Buoyed by one of his biggest results this summer with Royal Ascot winner Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) putting his name in lights, leading bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops will be on the lookout for his next headline act at the Tattersalls July Sale this week.
However, the man who sourced Tom Clover's brilliant G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. heroine on behalf of The Rogues Gallery Syndicate [along with the trainer's wife Jackie] shared feelings of caution on the eve of the eagerly anticipated horses-in-training sale given the amount of international footfall at Park Paddocks on Monday.
The purchase of Rogue Millennium for just 35,000gns from Shadwell at the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale was an inspired one. The Dubawi filly has gone from strength to strength under the care of Clover, a big supporter of Jackson-Stops, which made the Royal Ascot success extra special.
The agent explained, “To do it on the biggest stage of all at Royal Ascot meant the world to me. But, not only that, to enjoy it with Jackie and Tom Clover, it meant so much more as we work very hard together as a team trying to find the right horses at the sales.
“Tom was at Kempton the day we bought Rogue Millennium, so Jackie and I did all the work together at Tattersalls. We were very lucky to land on the filly and to have been given the order from Tony [Elliott, of The Rogues Gallery Syndicate], who has been a superb supporter of both myself and the Clovers.
“He runs a very successful syndicate and told us to go out and buy a well-bred filly to run for the syndicate. Finding a Dubawi out of a stakes-placed mare, like we did, it was just great for everyone involved and then to get her to the big stage at Ascot and to win like she did, it was pretty emotional.”
Jackson-Stops added, “I have been lucky enough to have bought some nice horses, the likes of Shadn (Ire) (No Nay Never), who won a Group 2 for Andrew Balding, but to do it for a tight-knit team meant the world really. To do it for Tom Clover, who trained Rogue Millennium so well in bringing her back in trip, for Tony, game as ever in paying the supplementary fee, it was huge. “It's an angle that I like to pursue a lot, fillies in training. Tom Blain [Barton Stud managing director] and I bought a filly last year at the December Mares Sale called Wonderful Times (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) and we didn't pay a huge amount [85,000gns] for her. We managed to get a listed win out of her in France and she runs in a Group 3 in Vichy next week. There are various other fillies who we have done well with in the past and it is a good angle to explore.”
Soldanelle (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) is another. Sourced at Arqana last year for €65,000, she went on to secure black-type in Germany and is now a valuable broodmore prospect. But it's Rogue Millennium who is Jackson-Stops's shining light. She may not have been sourced at this exact sale but Jackson-Stops, a former assistant trainer to John O'Shea in Australia, explained how finding gems at the horses-in-training sales is something he has always tried to do.
He said, “I absolutely love selecting horses in training. Buying horses for Australia is a big part of my business and, having been an assistant trainer for a long time, form is something I am very strong on. Shiraz, Future Score, and Taramansour have all done very well in Australia. I pay a lot of attention to the form and it's a great part of the business for me.”
On his expectation for the week ahead, he added, “I think the market will be very strong. We saw fillies by Lope De Vega (Ire) and Muhaarar (GB) selling very well at Arqana last week and I think that sets the tone. The quality is here and I have already seen a lot of international clients here on Monday, including well-known faces from Australia, and one or two Americans. I have an order to find something for America this week, which I don't think will be too easy. We have a couple of fillies in mind but I suspect that they will make a lot of money.
“I think this will be a big week. It's great that the sale has moved to a four-day sale. The momentum behind the sale is huge and it's such a great place in the middle of the season for English, American, Middle Eastern and Australians to come over and buy horses at a peak time for everyone.”
It was the well-bred mares who played a star role at this sale 12 months ago. Leading the way at 540,000gns was Rihaam (Ire), a Dansili (GB) mare who was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock from Shadwell Stud, while Sea The Rose (Ire) (Kendargent (Fr) and Shining Bright (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) were not far behind at 500,000gns and 450,000gns respectively.
There are plenty of classy fillies with form and well-bred mares that could rock into six figures this week, too. Of the maiden mares with top-notch form on the track, Group 3-winning juvenile Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) may lead the way.
In achieving that Group 3 victory in the Weld Park S. at the Curragh last term, Basil Martini accounted for none other than Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who went on to chase home superstar Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac
before fetching 1 million gns here at the December Mares Sale.
Basil Martini, who forms part of a strong draft from The Castlebridge Consignment, reached a mark of 100 in seven starts for Joseph O'Brien.
Wootton Bassett (GB) is riding the crest of the wave after River Tiber's success in the G2 Coventry S. and Bucanero Fuerte (GB) landing the G2 Railway S., and the mares in foal to the Coolmore-based stallion will command plenty of interest.
On Tuesday, Frankel (GB) mare Pansy (Ire), one of just who are in foal to Wootton Bassett, boasts a classy pedigree being a full-sister to Hidden Dimples (Ire).
Pansy is out of a sister to Gregorian and is being consigned by Baroda Stud. David Cox's operation also offers White Jasmine (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a full-sister to G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S winner Khaadem, the only mare in the sale who is in foal to Baaeed (GB).
Meanwhile, the second mare in foal to Wootton Bassett, Sweet And Lovely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), will be offered by WH Bloodstock on Tuesday.
She is a full-sister to 2016 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks winner Seventh Heaven, already the dam of a black-type horse in Boogie Woogie (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The four-day sale gets underway at 9.30am on Tuesday morning.
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