By that stage, there will be frenetic action of a different kind just a mile up the road at Park Paddocks where several days of Book 1 inspections will be underway ahead of the start of the nine-session October Sale on Tuesday. The first three days are devoted to Book 1, the profile of which continues to rise to ever dizzier heights. A 200,000gns median last year tells its own story, that figure having doubled in a decade. The average meanwhile settled at its own record high, just shy of 300,000gns and, at the final ringing of the tills, more than 126 million gns was spent across three days in 2022 for 424 fledgling racehorses. Looking ahead to this year's sale, it is hard not to envisage more of the same, or perhaps just more. 

Jimmy George, the marketing director for Tattersalls, says, “It's an outstanding catalogue. Book 1 seems to collect the cream of the British and Irish, and perhaps wider European yearling crop year after year. And it's not only a catalogue of real quality, it has diversity as well. In simple terms, it's probably fair to say that it represents the biggest collection of yearlings by the best turf stallions in the world that you'll find anywhere.”

In the bloodstock world's version of chicken-and-egg, the fact that Britain and Ireland continue to enjoy a golden age of stallions no doubt influences the fact that there is a growing throng of international breeders keeping mares in those countries, or indeed transporting them to be covered. We cannot forget, however, the importance of those blue hens and classy matrons in making these stallions what they are in the first place. 

“The consistency of these top stallions at the moment, the seamless movement on from the Galileo era, it's just amazing,” George says. 

“I'm not ranking them in any particular order, but you have Frankel, Dubawi, Kingman, Lope De Vega, Wootton Bassett, Sea the Stars, and there's the thick end of 200 yearlings by those six stallions in Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale.

“And I think that tells prospective buyers all they really want to know, these are game-changing stallions on their own, but that collection together is pretty mighty.”

From Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) landing the GI Saratoga Derby on only his third start to the victory of Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) claiming his third Group 1 – one for each season of racing – in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Good Guess (GB) dominating the G1 Prix Jean Prat for a Japanese owner in France, the broad international success of the October Sale, and Book 1 in particular, remains a strong theme.

“It gives [owners and breeders] access to these top stallions; they recognise the quality of the horses standing in Britain, Ireland and also France at the moment,” George continues. “And if they're going to have regular access to these sort of horses, they come here and buy them as yearlings, and in the case of yearling fillies, perhaps leave them over here [to race] and breed from them in the future.

“One of the aspects of Book 1 that strikes me year after year, is that the top owner-breeders will also target Book 1 for their broodmare bands. They're racing these beautifully-bred fillies and they can go on to have a huge impact on their own broodmare bands later down the line.

“In the Juddmonte International this year, which was won by Mostahdaf, and Nashwa was second, both of them are raced by owner-breeders, and both of them are out of mares who those owner-breeders have bought as yearlings at Book 1.”

The sale dovetails nicely with two weekends of Group 1 action on the Rowley Mile, making a trip to East Anglia in October an extra draw.

“Newmarket is the hub, not only in the British racing and breeding industry, but really the European racing and breeding industry,” says George.

“We've got two racecourses here, we've got numerous stud farms in and around the area standing some of the best stallions in the world, we've got all the top veterinary facilities, we've got 70 to 80 different racehorse trainers here, the most fantastic training grounds, and we've got Tattersalls.”

He adds, “The owner-breeders feel comfortable here, they come to Newmarket, whether it's to race or whether it's to see their broodmare bands and their young stock, or to buy. Which is obviously why they come to Tattersalls.”

Some 500 Book 1 yearlings will usher in a fortnight of action at Park Paddocks, where the newly refurbished and levelled yards at Somerville R, S, T have just been unveiled. Naturally there are some swanky pedigrees to digest. 

The brother (lot 316) to 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) – himself a 280,000gns Book 2 gradate in 2020 – features among the Newsells Park draft, while a Dubawi half-brother to Imad Al Sagar's treble Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) heads a select consignment from Blue Diamond Stud and, catalogued as lot 35, may well prove to be one of the early highlights on Tuesday.

The McCartan family's Ballyphilip Stud brings lot 240, a half-brother to that brilliant sprinter Battaash (Ire) who is by another brilliant sprinter and budding young stallion, Blue Point (Ire). Meanwhile, Blue Point's own immediate family is represented by his three-part-brother [lot 81] from the first crop of fellow Darley stallion Earthlight (Ire) and consigned by Hillwood Stud. 

From the same Shamardal sireline, and with a typically strong female family behind him, comes the Lope De Vega (Ire) half-brother to St Leger and Irish St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the colt having been pinhooked for 300,000gns from Kirsten Rausing's St Simon Stud draft at the December Foal Sale. He is reoffered by Eugene Daly's Longview Stud as lot 226.

Among the colts on offer from Cheveley Park Stud is a three-quarter-brother to the farm's champion filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The son of Ulysses (Ire) features on the first day of Book 1 as lot 127 and is one of eight yearlings to be offered by the Thompson family, along with a Kingman (GB) colt out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

The above is just a taster. It's easy to make a case for pretty much every yearling in the opening book, and for agents and trainers tasked with doing just that for potential purchasers, it is made a little easier by the existence of the Book 1 Bonus. It's a scheme which is now well established and has over recent years pumped almost £8 million in additional prize-money to owners with more than 340 bonuses now having been won. From next year, that individual bonus is set to rise from £20,000 to £25,000, with all yearlings catalogued for Book 1 of this year's sale eligible for the scheme.

George says, “I think people are unnecessarily negative about the sport in Britain at times. There's so much to be positive about. One, it is the most magnificent sport.

But two, there are aspects of British prize-money that need to be recognised, and Britain is the most lucrative place to own a horse in Europe, if it's a decent horse. British prize-money for group and listed races is superior to anywhere else in Europe, and that's a fact. And it isn't always a fact that is put out there often or loudly enough, in my humble opinion, but you only just have to look through the Pattern book and look at the prize-money available for British group and listed races and compare it with France and Ireland, who are the obvious main competitors in that respect. Britain is comfortably number one. The average prize-money for a Group 3 race, a Group 2 race, a Group 1 race in Britain is significantly higher than anywhere else in Europe.”

What is often grumbled about of course is the lower levels on offer for maiden races and handicaps, but a significant number of maiden and novice races for two- and three-year-olds have been boosted this year by extra sponsorship from Juddmonte, Darley and the British EBF. On top of that, a Book 1 graduate has a chance of scooping an extra pot, and that is not restricted to British races, but also includes Ireland.

“We know the impact it's having,” he continues. “We've distributed directly to racehorse owners in Britain and Ireland the thick end of £8 million in prize-money, with no deductions, just directly to the owners, since the inception of that scheme.

“That is a lot of money to win for winning your maiden. The average price, or the average win prize-money next year for a Book 1 Bonus winner, will be I'd say comfortably over £30,000, which is significant. It's not headline prize-money, it doesn't show up in statistics, but it is significant.”

