Tag: Dubawi

Dubawi Rings The Bell With Three Book 1 Millionaires

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

NEWMARKET, UK–Sales can often start with more of a whimper than a bang, but with only the second horse in the ring at Tattersalls the October Yearling Sale roared into life as the first Dubawi (Ire) yearling to be offered ensured that seven figures were lit across the bid board. That was repeated twice during the day, both times by offspring of Darley's elite sire, with top honours eventually falling to Hazelwood Bloodstock's colt out of Ring The Bell (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was bought by Godolphin at 1.5 million gns.

Though few stallions can match the achievements of Dubawi, at his level he is of course being graced with some of the best mares in Europe, and Ring The Bell, owned by John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds, is from a family with strength in depth. Though tried only once on the racecourse herself, she is a full-sister to no fewer than three Group 1 winners in the dual Classic heroine Hermosa (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire) and The United States (Ire), while both her dam Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and granddam Zelding (Ire) (Warning {GB}) won group races in France. Furthermore, the cross of Dubawi on Galileo has had noted success via the likes of Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath (Ire) and 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder (Ire), both of whom are now standing on the Darley roster.

With Sheikh Mohammed present at Park Paddocks, along with an international who's who of the bloodstock industry, his Godolphin operation flexed its muscles. During the opening session of Book 1, Anthony Stroud signed for eight yearlings, five of which were by Dubawi, for a total of 6,025,000gns. This equated to roughly 20% of the day's turnover and included the day's three most expensive lots.

A sale that had been widely touted to include a particularly fine selection of yearlings certainly got off to a positive start. The clearance rate rose from 78% to 86%, with 135 horses changing hands for 31,993,000gns, which was up by 27% but was accrued from 19 more yearlings sold than in the equivalent session last year. The median was up fractionally to 160,000gns (+5%), while the average rose by 10% to 230,165gns.

 

 

Sheikh Mohammed Returns to Top Meon Valley Family

A family which has already produced five seven-figure lots at Tattersalls in the past was responsible for the first to breach that barrier at this year's Book 1 when the second yearling into the ring, Meon Valley Stud's daughter of Dubawi (Ire) and G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), brought the hammer down at 1.3 million gns.

The first of eight purchases by Anthony Stroud on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed on the day, the descendant of Meon Valley's influential foundation mare Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}) was offered as lot 3.

“It's been a very good family,” said breeder Mark Weinfeld. “We've been very lucky with it. She had been very popular, but you never quite know until you get up there how many people will be there. We're absolutely delighted.”

The family, which includes the filly's G1 Prix de l'Opera-winning granddam Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic) and another of her daughters, the dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), has been nurtured by the Weinfeld family over more than four decades. It is one with which Sheikh Mohammed has already enjoyed significant success, having raced the Sadler's Wells Group 1-winning  brothers Opera House (GB) and Kayf Tara (GB), who are grandsons of Reprocolor.

Asked how it felt when the hammer fell, Weinfeld answered, “Heart-stopping. Particularly when it stuck around the six hundred mark, and you think, 'oh, perhaps this is as far as it's going to go.' Then it goes on and on.

“We didn't actually want to sell her but we had so many fillies this year. We kept a sister to [Oaks winner] Anapurna (GB), kept Anapurna's first yearling filly, and we've got an Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly out of Izzi Top so something had to go.

“We just thought that we'd sell one of the nice fillies to help pay for the ones we have in training.”

 

 

Easily Persuaded for Dubawi Colt

Alex Elliott made a determined effort for Cheveley Park Stud's colt by Dubawi out of the Group 1 winner Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) but eventually had to settle for second best when Anthony Stroud made the final bid for lot 127 at a million gns on behalf of Godolphin.

Cheveley Park Stud had bought the colt's dam as a yearling from her breeder John Tuthill for €180,000 and she has proved to be an inspired purchase. Not only did she win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and G3 Atalanta S. but since she was acquired, her page has been boosted by the exploits of her younger siblings, which include Godolphin's G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the listed winner Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead).

“It's nice to come to a top-class sale and have a horse of that sort of quality,” said Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson. “He was a gem from the moment he was born and we were obviously delighted that he has gone down so well.

“It's a family that keeps evolving and we're very grateful to Sheikh Mohammed for buying him. He knows the family well, with Creative Force having won the Champion Sprint S..”

Richardson advised that Persuasive, who is a daughter of the stakes-winning Choisir (Aus) mare Choose Me (Ire), has a Dubawi filly foal and is now in foal to Kingman (GB). Her first foal, the 3-year-old Persist (GB) (Frankel {GB}), has won twice for William Haggas.

“We're hoping that John Gosden can work some magic with her 2-year-old by Frankel,” he added.

 

 

Shadwell Return To The British Market

Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) have all contributed to a memorable season for Shadwell on the track and on Tuesday the hugely successful operation returned to the sale scene in Britain for the first time in nearly two years.

Shadwell confirmed its intention to remain a global player at Keeneland last month with the purchasing of four blue-blooded fillies and Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum, daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, made a first trip to Tattersalls to add another well-bred filly to the team, lot 24.

