Al Riffa To Miss Irish 2000, Royal Ascot Bid Still Possible

Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), winner of last year's G1 National S. and ante-post favourite for Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, has been ruled out of the race with “a little setback,” the Irish Field reported. While announcing that the Jassim Bin Al-Attiyah-owned colt would not make the Curragh this weekend, trainer Joseph O'Brien remains confident that the colt will make the G1 St James's Palace S. on opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting June 20. He is a 6-1 chance for that mile test ante-post with Coral.

“He has just had a little setback in training,” O'Brien told the Irish Field. “Hopefully it's nothing too serious and he will be back later in the summer. He has options at Ascot and further afield than that as well.”

Al Riffa also holds an entry for the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh July 2.

“These things happen, so it's a long way from a problem,” O'Brien continued. “It is obviously disappointing for the owners. This race has been his target for the last while, but we will look forward to things later in the summer.

“Timing-wise, Royal Ascot will be fine, but we will have to decide whether we want to run there or in other races. We'll not be rushing into any decisions.”

The defections leaves G1 English 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as market leader for the Irish 2000, but he is expected to wait for the St James's Palace.

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‘She Looks Smart And Will Be Early’ – Joseph O’Brien Stable Tour

Joseph O'Brien has an array of talent to look forward to this season, headed by G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hope Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Group 1 winner Above The Curve (American Pharoah) and smart additions to the stable in Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Ottilien (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

But a yard as big as Owning Hill needs a conveyor belt of youngsters coming through the ranks and O'Brien can boast just that.

Last season's stats back up such a statement. With 31 juvenile winners on the board in that campaign, O'Brien recorded a tally better than every other trainer bar his father Aidan, who was out on his own on 55.

O'Brien has a typically-strong batch of youngsters to look forward to this term and welcomes quality owners like Al Shaqab Racing, Yuesheng Zhang and Kia Ora Stud to the roster.

He commented, “Every year we are trying to increase the quality of horses we have in the yard. The way to do that is by having owners who have the same lofty ambitions that we have. Our owners want to compete at the top level and we are very lucky to have the support of some ambitious and successful people. Hopefully we can justify their support in us.”

O'Brien will not be represented in the opening 2-year-old maiden of the year at the Curragh on Saturday but describes himself as happy with the progression his youngsters are showing at home on the gallops and says that he expects them to be ready to rock and roll in the coming weeks.

He explained, “I think we are pretty much where we usually are with our 2-year-olds. We usually have our first runners in the mid to second half of April and will be aiming to have them in full swing for the summer. We like to think that our 2-year-olds would be better on their fourth run than on their first run and we like to get them to progress throughout the season.”

The 29-year-old has identified 31 juveniles below that have been showing up well at home on the world-famous gallops ahead of the new season.

 

Al Riffa: a major Classic contender | Racingfotos.com

 

2-Year-Old Colts
Unnamed
Pedigree: Acclamation {GB}) colt out of Ramone (Ire) (Marju {Ire})
Bought by: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club from Lynn Lodge Stud for €190,000 at Goffs Orby
Owner: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club
Comment: Looks a pretty mature horse and shows plenty of pace. We think he will be one of our earlier colts to run this year.

Unnamed
Mehmas (Ire) colt out of Box Of Frogs (Ire) (One Cool Cat)
Bought by Joseph O'Brien from James O'Mahony from Springwell Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 for 95,000gns
Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah
A hardy colt who came from Book 2 at Newmarket. He's owned by Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah and was purchased by Khalifa Bin Ahmed Alattiyah, so it is the same ownership as Al Riffa, who we are really looking forward to this year. Again, he'd look to be one of our earlier types at this stage and we're very happy with him. We've had a few by the stallion, the best of which was Magnanimous (Ire), who won the Glencairn S. for us before being sold to Hong Kong. I wouldn't have had a lot of horses by Mehmas but he was quite a good one and achieved a rating of 111 over here before doing well in Hong Kong, where he [now called Circuit Stellar] actually won again a couple of weeks ago.

