Fittocks Stud

With luminaries such as Bering, Helissio and Calandagan on the roll of honour, the Mauricio Delcher Sanchez-conditioned stakes debutant Pearled Majesty (Persian King) joined exalted company with a pillar-to-post triumph in Sunday's 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. Quickly away from the outside stall for an early advantage, the 31-5 chance was committed by Christophe Soumillon once into the straight and maintained a relentless tempo under continued rousting to easily hold the closing pack--headed by Space Waltz (American Pharoah)--by 1 1/4 lengths. Pearled Majesty took three goes to shed...

As a trainer, Luca Cumani's name has long been etched in the history books among an elite group to have trained two Derby winners. Along with Kahyasi and High-Rise, other equine stars to have graced his stable over more than four decades include Barathea, One So Wonderful, Gossamer, Alkaased, Falbrav and Zomaradah, who is now better known as the dam of Dubawi. Perhaps one of the most special was the Fillies' Mile winner Shamshir, who carried the colours of Sheikh Mohammed but had been bred by Luca and his wife...

Luca Cumani and his wife Sara have long run a successful breeding establishment in tandem with the training operation, but since his retirement from the training ranks in 2018, Luca has joined Sara in making this his main focus. Luca took the time to join TDN Conversations, presented by Saracen Horse Feeds.

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK -- The millionaire lots kept coming almost to the end and, after a fairly flat start to the day, trade picked up significantly by mid-afternoon to the degree that, by the time the curtain fell on Book 1, a total of 16 seven-figure lots had passed through the ring. That equalled the number sold last year, while 70 in total sold for at least 500,000gns.  What was different this time around, however, was a larger catalogue and vendors pointing to some frailty...

Luca and Sara Cumani put the sugar on top of what has been one of the sweetest success stories of the week at Tattersalls when their Fittocks Stud-consigned Wootton Bassett colt sold to Godolphin for 1.9 million gns on the third and final day of the Book 1 October Yearling Sale.  The Wootton Bassett colt became Fittocks Stud's third seven-figure sale this week and followed on from the 2.2 million gns and 1.3 million gns achieved with colts by Frankel and Dubawi respectively.  All told, Fittocks Stud has sold four...

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK -- Day two of the Book 1 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale followed a familiar script on Wednesday when Godolphin and Amo Racing fought it out for the most sought-after bloodlines.  Amo secured two colts by Wootton Bassett - one from Marlhill House Stud and the other from Newsells Park Stud - for 2,200,000gns while Godolphin paid that exact sum for a Frankel colt from Fittocks Stud.  All told, there were six different seven-figure lots on Wednesday, where the total turnover reached 47,258,000gns...

A great day for the Cumanis' Fittocks Stud draft continued with the sale of lot 218, the Dubawi colt out of G1 Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe (Nathaniel), for 1,300,000gns. He became the first purchase at Book 1 this week for Coolmore. The colt's breeder Emma Banks, who sold his full-brother to Godolphin at last year's sale for 2,000,000gns, said, "I'm so lucky to have a mare that has produced two beautiful yearlings. Her [Too Darn Hot colt] foal is lovely and she's in foal to Wootton Bassett, so it's...

Luca Cumani admitted to holding back the tears after he and his wife Sara enjoyed their greatest day in bloodstock when their Fittocks Stud-consigned Frankel colt sold to Godolphin for 2,200,000gns on day two of the Book 1 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.  The Frankel colt was bred in partnership with Newsells Park Stud and Marina and Leonidas Marinopoulos and it was Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida who filled the role as underbidder.  Cumani said, "It's fantastic, absolutely fantastic. It's the highest we have ever done. We sold one for two million...

Adrian Murray trainee Arizona Blaze (Ire) (Sergei Prokofiev--Liberisque {GB}, by Equiano {Fr}), who closed a nine-race juvenile campaign with a runner-up finish in November's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint when last seen, made a winning return to action in Friday's Horse Racing Every Friday Until 11th April Race at Dundalk. Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's March-foaled bay got the better of subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in May's G3 Marble Hill Stakes and broke swiftly to gain an early advantage in...

Godolphin saw off stiff competition from Amo Racing during Wednesday's session at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale to secure the Dubawi (Ire) colt out of the G1 Nassau Stakes heroine Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) for 2,000,000gns. Offered by Fittocks Stud, lot 242 became Godolphin's eighth purchase of the day for a total spend of 9,550,000gns. Lady Bowthorpe also won the G2 Dahlia Stakes and G3 Valiant Stakes and is a half-sister to the G2 Greenlands Stakes scorer Speak In Colours (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}).

"This business is a great leveller," says Emma Banks, who is preparing for the sales debut of the first foal of her star mare Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) at Tattersalls next week. The Dubawi (Ire) colt is being consigned by Fittocks Stud, where he was born, and is lot 242 on Wednesday.  "It's getting nerve-wracking. He's going to be the second horse I've sold this year. I had a yearling in the Somerville Sale, which didn't sell. I'd have happily raced him but Tim Easterby bought him outside the...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin NEWMARKET, UK--A Frankel (GB) filly out of the brilliant G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) provided a sprinkling of stardust on the final day of the Tattersalls Book 1 October Yearling Sale when selling to Shadwell for 1.6 million gns. Sheikha Hissa has been a notable presence on the sales ground all week and, according to Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold, it was her determination that helped see off the attention of underbidder Kieran Lalor for the first foal out of...