Consigned by Watership Down Stud, the Siyouni (Fr) filly out of the four-time Group 1 winner Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was knocked down to Angus Gold for 880,000 gns, with the Shadwell racing manager revealing that Sheikha Hissa thoroughly enjoyed her first trip to the sale.

He said, “People have been very kind around the sale grounds and gave her a big welcome. It's lovely to have been able to walk around with her.”

Gold added, “She is very excited to have bought a filly with a pedigree like that. The first three dams are all group winners and the family has been well-nurtured by everyone at Watership Down Stud over the years.

“Obviously, we're hoping to buy some pedigrees for the future and she had one of the strongest pedigrees in the catalogue.”

 

Rau Secures 'Queen of the Sale'

A No Nay Never [lot 77] filly consigned by Camas Park Stud was described by Tina Rau as “the queen of the sale” after the popular Chantilly-based bloodstock agent signed the docket at 780,000gns on behalf of Gestut Schlenderhan.

This season has represented something of a crowning glory for No Nay Never, responsible for two of the leading juveniles in Ballydoyle residents Little Big Bear (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire), and Rau, in company with Schlenderhan manager Merle Schmidt, admitted her surprise at being able to secure what she deemed was one of the best offerings in Book 1.

“She's going to go back to Germany,” Rau said. “Philip von Ullmann was here and we all loved her. She was the queen of the day and we're very happy to have her.”

One of nine No Nay Nevers to walk through the ring on Tuesday, Rau's purchase is out of a sister to Remote (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and from the family of Kingman (GB) and the extended family of Oasis Dream (GB).

That top price secured on the day for No Nay Never played a significant role in the red-hot sire securing an average of 248,571 gns for seven lots sold in the opening session.

Rau said, “You can't really argue with the pedigree, for one, and she's just a queen. She walks for fun and is beautifully well-balanced. She's got so much quality.”

 

Klassique start for Carisbrooke

Six years ago, Klassique (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) graduated from Book 1 with a 300,000gns price tag, bought by Cathy Grassick for Yvonne Jacques as she set about establishing a broodmare band at her Carisbrooke Stud.

With the G3 Pinnacle S. under her belt along with several other group placings, the 7-year-old mare is already earning her keep at the Berkshire farm following the sale of her first foal, a colt by Siyouni (Fr), for 525,000gns on Tuesday. Offered as lot 14, the January-born grandson of Group 1 winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) is bred on a cross that has already produced the Classic winners Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr), and he will race in the blue of Godolphin.

“Klassique is the most beautiful mare, such a fabulous mother and stunning-looking. She has a gorgeous Lope De Vega (Ire) colt foal and is in foal to Kingman (GB),” said Jacques, who has around 20 broodmares at Carisbrooke. “My staff have turned them out so well, we're all really proud.”

She added, “We're now in our sixth year at the farm and we've put a lot into it. Klassique was one of the first to come back there and she is producing the most amazing stock. It's very exciting.”

 

Strong Start for New England

New England Stud offered a pair of Galileo (Ire) fillies early in the day (lots 1 and 29), with the first through the ring, a full-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty (Ire), sold to Ted Voute on behalf of Prince Faisal's Nawarra Stud for 500,000gns.

The second was a daughter of G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}), who has already produced a useful performer in America in the GII San Marcos S. winner Platinum Warrior (Ire), who is a full-brother to the filly. Knocked down at 675,000gns, she was bought by BBA Ireland.

New England also later sold a Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt (lot 76) for breeder Emma Banks for 350,000gns to Richard Knight.

The second foal of listed winner Mrs Gallagher (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is from a family which has received plenty of updates in recent seasons courtesy of sprinting star Harry Angel (Ire) and G1 Middle Park S. winner Supremacy (Ire) who share their third dam Great Joy (Ire) with the February-foaled yearling.

Knight has been on a prolific spending spree this yearling sale season for an undisclosed client, and he signed for another four yearlings for a total of 1,750,000gns on Tuesday. The list included lot 132, a Sea The Stars (Ire) granddaughter of Puce (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), who was bought for 600,000gns from Newsells Park Stud. The family includes the high-flying fillies Chicquita (Ire), Alexandrova (Ire) and Magic Wand (Ire).

 

Pinhookers' Paradise

Michael Fitzpatrick's Kilminfoyle House Stud enjoyed one of best pinhooks results of the session with the sale of lot 106 for 525,000gns to Sebastian Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine.

The daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) was bred by Simon Sweeting's Overbury Stallions and fetched 130,000gns at the December Foal Sale. Her dam, the unraced Pacifica Highway (Pulpit), has produced two winners to date including the Grade III-placed Ayacara (GB) (Violence), and is a half-sister to the Grade II winners Doswell (Giant's Causeway) and Secretary At War (War Front).

Yeomanstown Stud also enjoyed a decent return on a foal purchase when selling a Starspangledbanner (Aus) three-parts-brother (lot 52) to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}). Bought at Arqana for €170,000, the colt, whose five winning siblings include the stakes-placed Lady Sidney (Fr) (Mr Sidney), brought a bid of 550,000gns from Badgers Bloodstock.

