BBAG Braced for Strong International Demand

BADEN-BADEN, Germany–In a special year for German racing as the country celebrates the sport's 200th anniversary, what better way to bring the curtain down on Baden-Baden's Grosse Woche than by having dual German Horse of the Year Torquator Tasso (Ger) return to defend his crown in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden? Before that, however, there is the not insignificant matter of around 200 of the country's best yearlings coming under the hammer on Friday in a catalogue that a number of potential buyers around the BBAG sales ground on Thursday were labelling as the strongest ever.

They certainly would not be disabused of that notion by BBAG's managing director Klaus Eulenberger, who could barely walk 20 yards on Thursday without greeting someone or being greeted. Between frequent phone calls he had a few moments in his busy day to assess the scene ahead of his company's biggest day of the year.

“All the usual, local faces are here but there are also many new faces, and international faces, and we are really happy about that, and with the catalogue,” he said. “And it is great for the racecourse that we will have Torquator Tasso here for what will probably be the last time [in Germany] on Sunday.”

While that catalogue is liberally sprinkled with some of the best female families in Germany, there is a broad international range to the stallions represented. Over the last three years, the sale has been topped twice by a Sea The Stars (Ire) yearling at the record price of €820,000, while last year the top lot was by Britain and Ireland's champion sire Frankel (GB).

Eulenberger continued, “Over the last few years we have been happy to see two or three yearlings by Sea The Stars, but now we have seven in the sale and two nice Frankels, Wootton Bassetts, a Kingman, a lovely Dubawi filly, four colts from the second-last crop of Adlerflug, lots of nice Soldier Hollows and a really nice Le Havre filly.”

That shopping list of some of Europe's elite sires has no doubt been a source of encouragement for some of the first-time visitors to Baden-Baden this week, which include Jason Litt, Ahmad Al Shaikh, Paul Nolan, Tom Clover, and Billy Jackson-Stops.

Mick Donohoe of BBA Ireland is not a newcomer to the sale but is in Baden-Baden for the first time in eight years. He said, “The catalogue is really good and now I have had a chance to look at the horses there are some really nice yearlings here. Klaus and his team have done a terrific job and it's a very easy sale to work.”

International consignor Philipp Stauffenberg has brought a select draft of four yearlings to BBAG which includes a trio that represents a departure for established breeders Gestut Honyhof, the owners of the 2002 German Oaks winner Salve Regina (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), a full-sister to the German Derby winners Samum (Ger) and Schiaparelli (Ger). The late mare's purchase as a yearling not only led to Classic success on the track but has helped the farm to establish a significant dynasty. Two of Salve Regina's daughters, Salve Aurora (Ger) (King's Best) and Salve Haya (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), appear as the dams of two yearlings on offer on Friday. Salve Aurora's strapping son of Lope De Vega (Ire) is in the book as lot 158 and is a half-brother to two listed winners as well as a Group 3-placed winning 2-year-old, while Salve Haya's daughter (lot 61) is the only yearling by the late Le Havre (Ire) in the catalogue and is a half-sister to G3 Derby Trial winner Sea Of Sands (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Gestut Honyhof manager Simon Minch explained, “This is the first time we've ever sent horses to the sales. It's all part of the process, the owners aren't getting any younger, and this should put us on a solid foundation for the future. We're known as breeders, but we're not known as sellers, so it takes time to get established in the market and we're very pleased to offer three very decent yearlings to start it off.”

Espousing the eventual broodmare appeal of the Le Havre filly, he added, “I think nowadays we are maybe running into a little bit of problem with inbreeding and it is important to offer something that might be a bit of an outcross for breeders. She's a half-sister to a Group 3 winner and the dam has a lovely filly foal by Sottsass this year. It's a family of producers and it's a female line that rarely comes on the market.

“Salve Haya and Salve Aurora are both daughters of the Group 1 winner Salve Regina. She only had eight foals and they were all fillies. We have the full-sister to the Le Havre filly [Salve Le Meer] and she has been retained and was a winner this year at three.”

Completing the trio is a colt from the first crop of Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (lot 209) and again the sole representative of his sire in the sale.

Minch said of the dark-brown colt out of the dual winner and listed-placed Westfalica (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), “The family is a bit of a pet project of mine. It's the family of Jet Ski Lady but it had gone a bit quiet. I've put things like One Cool Cat and Areion, going back to the Vaguely Noble speedy side of things, and it has paid off. The second dam only ever had three foals and two of them were black type, so it is a fun family to play around with.”