George adds, “I think it's so important for us not to talk ourselves into thinking that there isn't opportunity out there, because there is. Whether it's our bonuses for Book 1, or whether it's Great British Bonuses, or certain sales races, or other angles that are out there, there's more there than sometimes we're led to believe.”

Traditionally, the October Sale, under its various guises over the years, brought the curtain up on the autumn season at Tattersalls, but since a reshuffling of venues, which brought the Ascot Yearling Sale, now known as the Somerville, to Tattersalls, the sale grounds have already been busy in Newmarket since the yearling season began, and we head into a frenetic fortnight on the back of encouraging results not just at the Somerville, but pretty much across the board in Europe and America. 

“The sales calendar bears no resemblance to how it once was, and we've had the addition of the August Sale and Somerville Yearling Sale in recent years just at Park Paddocks alone. Under the Tattersalls umbrella it's grown out of all recognition, with Cheltenham and Tattersalls Ireland and the online sales,” George says. 

“But it still remains that the Tattersalls sales season really kicks off with the October Yearling Sale. That's when we become the focal point and it's pretty intense for those two weeks of Books 1 through to 4.

“It's a busy time, but it's an exciting time, and there's a lot riding on it for everybody. It's very busy for the trainers and the agents, but the owners enjoy their time at the sales as well. And long may that last, it's very much part of the ownership experience.”

The post Showtime as Wraps Come Off the October Yearlings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The Monday and particularly the Tuesday evening sessions of the mares' sale are always frenetic and this year Tattersalls has branded a portion of those days as the Sceptre Sessions, for which an elite collections of fillies and mares have been gathered. That star-studded focus aside, there is still strength in depth to be found across the four days of that catalogue, not to mention two significant warm-up acts in the December Yearling Sale which kickstarts the December-in-November action this Monday, followed by four days of foal action from Wednesday to Saturday.

Last Chance For A Yearling

A last chance to buy a yearling at auction in Europe is provided when around 160 youngsters take to the ring for Monday's solo session. Britain's leading sires Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB) hogged the limelight during Book 1 of the October Sale, and while they are sparsely represented here, there are still yearlings to note, including lot 31, the Dubawi daughter of the Wildenstein-bred G1 1000 Guineas winner Miss France (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), and lot 154, Shadwell's colt out of the listed winner and G2 Rockwell S. runner-up Fadhayyil (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) who has already produced Australian Group 2 winner Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Frankel meanwhile features towards the end of the session as the sire of lot 178, from Glenvale Stud, the half-brother to Group 3 winners Peace Envoy (Fr) (Power {GB}) and Our Last Summer (Ire) (Zamindar).

A quartet of yearlings by Invincible Spirit (Ire) features the Voute Sales-consigned half-sister to recent juvenile winner Bedazzling (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). Offered as lot 43, she is inbred 3×3 to Invincible Spirit's granddam Eljazzi (GB) (Artaius), while Norris Bloodstock offers lot 112, an Invincible Spirit colt out of the young Frankel mare Aspirer (GB), a Juddmonte-bred daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) from the family of this year's G1 Irish Derby winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Not Just a Pinhookers' Paradise

Tuesday may be considered a dark day at Tattersalls, but it is only in the ring itself that the lights will be out. Around the grounds prospective foal buyers will be hard at it before daylight has even appeared as they assess those on offer during the four sessions of weanlings, with the strongest pedigrees slated for Friday.

Many opinions will already have been formed during a strong opener to the foal sales season at Goffs last week, and this is especially so when it comes to the first glimpses of the stock of the new sires.

Among those already finding favour with buyers at Goffs was the Darley duo of Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire), sons of the operation's flagship sires Dubawi and Shamardal, respectively. Former Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath has another 14 on offer at Tattersalls, including lot 685 from Yellowford Farm who is interestingly inbred to Dubai Millennium's dam Colorado Dancer (GB) (Shareef Dancer).

Last year's December Foal Sale was responsible for the highest price for a European weanling for the last 20 years when Genesis Green Stud's Dubawi colt out of Madonna Dell'Orto (GB) was sold for 1.8 million gns. The year prior to that Dubawi had featured as the sire of three of the four top lots but in among them was a Frankel colt from the Dutch Art (GB) mare Suelita (GB) offered by his breeder Whitsbury Manor Stud. Back then he was already a half-brother to juvenile Group 2 winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), but boy look at him now. Bought for 550,000gns by Juddmonte, named Chaldean (GB), and sent into training with Andrew Balding, the colt is now one of the best in his generation in Europe as the winner of four of his five starts this year including the G1 Dewhurst, G2 Champagne and G3 Acomb S.

This year Whitsbury Manor returns with his half-brother, slated as lot 1025 and by Kingman (GB), who provided the top three lots at the Goffs November Foal Sale, but he is far from the only weanling with enticing updates this year as there are also half-siblings to two of this season's British Classic winners on offer. Kirsten Rausing's St Simon Stud offers a Lope De Vega (Ire) half-brother to G1 St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as lot 1027, while breeder John Bourke of Hyde Park Stud brings a Mehmas (Ire) half-brother to the G1 1000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) who has been catalogued as lot 1033 in what is bound to be a hectic Friday session.

“Obviously the foal sale is the primary target of the pinhookers, but it's a sale that has had a huge amount of success on the racecourse this year with the likes of Chaldean, Saffron Beach (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire),” said Tattersalls' marketing director Jimmy George. “And I think, again, it reflects how lucky we are to have the stallions that we have at our disposal at the moment, and I don't think that goes unnoticed. I think with the way the yearling market has gone, the strength of the October yearling sales, which defied gravity to a degree, that gives a great backdrop with which to go into the December Foal Sale.”

Western Super Mares

As if the aforementioned mares weren't enough to whet the appetite for four days of trade for breeding prospects, since the catalogue was published some extra big names have been added, including Group 1 winners The Platinum Queen (Ire) and Princess Zoe (Ger). Five years ago the crack sprinter Marsha (Ire) set a new European thoroughbred auction record when selling from Heath House Stables for 6 million gns. Whether that record will be bettered next Monday or Tuesday remains to be seen, but it seems likely, during a run of strong sales around the world, that at least one mare or filly will come close.

“We've got six Group 1-winning race fillies in what is a very strong December Mares catalogue,” George said. “We announced the Sceptre Sessions back in the summer this year. It's clearly struck a chord, the support has been fantastic, and it's great to see the quality of the fillies and mares that have been earmarked for the Sceptre Sessions by the consignors.

“But they're not alone in terms of quality offerings, because there's a plethora of Group 2, Group 3, and stakes-winning fillies as well, and of course a huge number of well-covered, very well-bred mares. It's fantastic to have this sort of quality when we are launching something like the Sceptre Sessions, which are named in tribute to one of the most remarkable race fillies ever, who also had a rich Tattersalls history herself, as a record-breaking yearling way back in the mists of time.”

Among the mares in foal to be offered during the Sceptre Sessions, which collectively number around 90 individuals, is High Heels (Ire), a young stakes-placed daughter of Galileo (Ire) who is in foal for the first time to Siyouni (Fr), representing a cross that has been utilised with notable success in recent years. The 4-year-old is slated as lot 1868 from the Castlebridge Consignment.