 

Poetic Flare's Brother to John Dance

Magna Grecia featured prominently among the freshman sires during the opening session, principally through lot 53, the half-brother to Classic winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), who was sold for 300,000gns to John Dance's Manor House Farm.

Bred and consigned by Clare Castle Stud, he is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare Maria Lee (Ire) who was bought from her breeder Jim Bolger in the year that Poetic Flare was born. The 15-year-old mare has also produced Listed Zetland S. winner Glamorous Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}).

Crystal Ocean (GB) may be standing under the National Hunt banner at the Beeches Stud but his handful of foals that were entered in Flat sales last year were generally met with favour, including the colt out of the Shamardal mare Nateeja (Ire). Bought last December by Guy O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud for 30,000gns, he returned to the ring as lot 86 on Tuesday to be resold to Charlie Gordon-Watson and Crispin Estates for 115,000gns. His dual-winning dam is a half-sister to G3 Cumberland Lodge S. winner Hawaafez (GB) (Nayef), whose own profile has received a boost this year thanks to her daughter Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial.

Crystal Ocean, the joint-top-rated racehorse in the world in 2019, is represented by one more yearling in Book 1, a chestnut colt catalogued as lot 512 on Thursday from Aughamore Stud.

 

Northern Lights

Consecutive lots went the way of Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, who picked up lot 50, a Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly, for 200,000gns followed by a daughter of Ballyhane Stud's first-crop sire Soldier's Call (GB) for 100,000gns.

Breeder Kildaragh Stud consigned Night Of Thunder's daughter of Malaspina whose half-siblings Daban (Ire) (Acclamation GB}) and Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) are both Group 3 winners. The Gerry Oldham-bred Malaspina is herself out of the listed winner Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill) and thus a half-sister to French group winners Johnny Barnes (Ire) and Albisola (Ire).

The Soldier's Call filly meanwhile represented a terrific pinhooking result for Sherbourne Lodge Stud, who bought the daughter of Maralika (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) from breeders Tim and Miranda Johnson and Mickley Stud for 12,000gns at the December Foal Sale.

 

Cooney Plays It Cool After Final Twist From Plying

Had Martin Cooney not carved out a niche in the breeding game, chances are he'd have made a pretty good poker player as, moments after selling the highest-priced progeny of Gleneagles (Ire) at public auction for 650,000 gns to MV Magnier, the man behind Jossestown Farm could easily have been mistaken for a casual bystander at the sale.

But this was not Cooney's first rodeo. The young breeder has been taken on a storied journey with Plying, the mare he purchased for €21,000 in 2018 and sold last November to BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments for an eye-watering €825,000.

That sky-rocket in share price can be attributed to the emergence of Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), now a four-time Group 1 winner, in the pedigree.

Tuesday marked the end of that dream run with the family of Plying, with the Gleneagles half-sister to Alcohol Free (lot 136) joining Cooney's fellow Tipperary men at Coolmore, leaving the young breeder facing the daunting task of replacing the mare.

He said casually of lot 136, “Good day's work. It's great–she's a lovely filly, acts like a racehorse so hopefully she is one. She's gone to a good home so hopefully she turns out to be half as good as Alcohol Free. Now I have to try and find another one.”

Cooney added, “All she [Plying] has ever done is do us proud. Those horses are like family to us. I know we sell them but you get very attached to them and it's not like I have 20 waiting to be sold.

“It's a huge result. I come from a small farm in Fethard so it gives you a good leg-up and start to business.”

 

Half-Sister to Cachet Hits the Heights

Poyle Sophie {GB}) (Teofilo {Ire}) is the gift that keeps on giving. Snapped up by John Bourke of Hyde Park Stud at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2018 for just 3,000gns, she belied that modest price tag by producing a this year's 1000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}).

Bourke's bargain buy delivered once again when a Cotai Glory (GB) half-sister (lot 141) to the Classic winner was sold for 350,000 gns to Blandford Bloodstock, much to the delight of the enthusiastic breeder and renowned breeze-up handler.

 

The post Dubawi Rings The Bell With Three Book 1 Millionaires appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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How Whatton Manor Has Become A Major Player

The makers of the popular BBC programme Country File could easily film a riveting episode just within the 700 acres of Nottinghamshire countryside that is Whatton Manor Stud. The farm is home to Longhorn cattle and rare breeds such as Wensleydale sheep and Suffolk Punch horses. But its main business is of course the breeding and rearing of thoroughbreds, something the Player family has done increasingly well in the 40 years since Peter Player inherited the farm from his aunt.

An inheritance of a plot of such rich land deep in the Vale of Belvoir can be regarded as fortunate, but it is one which has given rise to decades of work. Peter's son Ed is now at the forefront of the business and he speaks with reverence of the dedication his 80-year-old father has shown to the place for half his life. 