Of Gestut Honyhof's association with Stauffenberg Bloodstock, he added, “I've known Philipp for many years and if you want to get the best you have to work with the best. That's why we are working with Philipp and we are very lucky to have him involved with our operation going forward.”

Undoubtedly plenty of focus will fall on the first foal Gestut Brummerhof's German Oaks winner Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), who also happens to be the only Dubawi (Ire) yearling catalogued this year in Germany (lot 178). The dark-brown filly certainly didn't fluff her lines as she paraded serenely for plenty of interested parties on Friday and her breeders Gregor and Julia Baum, who proudly boast the tagline 'The Home of Danedream' on their sales branding, are no strangers to success at BBAG. Brummerhof broke the record yearling price when topping the sale in 2019 with a daughter of Sea The Stars sold to Godolphin. Can they do it again on Friday? Time will tell, but it appears that they could well have strong competition.

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‘I Had No Clue Who Adlerflug Was But I Just Loved Alenquer’ 

Few people will go through life fortunate enough to say they have had anything to do with a Group 1 winner–fewer still with one who cost just €18,000 as a foal.

But back in 2018, when not many were in a hurry to get behind the little-known Adlerflug (Fr) (In The Wings {GB}), one of the ill-fated sire's most talented sons went through the ring at Arqana for that paltry sum.

It was Gerry Burke's eye and pocket who saw something in Alenquer (Ger) long before the horse confirmed himself a colt of the highest standard in winning the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday, not that the man behind Glidawn Stud will take much credit. 

“Normally, when these horses end up becoming Group 1 winners, it's because they have been fortunate enough to have been in good hands, particularly when it comes to the trainer,” said Burke, deflecting the praise towards William Haggas.

“It's lovely when something like this happens as it gives people hope that you don't have to spend hundreds of thousands to find a Group 1 winner. 

“He [Alenquer] was a relatively inexpensive foal and was lucky for everyone he was associated with. He left me a few quid and has done very well for his new connections.” – Gerry Burke

Torquator Tasso (Ger), last season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, and In Swoop (Ire), had yet to fly the flag for Adlerflug by the time Burke re-offered Alenquer as a yearling, not that it mattered much.

Such was the quality of animal Burke was dealing with, Alenquer was accepted into Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale, and despite admitting to knowing next to nothing about the colt's sire, popular bloodstock agent Armando Duarte went to 80,000gns to secure him.

Picking up the story, Duarte, who purchased Alenquer on behalf of MM Stables, recalled, “Within three strides of seeing Alenquer walking out of his box, I thought 'wow, he is absolutely unbelievable.' He'd a great walk, a great shoulder, a lovely head with good ears and good eyes. “I went and looked at every other horse in that sale but he was the one who kept coming back to my mind. I think I looked at him 13 times. I had no clue who Adlerflug was but I just loved Alenquer.”

He added, “Bill O'Gorman, who taught me everything I know, always said to me that horses don't know how much they cost and it's a fact. He was a great mentor to me and taught me to look for the triangular shape between the withers, shoulders and the hip. Alenquer had that triangular shape that I look for.”

The Tattersalls Gold Cup has at times been rendered a damp squib, a soft touch if you like, but not Sunday's edition. 

Alenquer beat globetrotting stars State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Group 1 scorers Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Helvic Dream (Ire) (Power {GB}) in recording his finest hour on the racetrack and Duarte believes the 4-year-old has more to offer at the highest level.

“To be honest, sometimes I have to pinch myself. Things like this don't happen very often so you have to enjoy it,” he said.

“It was as good a Tattersalls Gold Cup as I can remember. We like to give him a little break between races so I think we will go to the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown next. After that, we could look at the King George at Ascot, the Juddmonte, the Irish Champion Stakes or even the Arc. There are so many options. He's improving all the time and is exciting.” 

Alenquer was the only foal that Burke brought home from Arqana in 2018 and he counts himself “blessed” to have found him. Whether it was fate, or just sheer luck, Burke explained that Duarte was the first man to pull Alenquer out of his stable at Tattersalls and that Sunday's triumph marked the anniversary of another special day. 

The renowned pinhooker said, “I knew that Armando loved him. He was the first man to pull him out of the box. The horse was well liked by a lot of very good judges at the sales and it was nice to see the experts back up what we thought of him at home. 

“He was the only foal I bought at Arqana that year. I was blessed to find him. We sold Hula Angel (Woodman), who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas 23 years ago to the day of Alenquer's Gold Cup win, so that's how long it took me to find another one. We have been very blessed to have had him.”

