It's a rare occasion indeed when the dam of the current year's Derby winner is offered at public auction and, ever since the announcement that Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) would lead the Newsells Park Stud draft at the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale, it was widely––and correctly––assumed that she would be the star of the show. Producing Derby winners has become stock-in-trade for Coolmore and it was thus no surprise to find M.V. Magnier involved in the chase for the 14-year-old. Seamus Burns provided early opposition and Sheikh Fahad jumped in with an offer of 1.7 million gns, but he ultimately played the role of underbidder as Magnier settled the argument with a promise of 2 milllion gns.
“She's a lovely mare who has already produced a Derby winner. We'll take her home and send her to Galileo,” he said, confirming that Hazariya (lot 1826) was bought in partnership with Mayfair Speculators.
Let go by her breeder the Aga Khan when her son Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was just a yearling and, sold in 2014 to Newsells Park Stud for €480,000, her value increased significantly when the Derby and Irish Derby were added to the list of races won by her offspring. Harzand is by no means her only good runner––Hazarafa (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) won at Listed level while Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) went one better in the G3 Silver Flash S.––but he is certainly her best so far.
“It made good commercial sense for us to sell her,” said Julian Dollar, having enjoyed the company of Hazariya at Newsells Park for two years and with yearling and foal daughters by Fastnet Rock (Aus) and Dansili (GB) retained by the stud.
“I wish the team at Coolmore the very best of luck with her. She's 14 so we felt that we either had to sell her now or keep her. We're a self-sufficient farm and we don't get any injections of cash so sadly we had to sell.”
Just two mares achieved sales prices into seven figures during what is traditionally the liveliest session of the week and, despite 24 more horses sold on the day compared to last year, the aggregate of 25,512,500gns was down by 8%. A total of 186––or 78%––of the 237 lots offered were marked as sold, but the median fell by 24% to 60,000gns and the average also dropped, by 20%, to 137,164gns.
Summer Wind blows strong in Newmarket
It says everything about the new home of Eblouissante (Bernardini) that, even as a half-sister to the great Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), she can by no means be considered unique in terms of the genes she brings to Summer Wind Farm. For her companions in the Kentucky paddocks will include Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman) the dam of the Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile), and she will arrive only as the latest in a long line of precious mares purchased at auction by the late James 'Frank' Lyon.
Lyon's widow Jane was making her first visit here yesterday and made the occasion a memorable one in giving 1.1 million gns for Eblouissante (lot 1759), a 7-year-old built on lines strongly reminiscent of her champion half-sister: very big, powerful and dark. That was hardly an outrageous price for a young mare of such antecedents, carrying a foal by Dansili (GB). Only three years ago, having won her first couple of starts, she was sold to St George Farm for $2.1 million at Keeneland. Lyon was suitably thrilled.
“She's an imposing, breathtaking individual and could be bred to any stallion,” she said. “We watched Zenyatta, as did the rest of the world. It is a phenomenal family, one of the strongest in America, and we don't have anything of the pedigree at home. Ultimately, she's a mare to take back there but for her sake we'll leave her here until she foals. Then we'll put our heads together and see whether to breed her in Europe, which would be a distinct possibility.”
Lyon spent $5.625 million for four mares at the Keeneland November Sale. “All year long the plan was to buy four mares to replace stock,” she smiled. “And now I have six. I've sold a couple of yearlings here, in years past, but this was my first time buying. But I trust my son-in-law [farm manager Mark Moloney] to see everything positive in a horse and he recommended that we be here. So I am very excited, and hope my husband is looking down and approving of what I am doing.”
During her sojourn this side of the water, Eblouissante has already produced a colt by Oasis Dream (GB). “We saw a photo of her first foal and he looks just fine, which gives us some confidence in her as a broodmare,” Lyon added.
As a daughter of Vertigineux (Kris S), aside from Zenyatta, this mare is also a half-sister to the triple G1 winner Balance (Thunder Gulch) and to the dam of Long Island Sound (War Front), a G1 runner-up and four-time winner for Ballydoyle this year.
Lyon had news of Littleprincessemma, astutely acquired for $2.1 million at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky the November before her son's historic 3-year-old campaign. “I have a Tapit filly out of her and she's carrying a brother to American Pharoah, I can hardly wait to see what he can do. She's the sweetest mare in the world, she really is. I believe American Pharoah has the most wonderful disposition and, while people have given a lot of credit to Pioneerof The Nile, knowing the mare I believe it comes from her.”
