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Chantilly Double For Powerstown Breezers

As Covid travel restrictions prompted delays and relocations, last season's breeze-up sales were anything but plain sailing for many consignors. Some consolation was found on Thursday at Chantilly for Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who celebrated two first-time-out winners with Keeneland yearling purchases.

The first race of the day, the Prix du Rond du Manege, went to Bellharbour Music, a May-foaled colt from the first crop of Mshawish, bought in September 2019 from Brookdale Sales for $30,000. Now trained in Chantilly by Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti, Bellharbour Music is still in Whitehead's ownership having picked up a small injury prior to his intended appearance at the Arqana Breeze-up, which last year was held at Doncaster in July.

He is the first runner and winner in France for his second-crop sire, who was himself a breeze-up graduate from the Arqana sale having been bought in Kentucky by Whitehead's friend and colleague Johnny Collins for just $10,000. A profitable pinhook, Mshawish was then resold at two to Nicolas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for $170,000 and went on to win a listed race in Deauville before becoming a dual Grade I winner in America.

After his victory in the GI Donn H., Mshawish closed out his career by running sixth to California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup of 2016 and both stallions then retired to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky the following year. Their names were linked again at Chantilly when, two hours after Bellharbour Music's win, California Chrome's 3-year-old daughter Injera made a similarly impressive debut. The filly, trained by another French-based Italian, Gianluca Bietolini, triumphed in the Prix de la Croix Vaillant to become the first European winner for her sire, who is now at Arrow Stud in Japan.

“The colt just had a minor setback and he couldn't go to the sale. I sold the filly privately when we didn't know if the sales were going to go ahead,” explained Whitehead. who is based in Co Kilkenny, Ireland.

“I sent them both over to France around Christmastime so they've been there around six weeks. They weren't worked hard at home but by jockey bookings and betting they were both fancied so they must have been doing some nice work. I know it's only February but it's never easy winning in Chantilly.”

Whitehead is a regular at Keeneland and works the yearling sales in tandem with Nancy Sexton. He bought last season's GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Ete Indien (Summer Front) at the September Sale for $80,000 before reselling him at Arqana to Patrick Biancone for €240,000.

Casting his mind back to the purchase of Bellharbour Music, he said, “I knew the stallion Mshawish when Johnny sold him at the breeze-ups and I followed him through his racing career. When the first crop came up for sale in America I knew he was a good horse and I thought why not buy one. He won on dirt and turf and he was tough, racing until he was six.”

Whitehead's Powerstown Stud will have a team of 25 juveniles to offer at the forthcoming breeze-up sales. He added, “We're happy enough for now but the next month or two will tell. They are roughly half and half American and European horses. Now we just need lockdown to end and to get people back racing.”

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New Hotel Planned at Goffs

Goffs has received planning permission to build a 50-bed equine-themed hotel on land adjacent to its sales complex in Co Kildare, Ireland.

The project is being developed by Goffs in partnership with Kildare Hotel Opportunities, owned by hoteliers Eoin Doyle and Ray Byrne.

Goffs chairman Eimear Mulhern said, “We are delighted that Kildare Hotel Opportunities will develop this exciting new facility at Goffs. This development will enhance the world class facilities at Kildare Paddocks and will be of enormous benefit to national and international Goffs clients, enabling them to avail of the facilities and reside on site for our extensive sales programmes.”

The Goffs sales complex is situated within a short drive of the Curragh, Naas and Punchestown racecourses.

Mulhern continued, “We believe the proposed equine theme for the hotel will prove very popular with racegoers attending the three Kildare race tracks and visitors to the many equine and retail attractions in the county.”

Eoin Doyle added, “We are very excited with the opportunity to create a 4-star contemporary boutique hotel in a peaceful paddock setting, beside the iconic Goffs, just off the N7. For those doing business locally, in the Millennium Park or shopping at Kildare Village or seeking to stay close to Dublin, we believe this will add significantly to the county's tourism and hospitality infrastructure.”

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Colts Line Up for UAE 2000 Guineas as Carnival Continues at Meydan

The 1800-metre G3 UAE 2000 Guineas is one of two group races on the third card of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and drew a sextet of entries led by Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The 104-rated bay, tops for the field, has never been off the board in five starts. Listed-placed at second asking at Ascot in July, the Charlie Appleby trainee graduated by 4 1/2 lengths in a 1400-metre York maiden on Aug. 21. His final two runs of the season were both thirds-in the Sept. 6 G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp and when tiring after setting the pace in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Thomas Byron on Oct. 2. The 2000 Guineas is his dirt bow.