Unnamed
Magna Grecia (Ire) colt out of Byron Bay (Fr) (Showcasing {GB})
Bought by Stride Racing at Goffs Orby for €65,000 from Camas Park Stud
Stride Racing
This horse is owned by Stride Racing, which was founded by Johne Murphy. He is showing us plenty at the moment. He'll run in the first half of the season and looks a nice six/seven-furlong type. Magna Grecia's first runner was a winner in France on Thursday. There hasn't been as much chat about his juveniles compared to some of the other first-season sires but I certainly couldn't fault anything we have seen from them and I think this horse in particular looks to be a pretty smart and mature colt by the stallion.

Unnamed
Gleneagles (Ire) colt out of Apache Storm (GB) Pivotal {GB})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien from Moyns Park Stud for 55,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2
We've been very lucky with Gleneagles and this guy is out of a Pivotal mare. We're pretty impressed by what we have seen from him to date. He could be a nice horse for a seven-furlong maiden.

Celestial Reign (Ire)
Zoffany (Ire) colt out of Sarawati (Ire) (Haafhd {GB})
Bought by Jim Cockburn and Richard Ryan for €200,000 from Pigeon Park Stud at Goffs Orby
Teme Valley
We've obviously had a very successful partnership with Jim and Richard Ryan of Teme Valley over the past number of years and we're hoping that this guy could follow in the same footsteps of some of the good horses we've had for them in the past.

Unnamed
Frankel (GB) colt out of Midnight Crossing (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland off Kirtlington Stud for 330,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1
Yuesheng Zhang
It's nice to have a horse for Mr. Zhang and the Yulong team. He was bought by Mick Donohoe and will be a horse for the second half of the season but we're very pleased with him. He's our first horse for them and it's great to have a well-bred colt for them. Hopefully we can have some success together.

Al Mudhaffar (Ire)
Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 145,000gns off Corduff Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Al Shaqab Racing Partnership
He looks a nice colt and is one of the first runners I have for Al Shaqab which is exciting. I have a couple more for them so it's great to have that support. We're excited about the season ahead with them.

Unnamed
Ten Sovereigns (Ire) colt out of On Ice (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Homebred
Coolmore partnership
A very nice homebred. We have been impressed by what we have seen of the progeny of Ten Sovereigns and this guy in particular looks to be smart. He is a brother to the stakes-winning Galleria Borghese (Ire) (Caravaggio) and is exciting. I have a bunch of horses by Ten Sovereigns and I'm quite impressed by them. They appear to have plenty of pace and look as though they will get six and seven furlongs. This is just one that I picked out by the sire but there are quite a few by him who are working nicely. This guy is going to be 16.1hh, he's a big strong horse.

Unnamed
Teofilo (Ire) colt out of Alnaas (GB) (Dansili {GB})
Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 300,000gns from Pier House Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Lloyd Williams
A nice horse and one for later in the season. He's owned by Lloyd Williams and obviously he has been lucky with Teofilo, most notably with Twilight Payment (Ire). This looks to be another nice colt and is one for the second half of the season.

Unnamed
Camelot (GB) colt out of Wholesome (Lemon Drop Kid)
LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing
He's a lovely, quality horse. Being by Camelot, he'll be a seven furlong to a mile type of horse and we've been quite pleased by what we have seen from him. We've had lots of winners over both codes for LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing so hopefully this is another to do them proud.

Unnamed
No Nay Never colt out of Height Of Elegance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Bought by Philip Antonacci and Joseph O'Brien for €235,000 from Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby
Euro Liny Syndicate
He's a brother to Queenship (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}), a filly who did well for us a few years ago, and Shadowed (Ire) (Caravaggio), who runs at the Curragh on Saturday. He's owned by the Euro Liny Syndicate and is a very nice colt.

Unnamed
Churchill (Ire) colt out of Summerseat Flyer (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire})
Bought by Stride Racing for €50,000 from Camas Park at Goffs Orby.
Stride Racing
This looks a lovely colt. He's going to start off over seven furlongs and we really like what we are seeing from him. He'll be ready to run in May or June.

Unnamed
Invincible Spirit (Ire) colt out of Uleavemebreathless (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire})
Bought by MyRacehorse from Lynn Lodge Stud for €100,000 at Goffs Orby
MyRacehorse
He could be a six/seven-furlong type and we're quite pleased with everything we have seen of him.