In the same Tuesday evening session, Tweenhills Stud, which is selling a bumper draft of 44 mares, offers Qatar Racing's G1 St Leger and G1 QIPCO Champion Fillies and Mares S. winner Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), who is in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB) on a May 3 cover and is in the book as lot 1886. There is also a decent draft of 18 fillies and mares from The Royal Studs, and while it is not an uncommon name to find on the list of consignors, there is extra poignancy to their presence in the months immediately following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

George continued, “I think we've got some real collectors' items in the catalogue this year and there's been a huge amount of interest from throughout the world ever since we released details of some of the stars that were coming to the sale. It's for a good reason, because the Tattersalls December Mares Sale is widely regarded as the most international sale of its type in the world, and you'd expect a very international crew to descend upon Newmarket in the coming days.”

Dispersals are fairly regular features of the December Sale and this year Philippa Cooper will disperse the stock of her successful Normandie Stud through Newsells Park Stud, with six mares forming part of the second Sceptre Session, including the G3 Prix de Flore winner Loving Things (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who is offered as lot 1899 in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire).

Poignantly, a partial dispersal is being conducted through New England Stud and Freemason Lodge on behalf of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild's Southcourt Stud. Sir Evelyn, the breeder of a host of good horses topped by Horse of the Year Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), died on Nov. 7 at the age of 91.

“We've got two smallish, but nonetheless very good dispersals,” George noted. “It is with sadness that we offer the dispersal from Southcourt Stud, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild's famous nursery. Dispersals are always tinged with sadness, and obviously, with his recent death, it is now even more so. But these families pay a tribute to decades of breeding top-class horses. The great Crystal Ocean, arguably the best horse Sir Evelyn ever bred, will be fresh in everybody's minds as some of these wonderful fillies and mares from his family go through the ring.”

A number of chances to buy into Southcourt's successful 'Crystal' family are presented through the sale, including through an enticing in-training prospect, Crystal Caprice (Ire), a daughter of Frankel (GB) with three wins, listed black type and a rating of 101 to her name. The 3-year-old is catalogued as lot 1895 by her trainer Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge.

In anticipation of nine days of trade at Tattersalls in the coming fortnight, George concluded, “It has been a spectacular year at Park Paddocks so far and in terms of the strength of the respective catalogues–December Yearlings, December Foals and December Mares–I think we've got all the ingredients to bring the Tattersalls sale season to a fitting close.”

The December Sale action begins on Monday with the yearlings from 11 a.m.

The post Tattersalls Poised for Blockbuster Finale  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's Belmont Oaks winner McKulick as a yearling.

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

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) July 9, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source of original post

“It's not quite buy one, get one free, but it's very nearly that,” George said of the potential sales results of the exchange rate, where pounds are nearly equal to dollars at this point. “Honestly, the weakness of the pound is a little bit alarming in some senses to anybody who actually lives here, but for anybody trading in U.S. dollars, they will come to Book 1 of the October Sale next week and be buying the same quality of horse for 20-25% less than they were paying last year. That is a massive discount. This is an unprecedented opportunity for anyone who wants to race turf horses of the highest quality in North America. So all I can say is, take advantage. It probably won't be like this for a very long time.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, the KTOB, Lane's End, XBTV, Three Chimneys, West Point Thoroughbreds and Legacy Bloodstock, host Joe Bianca said his farewell as he moves on from the show, he and Bill Finley welcomed new co-host Zoe Cadman, and all three reacted to the sensational Saturday for superstar stallion Gun Runner. Click here to watch the show; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The post Tattersalls Director Jimmy George Joins Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

A sizeable delegation of Australians has already arrived in town, now free from the travel curbs of Covid, and it is a safe bet that they will be joined by breeders, trainers and agents of myriad nationalities at Park Paddocks over the next few days.

Arqana kicked off the summer mixed auction fare last week with some pretty explosive results in Deauville, which featured the rarity of a current Classic winner as a last-minute entrant to the sale. The German 1,000 Guineas winner Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) duly topped the sale at €1.2 million when sold to Yulong Investments, the outfit headed by Yuesheng Zhang, who has been a significant supporter of thoroughbred auctions the world over in recent years. 

Zhang's first visit to the July Sale in 2016 resulted in the purchase of Harlech (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for 60,000gns, and that proved to be a shrewd investment as she is now the dam of Australian Group 1 winner Hungry Heart (Aus) (Frankel {GB}), who was foaled the following year after the mare was covered at Banstead Manor Stud to southern hemisphere time before being exported to Australia. 

“From the moment the catalogue came out it became clear that there was a fair amount of interest from all sorts of overseas markets, which is always encouraging,” said Tattersalls' marketing director Jimmy George.

“Domestic buyers have been pretty prominent and active in the last few years as well, so that will hopefully lead to a good, solid sale.

“Mr Zhang's team is in town and hopefully they will find what they are looking for. He's been very successful buying at Tattersalls so far, and he bought the Ribblesdale winner Magical Lagoon (Ire) here at the October Yearling Sale as well, so it's very good to see him here back in person after he was unable to travel for the last couple of years.”

Just as Txope was a late entry at Arqana, Tattersalls fields a number of wild-card additions to the catalogue, including the G3 Prix Six Perfections winner See The Rose (Ire), a daughter of the accomplished broodmare sire Kendargent (Fr) and a full-sister to Listed winner Xaarino (Fr). The 4-year-old will be offered as lot 271A by the Castlebridge Consignment, which has 105 horses to sell this week.

Godolphin, too, has a sizeable draft of 70, which includes the former German champion race mare Antara (Ger) (Platini {Ger}), whose winning offspring include the Group 3 winner Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal). She is offered as lot 126 with a March 28 cover to Darley's first-season sire Palace Pier (GB).

The Godolphin draft not only contained Hungry Heart's dam in 2016 but in that same draft was Bathrat Amal (Jpn) (New Approach {Jpn}), who became the dam of this year's G2 Godolphin Mile winner Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). The mare was sold for just 8,000gns to breeder Mishima Bokujo and her aforementioned high-flying first foal is currently in Newmarket along with his trainer Yoshito Yahagi ahead of a shot at the G1 Sussex S. later this month at Goodwood. 

Another bargain buy from last year's sale, as referenced by Brian Sheerin in Monday's TDN, was Knight Salute (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), who was bought by trainer Milton Harris for 14,000gns and went on to be one of the stars of the 2021/22 National Hunt season with six hurdles victories to his credit, including the G1 Jewson Anniversary Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Aintree. 

George continued, “It's a sale with a proven track record for producing group performers on the Flat, graded winners over jumps and also dams of Group 1 winners throughout the world. It's a bit of an old cliche but it really is a sale where there's something for everyone. It punches above its weight and this year we have a hefty contingent of potential buyers coming from Australia, and plenty of interest from the Gulf and North America as well. Everything is in place for good, solid trade.”

