Time Is Right For Australian Buyers At Tattersalls

As expected, the first session of the Tattersalls July Sale was dominated by an extensive draft from Godolphin, which supplied more than half of the day's turnover of 7,029,500gns and was responsible for six of the day's top 10 lots.

Time Check (lot 291), a Shamardal half-sister to the dam of Godolphin's Australian Group 1 winner Astern (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) underlined the broad international appeal of the mixed sale when selling for a session-topping 300,000gns to an undisclosed Australian partnership.

Badgers Bloodstock agents Grant and Tom Pritchard-Gordon, in company with Arrowfield's Paul Messara, held off a determined effort from Hubie de Burgh for the 5-year-old, a daughter of the G2 Magic Night S. winner Alizes (NZ) (Rory's Jester {Aus}), who won a six-furlong maiden for Saeed bin Suroor last season.

“Shamardal is proving to be a terrific broodmare sire and this was a good race filly herself,” said Tom Pritchard-Gordon. “The family speaks for itself and she'll be very easy to mate wherever she goes. She will head to Australia eventually.”

The same team had earlier gone to 130,000gns for another mare with strong Australian credentials. The 9-year-old La Pelegrina (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) (lot 179), the sister to the outstanding Australian racemare Miss Finland (Aus), has produced three winners from her first three foals, but was not covered this season.

After a high number of withdrawals, 281 horses were offered throughout the first day, with the aggregate falling only slightly, by 2%. The clearance rate dropped by four points to 80%, while the median dropped by 29% to 10,000gns and the average was up just 1% to 31,242gns.

An unraced 3-year-old sister to American Grade I winner and Hill 'N Dale stallion Violence (Medaglia d'Oro) from the family of Dayjur (Danzig) (lot 173) challenged Time Check for the top honours throughout most of the day. Bought for 290,000gns, she too will be heading abroad but to destination unknown, with agent Ed Sackville not at liberty to confirm the identity of his client.

“She's an attractive, scopey filly and of course she's a sister to a very good horse,” Sackville said. “Her pedigree traces back to a very good American filly in Sky Beauty and she's a lovely breeding prospect. The great thing about the Godolphin draft is that there's full disclosure and it gives other breeders the opportunity to get into some seriously good pedigrees.”

Named Wild Mint, the filly was in training with Andre Fabre and was originally bought as a foal for $850,000 from the draft of co-breeder Hill 'N Dale at Keeneland's November Sale. Her grandam, the champion racemare Sky Beauty (Blushing Groom {Fr}), won nine times at the highest level and is also responsible for the French-based stallion Hurricane Cat (Storm Cat), winner of the G3 Horris Hill S. for the Coolmore partners in his racing days.

La Patria (GB) (lot 256), a daughter of Dubawi (Ire) covered for the first time by dual Group 1 winner Belardo (Ire), will join the pristine paddocks at Andreas Putsch's Haras de Saint Pair after the breeder went to 270,000gns to secure the 4-year-old from a strong German family.

“She was a talented filly from Andre Fabre's stable and I think it's fair to say that with the virus that affected Chantilly last year that some of the 3-year-olds perhaps didn't fulfil their potential,” said Crispin de Moubray, who assists Putsch with his Normandy breeding operation.

The mare's full-brother Ottonian (GB) has won his only two starts for Charlie Appleby this season and is currently rated 87 with an entry for the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York on Aug. 23.

“It's a really deep family and the brother could have won the St Leger by the end of the season,” added de Moubray.

Other highlights from Godolphin included lot 177, the five-time winner and listed-placed Light And Shade (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}), the selection of the Howson & Houldsworth duo on behalf of a British-based client for 155,000gns.

“She was a good performer on the track, and it is very difficult to buy a black-type mare in foal to a stallion of the calibre of Exceed And Excel,” commented Matthew Houldsworth. “She is a scopey filly and her conformation should suit the stallion.”

Of course there was plenty of interest outside the fillies and mares in the royal blue livery and one of the picks of the day was lot 253, What Say You (Ire), a winning daughter of Galileo (Ire) in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire). Sydney-based New Zealander Andrew Williams outbid Saeed Manana to have the final say on behalf of an undisclosed client.

“Galileo is flying as a broodmare sire and Lope De Vega is definitely a stallion on the up,” said Williams. “There's a fair bit happening under the first dam and that could take the horse anywhere.”

The former Arrowfield Stud nominations team member added, “It's great to be back here and this is my first purchase under my own banner so it's really exciting to be buying good stock like this.”

Craic Agus Spraoi (Ire) (lot 227) was led out of the ring unsold but the Intense Focus half-sister to G1 Dewhurst S. winner Parish Hall (Ire), with a colt foal at foot by that talented colt's sire Teofilo (Ire) and in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire), ended up being bought privately by Geoff Turnbull of Elwick Stud for 175,000gns. Turnbull, who splashed out €270,000 on Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) at Arqana's Summer Sale last week, has enjoyed top-level success on the track with his dual Grade 1 winner Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will eventually stand at his Hartlepool stud.

The only mare in the catalogue carrying to Ballylinch Stud's recent recruit New Bay (GB) was lot 112, Elltaaf (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), in foal for the first time and sold through the Castlebridge Consignment for 160,000gns. Eamonn Reilly had to see off his BBA Ireland colleague Richard Ftizsimons to secure the mare on behalf of Irish-based Gerardstown House Stud.

The eight-time winner Volunteer Point (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) caused an early splash when selling for 125,000gns to BBA Ireland. Covered for the first time this season while still in training with Mick Channon, the 5-year-old (lot 44) is carrying to Kodiac (GB).

The bulk of the horses in training catalogued will sell today and tomorrow, but among the small selection offered in the opening session, it was a late wild-card entry which led the way. The Next Pension Fund Syndicate, owners of the Fastnet Rock (Aus) 3-year-old Gino Severini (Ire) (lot 239A) has 200,000gns to add to the retirement trust following the sale of the 87-rated gelding to Hong Kong. Federico Barberini conducted the bidding on behalf of Marie Yoshida's Asian Bloodstock Services and confirmed that the Fozzy Stack trainee will be heading east.

“He's by a really good sire and has exactly the right profile and rating for Hong Kong,” said the agent.

Gino Severini is one of eight winners for his dam Green Castle (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}), who has also produced the Listed Braveheart S. winner Ithoughtitwasover (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}).

The second session of the Tattersalls July Sale gets underway Thursday at 10:00 a.m. local time. For full results, go to www.tattersalls.com.