Unnamed
Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of A Mist Opportunity (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus})
Bought by Blandford Bloodstock and Joseph O'Brien at the October Yearling Sales at Arqana for €135,000
Nick Williams and partnership
He was bought with Stuart Boman in Arqana and looks a nice colt for the first half of the season. He's trained up nicely.

Unnamed
Wootton Bassett colt out of Zalia (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB})
Bought by Alex Elliott for €165,000
Nick Williams and partnership
He came from Baden-Baden in Germany and was bought by Alex Elliott. Again, he is owned in a partnership with Nick Williams and is a nice colt for the second half of the season.

 

Joseph O'Brien | Tattersalls

 

2-Year-Old Fillies
Unnamed
Advertise (GB) filly out of Treeline (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB})
Bought for €300,000 by Dan Hayden for Blue Devil Racing from Rathbarry Stud at Goffs Orby
Blue Devil Racing
This is a very nice filly and was bought by Dan Hayden for Mark Holiday of Blue Devil Racing at Goffs. She was an outstanding physical and, at the moment, looks pretty smart. She's going to be an early filly.

Sioux Me (Ire)
Sioux Nation filly out of Emerald Isle (Fr) Exceed And Excel {Aus})
Bought by Bronson Racing for €72,000 from Mountarmstrong Stud at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
Bronson Racing
We've had some success with Sioux Nation already and this is a particularly forward filly by him. She shows lots of speed and is owned by Bronson Racing, which is Neil Sands and family, so it would be great if she turns out to be nice for them. She will be one of our earliest fillies.

Unnamed
Zoustar (Aus) filly out of Madernia (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire})
Bought by Kia Ora Stud for 110,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2
Kia Ora Stud
It's great to have horses for Kia Ora Stud. She will run in the first third of the season. We had a nice colt called Alexis Zorba (GB) by Zoustar last season and hopefully this filly can show up well as the season goes on.

Unnamed
Karakontie (Jpn) filly out of Kodiak West (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})
Bought by Justin Casse for $75,000 off Gainesway at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale
Magnolia Racing
She looks a pretty forward type of filly. She's a Karakontie out of a Kodiac mare which is an interesting cross and we're looking forward to her this season.

Unnamed
Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of Summer Daydream (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB})
Bought by Hanshen Tham of Pattern Bloodstock for 85,000gns from Grangemore Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Hanshen Tham
She was bought by Hanshen Tham, who had Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) with us last year and is obviously a very good judge. We've had quite a bit of success together and hopefully this filly can continue that. Thornbrook will run in the Guineas trial at Leopardstown on Apr, 2, all being well.

Unnamed
Zoffany (Ire) filly out of Kiss Me Daily (Fr) (Reliable Man {GB})
Bought by Badgers Bloodstock for 75,000gns from Ballyhimikin Stud at Tattersalls Somerville Sale
Dean Reeves and Sven and Carina Hanson
She looks to be very nice and is very natural in her training. She will be a mid-summer filly but she is doing things particularly easy.

Grand Job
Justify filly out of Sure Route (GB) (Ishiguru)
Bought for $105,000 by Fergus Galvin off Four Star Sales at Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Coolmore partnership
This filly is showing up well and is showing a lot of pace. We won't run her too early but we like what we see from her.

Unreasonable (Ire)
No Nay Never filly out of Silent Thoughts  (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Newtown Anner Stud
She is a sister to Neptune Rock (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who won a stakes race for us last year. She was bought by PJ Colville on behalf of Newtown Anner Stud for 375,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 and is a very natural filly. She's done everything very easily and looks pretty smart at this stage.

Promptly (Ire)
Kingman (GB) filly out of Amser (GB) (Frankel {GB})
Homebred
Scott Heider
She is a homebred of Scott Heider's, who we have had a lot of success with. Ted Durcan and David Lanigan bought the mare in foal to Kingman for 160,000gns and it's a lovely Juddmonte pedigree. She is a filly for the mid-season but has done her training very nicely to-date.