Many good things come to those who deserve them least but in the case of Gwen Monneraye and Lucie Lamotte of La Motteraye, who consigned Alenquer at Arqana on behalf of Michael Andree, they have earned their place in the third and final chapter of the Alenquer story. 

Gwen and Lucie, who welcomed their first child Olivia into the world just three months ago, were zipping down to the south of France for a mini holiday when they pulled over to watch Alenquer storm to Curragh glory. 

Alenquer came from just the second crop of foals born at La Motteraye, the fast-developing stud in Normandy, with the broodmare band more than doubling since 2018 from 20 to 50 currently. 

Among them is Alenquer's dam Wild Blossom (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), happily in foal to Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal), which provided the young family with extra reason to celebrate over the weekend. 

Monneraye said, “Alenquer was born and reared on our farm. Michael Andree, of Gestut Romerhof, is the Coolmore representative in Germany and is also a very good client of ours. He sent the mare [Wild Blossom] in foal to Adlerflug and she has remained on our farm ever since.”

He added, “I can remember asking Michael about the stallion as I didn't know a lot about Adlerflug. He was a nice horse to be bringing to the sales but people were not aware of Adlerflug and he made only €18,000. His statistics are looking very smart now.

“We work hard every day and to get a result like that was amazing. We were actually on the road to go on a little holiday when we pulled over to watch the race on our phone. It was the best start ever to a holiday and we drank a lot of champagne when we arrived.”

Rare are days where a horse like Alenquer comes along. They need to be celebrated and Burke, Duarte, Andree, Monneraye and Lamotte certainly have.

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Arc Hero Torquator Tasso ‘Working Well’ Ahead of Return

Marcel Weiss, trainer of the reigning Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), has provided an upbeat bulletin on the 5-year-old ahead of his eagerly-anticipated return to action at Baden-Baden on Sunday. 

Torquator Tasso shocked the racing world by becoming the longest-priced winner in Arc history when returning a 72-1 chance in a race where he had Dermot Weld's globetrotting mare Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Irish Derby hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in behind. 

The poster boy of German racing will return in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft at Baden-Baden, a track he tasted top-notch success at last term when snaring the 149th Wettstar Grosser Preis von Baden before his memorable triumph at ParisLongchamp, and Weiss has described his stable star as having done very well over the winter. 

Speaking to TDN Europe, he said, “Torquator Tasso has wintered very well, settled down even more. He has been working very well, the preparation has been going according to plan and we are very hopeful for Baden-Baden, even though he is not yet at a 100%.”

Weiss has a big red circle around the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and will chart a path back to ParisLongchamp in the autumn with the aim of Torquator Tasso defending his crown.

Mapping out the campaign, he said, “The further plan is to go into the G2 Hansa-Preis at Hamburg, then there will be either Ascot [for the King George] or Berlin before we are planning for the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and then onto the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.”

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New British Record at Spring Sale Opener

The opening day of the 60th Goffs UK Spring Sale at Doncaster with saw a Ballincurrig House Stud-consigned son of Adlerflug (Ger) establish a new British record for a store sale with a top price of £200,000. Achieved on the occasion of the sale's diamond anniversary, Monday'ss top lot surpassed the previous record that has stood for 20 years.

The Adlerflug gelding (Lot 38) attracted an opening bid of £80,000 and subsequent salvos from around the ring before being knocked down to Henrietta Knight. The new British record surpassed the 185,000gns achieved by a Roselier 4-year-old gelding at the old DBS complex back in 2002, a price which stood as the world record at the time.

The third foal from the German listed-placed Inanya (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), the gelding is out of a half-sister to the dam of treble Group 1 winner Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).

A Walk In The Park (Ire) gelding offered by Worthen Hall Stables (Lot 127) achieved the third highest price in the Spring Sale's history when selling to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for £175,000. The bay is aa half-brother to the Listed winner and group-placed Didtheyleaveuoutto (Ire) (Presenting {GB}) and out of a half-sister to the legendary Denman (Ire) (Presenting {GB}.

Monday's average price of £32,224 just surpassed the record Day 1 figure achieved on the corresponding day last year while 19 lots made or surpassed the £50,000 mark.

The second and final day of the Spring Store Sale will commence Tuesday at 11am and all lots are eligible to enter for the new £100,000 Spring Sale Bumper, the world's richest bumper, which will be held next year at Newbury Mar. 25.

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