“There were no horse paddocks at all when we first came here,” he says. “It was cattle or arable land completely, but the Vale of Belvoir is well known for being brilliant land and he thought he could make a go of it with horses. My father was managing Hadrian Stud for the Wells family and then they sold Hadrian and for the next 40 years, his lifetime's work has been building up this stud up from scratch. Initially, we started with no fences and now it's up to 700 acres of fenced land.”

He adds, “We're an hour from the Doncaster sales and around 40 minutes to Newmarket, so it works very well for us.”

It is the latter destination, and Tattersalls in particular, which will be occupying Player's thoughts and time over the next fortnight. At Book 1 this coming week Whatton Manor Stud offers its strongest draft to date.

The eight at Book 1 are consigned for a range of clients, including the Players' Nottinghamshire neighbours Fiona and Mick Denniff, who are selling an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother to group winners Beat The Bank (GB) and Chil Chil (GB), as well as Andrew Stone of St Albans Bloodstock and Rabbah Bloodstock. For the last two named, Whatton Manor consigns three Dubawi (Ire) yearlings, including a half-brother to this year's G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB), a 725,000gns purchase by Godolphin from Stone and Whatton Manor at Book 1 in 2021.

Making the quick buck is always the wrong choice; we want to have a reputation for breeding good horses

“Over the years, we've not really had many in Book 1,” Player says. “We've had the odd ones in certain years, but we've been very much more a Book 2 draft. Luckily, we've got some very good clients who breed some very nice horses, which gives us the opportunity to sell these horses in Book 1. We've always aspired to do so but it's easier said than done. You've only got to look through the catalogue at the moment and it's lot after lot of beautiful pedigrees.”

He continues, “To have a nice draft this year is very exciting. I'm happy to work with any stock, and I get just as much fun out of a horse we've sold for £2,000 that wins five races, but as the quality of mares here has improved, we've been lucky and had a lot of good horses from the farm.”

One of those is a young stallion who will no doubt soon be represented by some of his stock at Whatton Manor Stud. David Ward's G1 July Cup winner Starman (GB) was bred at the farm, and the Tally-Ho Stud resident is reported to have been one of the busiest stallions in Ireland this year.

“David is such an enthusiast and he very much views his involvement as a team with myself, Ed Sackville and Ed Walker,” says Player. “We all have our part and if something good like Starman comes along he's very appreciative and thanks us all for each individual bit we've all done, whether it's Ed deciding on the matings, us looking after the horse for the first two years of his life, and then Ed Walker training him beautifully, or Brian O'Rourke breaking him in.”

He continues, “Starman was bred from David Ward's first broodmare, and was the second horse he ever bred. The first was Sunday Star (GB) who was stakes-placed seven times. When Starman won the July Cup, it was very emotional, a very special day for all of us.”

The aforementioned Silver Knott, who holds an entry for the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy later this month, is one of the most recent star graduates and has provided his Group 1-winning dam God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with an excellent start to her broodmare career for Andrew Stone, who is also the owner-breeder of the G3 Chipchase S. winner Sense Of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

“Again, Andrew is a hugely enthusiastic person loves his racing and puts a lot into the sport. He's had a very good year this year. Sense Of Duty was born here as well, and I know they really felt she was a Group 1 filly. She's had an issue but hopefully she can come back next year. Then to breed Silver Knott out of his pride and joy, God Given, was fantastic. We have a very nice Dubawi to offer from the mare [lot 504].”

Player admits to a few grey hairs emerging these last few years watching horses like God Given's Dubawi colt grow, but says, “The most important thing for us is that they go out in a big field and they learn to be proper horses. We don't mollycoddle them to make sure they're perfect sales horses.

“Occasionally, accidents happen and you try to do everything to stop those but being a racehorse is crucial. My father always said to me, 'Keep it as close to nature as possible, and if you have racehorses off the farm, the money will come.' Making the quick buck is always the wrong choice. We want to have a reputation for breeding good horses.”

That certainly has become a hallmark of Whatton Manor Stud, as has the eye for a good pinhook. This is not only something that Ed Player enjoys doing but also the eldest of his three sons, Freddie. Now 16, Freddie has been pinhooking with some notable success for several years now. He first dabbled in 2017 when buying a Dandy Man (Ire) filly foal for 7,000gns and selling her on for £24,000. Later known as Dr Simpson (Fr), she won the G3 Mercury S. at Dundalk. Another of the young Player's pinhooks was the listed winner and multiple group-placed Method (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), while his father, along with Ed Sackville, bought subsequent four-time international Group/Grade 1 winner State Of Rest (Ire) as a foal, as well as G2 Lowther S. winner Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Half the fun is making a judgement call: which stallions you like, which you think are going to be successful

“We get a huge amount of fun out of doing it,” says Player. “Obviously, the whole purpose of doing it is to try to make money, but when you have a horse like State Of Rest winning at Royal Ascot, that's a hugely exciting day. We bought him for 45,000 and sold him for 60,000, so he didn't make us much money, but the fun we've had has more than made up for it.”