If the colt won, it would be a third UAE 2000 Guineas for Appleby, who said, “He is a solid little horse and we debated whether to keep him to turf or try the dirt, but his work at home, on dirt, has been very good, so we thought it was worth a crack.”

Next on ratings is Mouheeb (Flatter) from the yard of Nicholas Bachalard at 95. A winner at first asking at Jebel Ali in December, he was runner-up in a one-mile conditions affair locally on Jan. 14, one better than dual Meydan winner Zhou Storm (GB) (Due Diligence).

Bachalard said, “He had a very hard race in the trial, but seems to have come out of that in great shape, so we hope, he has a live chance.”

Also on Thursday is the G3 Firebreak S., which marks the return of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1SW Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The 6-year-old entire has progressed steadily through the ranks, and, after running third in this race last year, he stretched out in trip to take the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 by daylight on the front end in March.

Meydan veteran Kimbear (Temple City) receives a slight class break after running eighth in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 21. The 7-year-old Doug Watson charge is a two-time group winner in the UAE after success in the 2018 G3 Burj Nahaar and 2020 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, with the re-opposing Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) second both times.

Watson told the Meydan notes team, “He needed that first run, probably more than we realised, but is training very well and seems in great form. We have put a visor on him so, being drawn one, I guess we will have to be quite positive and go forward.”

The latter, who struck at the Group 3 level at Jebel Ali in January of 2019, reversed fortunes with Kimbear with a one-length score in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile in December of 2019. He is also a two-time Firebreak bridesmaid in 2019 and in 2020. Trained by Satish Seemar, the 8-year-old entire ran third in the G3 Jebel Ali Mile on Jan. 22.

Assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar said, “The Jebel Ali Mile was only 13 days ago, but he seems to have recovered well. Drawn widest of all in six is probably not ideal, but he has run well in this before and never has a bad race.”

The oversubscribed Listed Dubai Sprint is a six-furlong contest on turf, and Ekhtiyaar (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) represents the Doug Watson barn. Bearing the Shadwell colours, the gelding, a dual runner-up in the 2019/20 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, returned to take fourth after a 320-day break in a handicap at Meydan on Jan. 21.

Richard Barnes's Could Be King (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) has been MSP at the listed level throughout his career and he added another runner-up effort in the Listed Testimonial S. at The Curragh in October. The gelding was a one-paced fifth, one behind GSP Silver Line (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and one better than MGSP Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Aus})-both of whom run for Godolphin–in the Jan. 21 G2 Al Fahidi Fort for trainer Ken Condon.

Godolphin fields the majority of the entrants in the Listed Meydan Cup over 2810 metres of sod, with seven entered. MGSW Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was off the board in the Jan. 21 Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic most recently and looks to rebound for Charlie Appleby. French Group 3 winner Moonlight Spirit (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and listed winner Ghostwatch (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are also signed on for Appleby. GSP Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran second in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21 for Saeed bin Suroor, while Global Heat (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) saluted for the same yard in a Jan. 14 handicap.

Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), second in a German Group 1 this past fall for Mark Johnston, now races for Salem bin Ghadayer and bids to improve off a 12th in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21. MSP Chouain (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) represents trainer Miroslav Rulec and won a Deauville contest on Dec. 27.

Click here to view the group fields.

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Virtual Reality For Tattersalls 2021 Opener

When the curtain came down on the 2020 December Sale, all participants could have been forgiven for hoping that it would be the last we would see of Covid-restricted sales. Regrettably, the situation in Britain has subsequently worsened, meaning that Tattersalls, which managed to stage all of its scheduled sales last year, along with a few extras and a few delays, has been forced to conduct its first auction of 2021 entirely online.

The mixed February Sale is perhaps the one through the year which could withstand some disruption best but it is nevertheless a very useful sale and one which has produced its fair share of success in its 20-year existence. Indeed, Venetias Dream (Ire) (Librettist) is an example of the value that can be found in February. Sold for just 1,000gns in 2013, she was subsequently bought back from Turkey when Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a son of her half-sister L'Enjoleuse (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), burst onto the scene, and Venetias Dream has since found fame in her own right as the dam of last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Dream And Do (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

Results such as this keep optimistic breeders returning to these midwinter sales, and this one in particular usually offers a chance to see some new sires at the TBA Stallion Parade. This year, potential buyers will have to be content with sitting in front of their computer screens, scrolling through form and videos, rather than patrolling Park Paddocks.

