Shamardal Colt Leads the Way at Tattersalls Book 2 Day 1

by Emma Berry 

The prices may not have been quite so stratospheric but Book 2 of Tattersalls’ October Sale picked up where Book 1 left off, with major purchasers such as John Warren, John Ferguson and Angus Gold regularly parting with six-figure sums for the most sought-after lots and contributing to a robust day’s trade. 

Book 2 has been compressed to three days from four this year, with 137 fewer lots being catalogued. However, last year’s aggregate of 36,359,000gns looks to be easily beatable with 15,511,000gns being spent on just the opening day. An average of 68,330gns was an increase of 48% on the opening session in 2013, while the median of 52,000gns represented a 37% improvement. Arguably the most encouraging statistic of the day was the 89% clearance rate with 227 of the 256 lots offered finding new homes. Seven yearlings made 300,000gns or more Monday compared to just one for the whole sale last year. 

Shamardal Colt Heads Strong Start to Book 2… 
John Ferguson, the leading buyer at Book 1, again held sway when a Stauffenberg Bloodstock-consigned son of Shamardal (lot 671) went his way at 370,000gns–50,000gns clear of the top price for the whole of Book 2 in 2013. The chestnut colt is a son of G3 Prix des Reservoirs winners Via Milano (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}), whose 2-year-old daughter Via Manzoni (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) is entered in the same group race at Deauville Oct. 22. 

The deal sealed a good day for German consignors Philipp and Marian Von Stauffenberg, who, in addition to the top lot, also sold a Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) (Danehill) colt (lot 547) to Patrick Cooper of BBA Ireland for 165,000gns. 
 
Camelot Relation Proves Worthy… 
John Warren knows Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire) well as the Derby winner was bred at his Highclere Stud by Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Al-Khalifa. The agent went to 350,000gns to buy his close relation by Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (lot 572) out of Sistine (GB) (Dubai Destination), a three-parts sister to Camelot’s dam Tarfah (Kingmambo). 

The filly was sold by Oak Lodge and Springfield House Studs to the delight of owner/manager Linda Coffey, who said, “I’m thrilled, I am in shock. We board the mare for our client, Elite Racing Club, and her dam Sistine is now in foal to Dark Angel (Ire).” 

Elite Racing Club, which consists of around 10,000 members and last week sold Group 1 winner Ribbons’ (GB) New Approach (Ire) half-brother for 300,000gns, bought Sistine at the October Sale in 2009 for 62,000gns. 

John Warren said, “The filly is an outstanding physical specimen and Pour Moi (Ire) is getting some marvellous stock.” 

Warren Strikes for Pivotal Colt… 
Warren, who bought 29 yearlings throughout Book 1 for 6,835,000gns and was under-bidder on plenty more, was also busy throughout a lively first session of Book 2, signing for 11 horses for a total of 1,655,000gns, including lot 520, a brother to dual listed-winning filly Moneycantbuymelove (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) for 300,000gns. Selected for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who has enjoyed success on the track this season with G2 Great Volitgeur S. winner Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {GB}), Warren described the Watership Down Stud-consigned colt, who will go into training with Luca Cumani, as his “pick of the sale.” 

Danehill Dancer Progeny in Demand… 
Paul Smith, whose father Derrick races horses in his purple-and-white colours with the Coolmore syndicate, has tasted success in his own right this season via Classic winner Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and he reinvested 330,000gns of that colt’s £1,104,278 prize-money in another from the same sireline. Standing alongside Kingston Hill’s trainer Roger Varian, Smith outbid Hugo Lascelles for the son of Danehill Dancer (Ire) (lot 737) out of Craig Bennett’s listed winner Alsace Lorraine (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway), whose further family includes this season’s 
G1 1,000 Guineas winner Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). 

Smith said, “He’s a lovely strong colt and he really caught the eye going round the ring. We’ve had such a wonderful season with Kingston Hill, who will stay in training next season, and this colt will also be trained by Roger Varian.” 

Freshmen Sires Popular During Book 2… 
Hong Kong-based Pan Sutong, who has racing and bloodstock interests in Europe and Australia, went to 300,000gns for a first-crop son of Dream Ahead (lot 686) out of the Stravinsky mare Whisper Dance, who was pinhooked as a foal by Mick Flanagan for €68,000 and consigned through Pier House Stud. 

Directly preceding that colt was another 300,000gns offering by yet another freshman, Poet’s Voice (GB), who was sold to Saeed Suhail to be trained by Sir Michael Stoute. Lot 685 continued a successful 2014 for his breeder, Epsom-based Woodcote Stud, whose main flag-bearer of the year has been G1 St Leger winner and Derby runner-up Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Woodcote also bred and raced Inchila (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire), whose dam Inchiri (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) is a half-sister to the dam of the Poet’s Voice colt, Whirly Bird (GB) (Nashwan). Trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam to win a Newbury maiden in April, Inchila was subsequently fourth behind Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the Oaks but was later euthanized after suffering an injury during the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot. 

‘Angel’ Keeping Cheveley at the Fore… 
Cheveley Park Stud stands Dark Angel’s champion sprinter son Lethal Force (Ire) just outside Newmarket and the farm’s stallion ranks are set to be enhanced next season with the addition of Garswood (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). Manager Chris Richardson stepped up to the plate for another Dark Angel yearling–this time a filly (lot 679)–when going to 300,000gns for Yeomanstown Stud’s first foal from the unraced Shamardal mare Warshah (Ire), a half-sister to G1 Prix de l’Opera winner Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr Devious {Ire}), whose immediate family includes the stakes-winning 2-year-olds Berkshire (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) and Ivawood {Ire) (Zebedee {Ire}). 

“It is a very current family and she is a very athletic filly,” said Richardson, who was at Tattersalls with Cheveley Park Stud owner Patricia Thompson. “She walked as well today as she did when we first saw her. We’ve had to dig deep, but she deserves it and Mrs. Thompson was very taken with her when she saw her today.” 

Book 2 continues today at 10 a.m. local time.