Bonbon (Ire)
Footstepsinthesand (GB) filly out of Under Offer (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB})
Glamour And Glory Racing
She's a sister to Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who is a smart filly for us. She is owned by the Glamour And Glory Syndicate, which is headed by Tamso Doyle. This is a forward type and could be one of our first fillies to run this year. She shows plenty of speed.

Kelbelle (Ire)
Inns Of Court (Ire) filly out of Ziggy's Secret  (GB) (Sakhee's Secret {GB})
Bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €100,000 off Tally-Ho Stud at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede
She was bought by Anthony Bromley for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede who we have had quite a bit of luck with. Anthony is a great judge and this is a lovely filly. She will be a mid-season type but looks a lovely prospect.

Unnamed
Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly out of Faay (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Made 80,000gns from Whatton Manor Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Shapoor Mistry
Bought by Anthony Stroud for Shapoor Mistry, who we had a lot of success with courtesy of Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). We also have a nice 3-year-old filly for them as well. This is a nice prospect for them.

Unnamed
Kodiac (GB) filly out of My Brunette (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})
Bought by Philip Antonacci from Wardstown Stud for €32,000 at Goffs Orby
EuroLindy Syndicate
She looks quite forward and gets into those auction races as well. She looks an early runner and is precocious.

Unnamed
Kessaar (Ire) filly out of Chellalla (GB) (Elnadim)
Bought by John McCormack for €110,000 off Galbertstown Stables at Goffs Orby
Healthy Wood Company, Ltd.
She is a lovely filly and will be one for the middle to second half of the season. We've been lucky with John before and we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in the second half of the season. I have two Kessaars this year, the first I have had by the stallion, so we will be learning about them this year.

Unnamed
Starspangledbanner filly out of Balakera (Ire) (Dansili {GB})
Bought for €330,000 off Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby
John Oxley
She was bought by Justin Casse for Mr. Oxley, who owned Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) with us. She looks to be a pretty forward type of filly and shows plenty of pace. She will run in the first half of the season and we like what we have seen from her.

Unnamed
Exceed And Excel (Aus) filly out of Sa Mola (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr})
Bought by Justin Casse from Killourney Mor Farm at Goffs Orby for €130,000
Eric Long
This filly is owned by Eric Long, who also owns Zoinnocent (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) with us. She is another nice-moving filly who we are excited about. She'll be out in the first half of the season.

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Who’s Hot Ahead Of The Tattersalls December Foal Sale?

The insatiable demand for foals was evident in the figures recorded at Goffs last week with turnover rising 16% to €29,561,000 and the average climbing 16% to €40,110.

At the top end of the market, Kingman (GB) dominated with three foals by the Juddmonte-based stallion selling for a combined €1,540,000 and one of Europe's leading pinhookers Philipp Stauffenberg signing for the €550,000 top lot by the sire. 

Tally-Ho Stud may be best known for being sellers but they pipped Stauffenberg for the biggest spenders title by signing for 19 foals for €1,429,000. Juddmonte, Yeomanstown, BBA Ireland and Camas Park Stud were also on the front foot at Goffs. 

Away from the top end, there were interesting trends to emerge last week that could well impact how this week's December Foal Sale plays out at Tattersalls.

What first-season sires do the buyers want? Who are the emerging forces in the stallion ranks and where might the value lie at Tattersalls? We've examined all of that and more.

Stock In Mehmas And New Bay Is Booming

It's been a breakout year for Mehmas (Ire) and New Bay (GB), who have had their fees for 2023 hiked off the back of memorable campaigns for their respective progeny and, judging by how well their foals went down at Goffs, they can again be expected to play a leading role at Tattersalls.

Let's start with Mehmas, a horse who began his stud career at Tally-Ho in 2017 at a fee of €12,500 and has justified his bump to €60,000 after another memorable campaign, highlighted by Group 1-winning sprinter Minzaal (Ire).

New Bay has done something similar at Ballylinch in that he has climbed the ranks the hard way. He also entered the stallion ranks in 2017, standing for €20,000, but has had his fee for 2023 increased to €75,000 from €37,500 with Bay Bridge (GB), Bayside Boy (Ire) and Saffron Beach (Ire) doing their bit to advertise their stallion's prowess at the highest level this season.

