Top-Priced Yearlings: Where Are They Now?

Tom Peacock tracks the progress of the top-priced yearlings from last year's major European sales.

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER BOOK 1

Godolphin maintained its staunch support of Dubawi (Ire) during Book 1, with one of a number of signings by Chief Executive John Ferguson including the joint-highest priced yearling in the world during 2016. The colt, named Glorious Journey (GB), was a rare offering in the ring by Normandie Stud's Philippa Cooper out of her G1 Coronation S. winner Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and went for 2.6-million guineas.

Jim Clarke, Godolphin's assistant racing manager, said, “He's in training with Charlie Appleby. He has settled into the stable well and is doing everything well. He's a nice horse.”

Another Dubawi colt fetched the same figure when knocked down to Angus Gold on behalf of Shadwell and is from another of the country's renowned breeding operations, that of Meon Valley Stud. He is out of G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic), while his half-sister Izzi Top (GB) was also a Group 1 star in France and Ireland. Now named Emaraaty (GB), he has joined John Gosden. Gold said, “He was never going to be an early horse and John Gosden is very much taking his time with him, but he has been happy with him up to now and hopefully he will be a horse that we can step up from late summer onwards.”

The sale's highest-priced filly was a daughter of Galileo (Ire) who is a full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Alice Springs (Ire). Consigned by Glenvale Stud, she reached 2.1-million guineas bought between MV Magnier and South African Markus Jooste's Mayfair Speculators and has been sent to Aidan O'Brien.

Derek Brugman, racing manager of Mayfair Speculators, said: “She is unnamed and is in training at Ballydoyle. Aidan believes she will probably race in the middle to the back end of the season.”

Ferguson had to see off a number of interested parties for another Dubawi, consigned by Watership Down Stud out of the French listed winner Nature Spirits (Fr) (Beat Hollow {GB}) for 2.1-million guineas. The dam is from great Niarchos family lineage and a half-brother to G2 Beresford S. winner Curtain Call (Fr).

“He's in pre-training and Sheikh Mohammed hasn't decided which trainer he will go to,” said Clarke.

GOFFS ORBY

John Ferguson leapt into action to secure the jewel in the crown of the Wildenstein Stables Ltd dispersal at Goffs. The Dubawi colt was the first foal of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and joined Godolphin for €1.4-million.

“He is called Being There (Fr) and is in training with Charlie Appleby,” said assistant racing manager Jim Clarke. “He's doing everything well, seems a nice horse and Charlie has been pleased with his progress.”

The Coolmore team were busy, and a full-sister to 2014 G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was bought by M V Magnier for €900,000. Bred by Vimal and Gillian Khosla and consigned by Ballylinch Stud, her dam Green Room (Theatrical {Ire}) also produced G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Lord Shanakill (Speightstown).

An attractive Frankel (GB) out of Moonlight's Box (Nureyev) was also popular with buyers. The half-brother to Group 1 winners-turned-stallions Bago (Fr) (Nashwan) and Maxios (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), bred by the Niarchos family's Flaxman Stables Ireland, went the way of BBA Ireland agent Adrian Nicoll for €750,000. The purchase was for Coolmore interests and Nicoll confirmed, “He's in training at Ballydoyle.”

ARQANA AUGUST YEARLING SALE

Coolmore and Mayfair Speculators combined again for the top lot in Deauville, a Galileo filly out of Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The dam has already produced the G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and this one was another hot property, reaching €1.4-million for Ecurie des Monceaux.

She has joined Aidan O'Brien and the Mayfair Speculators racing manager Derek Brugman reported, “She is unnamed and in training at Ballydoyle. Aidan believes she's a nice filly but is unlikely to be early.”

Shadwell struck for an in-demand Frankel (GB) colt from Ecurie des Monceaux. The chestnut is out of Pertinence (Ire) (Fasliyev)) and a half-brother to dual Listed winner La Peinture (Fr). He will remain on home soil with Jean-Claude Rouget and has been named Alfursaan (Ire).

“He is a May foal and again was never likely to be a precocious horse,” said Shadwell's Angus Gold. “However, I saw him with Jean-Claude Rouget in February and he loves the horse and says he has tremendous temperament and a lovely action. I would expect him to be in action from August onwards.”

David Redvers snapped up a full-brother to triple Group 1 winner Charm Spirit (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of Ecurie des Monceaux's L' Enjoleuse (Ire) for €650,000. The colt will run for Qatar Racing.