Wednesday's all-day session gets underway at 9.30am, while pre- and post-racing sessions begin at 9.30am and 5pm respectively on Thursday and Friday. 

The post Tattersalls Braced For Good Trade As International Travel Returns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Before we get to that, however, we have one final day of yearlings to contend with. The December Yearling Sale can offer a second chance for a saunter round the ring for those who may have encountered a setback at earlier sales, but plenty of vendors opt to be included in this catalogue from the outset, whether to stand out in a smaller book, or to give a little extra time to a later-maturing yearling. 

The sale has been streamlined somewhat over the last few years to include around 200 yearlings–the exact number catalogued this year. 

Last year's topper at 300,000gns was a son of Sea The Stars (Ire) and the Oaks winner Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and it is not a stretch to think that the same sire might top the sale this time around as among the eight yearlings catalogued by Sea The Stars is a full-brother to Sea Of Class (Ire). Offered as lot 30 by Oak Lodge & Springfield House Stud, the June-foaled colt is not just kin to the late Irish Oaks winner but also to four other Group winners, with the tremendous breeding record of her dam Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) taking up almost the entire catalogue page. 

There will doubtless be interest, too, in lot 47, consigned by New England Stud as the sole Galileo (Ire) yearling in the catalogue. With the same birthdate as the aforementioned colt of June 8, this fellow is a son of the G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}) and his full-brother Platinum Warrior (Ire) is both a Grade II winner in the States and a Group 3 winner in Ireland.

Feast your eyes on the foals

There's almost nothing the bloodstock crowd loves more than to get a good look at the first batch of foals by each year's freshman sires. Opinions are quickly drawn, and sometimes have to be revised at a later date, but the acceptance or otherwise of a stallion's first crop by the foal pinhookers can play a big part in his future success at stud. 

The group that retired to stud in 2020 included a quartet of Classic winners, comprised of Godolphin's homebred Derby hero Masar (Ire), Coolmore's 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire), who is in danger of being usurped by his high-flying half-brother St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire), and the Niarchos-bred Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man (Ire).

Prospective buyers can hardly have failed to notice the worldwide success this season of graduates of Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud, which stands Deep Impact (Jpn)'s son Study Of Man and offers a weanling by the stallion under the operation's St Simon Stud banner. The colt, lot 859, is the first foal of the treble winner Quintada (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and a grandson of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio victrix Quiza Quiza Quiza (GB) (Golden Snake).

Masar's first batch of foals catalogued include a half-brother to the G2 Railway S. winner Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), offered by Brook Stud as lot 890, while Norelands Stud, where Magna Grecia was born and raised, consigns a colt by him (lot 948) out of the listed winner Twitch (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and from the family of Hong Kong champion Viva Pataca (GB).

Waldgeist (GB) was a Group 1 winner at two and missed out by just a short-head when aiming for Classic glory in France but he more than made up for it by winning three more Group 1 races during his four seasons of racing, culminating in the Arc.  Having had all nine of his Goffs November foals sell last week for an average of €54,278 and top price of €180,000, Waldgeist has six weanlings on offer at Tattersalls. These include two fillies from his co-breeder, Newsells Park Stud, with lot 695 being a half-sister to listed winner and Group 2 runner-up Aljezeera (GB), who is by another son of Galileo in Frankel (GB).

The long list of freshman sires with first foals at Tattersalls is completed by Advertise (Ire), Blue Point (Ire), Calyx (GB), City Light (Fr), Crystal Ocean (GB), Eqtidaar (Ire), Flag Of Honour (Ire), Inns Of Court (Ire), Invincible Army (Ire), Land Force (Ire), Le Brivido (Fr), Portamento (Ire), Sogann (Fr), Soldier's Call (GB), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB).

Last week brought the sad announcement of the death of Cheveley Park Stud's celebrated stallion Pivotal (GB). The 28-year-old was pensioned last year and there are two chances to acquire members of his final crop at Tattersalls. A colt out of Royal Seal (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to the Breeders' Cup winner Queen's Trust (GB), is among the Cheveley Park Stud draft as lot 589, while Drumroy Farm offers a filly from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Starcraft (NZ) as lot 1024.

Magnificent mares in abundance

We have already seen high levels of demand for quality breeding stock in America and Ireland in the last few weeks and that is unlikely to change as the sales season concludes in Britain and France.

A sad element of sales over the last few months has been the significant downsizing of the Shadwell racing and breeding operation, though as ever, dispersals and reductions of this nature offer tremendous opportunities for breeders to buy into bloodlines that do not regularly come onto the market. Sizeable drafts from major breeders are not unusual, however, though this year's offerings can perhaps be described as supersized. Furthermore, this year's catalogue includes 24 mares and fillies in a dispersal from Sir Robert Ogden and another eight from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani's Al Shahania Stud.

“Particularly enticing for breeders from all over the world are not just the specific dispersals but effectively we have a dispersal numbering 224 lots from Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell,” said Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George. “These are not specifically referred to as dispersals but numerically it's bigger than ever and there are some really smart mares and fillies in there from these teams from some of the best families in the world.”

On the equine front, the bloodstock world has been dealt a great blow in 2021 with the deaths of Galileo (Ire) and Pivotal (GB), and there have also been the losses of some major owner/breeders.

George continued, “There were a very sad few months at the beginning of this year when we lost three such significant contributors to the industry in the shape of Prince Khalid Abdullah, David Thompson and Sheikh Hamdan.”

Among the 93 lots on offer from Shadwell is the unraced 2-year-old Shomooly (GB) (Frankel {GB}) whose dam Riqa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 1298) was bought at Goffs last week for €550,000 by Barronstown Stud. Listed-placed herself, Riqa's best offspring is the dual Group 3 winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Tuesday as dusk falls tends to be the time that the sale ring at Park Paddocks truly lights up during the week of mares. There's stiff competition to be the queen of this year's proceedings but one who has justifiable claims to top honours is Newsells Park Stud's Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who is owned in partnership with her co-breeder Gestut Ammerland.

Waldlied (lot 1839) really does have everything one could desire in a top-class breeding prospect. A superior performer herself, she won the G2 Prix de Malleret, and she is foal to Kingman (GB), by whom she has a yearling colt and who is also the sire of her Group 3-winning half-brother Waldkonig (GB). Her foal this year is a filly by Siyouni (Fr). 

Then there's the back story. Waldlied's three-parts brother is the Arc winner and young stallion Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Their dam Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) was herself a Group 3 winner, while grandam Waldmark (Ger) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) was Group 2-placed and is the dam of the Classic winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Skip back another generation to the third dam and there appears the influential Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), who is also the dam of the German Derby winner Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}). In short, this is a family brimming with class. 

In what will be a frenetic couple of hours, Waldlied enters the ring two lots after the Group 1 winner Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), who is lot 1837 and is included in the aforementioned partial dispersal from Al Shahania Stud, which will be featured in more depth in a future issue of TDN. 