Nine New Bays sold at Goffs for an average of €80,750, headed by colts who sold for €145,000 and €140,000, while Mehmas enjoyed a similarly productive sale with 26 foals selling for an average of €62,455. Four foals by Mehmas broke the €100,000 mark with BBA Ireland going to €160,000 to secure a colt by the stallion.

What's clear about last week's results is that Mehmas and New Bay are the emerging forces in the European stallion ranks. There are 30 foals by Mehmas and 16 New Bays at Tattersalls this week and it will be interesting to see how they perform.

Sergei To Make A Splash?

The Whitsbury Manor Stud team got to dip their toe into the market with some of the first foals by Sergei Prokofiev (Can) going under the hammer at Goffs. How that will prepare an operation who excelled itself with leading first-season sire Havana Grey is hard to know given the amount of foals due to be sold by Sergei Profkofiev at Tattersalls this week. 

The Goffs offering went down well; one colt made €52,000 while the WH Bloodstock team paid €45,000 for another. Of the six foals that sold at Goffs, they averaged at €34,167. Not bad going for a stallion who stood at £6,500 in his first season at stud. 

Indeed, Sergei Prokofiev hails from that Scat Daddy line that is proving so popular. He was clearly quite the looker, too, given he fetched $1,100,000 as a yearling before carving out a decent career without managing to win a Group 1 for Aidan O'Brien. 

There are 60 foals by Sergei Prokofiev at Tattersalls this week. They should provide a better sample size into the standing in which he is held in with the buyers.

Najd Stud Snap Up Foals

We have become accustomed to Najd Stud playing a major role at the horses-in-training sales but it was interesting to see the Saudi Arabian-based outfit sign for four foals at Goffs. Is that a sign of things to come at Tattersalls this week?

Najd Stud didn't shoot the lights out, either, at Goffs. A Ghaiyyath (Ire) colt topped the total spend of €134,500 across five foals. Interestingly, a filly by Shadwell's Commonwealth Cup winner Eqtidaar (Ire), who has his first runners next year, was among the purchases at €36,000 as was a €3,500 Belardo (Ire) colt on the final day of the sale. 

Kildangan-Based Sires Come Up Trumps

Speaking of Ghaiyyath, the Kildangan-based freshman sire enjoyed a rock-solid start at Goffs with 11 of his first foals selling for €824,000 which averages out at €74,909.

Leading pinhookers Pier House Stud bought the top two colts by the stallion for €185,000 and €145,000 respectively and few would be surprised if the offerings by the four-time Group 1 winner go down well at Tattersalls as well. 

Of the 11 foals cataloged by Ghaiyyath at Tattersalls, a filly out of a sister to New York Girl (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and a half-brother to Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) stand out on paper at least.

Fellow Kildangan-based stallions Blue Point (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire) also performed well. Earthlight had 17 foals sell for €942,500 at an average of €55,441 with Tally-Ho, Lynn Lodge Stud, Peter and Ross Doyle among the significant buyers of his progeny.

Even more impressive were figures posted by Blue Point, who had 20 lots sell for €1,011,500 at an average of €56,194. Top of the pops were colts knocked down for €200,000 apiece to Camas Park Stud and Katsumi Yoshida.

Blue Point's yearlings were similarly well-received. Famous for winning the King's Stand and Diamond Jubilee S. in the same week at Royal Ascot in 2019, Blue Point will have his first two-year-olds hit the track in 2023, with yearlings by the sire averaging over €100,000 this year. 

His stats performed favourably against proven sires Dark Angel (Ire), Showcasing (GB), Kodiac (GB), Starspangledbanner (Aus) and Acclamation (GB) in terms of average for a similar number of lots through the ring at Goffs last week. It will be interesting to see if he can carry over that sort of momentum at Tattersalls. 

First-Season Sires

Next year's race to be crowned champion first-season sire is being billed as one of the most exciting renewals for a long time with Too Darn Hot (GB), Blue Point, Waldgeist (GB), Magna Grecia (Ire), Ten Sovereigns (Ire), Calyx (GB), Advertise (GB), Invincible Army (Ire), Land Force (Ire) and Soldier's Call (GB) having their first runners in 2023.