“He had a minor setback but is going to be going to Freddy Head in the next few weeks,” said Redvers. “He's a lovely horse that we're looking forward to.”

TATTERSALLS IRELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALE

The biggest talk at the Fairyhouse event was an Epaulette (Aus) filly out of the Mr Greeley mare Onomatomania. The half-sister to Cork maiden winner Miss Cogent (Ire) was bought by Amanda Skiffington for €150,000.

“She's called Verve (Ire) and is owned by Chris Humber, she's with Hugo Palmer,” said Skiffington. “She's very nice, but she's not going to be early.”

Two colts reached €140,000, one of which was the first foal to be sold out of Harmonic Note (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). Trainer Kevin Prendergast, who retains an interest, reported, “He's owned by a syndicate including myself, my daughter, Jody McGrath and a few others. He's fine, he's not an early horse, he's more of a back-end horse.”

The second, a son of Dark Angel (Ire)–Manuelita Rose (Ity) was picked up by agents SackvilleDonald and seems a more forward type. Tom Dascombe, who trains the colt named Kraka (Ire) for the Lowe, Jones, Mound and Trowbridge families, said, “He's a very nice colt, we do like him a lot and he is just starting to do a bit. Who knows what he'll do on the track but he does look like a racehorse. The idea at the moment is that he would be ready to run by May.”

GOFFS UK PREMIER YEARLING SALE

Highclere Stud's Dark Angel (Ire) colt out of the listed winning Swiss Dream (GB) equalled the sales record at Doncaster when reaching £280,000. The grey, who is also a close relative of top sprinter Swiss Spirit (GB), was bought on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell operation by Peter and Ross Doyle and is named Yafta (GB).

“This horse is with Richard Hannon and he has always liked what he has seen of him,” said Shadwell's Angus Gold. “Again he has never looked a terribly precocious horse, but Richard's last report said that he had been particularly pleased with him recently and that he loves his work, and we will see if he looks early enough to go to Royal Ascot in due course.”

The second top lot followed a similar pattern, a Dark Angel colt picked up by Shadwell, this time for £250,000. Mubhij (Ire), who is in training with Roger Varian, represented a smart piece of pinhooking business by Finn Bloodstock, which bought him for 105,000gns the winter before. He is a first foal of Diva (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who is related to several German listed winners. Gold reported, “Roger Varian says he has a fantastic temperament and he really likes the horse, and hopes he will be on the track from mid-summer.”

Brightwalton Stud's Acclamation (GB) colt out of listed winner Melbourne Memories (GB) will not be hitting the racecourse any time soon after his £230,000 purchase by Mark Richards for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Malcolm Bastard, who is currently preparing the colt, said, “He's a high-quality horse, he's been broken in and just ticking along nicely here. He'll most likely be going to Hong Kong for the 2018 March sales, so he'll be with us until then.”

BBAG PREMIER YEARLING SALES

Peter and Ross Doyle, acting for Markus Jooste's Mayfair Speculators, were responsible for the Baden-Baden sales-topper in a €500,000 Sea The Stars (Ire) filly. She is a daughter of Gestut Ebbesloh's excellent broodmare Estefania (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), who also produced G1 Preis von Europa S. winner Empoli (Ger), among others. Peter Doyle said, “She's owned by Mayfair Speculators and is in training with Andre Fabre.”

Derek Brugman, the owners' racing manager, added, “She's a nice filly but won't be an early 2-year-old type.”

Leading German sire Soldier Hollow (GB) was in great demand on home soil with Mannfred Ostermann, acting through Jamie Railton, purchasing a Gestut Rottgen filly for €300,000. Out of winning mare Elora (Ger) Alkalde (Ger), she is a half-sister to G2 placed El Loco (Ger). A spokesperson for Ostermann said the filly's name had now been changed from Egoistin to Enissa (Ger) and that she is in training with Markus Klug.

Bloodstock agent Jeremy Brummitt went to €250,000 for another Soldier Hollow, this time a colt and the first foal of Wilddrossel (Ger) (Dalakhani {Fr}), who was third in the G3 German St Leger among a string of good efforts. Winston (Ger), who is in training with Roger Charlton, is from a durable staying family which includes the superior mare Wild Coco (Ger).

“He's owned by Bjorn Nielsen and I've had him for a few weeks,” said Charlton. “He's a good-looking, big sort of horse and you'd say he'll be the type to be coming out in the second-half or back-end of the season.”