Another appealing dispersal comes from Sir Robert Ogden, who has been a stalwart supporter of both Flat and National Hunt racing in Britain for decades, with such luminaries as Voy Por Ustedes (Fr), Exotic Dancer (Fr) and Sans Frontieres (Ire) having carried his famous pink-and-mauve checked colours.

The 24 fillies and mares to be offered by Barton Sales on Sir Robert's behalf are led by his homebred dual Group 1 winner Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who is lot 1876 and is in foal to Oasis Dream (GB), with two Galileo youngsters still to run for her. Amazing Maria's 3-year-old half-sister Turandot (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the winner of three races this year, is another member of the family to be included in the draft (lot 1874).

Earlier in the session comes one of the hardiest mares in training over the last few years, the 8-year-old globetrotter True Self (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}). She has plenty of stamps in her passport, having twice won the G3 Queen Elizabeth S. at Flemington for Willie Mullins as well as this year's Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup card in Riyadh. On a diverse CV, her 11 victories also include three listed wins on the Flat and three bumpers, as well as a victory over hurdles. She has certainly given her owners in the Three Mile House & OTI Partnership plenty of fun over her five seasons of racing and is consigned by Baroda Stud as lot 1671.

One of the notable elements of this season has been the run of success for Nick Bradley Racing, particularly with some classy fillies. Three black-type winners will be consigned to the December Sale, led by the Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who is lot 1746, and will be followed 12 lots later by the 1000 Guineas third and Group 2 winner Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) (lot 1758). The juvenile G3 Six Perfections winner and Group 1-placed Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) has also recently been added to sale as a wildcard, lot 1823A.

Another of this year's leading juvenile fillies with obvious Classic claims for next season appears in Tuesday's list as lot 1798, and is the G1 Cheveley Park S. runner-up Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). She is consigned by her trainers Simon and Ed Crisford of Gainsborough Thoroughbreds.

Meanwhile a mare with a proven track record will be offered by Goldford Stud and should have transatlantic appeal. Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is the 12-year-old dam of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) as well as the listed winner Classical Times (GB) (Lawman {Fr}). Back in foal to Lope De Vega on a Mar. 10 cover, she is slated as lot 1810 and hails from a family which also includes the Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). A little later in the day, her daughter Daily Times (GB), a juvenile winner by Gleneagles (Ire), will go through the ring also carrying to Lope De Vega (lot 1829).

Looking ahead to a fortnight of what is certain to be brisk trade at Park Paddocks, Jimmy George added, “The market has proved to be incredibly resilient throughout the course of 2021 and it has been a great boost to everybody. The December Sales at Tattersalls are always very much a fitting way to bring the curtain down on the British and Irish sales season and it is regarded as a must-attend fixture for many breeders, not just from Britain and Ireland but throughout the world.”

He continued, “It is widely regarded by a lot of people as the most international bloodstock sale in the world and this year's catalogue definitely looks set to attract the overseas buyers in numbers, especially now that the vast majority of them are able to travel more freely. We staged last year's December Sales under pretty extraordinary conditions and people responded magnificently. It has been great to have been able to stage sales under pretty well normal conditions throughout this autumn and we are looking forward to doing that again for the foals and mares.”

The post December Delights As Tattersalls Gears Up For Glittering Finale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

When a sale can boast all of these as its graduates in a single season then it's not doing badly at all, but then the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale–and Book 1 in particular–has long been a world leader, both for its results and for its pull of potential buyers from across the globe. But even by the sale's own lofty standards, the results of the yearlings to have passed under the watchful eye of the Tattersalls fox during the first week of October have reached another level in this first year of semi-normality following the pandemic.

Make no mistake, what happens on the racecourse is far more important than any blockbuster results in the sales ring. Performance is the driver for that investment, and while the sport continues to attract fresh investors even as we lose some old, beloved patrons, it makes sense that those with the means to attempt to gather nascent Thoroughbred excellence will turn to the source of such current luminaries as St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

“Every now and then even we're surprised by the extraordinary quality and success that comes out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and 2021 really has been fairly incredible. Not a weekend goes by without something new to shout about, something new to focus on,” says Tattersalls's marketing director Jimmy George as he and his team in Newmarket draw breath between a lively first edition of the Somerville Yearling Sale and the start of two weeks of frenetic activity for the October Sale from Oct. 5.

He continues, “St Mark's Basilica is the most amazing flagship for the October Yearling Sale. He hasn't been beaten since he won the Dewhurst. I mean this is a very serious horse with a huge pedigree, and I think he sums up what Book 1 is about. It's where the owners come to find the best horses with the best pedigrees and he is the epitome of that, as is Hurricane Lane.”

St Mark's Basilica is not exactly an everyman horse. In his yearling class of 2019, the son of French champion sire Siyouni was one of 10 Book 1 horses to sell for a seven-figure sum, though his price of 1.3 million gns was a little over a third of that paid for the top lot that year. Hurricane Lane looks a bargain now for Godolphin, who bought him from his breeder Philippa Cooper at 200,000gns, while fellow Group 1-winning graduates of that same sale include Pretty Gorgeous (Ire), Aunt Pearl (Ire), Campanelle (Ire) and Teona (GB). The year before Palace Pier had commanded a 600,000gns price tag. Again, he was expensive, but not when one considers his immense value now as one of the most enticing stallion prospects of 2022.

International Appeal

It is at this level of the market more than any other that yearlings are not merely future racehorses but foundation mares and stallions in the making. At least that's the hope. And the array of top-level pedigrees on offer is all the draw needed to lure an international buying bench.

“A recurring feature for Book 1 that has become even more pronounced in the last five to 10 years is the particular success in Australia and North America,” notes George. “I think in both cases, we've got something that isn't readily available in their home countries. So for Australians, it is being able to buy yearlings that are capable of actually staying further than a mile. And that's not a criticism, it's an observation of the way the breed has evolved in Australia, and the emphasis on speed, and the make and shape of most of the stallions. But a lot of their middle-distance races are the most valuable races in their calendar by a wide margin. So it was a logical extension to buy those horses in training, and then to move to the next step and focus on buying them as yearlings. And the guys doing it have done incredibly well.”

Russian Camelot (Ire) became one of the poster boys for the sale, and of the Group 1 winners to have emerged from Book 1 during the 2020 season, he was also the least expensively bought at 120,000gns by Jeremy Brummitt for a syndicate with trainer Danny O'Brien. Having made history as the first northern hemisphere-bred horse to win a Derby in Australia, the son of Camelot (GB) is now at Widden Stud and has covered around 140 mares this year.

“Russian Camelot was the best possible advertisement for the October Yearling Sale in Australia,” George adds. “That sort of success can't fail to spread the word and catch the attention of buyers, and that success breeds success.”

Australia doesn't have the monopoly, however, and anyone who followed the turf racing at Saratoga this summer will have spotted an undeniably familiar ring to some of the pedigrees. As Bill Finley outlined in these pages recently, Tattersalls graduates have dominated the grass fixtures at the Spa, and there has been notable success at the Breeders' Cup, too.

