Tag: July sale

‘He’s Got Something About Him’ – Diamond Set To Shine At July Sale

One of the most exciting horses catalogued in next week's Tattersalls July Sale, Ethical Diamond (Ire) is likely to appeal to buyers for the Flat and some of the powerhouse National Hunt trainers, according to his breeder William Kennedy.

Ethical Diamond confirmed himself a horse with a bright future when running out an easy winner of a Limerick maiden last month for Michael O'Meara and promises to attract plenty of footfall to Baroda Stud's barn this week. 

He may not have made his debut until three, but Ethical Diamond has stepped forward in each of his three runs, with that easy Limerick win representing his first try at a-mile-and-a-half. 

While the big National Hunt trainers will doubtless be on the horse who races, like the entire Kennedy string, in the colours of his wife Emma, the breeder is keen not to pigeon-hole the Awtaad (Ire) gelding as a jumping prospect. 

“He's got something about him,” Kennedy said. “If he was mine, I'd keep him on the Flat but I've no doubt that some of the jumping men will be interested in him as well. He could do either job.”

A native of Tipperary, Kennedy spent 17 years in finance, which may explain the commercial aspect to his endeavors as an owner-breeder. He keeps 24 mares in partnership with investor John Wall at his farm in Cashel with an emphasis on producing the more stoutly-bred runners. 

To that extent, Kennedy is something of a rare breed. Even rarer still is the amount of success he has enjoyed from that relatively small broodmare band. 

Dermot Weld's 2010 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Bethrah (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) is a graduate from the farm as is Aidan O'Brien's 2013 Irish Oaks runner-up Venus De Milo (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}).

It's very much quality over quantity at Stanley Lodge Stud, managed by Nick Cope, and while Kennedy does not have anything remaining from Bethrah's family, he does have a full-sister to Venus De Milo who is more than pulling her weight. 

He explained, “We try to produce really nice Flat horses. We are not as interested in producing the earlier type of horses. I've been very fortunate to breed a Classic winner and a Classic-placed filly. If Ethical Diamond was a filly, I wouldn't dream of selling him but, because he's a gelding, he's in the sales. 

“I've raced a few fillies over the past few years and they have done well for us. We've had Noble Music (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Best On Stage (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) and Foxtrot Liv (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}), so we keep some of those fillies. We have to be commercial, too, and if the right offer is made, we'll listen. But generally, if I have a nice middle-distance filly, I'm inclined to try and hold onto her.”

On his commercial approach to the operation, he added, “I can't put it in the leisure-only category just yet. I wish I could! If we were rich enough for that, it would be great, but the whole thing has to wash its face. 

“Over the past few years, we weeded out some of the mares who weren't cutting it and brought in some new ones, so we're up to 24 mares between myself and my business partner John Wall. We try to keep the quality up as best we can.”

Kennedy owns Pearl Diamond (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), the dam of Ethical Diamond, outright himself. She wasn't deemed good enough to be put in partnership with Wall and, after Ethical Diamond-the third of her three foals-arrived, a decision was made to press pause. 

He explained, “Pearl Diamond has nothing else on the ground. Her first foal was by Dandy Man (Ire) but didn't turn out to be much good and the Fast Company (Ire) filly [Actually (Ire)] showed ability with Mick Mulvany. 

“But sometimes, with these little projects of my own, I like to take a few foals off the mares and see how they go and then leave the mare quiet for a couple of seasons. That way, if she earns it, she gets a nice cover. If not, we move them on.”

Pearl Diamond has certainly earned that cover.

“It's looking that way now,” Kennedy replies. “We'll see how this fella gets on but I wouldn't be averse to going back to Awtaad because he definitely gets you a nice horse with the right ground. There is a lot of quality in them and, from the stock that we have produced by Awtaad, I like them.”

The Kennedy colours have been carried by plenty of nice fillies in recent seasons. Best On Stage did well for Paddy Twomey while Noble Music is the most successful mare that the family had in training in France with Jerome Reynier. 

There isn't much fat on this operation. Every part of the outfit plays an important role, right down to the handful of handicappers that are kept in training with O'Meara. 

Kennedy said, “We have a pre-training facility for the yearlings who don't sell and there's a few handicappers there as well to bring the younger horses along. We run the handicappers and Micahel has been doing a very good job for us. 