He recalls, “He was a tall, good-moving horse that we struggled to get quite as much weight on as we wanted. We thought he was going to make a lot of money and things didn't quite work as we hoped, but he went to a great trainer and people have had great success out of him. It is a lovely story for people not buying horses for ridiculous sums of money.

“Half the fun is making a judgement call: which stallions you like, which you think are going to be successful. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong.”

It hasn't always been horses at the forefront of Player's mind. Though growing up at the stud with his sister Alice–who is married to Goffs auctioneer and breeder Nick Nugent–and encouraged to be hands-on from an early age by their father, Ed worked in the city for ten years before returning home. 

“Growing up, it was all hands on deck as my father was working every hour of the day to make ends meet and trying to get a business going,” he says. “So we never sat at home and did our homework. We were always out in the field, and from an early age it was my love, but I like to think I was sensible enough not to go straight into it. I learned about business and accounts, got my city qualifications and had a lovely time, but that was a stopgap to always wanting to come back and being lucky enough to have a business that my father was building up.”

He continues, “It's very much been a family effort from all of us. My mother's been a huge part of it. Now Freddie's very involved and loves it. From an early age, he has been obsessed with the pedigrees, the breeding, the racing, the sales. The younger two, Archie and Harry, are getting more involved and enjoying it. That's half the fun for me, if we can do it as a family, and they all come feeding with me at weekends.”

The future of Whatton Manor Stud appears to be in good hands, then, and if you are wondering which rabbit Freddie Player will pull from the hat next then be sure to inspect his Magna Grecia (Ire) colt out of Occupation (Ire), who is part of Whatton Manor's 23-lot draft for Book 2.

Like many, Player expresses his amazement at how well the bloodstock industry came through the pandemic and continues to thrive. 

“It was extraordinary,” he says. “I couldn't believe the market would be that strong, and I can't believe it's been this strong this year. Our industry has this amazing resilience and seems to come up with new people to buy horses.” 

Though he has given the youngsters in his care as much of a head start as possible while spending their formative years in the sweeping paddocks of Whatton Manor, it is understandable that Player, like any consignor, has the odd nerve-jangle as sales times approaches.

“It concerns me how many more horses have got to be sold this year, despite it being so strong so far, but we try to keep our heads down and keep working away,” he says. “I think we've got a very good bunch that's going to sell for a range of prices, and I'd be astounded if there weren't some very good racehorses amongst them.”

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Cameras At The Ready As Flash Offers Blackbeard’s Sister

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry

KILDARE, Ireland–Blackbeard (Ire) has blazed a trail on the track this season and, less than a week after doubling his Group 1 tally when running out an impressive winner of the Middle Park S. at Newmarket, his little sister will go under the hammer at the Orby Sale on Tuesday, which gets underway at 9.30am.

The No Nay Never filly will be sold by Flash Conroy of Glenvale Stud and is one of the most important lots of the entire sale given the exploits of her older brother this year.

But there's only so far a yearling can piggy back off its vaunted sibling, according to Conroy, who says lot 93 has a physique to match her page.

“She's very good-looking, a lovely filly,” Conroy said on Monday. “Listen, we're looking at her all year and every day that Blackbeard ran was a big day for us.

“It's very rare in this game when you get the big updates on the page but you can stand over the physical of the horse that you are going to sell. It matches up in this case.”

Blackbeard has gone from strength to strength for Aidan O'Brien and the colt may not be finished yet. He has won six of his eight starts and, after following up on his Prix Morny victory in the Middle Park, O'Brien suggested he could run again before the year is out, possibly in the Dewhurst.

But Blackbeard has more than done his job as far as Conroy is concerned, with the leading consignor describing his offering as being up there with the best he has sold in recent times, which is saying plenty.

“Blackbeard is the top 2-year-old sprinter around. Watching him win, that's what this game is all about. If you don't get a kick out of that, you may as well give this game up.”

Conroy added, “We've had some very good horses in recent years and she is another. We sold Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}), and Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), so we've had a good old time of it. This filly has all the physical attributes that you look for. She's a really good filly.”

Staffordstown's Rare Jewel

At the Lanwades/Staffordstown boxes on Monday much of the talk centred on Kirsten Rausing's five-time Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who heads to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday.

“I'll be off my food by Sunday,” joked the filly's trainer Sir Mark Prescott as he tucked into soup and sandwiches handmade by Catriona Oxx and reminisced about Sea The Stars (Ire) with her husband John, who also trained Sinndar (Ire) to win the Arc in 2000.

Rausing herself admits that she will probably be a “bundle of nerves” by Sunday, and Alpinista is not her only star filly to be travelling to Longchamp as dual Group 2 winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) is being aimed at the G1 prix de la Foret. But before thoughts can turn to Paris she has the equally important task of selling a half-sister to two more Group 1-winning Lanwades graduates, the brothers Time Warp (GB) and Glorious Forever (GB), both of whom are by the stud's late stallion Archipenko. Their younger sister, set to sell late on Wednesday as lot 490, is the sole yearling by Dubawi (Ire) in the catalogue, making her something of a standout. 