Irish Rookie for Saint Pair
Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) was a valuable flagbearer for Newmarket trainer Martyn Meade in the early days of his Sefton Lodge Stables and she continued to reward him well for his initial €16,000 investment at Goffs when selling for 935,000gns to Haras de Saint Pair principal Andreas Putsch. Offered as lot 1840, the 4-year-old was unbeaten as a juvenile, winning on debut at two, and following that Newmarket maiden win with victory in the Listed Montrose Fillies' S. at the same course. The descendant of the Juddmonte matriarch Zaizafon went down by just three-quarters of a length to Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and was also third in the G1 Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot S.
“I have no mating plan for her yet,” said Putsch. “She was a lovely racehorse and has real quality. Maybe my heart ruled my head, but we want to build a quality broodmare band at Haras de Saint Pair and I hope she will become a foundation mare.”
While Irish Rookie is not a candidate for the first book of the Haras de Saint Pair homebred Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), who has retired to Tally-Ho Stud for the 2017 season, Putsch confirmed that his other purchases at the sale will visit the G1 Prix du Moulin winner. These include Arabian Beauty (Ire), a Shamardal half-sister to Rio De La Plata (Rahy), who was sold by Godolphin for 100,000gns.
Japanese influence strong
GI Beverly D S. winner Euro Charline (GB) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) (lot 1848) will join the paddocks of Northern Farm in Japan after selling for 750,000gns to Shunsuke Yoshida, son of the farm's owner Katsumi.
The Marco Botti protégé, bought initially as a short yearling for 800gns and later that year for 13,000gns, was sold privately in training to Team Valor and it was when she finished runner-up to Real Steel (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}) in the G1 Dubai Turf that she first came to her new owner's attention.
“She was a very good racehorse. We raced against her in Dubai and we followed her since then,” said Yoshida. “We like her bloodline very much––she will be a good outcross for Deep Impact. Hopefully she will go to Deep Impact, but he is very busy.”
Another prospective mate for Deep Impact is lot 1877 Queen Catrine (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a G3 winner for Ger Lyons this summer who made the frame in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac during her days with Charlie Hills. Out of a half-sister to champion sprinter Tamarisk (Ire) (Green Desert) and from the family of Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), she was bought for Oiwake Stud – on whose behalf Taro Iseki explained: “We like the speed in her pedigree, and of course Treve is very famous in Japan, and this filly has good form and good size so we hope we can get her to Deep Impact.”
Also heading eventually to Japan is lot 1813, the 3-year-old Whatdoiwantthatfor (Ire) (Kodiac {Ire}) who has already been covered by Muhaarar (GB). The Listed St Hugh's S. winner is a debut broodmare purchase for Tokyo-based fund manager Akita Katayama, who made a decent splash at 500,000gns.
He said, “I want to do this at a top level from the start. I like her pedigree very much and she was a very good racehorse. She will stay in England to have her first foal here and will then be covered in Europe before being shipped to Japan.”
Profitable return for Champs Elysees fillies
Juddmonte's Champs Elysees (GB) may recently have been reassigned to the jump stallion ranks but he supplied the top lot at the recent Horses-in-Training Sale when Harlem (GB) sold for 520,000gns and two of his best daughters on the track made a splash at Tattersalls on Wednesday.
Both Jack Naylor (GB) (lot 1823) and Avenue Gabriel (GB) (lot 1792) were inexpensive yearlings at Tattersalls Ireland's September Sale, the former being bought by her trainer Jessica Harrington for €10,500, while Avenue Gabriel was knocked down at just €5,000.
Jack Naylor's two Group 3 victories and runner-up finish in the G1 Darley Irish Oaks saw her price increase significantly to 800,000gns when James Wigan saw off Sheikh Fahad to claim the 4-year-old for an unnamed client.
“She's a very classy-looking filly from a nice Juddmonte filly and was a very tough racemare,” he said.
The dual Listed winner and Group 2-placed Avenue Gabriel will join the broodmare band at Pierre Talvard's Haras du Cadran after being bought by the Frenchman for 375,000gns.
Talvard has enjoyed a memorable year as the breeder of Al Shaqab Racing's G1 Coronation S. winner Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the Normandy farmer reinvested in some new blood courtesy of the grand-daughter of the Oaks winner Lady Carla (GB) (Caerleon) who was sold in foal to Muhaarar (GB) by Ballyhimikin Stud.
He commented, “She was a very good racemare and is in foal to a very good horse on an early cover. I will take her back to the farm before deciding on a stallion for next year.”