“Michael and I were in school together, he was in class with my brother, so I have known him for a long time. He pre-trained Foxtrot Liv before she went to Paddy Twomey and he did the same thing for Raven's Cry (Ire) (Raven's Pass). 

“I felt that Michael deserved a chance with a couple of the older handicappers to basically have those at home. They do two jobs; one, they bring on the younger guns and two, they give us all a bit of amusement at home. Take for example Bobby K, he's named after our little boy. When it came to naming the horse, our little boy wasn't well at the time, so we called the horse after him and it has given him an interest in the horse. He's a pet and will be around the farm for as long as he wants to be here. Myself and Emma have three kids.”

The expectation is that Ethical Diamond, who commanded wildcard status after his taking Limerick performance, will earn Kennedy's operation a pretty penny and help sustain the production of the high-class middle-distance fillies he so craves. 

But make no mistake, it is not just Kennedy who will get a great kick out of next week's sale, as he has built up a huge team of people that have helped make all this possible. 

“I'd love to tell you it's a massively profitable business and that everyone should be doing it but I can't. We try to run it lean and tight and, as we are producing the seven-furlong plus type of horses, we can do a lot of the work at home with them and there is no rush to be sending them off to the trainers before they have to.”

He added, “Nick Cope runs Stanley Lodge Stud and is very forward-thinking. He's one of the younger crew and is definitely well-connected in that area and has a very good eye for a horse. “To be fair, we've a very good team in Cashel as well. That's where we have the breeding stock.

Michael has built up a nice team and has some excellent riders, too. Jamie-Lee Gonet is an apprentice jockey based with Micahel and she gets plenty of opportunities there as well. 

“I must say, Billy Lee has been a major help to us. He rode Ethical Diamond as a two-year-old and told us that he had plenty of ability but to be patient and to give him time. He was dead right and hopefully the horse goes on to sell well next week.”

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Fasig-Tipton July Catalogues Come Up Rose Hill

When the Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings catalogue came out, Tony Ocampo admitted it was exciting to see Grade I winner Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke), a graduate of his Rose Hill Farm, on the cover. It was not until a few weeks later, when the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Race Age Sale catalogue came out with Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) on the cover, that Ocampo realized the operation had completed a rare double.

“I didn't know it was going to happen,” Ocampo said. “The yearling catalogue came out earlier and we saw Chocolate Gelato was on the cover. That was very exciting. But then the Horses of Racing Age came out and all of a sudden we were like, 'Wow, look, Stilleto Boy is on there.' It's very rewarding because we aren't a large farm with a huge budget, but I am surrounded by great clients and great staff. I've been at it for a long, long time and it's nice to see two of your graduates be on those catalogues.”

Chocolate Gelato was bred by longtime Rose Hill client Vincent Colbert. She sold for $165,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton July sale and was acquired by Repole Stable for $475,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale before winning the GI Frizette S.

“She was always a very nice filly, very athletic and we loved the sire,” Ocampo said of the future Grade I winner. “We were happy with what she brought in July.”

At that same July sale, Rose Hill sold a filly by Mendelssohn, who the operation bred in partnership with John Trumbulovic, for $185,000. Named Opus Forty Two, she was second in the July 1 GIII Delaware Oaks.

“Those are the two fillies that we took to that sale,” Ocampo said. “So we are happy to see that, too.”

Stilleto Boy won the Iowa Derby for his breeders, the late John Kerber and his wife Iveta, and partners just days before selling for $420,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. The chestnut gelding was second in the GI Awesome Again S. and third in the GI Malibu S., GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and GI Santa Anita H. for the new connections before earning his first graded victory in the GII Californian S. He added a top-level victory this March with a win in the GI Santa Anita H.

The Kerbers added another graded winner from there breeding operation when Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) captured the 2021 GIII West Virginia Derby and GIII Indiana Derby.

“Stilleto was born, foaled and raised and then we also broke him, so that was pretty neat,” Ocampo said. “And that was special because John Kerber had been with me since the early '90s and he just recently passed away last year. It was bittersweet, but he put so much into this business and he was so passionate about it. Towards the end, he was very sick and lo and behold, he gets two of his yearlings that he kept become graded stakes winners. All of a sudden, he had two graded stakes winners out of his crops, so that was great.”