“I have a really nice Sea The Stars filly also and obviously we wanted to separate them, so the Sea The Stars goes to Tatts and the Dubawi filly came here. My thoughts were that there would be fewer Dubawi yearlings here, and in fact she's the only one,” said Rausing. 

“She was always an outstanding filly and she merits her place in the limelight. Her brothers both won the same Group 1 in Hong Kong, and the elder brother (Time Warp) won a further two Group 1s.”

Staffordstown, the Irish sister stud to Newmarket-based Lanwades, topped this sale in 2007 when selling the filly subsequently knowns as Jane Eyre (GB) – a half-sister to Alpinista's dam Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) – for €2.4 million to Coolmore. Two years ago, for the more humble sum of £110,000, Rausing sold recent St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Meanwhile the International success of Lanwades continues, with the likes of  Zaaki (GB) and Le Don De Vie (GB), both by Leroidesanimaux (Brz), reaping group-race success in Australia.

Rausing continued, “I think I am right in saying that we have sent 11 Lanwades-breds down to Australia in the last few years. All 11 have run, one has only run once, ten have won, and seven have won black-type races. I suppose what it means is that I seem to breed horses that go distances the Australians like.”

No matter how out of fashion middle-distance races become in various parts of the world, there are few breeders who wouldn't dream of winning the Arc, and Rausing is justified to travel to Longchamp with high hopes of doing just that.

Of Alpinista she added, “She's obviously very special, as were her ancestresses Albanova (GB), her granny, and Alborada (GB), her great aunt in human terms.

“You're in this game so long that one tries to submerge any feeling of nervousness which I think I am fairly good at, because we all know that there are so many things that can go wrong. But if all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle actually fall into place it is so amazing one can hardly believe it.”

Staffordstown also offers four colts by the Lanwades first-season sire Study Of Man (Ire), including lot 236, who is out of the Group 3 winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and is a half-brother to the dam of the aforementioned Sandrine.

Altior's Brother 'Going Down Like A Bomb' 

Fresh off the back of another productive September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland, Mark Dreeling of Coole House Farm offers the quirkiest colt at the Orby Sale in lot 86, a Mastercraftsman (Ire) half-brother to Altior (Ire), one of the greatest two-mile chasers in modern times.

Dreeling admitted that the colt, who was a late June foal, was always going to struggle to make it to a National Hunt foal sale, even if that would have been the most natural place to sell Paddy Behan's youngster.

However, the consignor, flanked by the enthusiastic breeder at Barn M, described himself as pleasantly surprised about how well the colt has been received by buyers.

Dreeling said, “He was foaled late so it was always going to be a struggle to get him to the National Hunt foal sales. We contemplated bringing the half-brother by Camelot (GB) here a few years ago but decided against that.

“This lad came along and we thought he might be a novelty horse here and he's gone down like a bomb. Paddy was astute in his thinking. Himself and his wife Rosie have done all the hard work. Goffs were eager to have him and we said, 'why not?' He's going down terribly well.”

Monte Solaro (Ire) (Key Of Luck) has been a dream broodmare for the Behans, with four-time Cheltenham festival hero Altior flying the flag for the pedigree, and Tuesday's offering is likely to be the last out of the 22-year-old.

However, Behan will continue to breed from the family after revealing that he recently struck a deal to buy Princess Leya (Ire) (Old Vic {GB}), a half-sister to the legendary dual Champion Chase winner.

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Seven Days: Overwhelming

Where to begin? The past week has been so wrought with emotion that by the time Sunday arrived with its 15 group races in England, Ireland and France only the dourest of stayers made it through to Doncaster's Mallard Handicap.

This is a racing publication, of course, but before we reflect on the action on the racecourse, it would be remiss not to mention the heartbreaking human loss which was so intrinsically entwined with the sport. 

Grief engulfed two nations. Wednesday brought the indelibly sad image of Henry de Bromhead as one of the pallbearers carrying his son Jack's wicker casket from the Butlerstown's Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by mourners of all ages. In solidarity with their friend who lost his life at the age of 13 in a pony racing accident, many of the youngsters appeared at the service in their riding gear.

Jack's grandfather Andrew Moffat and parents Henry and Heather gave us all a lesson in how to grieve with the utmost dignity while paying a magnificent tribute to the boy whose loss has touched people who never even met him, such was the eloquence of their respective eulogies. And during Irish Champions Weekend, Jack de Bromhead was remembered in the red armbands borne by the jockeys in his memory.

In Britain the armbands were a more sombre black. The death of the Queen is in many ways easier to bear than the loss of a teenager with so much sparkle and promise. A 96-year-old woman dying peacefully in the comfort of the Scottish home she adored is what could be described as a 'good death', but Her Majesty's passing is  of course far more symbolic than that. Its repercussions will be felt way beyond her funeral next Monday when Britain's period of national mourning ends. 

The absence of the sport's most celebrated insider will be felt keenly in racing circles. There are enough members of the royal family with a strong love of horses for us to be able to hope that the Royal Studs will endure, but none of the Queen's descendants appear to share quite the level of absorption and devotion she had for breeding and racing. Change will surely come.

