It wouldn't have taken a crystal ball to predict that the only mare to be offered in foal to Dubawi (Ire) this season would play a leading role as the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale commenced in Newmarket.
Richard Brown received an unwarranted kick up the backside at last week's foal sale from a young grand-daughter of High Chaparral (Ire) but the boot was on the other foot when the agent went in pursuit of one of the late Coolmore stallion's daughters, The Miniver Rose (Ire) (lot 1541). With Dermot Farrington having dropped out of the chase, Brown had just Sheikh Fahad and David Redvers left in opposition and, as he placed his bid of 550,000gns, the sheikh turned and walked down the back stairs leaving Brown to sign for the 10-year-old, whose exclusive sales pitch was augmented by the fact that she also won the G2 Park Hill S. and is a real beauty. But for Brown, one name on the page stood out above all others.
“It's Dubawi,” he said. “This is a rare opportunity to get into him so her February cover was of massive appeal. It's becoming harder and harder to get into Dubawi and my client has been trying for a while.”
Unable to name his client but confirming that the mare will stay in Europe, he added. “Obviously she's a lovely mare: strong with lots of quality and a very good racehorse in her day. We'll work out where to send her next year––I think this may have been her only chance to get into Dubawi.”
With five more horses sold than on the opening day of last year's mares' sale, the aggregate of 11,251,000gns was almost identical, with the median improving by 5% to 40,000gns and the average dropping slightly, by 3% to 56,200gns. A decent first-session clearance rate of 84% was set for 205 horses sold from 245 offered.
Godolphin draft dominates
The Godolphin draft was led through by an imposing standard bearer in lot 1460, Folk Opera (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). Winner of the G1 EP Taylor S. during her time with Saeed Bin Suroor, the 12-year-old is in foal to Golden Horn (GB) and also has a Juddmonte family working on her page through her second dam Minskip (The Minstrel {Can}). The whole package made her admirably qualified to join the roster of broodmares being assembled by Andrew Black at Chasemore Farm, on whose behalf Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock saw off opposition including Justin Casse, standing with Paul Shanahan and M.V. Magnier, with a bid of 240,000gns.
“She's a lovely, lovely mare and was a top-class racehorse,” Goff said. “And what's so nice is that she has a lot of exciting stuff to run for her. There's a couple of Dubawis and a Shamardal in the pipeline. And of course she's had a great cover too. So we couldn't be more pleased.”
A view will be taken of the foal, with a colt likely to be sold and a filly retained for the stud. Any disappointed underbidders meanwhile have another chance to get into the family when her dam's half-sister Innocent Air (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) features among the Juddmonte draft today, as lot 1808.
Heading farther afield is 4-year-old Dream Job (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 1486), who was sold in foal to young shuttle stallion Hallowed Crown (Aus) for 190,000gns to Koji Maeda's North Hills Farm.
Maeda's representative Hiroshi Fukuda said, “We like Dubawi very much and the pedigree is very strong, particularly with the U.S. influences.”
Fukuda is referring to the fact that Dream Job's dam Coretta (Ire) (Caerleon) won four Grade II races in the U.S., while grandam Free At Last won seven times in Britain and America, including the GIII Countess Fager H. Her third dam Brocade (GB) presided over a particularly successful dynasty for Gerald Leigh, which included the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Barathea (Ire).
Hartnell's sister follows him south
As the one mare in the catalogue carrying a foal by Shamardal––a stallion almost exclusively confined to his owners' roster of late––there was bound to be plenty of interest in lot 1547. Throw in the fact that Phyllis Maud (Ire) (Halling) is a half-sister to Godolphin's star Australian performer Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), then neither price tag nor luggage tag could come as any surprise.
The mare is on her way to Arrowfield Stud, no doubt as a possible mate for Redoute's Choice (Aus), after Paul Messara paid 360,000gns. “She was an obvious pick,” Messara admitted. “Hartnell's a very good horse and it's a really active family. We'll foal her here and then decide whether to send her home or have her covered to Southern Hemisphere time.”
Phyllis Maud was trained to win four races by Godolphin's former manager, Simon Crisford, and her grand-dam is a half-sister to Suave Dancer. Her young half-brother by Frankel (GB) meanwhile topped the yearling session here last week at 250,000gns. He will do well to prove as good a bargain as Hartnell, who was bought here as a yearling by Mark Johnston for just 45,000gns. Though a Royal Ascot winner for Johnston, he has reached new highs in Australia with two G1 wins, a Melbourne Cup podium and a series honourable efforts against the great Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}).
Snow Pine goes home
Out of a full-sister to Imagine (Ire) (Sadler's Wells)––and so a half-sister to another Epsom Classic winner in Generous (Ire) (Caerleon)––Snow Pine (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) had one of the best pages in the catalogue. But lot 1570 had a rather more specific 'family' value to Diane Nagle, who landed the grey from Godolphin for 260,000gns in order to renew a strong bond with the pedigree.