The brave new world of online sales may be suboptimal in this regard but it has nevertheless been embraced by buyers and vendors, particularly as the alternative while lockdown continues is to have no sale at all.

Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock is based within hollering distance of Tattersalls in Newmarket and in lieu of being on the sales ground this year he has put in plenty of work ahead of the sale, both on the computer and at racing yards and studs.

He said, “The better quality videos and photographs, and the more information online, such as veterinary certificates and heights and weights for horses in training, has been great. There needs to be, and I have found that there has been, an increased transparency and disclosure from the vendor when you ring up to ask about a horse.”

McStay continued, “In certain instances where possible I have been able to do socially-distanced and Covid-safe visits to stud farms and training yards to inspect animals of interest, so I think that all of those things make it workable. It's not ideal—we'd all rather be inspecting horses thoroughly and maybe reinspecting a second time, but that isn't practical. In the situation that we're in Tattersalls and their competitors have made an incredible effort and they are to be commended for still being able to hold a sale. The fact that they've been sensible and are going to hold a second sale in six weeks' time, which hopefully people will be able to attend, is also a big benefit.”

McStay avers that demand for horses in the UK remains high, with an increasing number of overseas buyers involved in public auctions and private purchases.

“Whether it be a broodmare or a horse in training, the market for a good horse is stronger than ever,” he adds. “However, it is very selective in the middle tier and the bottom end of the market has had a huge drop, and it will continue to drop until the prize-money issue is resolved.

“Thankfully, people love our game, they love racing, and people want to win the top races around the world so the demand for a good horse is still high. Our product in the UK is becoming more and more export-orientated. A lot of the horses I would buy, and the same for a lot of other agents, will continue their careers in Australia, America, Hong Kong or Dubai. That unfortunately is a reflection on our prize-money.”

So what potential gems can be found in this year's February catalogue, which started out with 497 horses but had been depleted by the withdrawal of around 200? One which won't be found in the book but is a wildcard entry online is the last horse to sell on Thursday, Noble Yeats (Ire) (lot 256A).

The 6-year-old son of Yeats (Ire) is an unusual entry for this sale and would be more likely found in a Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in a normal year. The gelding recently won a Thurles bumper by 19 lengths for trainer Emmet Mullins and is entered in Saturday's G2 Goffs Future Stars Bumper at Leopardstown. Noble Yeats was also runner-up on his sole point-to-point start and was third on his bumper debut in late December.

Coloratura Soprano (ITY), a Golden Horn (GB) half-sister to last season's G2 Oaks d'Italia winner Auyantepui (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is among the horses offered by the Castlebridge Consignment. The 3-year-old (lot 162) has been trained in her first three starts by John Gosden.

Oakshott Bloodstock consigns the sole mare in foal to Showcasing (GB) in the catalogue in 8-year-old Little Voice (lot 39), a dual-winning daughter of Scat Daddy who has a yearling filly on the ground also by the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion.

Part of the continuing Broughton Bloodstock dispersal is lot 63, Carter's Grove (Ire), a Lilbourne Lad (Ire) half-sister to the useful stallion Sir Prancealot (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and to listed winner Nice Applause (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}). The 8-year-old mare is sold with an early May cover to young stallion Le Brivido (Fr). Her yearling filly by Charm Spirit (Ire) features later in the sale as lot 96.

Among the horses in training in the opening session is the Daniel and Claire Kubler-trained Chitra (GB) (lot 146). The hardy 5-year-old is a rare sprinter by Sea The Moon (Ger) who has won seven of her 34 races over five and six furlongs.

On behalf of breeder Lordship Stud, New England Stud consigns lot 153, Swiss Kiss (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The winning 10-year-old mare is in foal to Acclamation (GB) on a May 22 cover and is a daughter of Lordship's successful broodmare Swiss Lake (Indian Ridge {GB}), whose 12 winning offspring include the Group 3 winners Swiss Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Swiss Diva (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

The sale is conducted online on Thursday and Friday from 10am. Potential buyers, once registered, can place bids via the Tattersalls internet bidding platform or on the telephone to a member of staff.

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