Another two redoubtable members of the racing and breeding community also left us in the last week. On Tuesday evening came the shock news of James Delahooke's sudden death on the Yorkshire moors, while on Saturday the passing was reported of Evie Stockwell, whose contribution to the breeding industry has been enormously significant on both the equine and human front. At the age of 97 she had survived her twin sister Lady Mimi Manton by one month. As Eddie O'Leary observed in Nancy Sexton's tribute to Mrs Stockwell, “The world has lost two Queens this week.”

May it come as some comfort to the de Bromhead, Delahooke, Magnier, and O'Callaghan families that the thoughts of their friends and colleagues in the racing world are with them during this sad time.

The Versatile Dubawi Line

So to the horses. A one-two in the St Leger with Eldar Eldarov (GB) and New London (Ire) gave Dubawi (Ire) his 53rd Group 1 win worldwide, and if you are looking for a pattern for his offspring, the answer is that there isn't one, other than a shared willingness to win. 

From top Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine (Ire), who was one of his earliest stars, through champion 2-year-olds, Classic milers, smart middle-distance horses, and a Horse of the Year in Ghaiyyath (Ire), Dubawi pretty much has all the bases covered, including a slew of sons at stud. As well as in Britain's final Classic of the season, the line was also represented at Ireland's Champions Weekend when John Fairley's admirable Highfield Princess (Fr), by Dubawi's Guineas-winning son Night Of Thunder (Ire), sped her way to a third consecutive Group 1 win in three different countries, this time dropping back to the minimum trip to claim the Flying Five. 

Dubawi's latest Classic winner in the delayed St Leger came on the back of his daughter Mimikyu's win in the G2 Park Hill S. on the same afternoon that the White Birch Farm homebred juvenile Kubrick (Ire) won the G3 Prix des Chenes at Longchamp. On European earnings, Dubawi has edged ahead of Frankel (GB) in the leading sires' table and in fact he is way out in front when it comes to black-type winners for the year, his tally of 38 (12% of his runners) putting him ahead of Frankel by 14. The two mighty stallions, who live only about a mile from each other as the crow flies, are level pegging on seven Group 1 winners apiece this year in Europe.

The Lanwades Success Story Continues 

In her role as Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk, Kirsten Rausing was acting as master of ceremonies on Sunday while Newmarket's mayor Philippa Winter read the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III as Britain's new monarch. This meant that Rausing was not on Town Moor to witness a notable first for her as the breeder of a British Classic winner in Eldar Eldarov. 

She was however present for her first British Group 1 winner in her own colours when Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) won the Yorkshire Oaks to bring her Group 1 haul to five. Eldar Eldarov and Alpinista are out of the half-sisters Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) from the Lanwades Alruccaba (GB) family which just keeps giving. 

From a different family entirely springs the expat Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), another redoubtable Lanwades-bred who is thriving in Australia and now has 13 victories to his name, including the G2 Tramway S. on September 3. He is bound for the G1 Cox Plate on October 22 via the G1 Underwood later this month.

Firsts and Seconds For Many

Eldar Eldarov's St Leger win was also of significance for more of his connections. Notably, he became the second breeze-up graduate from Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm to win a Classic this season following the Irish 2,000 Guineas success of Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), last year's champion 2-year-old. Williamson was also the breeze-up pinhooker behind the 2019 Preakness S. winner War Of Will, who now stands alongside his sire War Front at Claiborne Farm. 

For Roger Varian, it was a second victory in Britain's oldest Classic following Kingston Hill (GB) in 2014, and his faith in his young stable jockey David Egan was repaid handsomely as the 23-year-old notched his first Classic victory in the same season he lost his retainer with Prince AA Faisal, for whom he won the 2021 Saudi Cup as well as two Group 1s aboard Mishriff (Ire).

Eldar Eldarov had been bought at the relocated Arqana Breeze-up Sale for £480,000 by Oliver St Lawrence for Bahrain's KHK Racing, thus also giving that relatively new owner in British racing a significant first Classic success. 

Kyprios Continues to Climb

The opening up of the Irish St Leger to older horses almost 40 years ago means that there have been a number of repeat winners, most notably the Dermot Weld-trained Vinnie Roe (Ire), who owned the race between 2001 and 2005. With Vincent O'Brien, Weld jointly holds the record for the most number of winners of the Irish St Leger, with the last two of his nine being provided by the admirable Moyglare Stud-bred filly Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Now six, she has run in the race in all four of her seasons in training, and added a third place to her fine record this year when finishing almost eight lengths behind her full-brother Kyprios (Ire), who is now the pre-eminent stayer in training following his unbeaten season which includes lifting the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.

The Weld stable enjoyed a successful Irish Champions Weekend, however, when unleashing the Aga Khan's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), a half-sister to the brilliant Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), to win the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on just her second racecourse appearance. A day earlier her 3-year-old stablemate Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won the G3 Paddy Power S., leading home a one-two for Maurice Regan's Newtown Anner Stud, which also owned and bred runner-up Thunder Kiss (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Kyprios, who runs in the Moyglare colours but is co-owned by the Coolmore partners, sealed a fruitful weekend for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore as Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) confirmed his juvenile promise by winning the G1 Irish Champion S. on only his second start since resuming from an injury earlier in the season.