As mentioned above, Blue Point performed well at Goffs while a number of leading pinhookers got behind the progeny of a number of the first-season sires. 

Advertise was one who came out nicely on the figures from a relatively small sample size at Goffs and one would imagine that Tattersalls will provide a more accurate barometer given he has 19 foals there.

But the Goffs results read well. Six foals sold for an average of €32,167 which was more than Invincible Army [14 for €29,773], Ten Sovereigns [15 for €26,833] and Soldier's Call [14 for €26,417]. Those figures could well average out this week. Time will tell.

First Crops Of Note

Along with Ghaiyyath, Earthlight and Sergei Prokofiev, who we have already mentioned, a number of stallions had their first crop go under the hammer at Goffs. 

Some of the more interesting results were posted by Arizona (Ire), perhaps unsurprisingly given he is a son of the sire of the moment, No Nay Never, while King Of Change (GB), Mohaather (GB), Sottsass (Fr) and Without Parole (GB) caught the imagination. 

Peter Nolan paid €60,000 for an Arizona half-brother to Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) while the Coolmore-based freshman sire, who stands for just €5,000, averaged a respectable €20,192 for 13 foals.

Sottsass was a classier racehorse than most of his first-crop rivals and it told in the figures at Goffs with the former Arc winner posting averages comparable with Mehmas, Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Dark Angel. There were 11 foals by Sottsass at Goffs and they sold for an average of €61,100 and a top price of €180,000. 

G1 Sussex S. winner Mohaather created a good impression with five foals selling for an average of €49,250 including a top lot of €95,000 while Without Parole had four foals sell for an average of €27,000 and a high of €70,000.

King Of Change was subject to a recent transfer after being snapped up by Starfield Stud from Derrinstown and it looks like it could prove to be a decent move given how his first foals performed. 

Peter and Ross Doyle paid €50,000 for a colt by the sire who averaged a solid €24,714 for seven foals sold. That's a good return for a Group 1-winning stallion who is set to stand for just €5,000 next year.

Coolmore Can Count On Wootton Bassett And No Nay Never

Wootton Bassett (GB) and No Nay Never flew the flag for Coolmore at Goffs while demand for the progeny of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) was evidently up off the back of an excellent autumn for the first-season sire. 

Wootton Bassett was bettered only by Kingman and Galileo, who between them accounted for just four foals at Goffs, for the highest averages posted. 

The sire of brilliant G1 National S. winner Al Riffa, Wootton Bassett clearly captured the imagination last week, with seven foals selling for €1,345,000 at an average of €224,167 which earned him a top-three finish in that particular table. 

No Nay Never enjoyed an eighth-place finish in averages posted on €134,800 and, while Saxon Warrior was down on that list at €52,263, he posted a chunky aggregate with 21 foals selling for €993,000. That was the seventh-highest aggregate recorded by any stallion. 

 

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Plenty of Bang For Your Buck at Tattersalls

There are undoubtedly many good reasons to have a rounded life with interests beyond the breeding, training, buying and selling of a supreme equine athlete who can run faster than his contemporaries. Those of us whose waking hours are mostly consumed by one or more of these bloodstock industry pursuits can rightly be accused of not getting out more, particularly at this time of year. But when the daily non-racing headlines revolve around the British economy in freefall, hurricanes and floods decimating parts of the world, and President Putin looming like a rapidly unravelling Bond villain intent on obliterating Ukraine, then remaining within the 'racing bubble' can seem an eminently sensible idea.

So here's the good news: people still want to buy horses. In fact, lots of people from lots of different countries want to buy horses. Unexpectedly, that fact became even more apparent throughout the Covid pandemic, and now we are all flying free once more the demand has only continued to increase. 

This week Great British Racing International (GBRI) launched an 'Invest in the Best' campaign, which in the words of its press release is “designed to highlight the strength and importance of the British racing industry globally and encourage future international investment.”

That is an admirable intention, but the excellence of the British racing 'product' is hardly a secret, and the massive international participation in the sales in this part of the world for many years stands testament to that. That starts with the breeders of course–and in fact if we are talking about massive international participation then nowhere is this more apparent than in the breeding juggernauts that are Juddmonte, Darley and Shadwell in particular being headquartered in Britain but owned by overseas individuals. With the passing of two of the heads of those organisations in recent years it is equally apparent that the sport cannot necessarily rely on that support forever, though other emerging nations are beginning to make their presence felt.