Lumiere's dam a new light for Ballylinch
Mark Johnston added a lucrative string to his bow in consigning a real show-stopper in lot 1837 Screen Star (Ire) (Tobougg {Ire}) through Kingsley Park. The 11-year-old is the dam of Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal), who has shown elite quality on her day for Johnston, notably in winning the G1 Cheveley Park S, and is out of a grand-daughter of Outstandingly (Exclusive Native), winner of the inaugural Breeders' Cup Fillies' Juvenile. Sold in foal to Golden Horn (GB), she is on her way to Ballylinch Stud for 675,000gns – quite possibly for a tryst with Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal).
“We've a few sires who would suit her now,” reasoned John O'Connor, managing director of the Co Kilkenny farm. “She's already bred a really top-class filly by Shamardal, and we've got a top-class son of Shamardal. But we'll get to know her before we decide, we'll foal her and then see where we are: we've a bunch of real nice Classic stallions coming through. She has a great physique, with lots of strength, and great movement.”
Johnston bought Screen Star for 52,000gns here three years ago, when discarded by Darley, having trained her to win her sole start at Redcar by 11 lengths. Neither he nor his patrons could have known that the grey had that spring foaled a filly that would serve them both so well. Moreover her 2-year-old X Rated (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) got off the mark for Johnston only last week at Wolverhampton.
O'Connor had to dig deeper still to add lot 1866 to the Ballylinch roster, signing for Chartreuse (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) at 825,000gns––representing quite a coup for her owners at Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, for whom the 3-year-old was purchased for €100,000 as a Goffs yearling. Sent into training with Freddy Head, she has since won a Listed race and twice finished second at Group 3 level.
“I saw her running at Deauville in the summer when she was just caught at the post and I was impressed with her then,” O'Connor recalled. “She's a beautiful filly from a family we've been watching, a good old line of Gerry Oldham's with a lot of nice young mares producing and plenty going on.”
Those working for the page include her Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother, who raised 420,000gns at the October Yearling Sale here, while the dam of Chartreuse is a half-sister to Tonnara (Ire) (Linamix {Fr})––mother of recent G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) and young sire Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). As such it was no surprise to see that the underbidder was Henri Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux, home to Tonnara.
Bozo's brother Ghislain was conversely working in partnership with Ballylinch in paying 525,000gns for lot 1853 Cascading (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), a half-sister to one of the top juveniles in France this year: the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The Listed-placed 5-year-old is in foal to Siyouni (Fr).
Highbank catches a Star
The father-and-son team of Martin and Tom Wainwright are looking to sow quality seed into their Highbank Stud, just by Wetherby racecourse, having already produced respectively the top filly and top lot at the 2014 and 2016 Craven Breeze-ups from the same mare, Loch Jipp (Belong To Me). And they raised the stakes here by going to 575,000gns with Stephen Hillen for lot 1799 Follow A Star (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), an unraced 3-year-old from an outstanding family, carrying a foal by Zoffany (Ire).
Her dam Shouk (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) has produced two G1 winners in Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and––obviously very closely related––Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Since her triple Oaks campaign, taking in Epsom, the Curragh and York, the latter has produced two Group winners.
“That was our last bid,” admitted Hillen. “It was a real stretch to get her, but it's obviously a really good family and the Wainwrights are keen to move forwards––we were underbidders yesterday on the dam of South Seas––and a Galileo mare was a real attraction. The foal will be sold, but they know it's a long-term project and won't expect it back in one go.”
Big-bottomed girl
There was a purposeful start to bidding for lot 1725, an opening sally of 200,000gns cognisant of the fact that Shermeen (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) was not only stakes-placed herself but has already produced a top-notch juvenile in Sudirman (Henrythenavigator), winner of the G1 Phoenix S. and runner-up in the National S. for David Wachman. Now 13, she has been covered by Dark Angel (Ire) and that doubtless helped to drive competition until Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud had the final say at 450,000gns.
Nagle had acquired a grand-daughter of Barronstown's bedrock mare Doff The Derby (Master Derby) from the Godolphin draft the previous day, on candid grounds of sentiment. But her husband had rather more bluntly objective grounds for picking out this mare. “David just loved her, she's very strong with a great big bottom on her,” Nagle explained. “A Group 1 producer is a rare commodity and she's carrying a colt, I believe, so maybe he'll be back here in a couple of years.”