Both Imagine and Generous were bred at Barronstown Stud, from the great mare Doff The Derby (Master Derby), and the former has since produced a series of Group winners including the tragic Horatio Nelson (Ire) (Danehill). But their sister Shinko Hermes (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) was sold to Japan, in due course producing Snow Pine to win twice in France. There is duly an air of homecoming about the arrival of Snow Pine, carrying a foal by Golden Horn, in Co Wicklow.
“It's lovely because she feels part of the family,” Nagle said. “We had Doff The Derby and bred everything out of her and we still have Imagine. But we sold Shinko Hermes to Japan. We actually tried to buy her back but couldn't, so there's a lot of sentimentality in being able to get one of her daughters.”
By the time the great blue consignment had finished its long trail through the ring, 59 Godolphin fillies and mares had been sold for 4,408,000gns.
Galileo's girls in demand
Marigold Hotel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) became the latest in a well-credentialed clutch of mares selected by Eamonn Reilly on behalf of Maurice Regan, whose homebred dual Group 1 winner Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will join the stallion ranks at Ballylinch Stud next season.
The BBA Ireland agent went to 330,000gns to ensure that Norelands Stud's 4-year-old (lot 1538), sold in foal to Mastercraftsman (Ire), would be heading to Regan's Newtown Anner Stud in Ireland.
He said, “Maurice is doing everything he can to promote Fascinating Rock, and that starts with buying some really good mares to support him in his first year. This is a great moving mare––she reminds me of the fillies I used to buy for Jim Bolger.”
Marigold Hotel can certainly boast a very active family. A daughter of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Hotelgenie Dot Com (GB) (Selkirk), her dual Group 1-winning half-sister Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill) has already produced a Group 3 winner in Mekong River (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while another half-sister, the unraced Moment In Time (Ire) (Danehill), is the dam of G3 Curragh Cup winner Bondi Beach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Further back, her relations also include Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Gale Force Ten (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
Moonlight Sonata (Ire) (lot 1504), a Galileo half-sister to the John Gosden-trained multiple Group winner Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), was bought by an unnamed American breeder but will remain in England at Lofts Hall Stud after Hugo Lascelles went to 280,000gns to secure the 4-year-old, who is also in foal to Mastercraftsman (Ire).
Moonlight Sonata is a member of the Blue Note family, which has served Darley well, chiefly through the champion juvenile filly Blue Duster (Danzig) and her brother Zieten, while this particular branch has also brought success to the paddocks of Fittocks Stud, which sold Moonlight Sonata's grandam Blue Symphony (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) for 1 million gns at this sale in 2012.
It's all about Me
South Seas (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was bought for 145,000gns by David Redvers at the 2015 October Sale and his subsequent Group 3 victory and runner-up finish in the G1 Criterium International in the Qatar Racing colours was enough to persuade Sheikh Fahad to add his dam Let It Be Me (Mizzen Mast) (lot 1457) to his broodmare band.
Redvers had to see off Stephen Hillen and Andreas Putsch in his attempt to buy the 7-year-old half-sister to dual Listed winner Zaidan (Street Cry {Ire}) but had the final say with his bid of 325,000gns.
“Only her mother could love her as a physical but South Seas is a really good-looking horse and Peter Molony has seen the mare's Lawman filly foal who is also very attractive,” said Redvers of the Knockainey Stud mare who was sold not in foal after being covered by Make Believe (GB) on June 1.
“It's all about next year for South Seas,” he added. “We're probably looking at the French Derby with him as I'm not sure he's a 12-furlong horse. I'd love to send the mare to Charm Spirit (Ire), or she could go to Invincible Spirit (Ire) or back to Lope De Vega––that's for Sheikh Fahad to decide.”
Cassidy catches a Spy
One of the younger animals on offer caused a stir towards the end of the session as lot 1599. The 2-year-old Spy Ring (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), hitherto trained by Michael O'Callaghan for Qatar Racing, had finished her first campaign by finishing second in a Listed sprint at Newmarket in October and will now continue her career in the U.S. after Gordian Troeller signed the docket for 280,000gns.
He was accompanied by trainer James Cassidy, who explained: “We've been here many times in the past, and the two we bought last year have both won for us since in California––and one of them, Frenzified (GB) (Yeats {Ire}) has run third in a Grade I. I must say the exchange rate helped this time, I don't think we'd have gone quite that high without it. This is a very fast filly, though I hope she might get a mile in the U.S., and she has room for improvement after just five races.”
However she fares in her emigration, Spy Ring will retain residual value as she shares a grand-dam with dual Group 1 winner and sire Mount Nelson (GB).
