty to advertise her merits on the page but Targett, Darley's imaginative marketing guru, left nothing to chance, designing his own flyers for the mare with the headline, “What her catalogue page doesn't say.' Jake Warren signed the ticket for the Anthony Oppenheimer-bred mare, whose half-sister Oshiponga (GB) is the dam of Group 2 winner Hatta Fort (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Classic hopeful Blue Bayou (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), at 40,000gns.

“Quality, integrity, value for money and a truly global outlook, have all been essential to the development of [Tattersalls] since its beginning in 1766 and in its small way, today's February Sale has encapsulated all these features,” said Edmond Mahony.

“While it is one of the newer fixtures in the Tattersalls sales calendar it epitomises so many of the elements that have formed the basis of the company's illustrious history. Buyers from nearly 20 different countries have been active today, with participants from 12 European countries as well as Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the USA all making a valuable contribution. The largest ever February catalogue has achieved record turnover in excess of 2.5 milliongns, a 145,000gns sale-topping mare, which is the second-highest price for a broodmare at this sale, and a record number of lots selling for 60,000gns or more. As ever, quality consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates, have proved particularly popular with buyers in all sectors of the market, and the enviable clearance rate in excess of 80% has yet again demonstrated the ability of sales at Tattersalls to attract a uniquely global audience.”