By Emma Berry
Germany's main yearling auction gets underway today in the picturesque spa town of Baden-Baden. After withdrawals, 238 yearlings are set to go under the hammer for the one-day sale held during a week of top-class racing, culminating in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis Von Baden, at Iffezheim racecourse next-door to the sales complex.
A New Approach (Ire) colt named Woodkid (Ger) from the Gestut Brummerhof draft topped last year's sale at €400,000, with turnover of €6,345,250 being accrued from the sale of 152 horses at an average price of €41,745 and median of €30,000.
Gestut Auenquelle's popular stallion Soldier Hollow (GB) (In The Wings {GB}) was the leading sire by average in 2015, with 15 yearlings sold for €81,300, and he has an even bigger representation in this year's sale with 31 yearlings catalogued.
The 2013 running of the G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp saw Soldier Hollow's top-rated son Pastorius (Ger) narrowly get the better of the Niarchos-bred Maxios (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), and the two–now stablemates in Gestut Fahrhof's stallion yard–will go head-to-head again, this time in the ring at Baden-Baden, where members of their first crops will be put to the test. Pastorius has eight catalogued, while Maxios, whose first foals averaged over €70,000 in Europe last year, has 21.
Maxios is not the only freshman son of Monsun with yearlings on sale today, as Darley's Haras du Logis resident Masterstroke is represented by four yearlings. The first-season sire line-up is completed by Gestut Rottgen's Reliable Man (GB), along with Camelot (GB), Dabirsim (Fr), Havana Gold (GB), Lethal Force (Ire), Most Improved (Ire) and Planteur (Ire).
Lot 194, Gestut Wittekindshof's filly by the 2009 G1 Deutsches Derby Wiener Walzer (Ger) (Dynaformer), has benefitted from a decent update this season as her dam Serienhoehe (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), winner of the G3 Maurice Lacroix-Trophy, is a half-sister to the G1 Preis Der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Serienholde.
The sale starts at 10 a.m. local time.
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