Auguste Rodin (Ire), bred on theDeep Impact (Jpn)/Galileo (Ire) cross that has already yielded Classic winners Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and Snowfall (Jpn) for O'Brien, continued the tremendous run of the Ballydoyle juveniles this year with his success in the G2 Champion Juvenile S. in his first run in Pattern class. He could now be headed to England next month for either the Dewhurst or Vertem Futurity. It requires no leap of imagination to see Auguste Rodin make up into a serious Classic contender for next season as the colt is the first foal of the treble Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire), a sister to Magical (Ire) and daughter of the equally brilliant Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

Hint of Things to Come

Al Riffa (Fr) took quite a step up from maiden company to winning the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. on Sunday for Joseph O'Brien, and the result will certainly have been welcomed by the Coolmore camp. Though the colt from the penultimate French crop of Wootton Bassett (GB) is not owned by the Coolmore team but by Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah, he, like Auguste Rodin, is out of a Galileo mare and represents a cross that we are likely to see more frequently in runners following the stallion's move to Coolmore Stud two seasons ago.

The Galileo mares in Wootton Bassett's first Irish crop include Snowfall's dam Best In The World (Ire), Arc winner Found (Ire), and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Clemmie (Ire), who is also a sister to Churchill (Ire), while those currently in foal to him include Group 1 winners Minding (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire), Marvellous (Ire) and Happily (Ire).

Al Riffa, who was bred by a partnership led by Haras d'Etreham, is Wootton Bassett's sixth Group 1 winner, that group being split evenly between colts and fillies. His pedigree certainly gives plenty of hope for him to thrive with age and a bit of a step up in distance. His unraced dam Love On My Mind is a sister to the dual Sagaro S. winner and Gold Cup runner-up Mizzou (Ire), while their dam Moments Of Joy (GB) was a Listed winner over 1m6f and is herself a daughter of the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner My Emma (GB) (Marju {Ire}).

Al Riffa was sold as a foal at Arqana to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for €31,000 the same day that his dam went through the ring for just €11,000, bought by Arqana representative Zied Romdhane. The 10-year-old mare now has a yearling filly by Land Force (Ire) and was subsequently covered by St Leger winner Galileo Chrome (Ire).

Kingsclere in the Spotlight

Andrew Balding's association with Juddmonte has started in some style thanks to the smart juvenile Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who added the G2 Champagne S. to his victory in York's G3 Acomb S. 

A successful Doncaster St Leger meeting for the Kingsclere team also included group wins for two stalwart owners of Park House Stables. First, Bounce The Blues (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) won the G3 JRA Sceptre Fillies' S for the irrepressible Barbara Keller, one of the most enthusiastic owners in the business who also raced the Grade 1 winner Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Similar comments apply to Mick and Janice Mariscotti, who certainly know how to celebrate a big winner and struck on Sunday with the G2 Doncaster Cup winner Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). With victories in the Ascot S. at Royal Ascot and in the Listed Esher Cup, the progressive stayer, who missed almost the whole of his 4-year-old season has certainly given the Mariscottis plenty of cause for cheer this year. Patience rewarded. 

The spotlight will soon be thrown on the Balding stable which features in a new series to be released later this month on Amazon Prime. 'Horsepower' runs in four parts from September 23 and, according to the press release announcing its launch, it “captures a momentous period in the lives and careers of its two main protagonists, racehorse trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy”. 

The documentary series was being filmed when Murphy was banned for 14 months for Covid regulation and alcohol breaches. The trailer for Horsepower can be viewed below.

 

 

Stallions on a Roll

Shadwell's Muhaarar (GB) was represented by Group/Grade 2 winners on each side of the Atlantic last week. On Thursday, Polly Pott (GB) made sure Harry Dunlop's training career will go out with a bang by landing her fourth consecutive win on her first outing in stakes company when winning the G2 May Hill S. at Doncaster. 

Over at Kentucky Downs, Bran (Fr) won the GII Fanduel Turf Sprint S. Not only was the John Sadler trainee bred in France by Lordship Stud but she was ridden to victory by French Classic-winning jockey Vincent Cheminaud, who is now based in America. 

Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega was another stallion to exhibit his versatility on Sunday when represented at Longchamp by G1 Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Lady (Fr) over 1m4f and also by the 5f winner Berneuil (Ire), who landed the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert. Both horses are out of mares by Dansili (GB), which is a cross that has also worked well to produce Grade I winner Capla Temptress (Ire), Group 2 winner Cadillac (Ire), and the dual Group 1 runner-up and Group 3 winner Lope Y Fernandez (Ire).

Lope De Vega has been on a roll of late, with his daughter Dreamloper (Ire) winning the previous weekend's G1 Prix du Moulin to add to her G1 Prix d'Ispahan success, and the aforementioned Duke De Sessa winning a Group 3 on Saturday at Leopardstown. 

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