“I think there's two strands to that in some ways,” says George, who has recently returned from Saratoga. “One, again, it reflects the quality of the stock that the buyers will find at Book 1, but also it's a tribute to these guys who've come over from America with a game plan. We're really fortunate with the stallions that we have at the moment in Europe. The current top 10 sires in Britain and Ireland, some of them are game changers in any era, but they're all in there together at the moment, the likes of Frankel (GB), Galileo (Ire), Dubawi (Ire), Sea The Stars (Ire), Lope De Vega (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire), Kingman (GB). They're real superstars.”

He continues, “And these guys came over, they focused on the quality, they focused on a sector of the market that they felt provided them with a good chance of being competitive and getting value for money, and their results have been phenomenal. In particular, it's the Mike Ryan, Chad Brown, Seth Klarman, Peter Brant axis. They were the pioneers in the recent wave of American interest and you can only applaud them. And obviously, their success has caught the attention of other folk in America. Last year, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was won by Aunt Pearl (Ire), who was the second Book 1 filly to win that particular race in three years [after Newspaperofrecord (Ire)]. Liz Crow and Bradley Weisbord were I think inspired by the success of the others.”

While the big prices make the headlines at sale time, the Tattersalls team has long been at pains to emphasise the range of fare on offer, even at Book 1.The launch of the Book 1 Bonus connected to the sale's graduates has resulted in around £6.5 million being paid out on top of prize-money, while a recent notable double Tattersalls graduate picked up an extra £125,000 bonus for being a Group 1-winning graduate of the Craven Breeze-up Sale. The horse in question is Godolphin's unbeaten Native Trail, who was bought last October for 67,000gns by breeze-up pinhooker Norman Williamson and Mags O'Toole. He tops the list of 2-year-olds in training this year with the next five colts directly beneath him at the time of writing–Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}), Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire})–all having been bought at either Book 1 or 2.

“That is another key message for the sale now,” George says. “It isn't just about beauty parades and extraordinary prices, these top-class horses are coming out at every level of the market. So Native Trail, at 67,000gns, is the highest-rated 2-year-old in Europe by a very wide margin.”

He adds, “For some, the Book 1 Bonus is a game-changer. There's a number of trainers out there who've won more than 10 Book 1 bonuses, with the highest number being 20, which is Mark Johnston. Kevin Ryan and Ger Lyons have also won a huge number. These are trainers that really now focus on the sale who may not previously have done so. There are four 2-year-olds this year that won Book 1 bonuses winning their maiden and have since gone on to win Group 2 or 3 races as 2-year-olds that cost less than 100,000gns, including Atomic Jones (Fr) last weekend.”

Also on that list are the G2 Coventry S. winner Berkshire Shadow (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a 40,000gns purchase, as well as G3 Acomb S. winner Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was bought for 62,000gns, and G2 Richmond S. winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), a 65,000gns yearling.

“People are buying these top-class horses in all sectors of the market, so this is a sale that has become all things to all people, and is rewarding people with prize-money and quality,” George adds.

This Time Around

What then can we expect to see at Park Paddocks this October? The abbreviated answer is plenty. For a start there are the full- or half-siblings to the young stallions Golden Horde (GB) (lot 10), Advertise (GB) (lot 39), Shalaa (Ire) (lot 46), Arizona (Ire) (lot 110), Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (lot 130), Blue Point (Ire) (lot 257), Aclaim (Ire) (lot 386), and Havana Grey (GB) (lot 420). Also in this category is the Dubawi (Ire) half-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) who is likely to get the final day of Book 1 off to a rousing start when she appears as lot 336 from the Newsells Park Stud draft as the first in the ring on the Thursday.

Then there are the close relations to some of this year's stars. Highclere Stud's 23-strong draft includes plenty of gems, not least lot 405, the Almanzor (Fr) half-brother to Palace Pier, and lot 274, a colt by Kingman (GB) out of the 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) and a half-brother to the G1 Falmouth S. winner Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Croom House Stud, whose previous graduates of the sale include the late Zoffany (Ire), offers a Lope De Vega (Ire) half-sister to the Australia (GB) brothers Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire) as lot 305.

One of the stand-out breeders of the year, Tally-Ho Stud, consigns lot 279, a filly by their champion first-season sire Mehmas (Ire) who is a half-sister to the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}).

Early in the sale, Ballylinch Stud will offer an Australia (GB) half-sister to 1000 Guineas runner-up Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) as lot 15, and she will be swiftly followed by a Lope De Vega (Ire) half-brother to the Classic winner Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) (lot 16).

Kirsten Rausing has been enjoying a record-breaking season on the track, both with runners in her own colours and with graduates of her Lanwades and Staffordstown studs. In Book 1, Staffordstown's select draft consists of two of the nine colts in the catalogue by the late champion sire Galileo (Ire), with lot 57 being a half-brother to the Group 1 winners Time Warp (GB) and Glorious Forever (GB), both sons of Archipenko. That same stallion also features as the broodmare sire of lot 134, the Galileo colt out of Rausing's G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner Madame Chiang (GB).

Kildaragh Stud brings a colt with broad international appeal in lot 128, a colt from the second crop of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) who is a three-parts brother to Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Among the 24 yearlings by Dark Angel (Ire) in Book 1 is Ballyphilip Stud's full-brother to the recently retired star sprinter Battaash (Ire) (lot 379), while Kingman has a huge entry of 43 youngsters in the sale, including a colt out of Meon Valley Stud's dual Group 1 winner Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) (lot 288).

Frankel's dominance in the sire ranks this year is backed up by his emerging presence as a broodmare sire and he features in this role through his G2 Lowther S.-winning daughter Queen Kindly (GB), whose filly by Dubawi (Ire) is offered by Kilfrush Stud as lot 223. Meanwhile, the Frankel colt out of G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) could be one of the stars of the Cheveley Park Stud draft as lot 201.

This is the sole year that buyers will have a chance to pick up a yearling by the late Roaring Lion, and his 10 youngsters consigned to Book 1 include lot 231, a half-brother to the high-class stayers Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}). Also featured is lot 343, from Woodcote Stud, the Roaring Lion half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Poet's Word (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}).

Caution Still Advised

While the British government's rules currently allow for bloodstock sales to be conducted in a far less restrictive manner than those held this time last year, Jimmy George still sounds a note of caution when it comes to the unavoidable subject of Covid.

He says, “We've staged two sales, the first one being the August Sale and then the Somerville Yearling Sale, with the gates thrown open to allcomers and restrictions lifted. We're still very conscious that we need to be sensible, there will still obviously be multiple stations where people can sanitise hands, etc., and we, like most walks of life, have gone down the route of personal choice when it comes to people wearing masks.”

He adds, “When the world caved in, metaphorically, last March, it was really troubling for everybody, so to find ourselves 18 months later still talking about the wretched Covid but still standing is a relief. Everybody involved in the Thoroughbred business can certainly look back with a degree of pride in how they coped with everything that was being thrown at them and how they carried on. And we focused on that at Tattersalls, as far as we possibly could, to stage sales in as normal a manner as we could. The key thing globally about the bloodstock business is that the wheels did keep turning, and we were all very fortunate, and we have to extend real gratitude to everybody who made that happen.”