Rose Hill will be represented by three graduates at the July yearling sale next Tuesday. Bred by Colbert, hip 170 is a filly by Maclean's Music out of Salad Mood (Malibu Moon), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Pacific Ocean (Ghostzapper) and to the dams of graded winners Blamed (Blame) and Litigate (Blame).

“She is a nice, big filly,” Ocampo said of the yearling, who sells with the Paramount Sales consignment.

Also consigned by Paramount Sales, hip 320 is a Rose Hill homebred colt from the first crop of Grade I winner Promises Fulfilled.

“We just got back his X-rays and they are clean and he's got a good throat, so we are very excited,” Ocampo said. “He is peaking at the right time. He is very athletic, good sized. He's by a sire who is a little bit of a question mark because he's by Shackleford. But I think he's going to be a useful horse. I think people will like him and I think he'll do well.”

Warrendale Sales consigns hip 322, a filly by Gift Box out of Flatter Me First (Flatter) who is bred by Beth Miller's ThoroughBred by Design.

“She is a really nice filly,” Ocampo said. “Also foaled and raised at Rose Hill for one of our good clients. [Miller] is a doctor at UK. We are excited about her, too.”

Miller is an allergy and immunology specialist and director of asthma, allergy and sinus clinics at University of Kentucky.

While Rose Hill will not be represented by any graduates in the July Horses of Racing Age Sale, the operation does have a connection through trainer John Ennis, who breaks the Rose Hill stock.

Ennis, who topped the 2020 auction with the $475,000 County Final (Oxbow), will offer five maiden-winning 2-year-olds at Monday's sale: Gewurztraminer (Collected) (hip 402); Intermittent Fast (Tapwrit) (hip 419); Laugh Now (Vino Rosso) (hip 431); Let's Go Mark (American Freedom) (hip 434); and Woodcourt (Ransom the Moon) (hip 528).

“We don't have any graduates in the racing age sale this year,” Ocampo said. “John Ennis has a few horses that he is selling, 2-year-olds, in that sale. The only connection is, he purchased them, but he broke them here at Rose Hill.”

The way Ocampo rattles off pedigrees and race records, it is clear graduates of Rose Hill never really leave the farm.

“We have them all on our stable mail and the owners are very involved–they tweet every time there is a work,” Ocampo said of keeping track of the farm's graduates. “So we are very involved. They are like your kids growing up. We do follow them and it's incredible when they start being so successful.”

Ocampo served as farm manager at Gleneagles Farm for nine years before he and his wife Lisa bought the operation and renamed it Rose Hill Farm in 1999. The main base of operations for the farm is 400 acres on Rice Road just behind Keeneland and it also includes 275 acres on Parkers Mill Road.

“This year, we foaled 45 mares and then we had about 20 maidens and barrens,” Ocampo said of the farm's resident broodmares. “So we have 70 or 75 total.”

While it's primary focus is on working for clients, Rose Hill does have a small number of its own broodmares.

“We probably have five or six mares that are owned by Rose Hill 100% and then we probably have another 10 mares that we have in different partnerships,” Ocampo said. “Our goal is to breed to sell. Every year we end up, for one reason or another, having to keep something. If it's a horse that we really like, but it has an issue and needs more time, or something that we didn't get what we wanted at the sale and we end up keeping. Usually those are horses that are out of a young mare and we want to help the mare, so maybe it will be a partnership with a trainer or between us we will keep it and race. But really our goal is to sell them all.”

The Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale will be held Monday at Newtown Paddocks with bidding beginning at 2 p.m. The Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings will be held Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m.

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Crystal Estrella Shines As Record-Breaking July Sale Concludes

NEWMARKET, UK–It's not often that a camera crew follows a filly on her way into the ring but the confidence behind Crystal Estrella (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) was well placed at Tattersalls with Sir Michael Stoute's charge selling to Team Valor for 275,000gns on the final day of a record-breaking July Sale.

An impressive winner of a 10-furlong novice at Goodwood in May, Crystal Estrella will remain in training with Stoute, resuming her career under the banner of Barry Irwin's operation, who recently stated their intention to concentrate on racing in Europe rather than America.