Newsells restock with Anipa
As one door closes, another one opens––and just six lots before cashing in the Derby winner's dam, Newsells Park Stud acquired a mare who could fill her shoes in Anipa (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Lot 1820 changed hands for 400,000gns at this sale two years ago, having won the Cheshire Oaks for Roger Varian, but was back here after an unproductive spell in the US and is now carrying a foal by Zoffany (Ire).
Still only five, she was signed for by John Warren at 450,000gns. “She's very correct and from a lovely family,” explained Warren. “We've been lucky buying mares for Newsells Park before, for instance with the dam of Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).”
That was Shastye (Ire) (Danehill), bought for 625,000gns here in 2005 and since responsible for yearling siblings to Secret Gesture sold for 3.6 million gns and 1.35 million gns.
This filly is a half-sister to GI Flower Bowl Invitational S winner Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and her grand-dam is a half-sister to the dam of the upwardly mobile Australian pair Helmet (Aus) and Epaulette (Aus).
Goffs keeps faith in Bible Belt
Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock was delighted to renew his acquaintance with Bible Belt (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) (lot 1836), having bought her here three years ago after she won a Group 3 race for Jessica Harrington. She cost 530,000gns that day but Goff retains the faith, paying 425,000gns on behalf of Andrew Black––with an Invincible Spirit (Ire) cover thrown into the bargain by Kiltinan Castle Stud.
“She's a lovely mare, and I think she'll be a really good addition to the broodmare band they're putting together at Chasemore Farm,” Goff said. “With that page you could mate her with anything, though I'd say we'll look at a miler. Obviously I know her progeny, and her Street Cry (Ire) yearling looks very nice.”
Goff's affection for the mare is compounded by the fact that her grandam is a half-sister to Assessor (Ire) (Niniski). “He was bought a long time ago by my late mentor Joss Collins,” he said. “He was a very good horse, won the Cadran and the Royal Oak. Despite everything they say, Richard Hannon could train stayers!”
High five for China Horse Club
Agent Mick Flanagan was kept on his toes throughout the session, signing for three mares for China Horse Club to add to their two purchases on Monday.
The 5-year-old One Chance (Ire) (Invincible Spirit), sold carrying her first foal by Classic winner Gleneagles (Ire), was the priciest of the quintet at 380,000gns. Sold through the Castlebridge Consignment as lot 1819, the dual winner owns a pedigree which commands such a lofty price-tag being out of a Fusaichi Pegasus half-sister to Spinning World from the high-achieving Niarchos family of Grade I winners Denon (Pleasant Colony) and Aldebaran (Mr Prospector).
Earlier in the session lot 1790, Dusky Queen (Ire), a Listed-winning daughter of Shamardal, also joined the club's broodmare band. Bought for 370,000gns in foal to Muhaarar (GB), she will visit new Ballylinch Stud stallion New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), in whom China Horse Club has purchased a share.
Flanagan explained, “It was a smidgen more than I wanted to pay but she's a young Shamardal mare who won five races including a Listed race. Hopefully she can produce a nice foal to Muhaarar. I tried to get into him last year on behalf of other clients but he was full. This is the first mare the China Horse Club has bought in foal to him. We're trying to buy some more commercial mares who we can later trade out of.”
Update proves valuable for La Dorotea
The exploits of her full sister Jemayel (Ire) this season gave the owners of La Dorotea (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Fr}) an irresistible opportunity to cash her in as lot 1753, and they were duly rewarded by Dick O'Gorman with a bid of 310,000gns. Purchased at the Araqana Breeze-up Sale for €100,000, the 4-year-old achieved a respectable level for Richard Fahey but has meanwhile gained a great deal of additional lustre from her sibling, winner of the Prix Saint-Alary and subsequently on the G1 podium behind two outstanding contemporaries in La Cressoniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She was sold in foal to Golden Horn (GB).
Nick Bradley, who had originally picked her out for Fahey's racing club, admitted he was sorry to see La Dorotea go. “But unfortunately horses need to be paid for!” he said. “I'd love to keep her––and she's believed to be carrying a colt––but it's a financial decision, not a strategic one, and I wish Dick all the best with her. She'd had a huge update since we bought her, her sister's the second-best filly in France. But you have to move them on sometimes. I didn't sell one earlier, having been offered a lot more three months ago. That was Loaves And Fishes (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (Lot 1671). I suppose she can now take over the share I bought in Golden Horn!”
Jemayel has embellished a page that already credited their dam with one G1 winner in Mast Track (Mizzen Mast) who made all in the 2008 Hollywood Gold Cup for the late Bobby Frankel.
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