He continues, “We're lucky enough to conduct an awful lot of what we do outdoors, which is a big bonus for the sort of business model that bloodstock sales have. And it's been great actually to see people back at Park Paddocks without restrictions and to feel a real vibrance around the place. There has been a feel of optimism and enthusiasm, and just a happiness to be back. It's pretty well business as usual, whilst we remain conscious that we still all have to be very sensible.”

The post Omens Stronger Than Ever As Tattersalls October Approaches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“It's been a fairly spectacular run of success and this is something that has been in the making for a while,” said Tattersalls Marketing Director Jimmy George. The influx of horses coming to the U.S. after being bought at European sales began in earnest in 2017 when Brown and his bloodstock advisor Mike Ryan started shopping at Tattersalls. Their purchases included Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the winner of the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the 2020 GI Just a Game S. and two other graded races. At the same sale, they found Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the winner of the 2020 GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S., and Demarchelier (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Grade III winner now standing at stud at Claiborne.

“We've seen this success building since the first year that Mike Ryan came over with Peter Brant and Chad Brown and was buying for Mr. Brant and Seth Klarman,” George said. “Their first visit was in 2017 and, to the best of my recollection, they bought 12 yearlings. They got two Grade I winners out of that. They got off to a dream start with their first visit to Tattersalls and, more specifically, the October yearling sale.” Brown has been represented at every Tattersalls sale since and has continued to find stakes- quality horses. The list includes Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a winner of two Grade I races this year and the leading contender for the male turf championship.

Finding that buying proven race horses in Europe had gotten to be too expensive, Brown reasoned that a better way to stock his stable with European grass horses was to buy them as yearlings. “There are a number of factors at play,” George said. “It stands to reason that if you are focused on buying turf horses, which these buyers are because they want success on the grass, then the Tattersalls October sale is a perfect place to go looking. Book 1 of that sale is established as basically the premier sale in the world for turf horses.” Brown, Klarman and Brant have been able to buy horses at Tattersalls without spending an exorbitant amount of money. Technical Analysis and Newspaperofrecord both cost 200,000 guineas; Domestic Spending went for 300,000 guineas; Digital Age cost 325,000 guineas.

Jimmy George | Tattersalls

“Interestingly, these guys have very shrewdly focused on a market where they can find unbelievable value for the money they have been spending,” George said. “The average price paid at the sale is between 200,000 and 250,000 guineas and their success is coming in that area, anything from about the high one hundreds up to 350,000 guineas. They have focused on a particular section of the market. They've identified a sector that really works for them.” George also believes that, when it comes to European sales being able to offer quality horses, this is an unprecedented time. “Producing the best turf horses in the world, that's what we are good at,” he said. “Between Ireland, France and Britain, we have a depth of quality when it comes to stallions that is unmatched over the last 40-50 years. Galileo, Dubawi, Frankel, Sea the Stars, Kingman, Lope de Vega, Dark Angel, Siyouni. These are stallions that would be at the very top in any normal year and they've all come around at the same time. These are phenomenal stallions.”

Newspaperofrecord | Horsephotos

It didn't take long for others to follow Brown's lead. In 2019, Ben McElroy, representing Stonestreet Stables, paid 190,000 guineas for Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Campanelle is based in the U.S. with Wesley Ward, but has done most of her running in Europe, where she has won the 2020 G1 Commonwealth Cup and the 2021 G1 Darley Prix Morny. That same year, Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was bought at Tattersalls for 280,000 guineas, with BSW Euro Venture/Liz Crow listed as the agents. Trained by Brad Cox, Aunt Pearl went on to win the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Along with Newspaperofrecord, two of the last three running of the Juvenile Fillies Turf have been won by U.S. based horses purchased at Tattersalls.

The 2019 sale also saw Todd Pletcher's first foray into the market. He returned home from Tattersalls with two yearlings. George said it's too early to tell how many Americans will come over this year to buy, but he was optimistic that the list will continue to grow. He noted that there are 43 Kingman yearlings in Book 1, which should appeal to the Brown team, which has purchased nine Kingmans since first coming over. “In the wake of the success enjoyed by Seth Klarman, Peter Brant and Chad Brown, we've seen greater focus from U.S. buyers,” George said. “You had Ben McElroy buying Campanelle for Barbara Banke and Liz Crow and her team buying Aunt Pearl. That demonstrates that what these horses have accomplished has not gone unnoticed. It's not just deeds. It's words. Success breeds more success.”

The post Tattersalls Graduates on a Tear at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The new Code of Practice has been drawn up in response to the central recommendation made in the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Bloodstock and Racehorses in British Racing which was released in December 2019.

Commenting on the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George, who chairs the Bloodstock Industry Forum, said;

“It has been a long process, but in response to the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Racehorses and Bloodstock in Britain, the Bloodstock Industry Forum is delighted to have finalized a new, robust Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been approved by all of the key British and Irish industry bodies as well as the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

“The new Code of Practice will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing and appear in all Tattersalls and Goffs sales catalogs, starting with the forthcoming Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. It will also be widely disseminated and available through all BIF member organizations as well as being subject to regular review. Importantly the new Code of Practice has introduced a complaints procedure independent of the industry bodies and individuals found to be in breach of the Code, either in criminal or civil proceedings or having been sanctioned by the BHA for breach of the code, will also be subject to exclusion from participating at Tattersalls and Goffs sales in Britain and Ireland.

“Second only to the formation of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, replacing the existing Code with a new Code has been the priority in terms of embracing the principal recommendations set out in the BHA Review and we would like to thank all the members of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, which comprises representatives of the BHA, the IHRB, the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, Goffs, The National Trainers Federation, the Racehorse Owners Association, the British and Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Associations, and the Breeze Up Consignors as well as Tattersalls and Goffs, for their commitment to the process from the outset.

“The Bloodstock Industry Forum has also developed an 'E-learning' integrity module which will be adopted as part of the trainer licensing process in Britain as well as being mandatory for members of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, while both Tattersalls and Goffs have committed to making full ownership details readily available to registered potential buyers as recommended in the Review.”

BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington said;

“The BHA welcomes the publication of the Code of Practice, and the collaborative industry approach that has been taken to achieve this milestone. The Code of Practice has been approved by the BHA's Board and will be incorporated into the Rules of Racing. It will represent a significant step forwards in terms of enhancing trust in the process of buying and selling bloodstock in Britain and Ireland, and was one of the core recommendations of the Review of buying and selling practices of bloodstock and racehorses within British racing which was commissioned by the Board of the BHA.

“It is essential if we are to attract and retain owners in the sport that anyone involved in the purchase of bloodstock can have confidence that they are being treated fairly, and the Code will help further enhance British racing's reputation on this front. My thanks go to Jimmy George and all members of the Bloodstock Integrity Forum for their efforts and determination to reach this point, and we will continue to work with members of the BIF to make further improvements in this area.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added;

“I am pleased that the British and Irish racing and bloodstock industries have come together to deliver one gold standard to enhance the buying and selling of bloodstock on these shores. From an auction house perspective we certainly insist on the same transparency and high standards of integrity at every sale we conduct regardless of location, and feel this new Code addresses all the issues raised in the BHA report.”

Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh said;

“Horse Racing Ireland and the IHRB welcome the new Code of Practice. We acknowledge the work and collaboration by the Bloodstock Industry Forum in drafting this document, and look forward to continuing our work with all stakeholders.”

Alongside the completion of the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents (FBA) confirmed more rigorous procedures for membership of the association, saying;

“Just like the other members of BIF, the FBA have embraced the principles of the BHA Bloodstock Review and have been heartened by the collaboration and willingness to address comprehensively the issues it highlighted. Together with a raft of other new measures, this upgraded Code should protect Principals with a significant tightening up of the definition of acceptable ethical behavior by all participants in the buying and selling of bloodstock and fully clarifies the law in the UK and Ireland. We at the FBA have tightened our membership requirements, which includes all members undertaking the new bloodstock education course, and are pleased to be endorsed by the BHA, and other BIF members, as an association which represents the highest standards of integrity and the recommended trade body that principals should look to use.”

On behalf of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, Jimmy George concluded;

“The commitment from each member of the Bloodstock Industry Forum to delivering a new Code of Practice has been unwavering and we are confident that we have produced a detailed, robust code, subject to regular review, which will stand the test of time. We share a collective responsibility to preserve and enhance the global reputation for integrity which has always been central to the success of the British and Irish bloodstock industries and the new Code sends out the very clear message that we will do everything in our power to maintain and increase confidence in an industry which is held in the highest esteem throughout the world.”

The post British, Irish Bloodstock Markets Introduce New Industry Code Of Practice appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Breaches of the code may lead to civil and criminal liability; since the last code came into effect in 2009, bribery has been made a criminal offence in the UK, punishable with a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The code applies to all British and Irish sales that take place after Aug. 16, and encompasses all participants whether they are on the sales grounds in Britain and Ireland or not.

The code states that bribery of agents-namely the paying by a vendor of 'luck money' as an incentive to purchase a particular horse, and thus resulting in the agent not necessarily acting in the best interest of their principal-“is a central concern to which the Code is directed.”

The code continues, “Participants should be clear that there can generally be no legitimate reason for an Agent of the purchaser to be rewarded in any way by the vendor and parties related to the vendor, and that the Agent of the purchaser should generally only be rewarded by their Principal, the purchaser.” In the case of bribery, both the individual receiving the bribe and the one giving it are at fault.

The code goes on to describe collusive bidding-up as “a serious abuse of the market.” Examples include a vendor coming to an agreement with one or more parties to bid on their horse without the intention to buy, thus driving up the price, and a vendor and purchaser entering into an agreement whereby the purchaser agrees to bid on the horse in exchange for a certain percent of the sale price if they buy the horse, giving them an unfair advantage over other bidders. Such practices are in breach of the code.

The Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, which will be reviewed annually, was written and approved with the full support of the Bloodstock Industry Forum members: The British Horseracing Authority, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the Breeze-Up Consignors Association, the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, the National Trainers Federation, the Racehorse Owners Association, the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Goffs and Tattersalls.

The Bloodstock Industry Forum has likewise implemented a facility for participants with concerns that the code has been breached to obtain free initial legal advice from an independent lawyer, with initial legal fees to be paid by the Bloodstock Industry Forum.

Tattersalls Marketing Director Jimmy George, who chairs the Bloodstock Industry Forum, said, “It has been a long process, but in response to the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Racehorses and Bloodstock in Britain, the Bloodstock Industry Forum is delighted to have finalised a new, robust Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been approved by all of the key British and Irish industry bodies as well as the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. The new Code of Practice will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing and appear in all Tattersalls and Goffs sales catalogues, starting with the forthcoming Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. It will also be widely disseminated and available through all BIF member organisations as well as being subject to regular review. Importantly the new Code of Practice has introduced a complaints procedure independent of the industry bodies and individuals found to be in breach of the Code, either in criminal or civil proceedings or having been sanctioned by the BHA for breach of the code, will also be subject to exclusion from participating at Tattersalls and Goffs sales in Britain and Ireland.

“The Bloodstock Industry Forum has also developed an 'E – learning' integrity module which will be adopted as part of the trainer licensing process in Britain as well as being mandatory for members of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, while both Tattersalls and Goffs have committed to making full ownership details readily available to registered potential buyers as recommended in the review.”

“The commitment from each member of the Bloodstock Industry Forum to delivering a new Code of Practice has been unwavering and we are confident that we have produced a detailed, robust code, subject to regular review, which will stand the test of time,” George added. “We share a collective responsibility to preserve and enhance the global reputation for integrity which has always been central to the success of the British and Irish bloodstock industries and the new Code sends out the very clear message that we will do everything in our power to maintain and increase confidence in an industry which is held in the highest esteem throughout the world.”

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said, “The BHA welcomes the publication of the Code of Practice, and the collaborative industry approach that has been taken to achieve this milestone. The Code of Practice has been approved by the BHA's Board and will be incorporated into the Rules of Racing. It will represent a significant step forwards in terms of enhancing trust in the process of buying and selling bloodstock in Britain and Ireland, and was one of the core recommendations of the Review of buying and selling practices of bloodstock and racehorses within British racing which was commissioned by the Board of the BHA.

“It is essential if we are to attract and retain owners in the sport that anyone involved in the purchase of bloodstock can have confidence that they are being treated fairly, and the Code will help further enhance British racing's reputation on this front.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added, “I am pleased that the British and Irish racing and bloodstock industries have come together to deliver one gold standard to enhance the buying and selling of bloodstock on these shores. From an auction house perspective we certainly insist on the same transparency and high standards of integrity at every sale we conduct regardless of location, and feel this new Code addresses all the issues raised in the BHA report.”

Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh said, “Horse Racing Ireland and the IHRB welcome the new Code of Practice. We acknowledge the work and collaboration by the Bloodstock Industry Forum in drafting this document, and look forward to continuing our work with all stakeholders.”

Oliver St Lawrence, Chairman of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, said, “Just like the other members of BIF, the FBA have embraced the principles of the BHA Bloodstock Review and have been heartened by the collaboration and willingness to address comprehensively the issues it highlighted. Together with a raft of other new measures, this upgraded Code should protect principals with a significant tightening up of the definition of acceptable ethical behaviour by all participants in the buying and selling of bloodstock and fully clarifies the law in the UK and Ireland. We at the FBA have tightened our membership requirements, which includes all members undertaking the new Bloodstock Education course, and are pleased to be endorsed by the BHA, and other BIF members, as an association which represents the highest standards of integrity and the recommended trade body that principals should look to use.”

The post Banishment Of Bribery, Bidding-Up Key In New Bloodstock Industry Code appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post