Cream Rises In Book 3

NEWMARKET, UK — Even in what proved a record-breaking edition, Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year yielded just a couple of six-figure sales. On Thursday, we had two in the first half hour. Any prospectors who had staggered out of the opening two books gasping for some oasis of affordability already knew what they were up against.

To be fair, trade would not remain quite as consistently wild as had been the case across the two preceding catalogues. While unsatisfied demand from Book 2 was transparent in no fewer than eight six-figure transactions, a 26,000gns median was actually unchanged on the equivalent session last year. That suggests a degree of cherry-picking. But a gain of 10 per cent in the average, to 30,960gns, did attest to some overflow into this lower stratum from the sheer, nearly impenetrable strength of the sale to date.

Indeed, the biggest price of the day was actually paid by one of the key protagonists at the front end of Europe's premier yearling sale. For when a Gleneagles (Ire) colt from Croom House Stud was knocked down to Cormac McCormack at 140,000gns, it turned out that he was bidding on behalf of M.V. Magnier.

“The horse was well placed by his owners in the sale and they got well paid,” McCormack said. “He's the nicest horse in the sale. Great step to him, good pedigree, a touch of class about him.”

That pedigree had something old and something new, together creating something nicely “blue” in terms of blood: the colt's fourth dam was a sister to none other than Mill Reef, while his mother is a sister to the dam of last month's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner Mendocino (Ger) Adlerflug {Ger}).

The best operators, demonstrably, don't drop their attention at any stage and that's a compliment to be divided between consignor and purchaser: Croom House's 2,400,000gns Frankel colt in Book 1, the second highest price of the whole sale, was also bought by Magnier (in partnership, in that instance, with White Birch Farm).

Rising Tide Floats All Boats For Whitsbury

There's not so much a buzz around Havana Grey (GB), as a deafening barrage of fireworks. After members of his second crop, conceived at 6,500gns, had realized up to 325,000gns in Book 2, here he accounted for two of the three highest prices of the session.

One of the Whitsbury stallion's first big advertisements is Listed St Hugh's S. winner Cuban Mistress (GB), whose full-sister raised 115,000gns from Anthony Stroud, acting for an unnamed client. This filly was presented as 1482 by her sire's own farm, whose director Ed Harper was ecstatic about the way his flourishing sires are moving up the home herd.

“It's been a year of updates for our mares,” he said. “Mares that were in the twilight zone are now zipping up the escalator and suddenly look exciting. When you get two stallions on your roster like Showcasing (GB) and Havana Grey (GB), they're just constantly doing favours to the broodmare band. It's just magic, it's been a fantastic year.”

He explained that mares are recruited to work across the board, “so they can just hop around the roster”. But Whitsbury had stumbled across “an uncanny nick” between Sakhee's Secret (GB) mares–like the dam of this filly–and Havana Grey, which has so far yielded not just Cuban Mistress but also G3 Cornwallis S. winner Rumstar (GB) and promising debut second Destined (GB). “That's from three runners,” Harper marvelled. “I think anyone with a Sakhee's Secret mare must be ringing me at the moment!”

No Grey Areas For Foley

Another six-figure hit for Havana Grey was the first foal of So Brave (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), presented by Carmel Stud as Lot 1499 and purchased by Joe Foley for Clipper Logistics at 125,000gns.

“A lovely filly,” Foley remarked. “We saw her yesterday, the first one we saw: she was recommended to us by the breeders and by Ed from Whitsbury. She's a really good-looking filly from a fast mare who I remember when she was with Archie Watson, a real speedy 2-year-old. Importantly the breeders are mating the mare well: she has a foal by Showcasing (GB) and has been to Pinatubo (Ire), which is encouraging.

“Havana Grey is a highly promising young stallion. We underbid on a colt yesterday and were keen to buy a nice one. Last year you could see they were all of a mould: he was either going to be a very good stallion or a very bad stallion. Luckily for the team at Whitsbury, he is the former! They are so genuine, like himself.”

With 55 yearlings so far corralled for Clipper and the associated Bronte Collection, Foley could hardly be better placed to gauge the astonishing buoyancy of the market.

“It has been strong from the start and strong today, which is brilliant to see,” he reflected. “It just shows the fortitude of this business. It's a great sport, a great business, and people get fun out of investing in racehorses. Maybe after the negative times we have had in the recent past, and maybe will have in the future, people are keen to spend some money and have some fun.