The same partnership were back in business minutes later when giving 90,000gns for lot 1604, Nicarra (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a 3-year-old winner this summer for Henry Candy.
Speedy Bullet for New Bay
New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is going to be given every chance in his new career at Ballylinch Stud, judging from plans for lot 1528. White Bullet (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a stakes-placed 3-year-old from the family of champion Camelot (GB), was acquired for 270,000gns by Mick Flanagan on behalf of the China Horse Club––specifically as a mate for the young stallion.
“China Horse Club has taken a 20% share in New Bay and we want to support him with good-moving mares with a high race rating,” Flanagan explained. “If they have a good cover, as she does with Lope De Vega (Ire), so much the better. New Bay is a son of Dubawi who has won a European Classic, with a hell of a pedigree, and he'll get huge support. John [O'Connor] is putting together a really good bunch of people behind him and, from where I'm standing, I'd say the horse is going to get huge support. Certainly we're going to be driving him forward as much as we can, whether with mares or his foals and yearlings.”
White Bullet, consigned by Mount Coote Stud, is out of a half-sister to three stakes winners including Fickle (GB) (Danehill), dam of Camelot's mother Tarfah (Kingmambo).
Mirror the fairest of them all
When a grand-daughter of Miesque walks into the ring, it's only right that she's given some respect and a number of people registered an interest in Mirror City (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), a winner last year at two for Charlie Appleby out of Miesque's Storm Cat daughter Ama.
When Dwayne Woods dropped out of the bidding for lot 1477, his brother Sean took up the running until he was assured that the 3-year-old was his, but ultimately signed the ticket on his brother's behalf.
“He felt I should have carried on so I told him to keep bidding if he wanted to,” explained Dwayne Woods.
“She'll come back to Brook Stud and have a think about what to do with her. That back page is outstanding and for me she could pretty much go to any stallion. She's just a beauty.”
Woods may yet have some exciting updates to come for his new purchase as Ama has a yearling filly by Dubawi and a filly foal by New Approach (Ire).
Myopic has the look
It was not hard to see the bigger picture with lot 1397, the first of the session to make six figures. Myopic (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) is out of a full-sister to Hong Kong champion Viva Pataca – previously Comic Strip (GB) (Marju {Ire})––and dual G1 winner Laughing (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and has herself shown nice ability in a light career with Luca Cumani, winning a maiden at Newbury in August and subsequently runner-up in two handicaps. But what sealed the deal for her new owners at Baroda Stud, who paid 125,000gns through Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock, was her build and movement.
“She's a beautiful filly, physically gorgeous with a great walk,” said Baroda's David Myerscough. “We'd think about a cover and maybe bringing her back next year – Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal) would be a possibility, if we can get in. But it's all open, she could even stay in training, we'll take her home and have a think.”
Myopic's half-sister Twitch (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) had produced a timely embellishment to the pedigree when winning a Listed race at Bath at the backend of the turf campaign. This sale completes a stellar autumn here for Floors Stud, who consigned two knockout Scottish yearlings to the October Sale in a Frankel (GB) colt out of Attraction (GB) (Efisio), sold for 1.6m gns, and a Dubawi (Ire) colt out of Myopic's grand-dam Comic (Ire) (Be My Chief), who brought 750,000gns.
Drosselmeyer's sister to Camas Park
Among a small draft from Shadwell, early in proceedings, perhaps none looked more intriguing than lot 1369, a half-sister to Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor) out of a dual G1 winner by a top-notch broodmare sire. Unsurprisingly Ghizlaan (Seeking The Gold) was once a $600,000 yearling, but she proved wholly anonymous in a brief racing career and has evidently had a few recent problems at stud, as well, slipping a foal between two barren seasons. But she has already produced two black-type winners and, all told, looked potentially well bought at 92,000gns.
As such, it was no surprise to see that she had caught the expert eyes of the Hydes, father-and-son, of Camas Park Stud – albeit the docket was ultimately signed in the name of Cormac McCormack Bloodstock. “She's a good-looking mare by Seeking The Gold who has produced two stakes winners,” reasoned Tim Hyde Jr, who had made the winning bid. “She's a daughter of a G1 winner, and a half-sister to a G1 winner. It's a good page––and she's only 11, so there's plenty of life in her yet.”
Ghizlaan has been covered by the vendor's young sire Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal) and her foal will start life with a glamorous second dam in the Santa Anita Oaks winner Golden Ballet (Moscow Ballet). In addition to Drosselmeyer, her GI Belmont S. and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Golden Ballet has also produced a G1-placed filly in Stage Luck (Unbridled's Song). Ghizlaan's youngest foal, moreover, is her best to date, Ghaaly (GB) winning three times for Jean-Claude Rouget this year including a Listed race at Saint-Cloud.
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