Shamardal Colt Sparks Darley/Coolmore Duel

FIGURES SOAR AT TATTS SESSION TWO 
By Emma Berry and Kelsey Riley 
The second day of Book 1 took place in notable contrast to Tuesday’s opening session in both mood and market vibrancy. Record turnover for a single day at Tattersalls was achieved when 123 yearlings sold for 28,930,000gns, an improvement of 16% helped in no small part by three seven-figure transactions. The average increased by 4% to 235,203gns, with the median also up, by 7%, to 150,000gns. Clearance rate was also significantly higher than the first day and up by 16% on the corresponding session last year at 87%. 
Twelve yearlings exceeded the 500,000-guineas mark, compared to eight last year, with the three million-plus yearlings all being knocked down to John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed. The 1.7 million guineas (US$2.867 million) sale topper is the most expensive yearling sold in the world this year.

Shamardal Colt Sparks Darley/Coolmore Duel… 
In a scene rarely witnessed these days in sales rings around the world, a good old-fashioned shoot-out between Darley and Coolmore brought about the first millionaire of Tattersalls October Book 1 when a near-black son of Shamardal lot 214was hammered down for 1.7 million guineas. 
Eamonn Reilly of BBA Ireland was the first bidder to show serious intent for the regally-bred colt out of top sprinter Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}), who is already the dam of three group winners. Her G1 Irish 1000 Guineas-winning daughter Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB})–who won three Group 1 contests for Aidan O’Brien–ensured Coolmore’s interest, with John Magnier leaping into the chase at 1 million guineas. Sheikh Mohammed, who stands Shamardal at his Kildangan Stud in Ireland, would not be denied, however, and, standing alongside John Ferguson, drove the price up until the colt was his. 
The final sum naturally brought a wide smile to the face of the colt’s breeder, Trevor Stewart, who consigned him through James Hanly’s Ballyhimikin Stud, where Cassandra Go resides alongside her Group 3-winning daughter Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). 
“I’m absolutely delighted, naturally,” beamed Stewart. “I didn’t expect anything like that, it’s a dream, an old-fashioned battle between Coolmore and Darley. At least I’ll be able to sleep tonight!” 
Stewart, who bought Cassandra Go, a half-sister to former Irish National Stud stallion Verglas (Ire), as a yearling for 200,000gns in 1997, saw her carry his colors to victory on six occasions, including in the G2 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot and G2 Temple S. at Sandown. He added, “I have retained her Pivotal 2-year-old, Allez Alaia, who is in training with Roger Charlton. She has no foal this year but she is in foal to Iffraaj and her daughter Tickled Pink is in foal to Dark Angel.”
John Ferguson, who is leading purchaser at Tattersalls this week by a considerable margin, said, “He’s from a very good breeder and the mare was outstanding herself. When a top racemare can breed a Classic winner there’s always a chance she can do it again. He’s a beautiful colt by a stallion who has really set the world alight this year. Although it’s a lot of money it’s so hard to breed a horse as special as that– he deserved to make that price.” 
Shamardal, whose young stallion sons include one of this year’s leading freshmen, Lope De Vega (Ire), is the sire of 22 stakes winners around the world this year, including G1 Eclipse S. winner Mukhadram (GB), who is set to retire to Shadwell’s Nunnery Stud in 2015. 
Ferguson came out in support of Lope De Vega later in the session, going to 650,000gns for a handsome bay colt from Ballylinch Stud (lot 263), which stands the dual French Classic winner in Ireland. Lope De Vega is the sire of Group 3 winner Burnt Sugar (Ire) and listed winner Belardo (Ire) from his first crop, and this colt, out of the winning Montjeu (Ire) mare Dazzle Dancer (Ire), was bred by Ballylinch. 
“We’re absolutely delighted,” said Ballylinch Managing Director John O’Connor. “We did expect him to sell extremely well because he’d been vetted by some of the top groups. And he’s just such an exceptional mover, and he’s got so much quality. He’s a homebred, we raced his dam, and we’ve retained his sister, which we think is a very promising filly, so we’re delighted. Lope De Vega is off to a very, very good start, so it’s very nice for those of us that use him to know that you can have the very top buyers bid for them.” 
Godolphin has already tasted success with Lope De Vega courtesy of Very Special (Ire), a half-sister to last year’s champion juvenile filly Chriselliam (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Very Special broke her maiden by five lengths at first asking in September and finished third in the Oct. 4 Tattersalls Millions 2YO Fillies’ Trophy. 
“We’d really like to wish Sheikh Mohammed and John Ferguson best of luck with this horse,” O’Connor noted. “We have a lot of confidence he’ll be a nice racehorse.”