Book 1 Countdown: ‘I Think It’s Going to be a Blockbuster Sale’

NEWMARKET, UK–There may be some pretty important racing going on across the Channel, but Sunday morning at Park Paddocks was all business as buyers from across the world assembled to assess the potential stars of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Tense though these last few days of inspections can be, one man who can permit himself a small smile of satisfaction is Adrian O'Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock.

The back cover of the Tattersalls catalogue traditionally features photographs of some of the sale's key recent graduates, and of the four shown this year, two are Hazelwood alumni: the GI Belmont Oaks winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel (GB)}) and the GI Diana S. victrix In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Sold at Book 1 in 2019 and 2020 respectively, the duo landed their top-flight wins in consecutive weekends back in July, emphasising the strong American theme that has underpinned the sale for a number of years and is only intensifying.

“It has been amazing,” says O'Brien, beaming under his customised McKulick baseball cap as a loose-walking son of freshman sire Magna Grecia (Ire) strolls up and down in front of him. The colt (lot 200) is a half-brother to the G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and was bred by Emma Capon from the Aga Khan-bred mare Shaloushka (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}).

“We had McKulick and In Italian from previous drafts and to win two Grade Is in a week was incredible,” he continues. “Of our 10 this year, which is our biggest Book 1 draft by far, we've got four Dubawis, three colts and a filly, and they are all lovely, quality animals. Then there's a colt and a filly by Kingman (GB), a full-brother by Frankel to Hans Andersen (GB), a very good 2-year-old colt in Ireland, a beautiful Siyouni (Fr) colt, and representatives from the first crops of Too Darn Hot (GB) and Magna Grecia (Ire), so we're loaded.”

Twenty-six sons and daughters of the Darley powerhouse Dubawi grace the pages of Book 1, and as O'Brien outlines, he is fortunate enough to be consigning a quartet comprised of a half-brother to Group 1 winner Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) (lot 328); a son of Ring The Bell (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 167), who is a sister to the Group 1-winning trio of Hydrangea (Ire), Hermosa (Ire) and The United States (Ire); another colt (lot 278) whose dam is a sister to the Galileo brothers Highland Reel (Ire) and Idaho (Ire), and a filly (lot 302) who also emanates from Barney Roy's family and is the first foal of his stakes-placed half-sister Wisdom Of Mind (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

The market appears to be very strong and I would like to think that the quality here this week will emphasise the strength of the market

The one representative of Dubawi's freshman son Too Darn Hot in the draft is a filly from the stellar Niarchos family of Alpha Centauri (Ire), Alpine Star (Ire) and Discoveries (Ire), those three Group 1 winners being half-siblings to her dam Sellsabeel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Offered on Wednesday as lot 194, she will be sold five lots before the full-brother to the Sun Bloodstock-bred Hans Andersen. The Frankel colt was a 450,000gns Coolmore purchase last year and beat Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) when breaking his maiden in July before running second in the G2 Futurity S.

“It's becoming more common in conversation to hear about the strength of stallions standing in the Newmarket area in particular, and also elsewhere in the UK. We're blessed with high quality that is attracting breeders from all over the world,” says O'Brien, who runs Hazelwood Bloodstock with his wife Philippa from Red House Stud just outside Newmarket.

“The market appears to be very strong and I would like to think that the quality here this week will emphasise the strength of the market. I think it's going to be a blockbuster sale.”

Even with one of Europe's most prestigious race-days taking place on Sunday, the yards at Park Paddocks were already buzzing with action from early in the morning.

“It's a huge week and we've already been pretty busy,” adds O'Brien. “It's always a funny weekend with Longchamp on and a lot of people have commitments there, but all the right people seem to be on the ground here, and there's a lot of overseas interest, so it all looks like it's going to be a great week.”

Just across from Hazelwood Bloodstock's spot in Highflyer's K yard can be found a swanky new development in the Solario yard. The old American barn has been demolished to be replaced with regular stables and rubberised walkways with a smart flint-walled bridge for access.

Clearwater Stud, Oaks Farm Stables, Shadwell, and Book 1 newcomers Haras du Castillon from France, and Germany's Gestut Haus Ittlingen are among the consignors to be housed in the new facilities which appeared to be going down well. It's easy to feel a spring in one's step when the sun is shining on an autumn morning, and Luke Lillingston is rarely to be found without a smile on his face, but as he strides past full of purpose during his morning inspection rounds, he offers an opinion of the bluebloods assembled at Tattersalls for Europe's flagship yearling sale.

“Do you know, I really do think this is the best group of horses I have ever seen here,” says the master of Mount Coote Stud. By Tuesday, we will begin to learn whether he's right, but all the signs seem to be pointing in the right direction.

 

The post Book 1 Countdown: ‘I Think It’s Going to be a Blockbuster Sale’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘It’s Mind-Boggling’ – O’Brien Shares All About Belmont Heroine McKulick

Adrian O'Brien, who under the banner of Hazelwood Bloodstock, raised and consigned GI Belmont Oaks winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) on behalf of her breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, has opened up about what Saturday's top-level triumph means to everyone on his farm. 

Hazelwood Bloodstock, which O'Brien set up alongside his wife Philippa in 2016, boards up to 30 mares with an emphasis on quality over quantity. 