“Investing in the bloodstock industry is fun investment: you can love football or cricket all you like, but you can't invest in them. You can love racing and invest in it, get double the kick. I have seen first-hand the fun the Bronte syndicate has had together this year, going to Royal Ascot with four runners and having the filly placed in the [G2] Queen Mary. Investing in stocks and shares, you don't get to go and have a bottle of champagne with your mates and say, 'Yes, we won the Listed race!'”

Trio Swing For The Fences Again

Whitsbury's established heavy hitter Showcasing (GB) also achieved a big score on the back of a smart juvenile. For his daughter Swingalong (Ire) has turned out to be 120,000gns well spent in Book 2 last year for Blandford Bloodstock, Karl Burke and Sheikh Juma Dalmook al Maktoum, the G2 Lowther S. winner having run a very creditable fourth when upped to the elite tier for the GI Cheveley Park S. And the same triumvirate was duly on the lookout for another daughter of Showcasing, whose farm filled that need with Lot 1384 at 115,000gns.

This filly's half-brother Shouldvebeenaring (GB) had elevated the page since it went to press, winning a valuable Goffs UK sale race at the Ebor meeting and following up in listed company at Ripon 11 days later. That makes their dam Lady Estella (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) well found at the end of a modest racing career, in this ring in 2015, for just 12,000gns.

“Sheikh Juma was very keen to get another Showcasing,” confirmed Richard Brown of Blandford. “But we've been beaten on everything we wanted so far. Then I saw this filly early yesterday and immediately called my vet–and then immediately called Sheikh Juma! She's from a very good farm, and of course she had a good update.

“Funnily enough I was in there this morning and along came Karl and I thought, 'I know where you're going!' And sure enough he pulled her out. Luckily we were able to align, with the help of Sheikh Juma, and if she can be half as good as Swingalong we'll be all right.”

As for that filly's prospects from here, Brown added: “I was delighted with her run in the Cheveley Park–she was the biggest filly in the field and should get farther next year. Whether she'll get a mile, I don't know, but seven should definitely be in her range and I imagine she'd start off in one of the trials. It's not my decision but if I had to guess I'd say she might go to Newbury for the Fred Darling.”

Another Night To Remember

It had become immediately apparent that the overall momentum of the sale was going to be maintained, with the first six-figure transaction recorded for only the sixth animal into the ring. Moreover the 100,000gns docket signed by Nick Bell for a Night of Thunder (Ire) colt from Ballyhimikin Stud also extended a more specific streak for sire and consignor combined.

Night Of Thunder had topped the Book 2 rankings by aggregate, his 25 sales totalling 4,025,000gns, and three of his top five in that catalogue graduated from James Hanley's farm–which had also sold a colt and filly by the Darley stallion in Book I for 475,000gns and 425,000gns respectively.

This lad is out of French Listed winner Kambura (Fr) (Literato {Fr}), sibling to several group performers and/or producers. He will be trained by Bell's father Michael for Peter Trainor. “We have put a few horses up to him over the last few weeks,” Bell Jr. said. “I think he'd thought he had got away without having to buy one! But this looks like he good be a real fun horse next summer. The stallion needs no introduction, and this looks a really solid horse. It's been tough, and the nice ones you have to give a little bit extra for. I'm delighted we got him.”

Taking Your Time Now Takes Money Too

Alex Elliott had a succinct summary of the current market after going to 68,000gns for a Masar (Ire) colt from Maywood Stud [1421].

“Fifty grand is the old 10 grand!” he exclaimed. “You used to be able to pick up these stayers for 10 grand, but you can't buy a nice horse for that now.”

This was the fourth of five scheduled picks for the Lucra Partnership, with a stipulated average of 50,000gns. The pressure was on for the fifth, then, albeit one of their first investments was G2 Royal Lodge S. winner New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). “And we sold him for a lot of money, so everyone is on the pig's back because of that!” Elliott said.

That syndicate's trainer Ralph Beckett will also be receiving the preceding lot [1420], a 100,000gns Sea The Moon (Ger) colt consigned by Jamie Railton and purchased on behalf of the nascent Valmont syndicate foiled only in a photo for last week's G3 Oh So Sharp S. with Lose Yourself (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

“Ralph trained this colt's dam, who was a very good race filly,” Elliott recalled of Listed winner Mountain Bell (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}). “I actually bought [her] last year, off Qatar. And I thought this horse was a stand-out today, more of a Book 2 horse: he has size, scope, he vetted well, and I am a big fan of the stallion. He will want a bit of time, but we don't mind giving them that.

“We generally buy 3-year-old types [for Valmont]. There's a little bit of a gap in the market there, if you've got the patience. Because once you're on the wheel, you've got the action: early next year we should have that first batch running in Guineas trials, Oaks trials, and then this year's purchases will come through after that. We had thought the first year was going to be a bit slow, but when you have Ralph Beckett in your corner it's a huge help.”

Redvers Finds Another Camacho Nugget

While hugely looking forward to QIPCO Champions' Day, like his patron Sheikh Fahad, David Redvers kept his eye on the ball to dig out a Camacho colt [1571] from Lodge Park Stud for 105,000gns.

“That's why we hang around for Book 3,” the Tweenhills man said. “You do find the odd golden nugget.”

The vendors' homebred mare Alyssum (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) had mustered updates from both her previous winners, Dandy Alys (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) finishing second in the G3 Sweet Solera S. and Hard One To Please (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) confirming his stature in Scandinavia by winning the G3 Stockholm Cup. Throw Camacho into the mix, and Redvers was always going to be interested.

“He's been a phenomenally lucky sire for us,” he said. “I must have bought five or six stakes winners by him. And the mare catalogues up unbelievably well now, with the updates. In my view, this filly would have deserved a place in Book 2 and would have made twice as much there. I loved her physical, too. I have bought her entirely on spec, but I will put her up to Sheikh Fahad and David Howden and we'll see what happens. I'm in for a good bit of her.

“The farm is probably in the top five best breeders in Europe. I bought Ocean Road (Ire) (Australia {GB}) from them [for 150,000gns in Book 1 three years ago] and she's now a Grade 1 filly.” [Won Gamely S.]

As for the imminent spectacle at Ascot on Saturday, Redvers added: “I'm really looking forward to it. There will be a massive crowd, hopefully the sun will be shining and the going will be perfect. The best horse in the world will be running and it's what championship racing is all about.”

Calyx Pinhook Solid As A Rock

One of the pinhooks of the day was the work of Rockview Stables, which found a filly from the first crop of Calyx for €12,000 as a foal at Goffs last November. Daughter of an unraced Dubawi (Ire) mare culled by Godolphin, she was brought here as Lot 1426 and realized 105,000gns from BBA Ireland.

“We just thought she was a very attractive, racy filly and of course she was out of a Dubawi mare,” explained Eleanor Dunne of Rockview. “But we got very lucky with the update. We knew that there was a first foal in Tom Dascombe's, but Felix Natalis (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) has gone on and won a couple of times again [since the catalogue was published] and then just on Saturday he got the black type at York [third in Listed Rockingham S].

“She's been fantastic since she got to the farm, thrived all the way through her prep: she has a wonderful temperament and has been a pleasure to be around.”

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“Double Whammy” for Thompson and Tinnakill Crowns Unforgettable Monday

Most Mondays are utterly forgettable. Not in the case of Ian Thompson, manager at Tinnakill House Stud who, along with his boss Dermot Cantillon, kick-started the week in style after Dornoch Castle (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), bred by the pair, confirmed himself a hugely promising colt in winning unchallenged at Ayr. 

Shortly after Dornoch Castle coasted home to win for the second time from as many outings, his trainer Mark Johnston revealed that he has some major ambitions for the 2-year-old, mainly the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood. 

If you thought things couldn't get any better for Thompson and all of the team at Tinnakill, you thought wrong, because this Monday was about to go from memorable to unforgettable.

As if it were written in the stars, just a few hours later, Dornoch Castle's half-brother Claim The Crown (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who Thomson and Tinakill also bred, landed the feature handicap at Ripon. 

All of this excitement was provided by Crown Light (GB) (Zamindar), a mare that Cantillon acquired for just 800gns at the Tattersalls Autumn horses-in-training sale in 2013, and the 11-year-old hasn't missed a breeding season on the farm ever since.

Speaking after the success of Dornoch Castle, a 30,000 euros Goffs Sportsman's purchase, Thompson sensed something special could be in store, and said, “Funnily enough, his [Dornoch Castle's] half-brother Claim The Crown runs this evening so it could be a double whammy. He has been very well-backed so it could be one of those days. Let's hope so.”

It certainly was one of those days. A Monday that Thompson and the team will never forget. But the most exciting aspect of it all is that there will be even bigger days ahead, especially in the case of Dornoch Castle. 

“It's exciting,” said Thompson. “The great thing about him is that he's bred to get better. He was a fine big horse when he was younger so everything about him would suggest that this is only the beginning for him. 

“The female pedigree would be a middle-distance one and you wouldn't really imagine her to be having lots of 2-year-old winners so it makes it even more exciting.”

He added, “This is what it's all about. The buzz before the race and the excitement after he won. You can't beat it–it's what we do it for.”

This wasn't the only momentous moment for those associated with Crown Light. Less than four years after Cantillon bought the mare, her half-sister Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won the G1 Prix Vermeille. But that's not to say that Crown Light has not been hanging onto the coattail of her half-sister. 

She has proved herself worthy of an upgrade in terms of the quality of stallion she has visited every season and a decision to support up-and-coming sire Gleneagles (Ire) is proving to be an inspired one with his son Dornoch Castle emerging as a smart prospect for the Johnston team. 

Thompson explained, “We thought Gleneagles was a good young sire and everyone was crying out for a nice son of Galileo (Ire). He was the one with the best credentials and it was a commercial decision to back a young son of Galileo who we thought was going to click. 

“She also has an Australia (GB) filly foal and is back in foal to Acclamation (GB). Dermot bought four horses at the horses-in-training sale in 2013, all for relatively small money, and she was just 800gns. She had a decent pedigree but wouldn't have been the best physical.”

He added, “Since we bought her, though, her half-sister [Bateel] won a Group 1 in France so we got the mother of all pedigree updates. Not only that, she has produced stock who look a lot better than she does and, as a result, she has been getting upgraded matings every year. Her progeny are delivering on the racetrack and she's really clicked now so it's very exciting.

“She's very fertile. She's had a foal every single year since she was a 3-year-old. That's the one thing you can't really put a price on when you are buying from the horses-in-training sale as you've no idea how fertile they will turn out to be. It's all down to luck.

“I am involved with seven or eight mares now at this stage. I own a few of them myself but am in partnerships with either Dermot or somebody else with the rest. She's the best of them by a mile.”

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Gleneagles’s Highland Chief Upsets Yibir in Man o’ War

With heavily favored champion Yibir totally missing the start, Saturday's GI Man o' War S. at Belmont was thrown into a state of flux, and longest shot on the board Highland Chief took advantage. Away well himself and with no real pace on, Highland Chief shared early front-running duties with Abaan (Will Take Charge) past the wire for the first time while kept well off the fence by pilot Trevor McCarthy. Content to sit second on the first bend and down the backside through splits of :25.35, :51.84 and 1:17.60, Highland Chief turned the heat back up heading for home as last year's Jockey Club Derby Invitational and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir and MGISW Gufo swept up to join the fray. Highland Chief poked a head in front after a mile in 1:42.04, and while it seemed like surely one of his more accomplished foes would come get him when they straightened, the bay kept finding and in fact pulled away slightly in the late stages.

“I wanted to get a good break, that was the most important thing,” said McCarthy, who was celebrating his first win at the highest level. “He broke well last time, but he just got annihilated at the break. Today, he was really handy the whole way for me. The pace was pretty slow, but the whole time he was just carrying me, carrying me, carrying me. At the 5/16 pole I let him go and started to make an early move. I just wanted to get away from the other guys and it sure paid off. He made up a ton of ground the first time he ran in America and got shut off really bad at the break, but he made a good rally.”

“It's a great feeling,” McCarthy said of winning his first Grade I. “To win it for [trainer] Graham [Motion], who has given me so much support in my career, it's really special. My father started riding for Graham and we got to be good friends with them and his family. I started at 15 and worked for Graham. As soon as I started to learn how to ride, I stayed at Fair Hill for three years. I would come in on the weekends and days off of school and ride out for him which was great. I learned so much from him and all his employees there at the time. To win it with so much history with him is great.”

Originally based with Paul Cole in England, Highland Chief was well thought of enough to contest the 2020 G1 Investec Derby, where he finished 10th before a pair of seconds going 1 1/2 miles at the Group level. He made just one start last year, checking in fifth in Epsom's G1 Coronation Cup June 4, and found 8 1/2 panels at Aqueduct too sharp when ninth while making up significant ground late in his Stateside debut Apr. 14.

“In fairness, Alex Cole, the manager for the owners, told me that if he runs back to his European form, he's very competitive with these horses,” said Motion. “He won a race at Ascot. That's not easy to do. Trevor had a strategy–he knew he couldn't leave him too much to do. He broke better today, which made a difference because he wasn't so held back at the start or too much ground to make up. Trevor gave him a great ride. I said to Trevor, 'I can't believe somebody broke slower than we did.”

Of potential future plans, Motion said, “We'd have to think about the [June 11 GI Resorts World] Manhattan, but it was mentioned to go to Europe after this race if he ran well. Originally, they talked about running in the Dubai World Cup and I knew he just wasn't ready for that. [The owners] think very highly of him.”

As for the beaten favorite, trainer Charlie Appleby said, “That's him. He did that here last year. That's his style. He did it [when second in the Mar. 26 G1] Sheema Classic as well. We intentionally did not want him to be as slow out, but his run style is to come off the pace… Unfortunately, we had rain here last night and rain again today and it's just on the slower side of where he likes to hear his feet rattling. For his acceleration, it just blunts it slightly. Take nothing away from the winner, he held decent form back in Europe in his 3-year-old career there and he had to be respected. We ran our race, but in an ideal world if you asked me what I'd like to have had, it would be no rain.”

Appleby said last year's champion turf horse would likely be back in the States for the Aug. 27 GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga.

Saturday, Belmont Park
MAN O' WAR S.-GI, $651,000, Belmont, 5-14, 4yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:17.04, fm.
1–HIGHLAND CHIEF (IRE), 118, h, 5, by Gleneagles (Ire)
     1st Dam: Pink Symphony (GB) (GSW-Ire, MSP-Eng, $186,684), by Montjeu (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Blue Symphony (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
     3rd Dam: Blue Duster, by Danzig
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. O/B-Mrs. Fitri Hay (IRE); T-H. Graham Motion; J-Trevor
McCarthy. $375,000. Lifetime Record: 12-3-2-2, $501,862.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Gufo, 124, h, 5, Declaration of War–Floy, by Petionville.
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $130,000.
3–Yibir (GB), 124, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Rumh (Ger), by Monsun
(Ger). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby. $70,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 19.20, 2.45, 0.55.
Also Ran: Easter (Fr), Abaan. Scratched: So High (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Highland Chief hails from the first crop of MG1SW miler Gleneagles, who was a distant last in his lone U.S. start when trying the dirt in American Pharoah's GI Breeders' Cup Classic procession. He is one of 10 graded/group winners for the Coolmore Ireland resident.

Montjeu, meanwhile, has 37 Northern Hemisphere graded/group winners as a broodmare sire to go with 17 foaled south of the equator.

The winner's dam was a 400,000gns TATOCT yearling purchase in 2008 by Paul Cole on Hay's behalf, and she helped repay that investment with a score in the 1 1/2-mile G3 Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Give Thanks S. in 2011. A half to MGSW/MG1SP Fantasia (GB) (Sadler's Wells)–a Group 3-winning producer herself–and MGSW/MG1SP Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Pink Symphony is a granddaughter of Europe's 1995 champion 2-year-old filly Blue Duster. She has a 2-year-old full-brother to Highland Chief and a yearling filly by Churchill (Ire).

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You’resothrilling’s Story Continues At The Curragh

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the latest progeny out of one of Coolmore's bluest-blooded mares.

12.40 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT
TOY (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the eighth foal out of the remarkable G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner You'resothrilling (Storm Cat), which makes her a full-sister to the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas hero Gleneagles (Ire), the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Marvellous (Ire), the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the G1 Moyglare Stud S. scorer Happily (Ire) and this year's G1 Prix de Diane winner Joan of Arc (Ire), as well as the smart Taj Mahal (Ire), Coolmore (Ire) and Vatican City (Ire). Among the opponents of the Ballydoyle blueblood are the CBR Partnership's Ha Ha Ha (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a £400,000 Goffs Orby graduate and Jessie Harrington-trained half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks runner-up Jack Naylor (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}).

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