It has long been a personal belief that, while being proud of the success of one's own country is all well and good, British racing and breeding would be best served by taking a far more collaborative approach, particularly with our colleagues in Ireland, and also in France. This aim has been dealt a heavy blow by Brexit, but we can, and should, rise above that.

Away from the politics, a happy blending of the British and Irish thoroughbred industries can be found on every sales ground, and it is the sales companies who are to be applauded for driving the demand for racehorses bred in those two countries thanks to their constant international roving, wining and dining. Perhaps nowhere will the fruits of these endeavours be more apparent than at Park Paddocks next week, where Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale begins its three-day run on Tuesday. 

“For the overseas buyers, it's success-driven. They come, they buy, and they come back.”

The European yearling scene has been rolling along on a high since August but there remains a feeling that, as Bachman-Turner Overdrive once sang, you ain't seen nothing yet. For the few of us attempting to write a sale preview, it's a daunting prospect even to open the pages of Book 1 because too many corners are swiftly turned down as markers.

So let's hear from the man charged with spreading the word, Tattersalls' marketing director Jimmy George, who was also a guest on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, and who stresses the importance of the fact that pedigrees on the page deliver on stage.

“It's not just about pretty yearlings,” he says. “It's about top-class racehorses, and year after year Book 1 yearlings continue to perform at the highest level, and from all sectors of the Book 1 market.”

That in itself is a significant comment, as it is easy to dismiss Book 1 as a sale solely for the elite, with many buyers tempted to wait for the tide to turn the following week so as to swim in shallower waters. And in fact this perception dogged Book 1 for a time, prompting Tattersalls to take decisive action and to launch the Book 1 Bonus Scheme. 

All horses catalogued for Book 1, whether sold or not, are eligible, upon payment by their owner of £1,700, for the Book 1 Bonus. The scheme awards a £20,000 bonus to the winning owner of  a Class 2, 3 or 4 two-year-old maiden or novice race in Britain the following season, or any 'open' two-year-old maiden run in Ireland.

When this year's catalogue was published there were already 284 winners across six years, but that number has already risen to 307 and a total payout of £7,265,000 in bonuses following the win of Vermilion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) for Andrew Balding and the Highclere syndicate at Newmarket last Saturday. The Balding stable had also won the landmark 300th bonus with Glenfinnan (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), a 100,000gns purchase for owners Mick and Janice Mariscotti who have been staunch supporters of the concept since its launch in 2016.

“From the perspective of Tattersalls, to have owners like Mick and Janice Mariscotti winning the 300th bonus is absolutely what the Book 1 Bonus scheme is all about,” George says.

“I would say their Book 1 horses this year have won the thick end of half a million pounds in prize-money, but that doesn't include the bonus prize-money that they've won. Coltrane, who won the Doncaster Cup recently, is one of the most exciting young stayers in the country and he is another Mariscotti-Balding Book 1 purchase [for 50,000gns].”

He continues, “It might be fairly obvious to say that at Tattersalls we really believe that if there's a prize-money sector that deserves attention the most, it is at maiden level, and decent maiden winners winning decent prize-money. These bonuses mean that it's competitive with certainly any other country in Europe, or better if you're winning £25,000 for winning your maiden, or more at times. If you've won the Convivial Maiden with a Book 1 Bonus horse, you'd be winning about £70,000.”

Even by its own lofty standards, Book 1 does look a proper belter this year. Its 549 entrants include siblings to 61 Classic or Group 1 winners. That recommendation is bolstered by results on the track this season, which include seven Group 1 winners bought from Book 1 for 200,000gns or less–a sum below the 2021 sale average of 230,317gns.

“I think that is indicative of the quality throughout,” George says. “It's an amazing list of Group 1 winners in that sector of the market, and staggering to think that Native Trail (GB), who was an unbeaten champion two-year-old and a Classic winner at three, was actually the least expensive of the lot at 67,000gns.