In Astrelle (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), the dam of McKulick and one of the first mares to walk through the gates at O'Brien's base in Newmarket, he has certainly been dealing with quality. 

“She's not the biggest, nor is she the flashiest, but bloody hell she puts big engines into them,” – Adrian O'Brien on Astrelle, the dam of McKulick

A solid mare on the track with Marco Botti, Astrelle achieved black-type and reached a rating of 100 in her pomp. However, it's as a broodmare where she has excelled. 

Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}), her first foal, landed the G2 German Guineas in 2020 and now stands at Gestut Helenenhof while Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) won the G3 Sceptre S. at Doncaster before selling to BBA Ireland on behalf of Moyglare Stud for 625,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale last year.

McKulick has continued the trend for Astrelle and O'Brien revealed that he scarcely can remember a mare to have enjoyed a better start at stud.

He told TDN Europe, “We're very fortunate to have some exceptional clients and we have had the pleasure of taking nice horses to the sales. We've topped six yearling sales in the past five years and that's all well and good but, unless they are doing it on the track, we are wasting our time. 

“As the caretaker of this horse [McKulick] from the time she was born until the hammer fell [for 180,000gns to Mike Ryan at Book 1 at the Tattersalls Yearling Sale in 2020], it was enormously satisfying. 

“Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who bred McKulick and raced her dam Astrelle, is also thrilled. He invests a lot in racing all over the world and I can guarantee that he got a great buzz out of the success.”

O'Brien added, “We opened our doors in 2016 and Astrelle was one of the first mares we covered. She was here as a maiden in her first year. That first foal became Fearless King, who won the German 2,000 Guineas. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum bred and retained an interest in Pride Of Dubai, which is why she went to him next, with the resulting foal turning out to be Just Beautiful. Then this filly [McKulick] came along. I can't remember a mare to get off to a better start.”

With a Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 2-year-old in training with Andrew Balding and a couple of well-bred youngsters coming through the ranks, the future for Astrelle, and indeed Hazelwood Bloodstock, is bright. 

O'Brien said, “She has a Cracksman 2-year-old, who Alastair Donald bought at Tattersalls last year [for 200,000gns] on behalf of King Power, and I believe he is in training with Andrew Balding. There is some serious pressure on that horse now!

“She also has a yearling filly by Calyx (GB), who will be retained, unsurprisingly, and she has a Pinatubo (Ire) filly foal at foot. She missed on a late cover this year but will be ready to roll at the end of February but we haven't had the conversation about which sire she will visit. 

“She's only 10 years of age. It's mind-boggling. She's not the biggest, nor is she the flashiest, but bloody hell she puts big engines into them.”

The post ‘It’s Mind-Boggling’ – O’Brien Shares All About Belmont Heroine McKulick appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kingman Colt Lights Up Second Day Of Tattersalls October Book 2

Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continued in robust fashion on the second day with six lots selling for 300,000 guineas or more and a Kingman colt topping proceedings at 525,000 guineas. There were rises across the board with turnover topping 18 million guineas for the second consecutive session.

The top price on the second day of Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale was 525,000 guineas for the Kingman colt from Adrian and Philippa O'Brien's Hazelwood Bloodstock. The son of the Listed winning and Group placed Galileo mare Reem was knocked down to Juddmonte Farms' Simon Mockridge after he saw off the effort of John Gosden who trains King Leonidas, this colt's older brother who topped this sale at 750,000 guineas in 2018 and who is officially rated 103.

Consignor Adrian O'Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock said: “What more is there to say than, in a nutshell, we are delighted. The full-brother topped the sale three years ago and it is clearly a cross that works. King Leonidas has had a few setbacks, but he is back on track now and he is clearly a very talented horse.

“I am very flattered that Juddmonte has bought a horse of his quality from our farm and delighted for the breeder and for everyone. It is just fantastic, we wish them the very best of luck.”

Juddmonte Farms purchased three yearlings at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 1,230,000 guineas.

U.S. agent Ben McElroy will be hoping that history repeats itself after buying a Kodiac filly from the draft of Tally-Ho Stud for 340,000 guineas. It was that combination at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2019 that resulted in the purchase of dual Group 1 winner Campanelle.

“She has been bought for same connections as Campanelle,” revealed McElroy. “I saw her two or three days ago, she has a lot of likeness with Campanelle. She has the scope for a Kodiac filly and is a half-sister to a filly we are familiar with in Ventura Diamond, and her siblings are all well rated. She is obviously by a top sire of fillies, and we have had a lot of luck with the sire.”

The filly, who is out of Zamindar mare Shehila, is a half-sister to the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes winner and Group 3 Bengough Stakes placed Ventura Diamond and was secured by McElroy after a bidding duel with Anthony Stroud.

McElroy added: “She stands over a lot of ground, I think she is going to be quick. She has a lot of presence and a lot of class, just everything you like to see in a filly. She will go back to America.”

Campanelle is owned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables and trained in the U.S. by Wesley Ward. She won the Group 1 Prix Morny Stakes and Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes as a 2-year-old and returned to Royal Ascot this year to win the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.

McElroy continued: “Hopefully the luck continues, and I think Barbara Banke has already picked out a name for her!”

Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues with the third and final session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The post Kingman Colt Lights Up Second Day Of Tattersalls October Book 2 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights