On the Saudi Cup undercard, Prince Faisal was represented by a number of runners, including Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who was just over two lengths behind Authority (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) when fifth in the G3 Neom Turf Cup, and Alnaader (KSA) (Teletext), who was the same distance off the winner Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) in the G3 Saudi Derby.

Grocer Jack, a Group 2 winner in his native Germany, had made headlines last October when topping the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale at 700,000gns. In the last year alone, Najd Stud has signed for 26 horses in Newmarket for just shy of 4 million gns. The horses in training have mostly headed to Saudi, though Grocer Jack remained in Europe and is trained in Newmarket by William Haggas, who also has three 2-year-olds for the prince this year. Najd Stud also boards three mares in England and was active during the yearling section of the recent Goffs February Sale, buying eight youngsters, as well as Kadinnka (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a 3-year-old filly from the Aga Khan Studs. 

In just four years, Najd Stud in Riyadh has grown to an operation which consists of 120 broodmares and five stallions. Alnaader's good run in the Saudi Derby will doubtless have brought pride to his owner/breeder as he represents the first crop of one of the resident stallions, Teletext. The Juddmonte-bred son of Empire Maker was third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and beaten a neck by Ectot (Ire) when runner-up in the G2 Prix Niel before concluding his racing career in Saudi, where he won a local Group 1 in Prince Faisal Bin Khaled's colours. 

Speaking ahead of Alnaader's run on Saturday, Najd Stud's representative Saud Al Qahtani, now a familiar face at the European sales, said of the homebred, “We hope he will show everybody that a Saudi horse can be a good horse and he might go to the UAE Derby.”

He would certainly be entitled to take up that engagement now, and it may not be long before more of the Najd Stud homebreds are seen in action around the globe.

“We have a new foundation in Europe,” said Al Qahtani on Friday. “We have three broodmares and some yearlings we bought from Goffs and Tattersalls, so we hope to have some good horses to run in England and France and to make Najd Stud a global brand.”

The mares, all in England, include the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Under The Stars (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who was bought in foal to Frankel (GB) last December from Godolphin for 300,000gns, and Serene Oasis (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), who is in foal to Almanzor (Fr) and will visit Pinatubo (Ire) this year. The latter, a four-time winner and daughter of Round Hill Stud's Princess Serena (Unbridled's Song), now looks to have been a shrewd purchase 10 years ago for 30,000gns. Still only 13, her pedigree has received several significant updates in recent years thanks to her Group-winning half-siblings Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Puissance De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) and Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal).

“To buy a very good horse is very difficult, beach no-one wants to sell them,” said Al Qahtani. “So we started to do this to try to breed good horses to be competitive all around the world.”

While the mares are currently boarding at studs in England, there are plans afoot for Prince Faisal Bin Khaled to acquire his own stud in the country before too long.

His advisor added, “We will try to produce good horses from them and if they are good enough to stay in Europe then that's great, otherwise they will come here [to Saudi Arabia]. It is our hope to have our own farm in England in the next three or four years. We would like to start in England because Juddmonte started there and all the best breeders are there.”

The influence of Saudi Arabian breeders in the world of Thoroughbred breeding has been immense, not least through the late Prince Khalid Abdullah's hugely successful Juddmonte Farms, but also through the boutique operation of Prince AA Faisal, which has given the stallion scene Kodiac (GB) and Invincible Spirit (Ire) and is currently represented on the track by Mishriff (Ire), a Group 1 winner in three countries. His sire Make Believe (GB) also raced in the same colours but was bought by Prince AA Faisal as a foal. 

It would seem that through Najd Stud, Prince Faisal Bin Khaled aims to follow his compatriots' example, and in the meantime those behind racing in his home country have their own aims of significant growth through the addition of new racecourses and expansion of the Saudi race programme. 

Al Qahtani noted that he has been heartened by the response to the country's flagship Saudi Cup meeting in the last three years, which, as the most valuable in the world, could hardly have failed to make an impression. 

He said, “If you compare the horses from last year to those who came this year from all around the world you will see it's even more competitive. We have the best horses coming from America and from Europe and Japan.”

The post Najd Stud’s Aims Of Going Global appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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After his Royal Ascot triumph, the William Haggas-trained Alenquer finished third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and second in the G1 Juddmonte International. He wrapped up his campaign with a ninth-place finish in the heavy ground G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

“He's a nice horse,” Haggas said. “He ran in the Arc, which he probably shouldn't have done, but he still ran a good race and he's a pretty useful horse. He won't run before the Winter Derby. He'll run in the Winter Derby and will hopefully go on to run in Dubai in the Sheema Classic.”

Haggas also entered My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the Winter Derby, but said the race is a back-up for that pair, who are being prepared for the G1 Saudi Cup, with the Neom Turf Cup also an option for Grocer Jack.

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The trio is led by sale-topper and dual Group 3 winner Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was bought for 700,000gns from owner/breeder Dr Christoph Berglar.

“His second place in Group 1 company was behind Skalleti (Fr), who himself has good form behind Addeybb (Ire) last season,” said Haggas. “Grocer Jack was also third in the German Derby as a 3-year-old behind former Arc runner-up In Swoop (Ire) and this year's Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Ger), so he is clearly a high-class individual. He has settled into the way of life at Somerville Lodge very smoothly and has begun cantering as he builds up to what will hopefully be a very exciting campaign. He has possibilities all over the world and could head to Saudi Arabia or Dubai to get his season underway. He also has a host of races open to him in the UK over 10 and 12 furlongs so hopefully he can get a much deserved victory at the highest level.”

Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), a consistent and classy juvenile this season for Eve Johnson Houghton with wins in the Brocklesby S. on debut, followed by listed success in the Windsor Castle S. and Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy, has also joined the Haggas team. He could also make his first start of 2022 in his owner's home country of Saudi Arabia before targeting sprints in Europe during next summer.

Completing the set is the lightly-raced Shadwell 2-year-old Laatansa (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), who has moved from Ed Dunlop's stable having been bought for 250,000gns with a rating of 83.

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Grocer Jack became the equal third highest priced horse in training sold at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale when he was knocked down to Saad bin Mishraf and Peter Doyle for 700,000 guineas.

“He is for the Saudi Cup, and with that rating he will definitely be accepted for the race,” explained Najd Stud's representative Saad bin Mishraf.

“Hopefully, he will act on the dirt, we hoped we might get him for 400,000 guineas – it was tough competition and I think it was from people with the same target!

“The prize-money fund at the Saudi Cup is driving up the market for the right horses. And it is not just the Saudi Cup, there are other valuable races on that card, too – Saudi is becoming very important on the international racing scene.”

A realistic Mishraf added: “No matter what you spend, sometimes it works, sometimes it won't work. You can spend three million on a yearling and it won't break its maiden, and that is the same everywhere.”

The 4-year-old son of Oasis Dream was owned and bred by Dr Christoph Berglar and trained by Waldemar Hickst and was a winner of the Group 3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit on his most recent start, having been second in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis on his previous start.

“That was, by a long margin, more than I expected! I thought he might make between 300,000 guineas and 500,000 guineas,” reasoned consignor Ronald Rauscher. “But obviously we had a situation of two people going logger heads, and that makes a big difference.”

Out of the Doyen mare Good Donna, Grocer Jack was consigned with a 'Timeform' rating of 117 and also caught the attention of underbidder Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland and local agent Armando Duarte.

Rauscher recalled the background to Grocer Jack: “I bought the mare Good Donna for Dr Christoph Berglar in-foal to Solider Hollow. That foal became a stakes winner and then we followed up with Jack. The mare has done nothing wrong, she is by Doyen but he was underrated – he had a very good average on ratings, especially for his fillies.

“Grocer Jack has not put a foot wrong for us, and I hope that continues for his new connections. He is a very fluent mover, and I think he prefers fast ground.”

Hannibal Barca, fourth in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy on Saturday on just his third start, was the second highest price on the day when selling for 500,000 guineas to the bid of BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe.

“The horse looks very impressive. His maiden victory was very impressive and I thought it was a superb run in that ground at the weekend,” commented the agent. “I don't think he may have handled it all that well, but he was gutsy and it was his determination that got him through it.

“He is still quite green and he is a lovely big scopey horse, 16.1 hands with a lot of scope to him. We think he is very progressive.”

Of the colt's new connections, Donohoe said: “He has been bought for an existing client who has a couple of horses in England, Ireland and France, and he may stay in training here. We are not sure what the plans are with him, the first thing was to get him bought and we will make the plan after. He could obviously be a horse for the Classics next year, he could have the speed for a mile but I think in time he could stay 1m4f.

“We are very happy to get him. He is very clean, he has a lovely attitude and temperament, he did not turn a hair there the couple of times we saw him or in the pre-parade ring. He is rated 111, by next May or June today's price could be good value.”

Hannibal Barca is by Zoffany out of the Galileo mare Innocent Air and his sale price was the third highest for a 2-year-old in training at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. He has run his three races in Sam Sangster's blue and green colors, and Sangster was at Park Paddocks to watch the horse sell. He explained his feelings as he watched the colt he had purchased for £55,000 have his market value increase nearly ten-fold.

“I am still buzzing, it was emotional really,” Sangster revealed. “Brian and I buy a lot of horses together on spec and we put them in the shop window, he was one of them. We loved him as a yearling, but with the year of COVID we struggled to get people to the yard and he was one of the horses we did not get sold.

“We have a lot of confidence in the horses we buy, so we raced him; full credit to Brian who believed in the horse to take him to the Doncaster race, Brian targeted the race for him. He has such a bright future, we are obviously gutted to see him go but it was good business all round.”

Top class 2-year-old colt Maglev, who was a last start fifth in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes for trainer William Haggas, is set to head 'Stateside' after being purchased by California-based Tim Cohen of Red Baron's Barn for 300,000 guineas.

Cohen is at Newmarket with his son Cole, and was sat alongside his regular advisor Alastair Donald and Kern Thoroughbred's Joe Miller. Cohen signed under the regular purchasing banner of Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal, and purchased the subsequent Grade 1 winner River Boyne at this sale in 2017 for 70,000 guineas.

“Towards the end of the year there are a couple of stakes races in California, but it is the 3-year-old year that we are looking forward to” reported Cohen of his purchase today. “His form is excellent, he vetted well, I thought one of the better two-year-olds in this sale. Alastair and Joe were very confident and we kept going.

“We've had good success with the horses we have taken back from here. We look for horses who can handle firm ground, that is what we are keen on.”

Maglev, a son of first-season sire Galileo Gold, is official rated 102 and raced for the Kuwaiti-based M M Stables who have also campaigned the top class Alenquer in 2021.

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

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Tuesday's second session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale, complementing the remarkable energy of the international yearling market, was another to bounce right back from tepid trade last year–not only overshadowing its pre-pandemic performance, in 2019, but also setting an outright record for a single day at this auction.

And, while these remain very early days in terms of the overnight flowering of the world's richest race, there was no mistaking the sense of purpose animating fresh investment from the Middle East. For a sport that owed so much to the passion and commensurate resources of Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum and Prince Khalid Abdullah is now registering the impact not only of the Saudi Cup, but of the developing programme and infrastructure clearly intended to volunteer the host nation as a new centre of gravity for the global Turf.

As Saad bin Mishraf remarked, after the Tattersalls arena had been stunned by his 700,000gns bid on behalf of Najd Stud for the dual group winner from Germany, Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 738), he suspected that he had only been forced so high by competition from the same part of the world. (Underbidder Michael Donohoe has been very active for Middle Eastern interests through the first two sessions.)

“With his rating, this horse should definitely be accepted for the Saudi Cup,” bin Mishraf said. “We hoped we might get him for 400,000gns, it was tough competition–I think from people with the same target. Hopefully he will act on the dirt. The Saudi Cup is driving up the market for the right horses, but it's not just the prizemoney for that race, there are many others making Saudi racing very important internationally, very quickly.”

It was wonderful to see bin Mishraf fall gratefully to his knees, in the presumed direction of Mecca, after finally ending a tense duel for the 4-year-old colt–and also to hear how he grasps the abiding mystery of the racehorse.

“With horses, it is always the same: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't,” he said with a smile. “You can spend three million on a yearling and it won't necessarily break its maiden, and that is the same everywhere.”

At least this was an investment in a horse of proven class, indeed with stallion potential already: besides his group wins, Grocer Jack has run second at the highest level for Waldemar Hickst. Homebred by Dr. Christoph Berglar, and an €85,000 RNA as a Baden-Baden yearling, he was consigned by Ronald Rauscher–switching hats after himself being so busy recruiting for Australian Thoroughbreds over the first couple of days.

“That was, by a long margin, more than I expected,” Rauscher admitted. “I thought he might make between 300,000gns and 500,000gns. But obviously we had a situation of two people at loggerheads, and that makes a big difference.

“I bought the mare Good Donna (Ger) (Doyen {Ire}) for Dr. Berglar, in-foal to Solider Hollow (GB). That foal became a stakes winner, and then we followed up with Jack. The mare is by Doyen, but he was underrated, he had a very good average on ratings, especially for his fillies. This horse hasn't put a foot wrong, and I hope that continues for his new connections: he's a very fluent mover, and I think prefers fast ground.”

Indeed, connections had considered setting up a satellite yard to race him in California. “But it wasn't really tenable, and in the end the time was right [to sell],” Rauscher said. “Prizemoney in Germany is fairly low, and you don't get the going we think he needs. Waldemar has done a fabulous job. He has really looked after him, and delivered him here in top condition. The horse is a credit to him and his team.”

This remarkable transaction crowned another session too vibrant to require the usual caveats about historic comparisons in a market somewhat dependent on the variable calibre of a catalogue. As already noted, the indices not only soared dizzily above last year's “fire sale”–turnover up a staggering 71% to 11,262,500gns for 256 sales, up from 6,570,700gns for 241 (clearance rate here no less than 93%, up from 86%); yielding an average up 61% to 43,994gns from 27,264gns; and a median leaping to 20,500gns from 12,000gns–but far outstripped the equivalent session in 2019, when 260 horses had sold for 8,134,300gns, yielding an average 31,286gns and median of 18,000gns.

GROCER JACK who is a G3 winner and G2 placed sells for 700,000gns at the #TattsAutumn HIT Sale. This colt by Oasis Dream (@JuddmonteFarms) was consigned by Ronald Rauscher and bought by Najd Stud and @Doyle_Racing. pic.twitter.com/kMxjTDZr6l

— TDN (@theTDN) October 26, 2021

Sangster And Meehan Conquer With Hannibal

Timing is everything. On the face of it, that had worked against Sam Sangster and Brian Meehan last year, when the pandemic prohibited potential purchasers access to Manton to inspect a Zoffany (Ire) colt acquired for €55,000 at the Orby Sale. It looked like they were being left to hold the baby. Sheer bad timing.

But then Hannibal Barca (Ire), carrying Sangster's silks, made a promising debut when third at Ascot last month, and they put him in this catalogue. He added one auspicious update when winning at Salisbury three weeks later, and then rolled the dice in no less a race than the G1 Vertem Futurity at Doncaster last Saturday. He ran a stormer, beaten a couple of lengths in fourth behind Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), a neon advertisement just four days before his appearance here as lot 577. Great timing.

And Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland was duly forced to 500,000gns to land the colt for an unnamed client with horses spread between Britain, Ireland and France. “He may stay in training here, we're not sure, the first thing was to get him bought and we can make the plan after,” the agent said. “He could obviously be a horse for the Classics next year, he could have the speed for a mile but I think in time he could stay a mile and a half.

“I thought it was a superb run in that ground at the weekend. I don't think he may have handled it all that well, but he was gutsy and it was his determination that got him through it. He's still quite green, and a lovely, big, scopey horse, 16.1hh, we think he's very progressive. We're very happy to get him, he's very clean, he has a lovely attitude and temperament, and didn't turn a hair the couple of times we saw him or in the pre-parade ring. You never know, by next May or June today's price could look good value.”

For the time being, however, it stands as a mighty coup for his vendors.

“Still buzzing,” declared Sangster with a grin, reflecting on the drama a few minutes afterwards. “It was quite emotional, really. Brian and I buy a lot of horses together on spec, and we put them in the shop window. He was one of them, we loved him as a yearling, but in the year of Covid we struggled to get people to the yard and he was one of the horses we couldn't get sold. But we have a lot of confidence in the horses we buy, and full credit to Brian who believed in the horse enough to target the Doncaster race. We're obviously gutted to see him go, he has such a bright future, but it was good business. Michael rang this morning and I told him I couldn't recommend this horse more, he has such a lovely temperament, a lovely stride. I think he's going to be a serious horse for next year.”

Of his discovery at the Orby Sale, Sangster recalled: “As a yearling, he was exactly what you saw in the ring there today: a gorgeous, free-moving horse, on a beautiful, proven cross. At the time I thought we'd bought him very well. But did I believe he'd go and make half a million at Tattersalls? No.

“I'm delighted for Brian, and everyone in the yard. Brian has done it many times before, and it just shows you have to back your trainer. We've been working together for seven years, and it shows the confidence we have in the horses–that we buy to race them. We've bought 17 yearlings this time round, and attended a few more sales, so hopefully people can come down and see them, and we'll have a bit of marketing material on the back of this.”

Hannibal Barca's late sire has produced an Oaks runner-up out of a Fasliyev mare, and his first three dams are by Galileo (Ire), The Minstrel and Le Fabuleux (Fr), so he's perfectly entitled to test the water for more than one Classic. There's plenty of quality along the bottom line, too, his dam being a dual listed winner (at seven and 10 furlongs) bought from Juddmonte by his late breeder Peter Magnier, from the family of Proportional (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) and Folk Opera (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}).

HANNIBAL BARCA, who was 4th in the G1 Vertem Futurity on Saturday, makes 500,000gns at the #TattsAutumn HIT Sale. Consigned by @brianmeehanltd this colt by the late Zoffany (@coolmorestud) was bought by @BBAIreland & “could be a horse for the Classics next year.” pic.twitter.com/gHRVfgyhEI

— TDN (@theTDN) October 26, 2021

Respect For 'Respectful' Training

One of the themes of the day was the value some trainers can provide patrons in getting the best out of their horses on the racetrack, while still retaining residual value on leaving their care. Take a bow, among others, Roger Charlton.

“Roger really respects his horses,” stressed Stuart Boman, regarding the latter, after giving 340,000gns for the Beckhampton graduate Makram (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) (lot 721) on behalf of undisclosed Australian clients. “And that's really important.”

This was a model project of its type. A €90,000 Goffs Orby purchase by Hugo Merry, Makram has been carefully brought along initially to break his maiden at three, then a first handicap off 76, and two more as a maturing 4-year-old off 90 and 97.

“He's been beautifully handled by Roger and his team,” said the Blandford Bloodstock agent. “We've paid a lot for him, but from an Australian perspective he has just the right profile: he's done everything, all distance ranges, all goings, and he's a beautiful, muscular horse to look at, too. He looked like he could step into group company in England, next year, he's up to 108 [Timeform] and looks like he could be better than that.

“Obviously to be talking about Melbourne Cups would be making a big statement at this point. But it's a pretty obvious thing by this point, the Australians have been breeding for speed for generations, Chris Waller made coming here very popular, and the results keep on coming.”

Precisely that impetus in the market has made this a very difficult sale for the National Hunt investor in recent years, but Tom Malone managed to stretch to 175,000gns moments later on behalf of Paul Nicholls to secure the 3-year-old Pleasant Man (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 724), who won his third race at York last month off 93.

Malone was also full of praise for the Beckhampton grounding. “I've bought plenty of good horses from them,” he said. “And you get a very honest appraisal. I loved the horse, and while some people won't have Galileo for jumping, we had Celestial Halo (Ire) who was obviously very good.”

Typical Bargain Rewarded For Typical Industry

Boman was back late in the session to give 380,000gns for Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) (lot 778) to go “abroad for an established client.” This 3-year-old gelding has been thriving on the dynamic campaigning of Mark Johnston: after running up a four-timer in the spring, starting off a mark of 73, he raised the bar with a first group success at Goodwood last time and arrived with a mark of 103.

The most prolific stable in Britain has developed its own way of doing things and this was a wonderful dividend on Johnston's trademark discovery of a yearling reject, picking him out of Book 2 for a Kingsley Park syndicate at just 18,000gns.

“I have to congratulate Mark for finding a horse of this quality as cheaply as he did,” Boman said. “His name is Dancing King and he really has danced every dance; he showed up every time and always puts it in. And Mark has presented him in immaculate condition. He hasn't run for over five weeks, you can see that they've prepared him for this sale and they've brought him here in fantastic condition.”

All Part Of The Service

William Haggas is another who reliably strikes that elusive balance between getting the best yield on the racetrack for his patrons while maintaining a sound enough base for continued progress. His draft duly included three consecutive lots that figured among the highest of the day.

First came Titian (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 622), who had won for the second time in a light career only four days before the sale and made 155,000gns from Tom Malone to join David Pipe as a juvenile hurdler.

“William Frewen, who owned [high-class staying hurdler] Lough Derg (Fr) (Apple Tree {Fr}) with David, came on the blower wanting to get involved and this horse came highly recommended by William,” the agent explained. “The beauty is that he's been gelded already. In my experience, that process can go very right or very wrong, but someone else has been through the torture of finding out. We also bought Kolisi (Ire) (Harzand {Ire}) a couple of lots back [659, for 55,000gns], he finished second to this one at Doncaster, they both look ideal for the job.”

Next up was another 3-year-old gelding, Wink Of An Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 663), a homebred from the royal stable who will now be heading to the desert after Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, having a very busy couple of days, signed a 230,000gns docket. This lad had been placed with typical dexterity by Haggas to run up a four-timer in handicaps this summer, in the process advancing his rating from 70 to 91.

“He just fits the profile we're looking for, for the Middle East,” Donhoe explained. “For some reason the Dubawis do very well out there, they seem to improve a few pounds out in those sunny climes for some reason. He's a very good-looking horse who'll go on any surface.”

The Somerville Lodge draft was crowned, however, by the juvenile Maglev (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) (lot 664), a £210,000 Doncaster breezer this spring who has meanwhile reached a rating of 102 by a creditable fifth in the G2 Mill Reef S. That rather showed his hand, but he will have more options in California after a 300,000gns transfer to Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal, whose Tim Cohen found subsequent Grade I winner River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) at this sale in 2017 for 70,000gns.

“Towards the end of the year there are a couple of stakes races in California, but it's the 3-year-old that we are looking forward to,” Cohen said. “His form is excellent, he vetted well, and we thought him one of the better 2-year-olds in this sale. I would think he'll be the first Galileo Gold to go to the States, and definitely the most expensive! But we've had good success with the horses we've taken back from here; horses who can handle firm ground, that's what we're keen on.”

The Haggas draft was preceded by graduates of Pegasus Stables, who benefit so hugely from the patience with which James Fanshawe develops talent–and, once again, there was corresponding confidence in the export market. Two consecutive lots heading to Australia were Bonneval (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 640), who brought 170,000gns from Trent Busuttin Racing, and Turn On The Charm (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) (lot 641), who realised 135,000gns from Australian Bloodstock/Ronald Rauscher. (The latter, incidentally, also gave 150,000gns minutes later for Kettle Hill (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), as lot 655 in the Haggas draft.)

The next draft, from Fanshawe's mentor Sir Michael Stoute, was crowned by a horse that condensed the mysteries of our business, My Frankel (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 680).

A 380,000gns Book I purchase at the October Sale by Charlie Gordon-Watson, My Frankel has won just £26,415 in prizemoney across three seasons, despite winning three times while settling on a rating to 95. On his last start, tried in a tongue-tie, he earned £1,411.05 in finishing third under 10 stone at Lingfield. And yet here, at 310,000gns, he proved one of the most valuable commodities of the sale so far–albeit not quite retrieving his yearling value.

How gratifying for the viability of the British sport, then, to see his form so highly esteemed by his purchasers, Najd Stud (co-signed, like the top lot, by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock).

“This horse is by Frankel, so that is very good; and we like the dirt breeding on his dam side,” said Saad bin Mishraf, referring to the first two dams by Harlan's Holiday and Deputy Minister. “Hopefully he will suit our racing in Saudi Arabia very well, and might be one for the King's Cup.”

Shadwell Juveniles Chance Of A Lifetime

The distribution of the Shadwell cull at intervals through this catalogue is maintaining the quality much as streetlamps are posted to merge one pool of light with the next. Buyers are particularly animated by the chance to buy its younger horses, as was the case when Rupert Pritchard-Gordon gave 220,000gns for Ikhtiraaq (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) as lot 624–and not demurring, when it was suggested that his client might be identified by his baseball cap, promoting Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who raced for Robert Ng and has just started out at Haras de Bouquetot.

“As I said to Mr. Ng, in 40 years it has never happened, no-one has been able to buy a decent winning 2-year-old of Sheikh Hamdan's,” the agent said. “So we're having a go. Mr. Ng was very interested in the dispersal. I was at my last bid, the market's strong, but it's just so rare: how many times in the past could you buy a winning 2-year-old of Sheikh Hamdan's? There are lot of people for whom this is what it is all about: dreaming that one of these horses, whether this fellow or another one, will develop into a smart 3-year-old. You always have a chance when you are buying from these farms.”

Second on his first two starts for Owen Burrows, Ikhtiraaq had broken his maiden at Leicester a fortnight previously. And he represents Shadwell family silver, his second dam being a full sister to Bahhare (Woodman) and half-sister to the top-class Bahri (Riverman), their dam Wasnah (Nijinsky) having been acquired as a foundation mare from Nelson Bunker Hunt in 1986.

“He'll stay in Europe,” confirmed Pritchard-Gordon. “We just liked his profile, he's still learning and beat a couple of nice horses the other day. With a bit of luck there'll be more from him next year: he looks like he is going to grow a far bit more, he's still quite up behind, hopefully with another winter on his back he will grow into a nice 3-year-old. There's always a chance with one with a pedigree like that, and he's a really nice mover.”

Pritchard-Gordon returned late in the session to give precisely the same sum for another Shadwell youngster, Qitaal (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 754). He broke his maiden for Mark Johnston at the third attempt at Nottingham a couple of weeks ago, and certainly brings some of the Shadwell family silver in his genes: this is the family of Mehthaaf (Nureyev) and Elnadim (Danzig), and also of his sire's star Ribchester (GB).

De Foy Another Digging For Shadwell Gold

A fertile first year with a licence for Kevin Philippart de Foy, clocking 30 winners at 18%, has not gone unnoticed, and he was rewarded with the backing to secure both six-figure transactions of a quiet pre-lunch session, in each case also from the Shadwell cull.

First came the homebred juvenile Elsals (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), who had made a highly promising debut for Richard Hannon since the publication of the catalogue, beaten half a length for third in a York novice. That prompted Alex Elliott to go to 140,000gns for lot 444 on behalf of a new client, who will transfer the colt to the care of de Foy.

“My man is very strong on his stats, and Kevin's have come out pretty good,” reasoned the agent. “It's good to see support for young trainers who are doing well. And the only way is up for this horse, the sky really is the limit, so it's quite exciting. He'll be put away now for this year, hopefully he can come out, win his maiden and go on from there.

“These Shadwell horse are coming at a premium, we actually valued him at a little less but they're tough to buy. But we've been up against some very sharp fellows, so you know you are on the right horses. I think you are better off paying a little more for a horse you really want.”

Alrehb (War Front) was a different kettle of fish, as a castrated 4-year-old who only made his debut for Charlie Hills last month. But this half-brother to the stable's champion sprinter Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) looks competent to make up for lost time, having built on a debut second at Newcastle with success over a mile at Lingfield, and de Foy was duly forced to 120,000gns to secure him as lot 527.

“He won very well, and is from a family who improve with age,” said de Foy. “He's an exciting prospect, we'll give him some time and work out a programme for him.”

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Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) likewise provided a quick return on the 150,000gns that Blandford Bloodstock and trainer Annabel Neasham paid for him at last year's sale. He has won five group races in Australia this year, headed by the G1 Doomben Cup and G1 Underwood S.

The four-day sale includes drafts from leading trainers like Mark Johnston, Richard Hannon, Andrew Balding, Roger Varian, Jim Bolger, Joseph O'Brien, Dermot Weld and Henri-Francois Devin. In the continuation of its cutbacks, Shadwell brings 121 to the sale, including a handful of lightly raced 3-year-old rated 105 and above, and some promising 2-year-olds. Juddmonte has some unexposed 3-year-olds among its nine-strong draft, while Coolmore offers black-type performers such as the G1 St Leger third The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 238) and the G1 Melbourne Cup second Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 548).

Among the highlights of the catalogue are this year's dual German and Italian Group 3 winner Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 738), who was second in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in July. Like the listed-winning 4-year-old Praetorius (Ger) (Novellist {Ire}) (lot 739), he is offered by Ronald Rauscher.

Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) has picked up four wins from nine starts for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton in 2021, including the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, and the admirable 2-year-old is catalogued as (lot 1055). Another black-type juvenile on offer is Papa Don't Preach (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 600), second in the Listed Prix Yacowlef and fourth in the G2 Flying Childers S., while the dual winning and Timeform 95-rated 2-year-old Nero Tulip (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (lot 364D) and the winning Timeform 87-rated Josies Kid (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) (lot 1186B) also look to have upside.

Also catalogued is Ahmad Al Shaikh's 2021 G3 Chester Vase scorer Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) (lot 1186A); last out G3 March S. victor Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) (lot 778); Lloyd Williams's Listed Her Majesty's Plate winner Master Of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1186C); Cheveley Park Stud's listed-placed 3-year-old Fundamental (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 1142); and Lady Bamford's Balmoral H. third Magical Morning (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) (lot 1143).

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