“Then there's horses like Al Riffa (Fr), who won the National Stakes the other day, who could be bought for 150,000gns last year, and Luxembourg (Ire), who's now favourite for the Arc, was also bought for 150,000gns two years ago. To see horses of that calibre that were purchased for those sorts of figures emerging every year is very much part of the Book 1 story.”

Those three big names mentioned are backed up by this year's Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon (Ire), whose price tag of 305,000gns looks inexpensive considering that she is a daughter of Galileo (Ire) and a half-sister to the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Novellist (Ger). Sadly, we are coming towards the end of the days when we see Galileo's youngsters at the sales, but there are 16 members of his penultimate crop among the pages f Book 1, including a full-brother to the Arc winner Waldgeist (GB), who is just one of many enticing yearlings from the draft of Newsells Park Stud, which has been the leading vendor at Book 1 on six occasions. In fact, it will be important to be ringside in good time on the opening day because the first lot through the ring is New England Stud's full-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty (Ire).

A 400,000gns Book 1 purchase , Line Of Duty is just one example of the international success of the sale's graduates. This season alone, three Grade 1 winners in America–McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Ocean Road (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})–have emanated from Book 1.

🤩 Here's Belmont Oaks winner McKulick as a yearling.

Yet another Grade 1 winner for @TheRealChadCBr1 and Klaravich Stables from #TattsOctober Book 1, bought by Mike Ryan for 180,000gns from @AdrianOBrien2's Hazelwood Bloodstock. pic.twitter.com/M6pWq9mjfK

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) July 9, 2022

“It's extraordinary to think that there were more turf graded stakes winners at Saratoga last year from the October yearling sale at Tattersalls than from any other sale in the world,” says George. 

“To see Book 1 yearlings winning at the highest level in all corners of the world every year is really the key to the sale. It's what attracts the international buyers and the domestic buyers in such numbers. They know that they will be properly and richly rewarded if they win a decent maiden or novice, but for the overseas buyers, it's success-driven. They come, they buy, and they come back.”

For people buying in overseas currencies, and in particular those pegged to the dollar, there is hardly a better time to buy in Britain. That is not something for the country to be crowing about, but it is a situation that will doubtless continue to drive the demand at the yearling sales throughout October. The strong dollar is not the sole factor, however. 

“The number of yearlings from Book 1 that have gone over to America in recent years has understandably risen based on consistent success,” George avers. “The first year that the Chad Brown, Seth Klarman, Peter Brant, Mike and Mary Ryan axis came to Book 1, they went away with 12 yearlings and two Grade 1 winners out of it, and another graded stakes winner, which is a pretty extraordinary strike-rate. Again, not one year has passed without them going home with at least one Grade 1 winner. It's a strong endorsement of the quality at the sale, but also the way they approach the sale; the rigour with which they work. It's obviously not just that team: Liz Crow's team bought Aunt Pearl (Ire), another spectacular Breeders' Cup winner.”

A strong roster of stallions currently standing in Britain and Ireland is also an appealing element.

George adds, “Buyers understand the quality of the stallions and that the largest numbers of yearlings by these particular stallions–Galileo, Sea The Stars, Frankel, Kingman, Dubawi, Dark Angel, Lope De Vega, and so on–will be in front of them at Book 1 of the October yearling sale. So it's a real magnet for anybody who's looking for superior turf performers, wherever they happen to be in the world.”

Whatever troubles there may be in the outside world, it is safe to assume that a diverse array of members of the bloodstock world will be descending on Newmarket in the coming days. It is also safe to expect that the strength of the market will continue on its merry way during 2022.

“So far this year we can't really look back on a sale that we've been disappointed in,” George agrees. “The market has been very robust, whether it be the breeze-up market or our mixed sales in July and August , through to the Somerville Yearling Sale, which had a vibrant feel to it from start to finish. Park Paddocks was alive and it's been wonderful to see.”

Trickle-down economics may not work out for Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, but at Tattersalls a more positive forecast can be made for the predicted strong market at the top end to ensure that trade remains robust throughout two weeks, four books, and 2,000 yearlings. Watch this space.

The post Plenty of Bang For Your Buck at Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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