Just as he did on Thursday when facilitating the sale of Grenoble (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) for 130,000gns, Jason Singh of Tattersalls took instruction on the phone to secure the sales-topper on behalf of Team Valor.

The wildcard entry (798B) boasts a big pedigree and, while she is already rated 89, is open to improvement having raced only three times in her career.

She is a half-sister to Crystal Pegasus (GB) (Australia {GB}), a seven-time winner, including the Listed Mornington Cup in Australia, and black-type performer Crystal Hope (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Her granddam Crystal Star (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) is the dam of Crystal Ocean (GB) the Champion Older Horse in Europe back in 2019, and other high-class performers Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Crystal Zvezda (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Barry Irwin of Team Valor, talking on the telephone, said of the fifth-highest price of the entire three-day sale, “I like the way she finished her races out, especially in the last 150 metres or so. She looks like she is a solid middle-distance filly on the way up. I like her pedigree, she looks as though she is a big, good-looking filly who will improve this year and especially next year.”

He added, “She has a half-brother who won four in a row, including two listed races in Australia. He could possibly win a group race and that will help a little bit. The second dam was very good. I am going to send her back to Sir Michael, I am going to think about what I want to do. He knows her, and I will talk to him, I have not done so yet. It is hard to find fillies like her. I am happy to have her.”

The entire turnover for the 2022 July Sale rose by a whopping 36% to 16,743,285gns from 12,301,300gns. The median was also up by 25%, from 12,000gns to 15,000gns, and the average rose 41% to 32,199gns, but the clearance fell slightly (2%) to 92%.

The day three stats were also on the rise as turnover this year ended up at 4,168,500gns compared to 2,904,100gns in 2021. That equates to a 44% rise. The median for Day 3 was up 25% to 15,000gns and the average was up 62% to 29,989gns while the clearance rate fell by 2% to 96%.

 

 

Royal Ascot Winner Latin Lover Makes 210,000gns

He provided his young trainer Harry Eustace with the thrill of a lifetime when rocketing to Royal Ascot success last month and Latin Lover (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) made more headlines, but this time off the track, after selling for 210,000gns.

Winner of the Palace Of Holyroodhouse S. at the Royal meeting, where he showed a deadly turn of foot inside the last furlong to weave his way through traffic and win by half a length, Latin Lover (lot 710) was sold online via Ahead All.

Predictably, the interest in Latin Lover was huge. With a rating of 89, the progressive 3-year-old appealed to just about every jurisdiction and after a lengthy battle in the ring, the winning bid was struck off-site.

The buyer's representative said, “Latin Lover looks strong and a good example of one by Starspanglebanner. He won well at Royal Ascot last month in a big field of 27 runners.

“He has improved after being gelded last year and is concentrating more on the job as a 3-year-old. His performances are getting better. He is a good size and I expect him to make up into a good sprinter.”

Latin Lover was consigned by Glenvale Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale in 2020 and was bought by De Burgh Equine for £21,000. He is out of Blue Dahlia (Ire), who is by Shamardal, and is the dam of four individual winners.

 

Qatar at the Double

Qatar Bloodstock and Andrew Balding enjoyed some good days on the track with G1 Racing Post Trophy and G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. winner Elm Park (GB), who was bred by the trainer's mother Emma at Kingsclere Stud. The son of another former Kingsclere star Phoenix Reach (Ire), Elm Park retired to Haras du Saz in the south-west of France and the most notable English runner from his few first-crop 3-year-olds to have made it across the Channel is Upton Park (Fr), who was bought as a yearling by David Redvers for €8,500 at Arqana. Following his two wins at two and three from just four starts, Upton Park (lot 827) returned to the ring at Tattersalls to fetch a top bid of 150,000gns from Ibrahim Saeed Al-Malki.

“He won very well at Newbury and he's progressing which is what I am looking for,” said the trainer. “He will end up in Qatar and will probably be aimed at the Qatar Derby. I like big, scopey horses.”

The preceding lot, Spartan Army (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}), will also leave the Qatar Racing fold, having been sold from Joseph O'Brien's stable for 170,000gns to race on for Alan King.

“He will have a dual-purpose campaign,” said agent Jerry McGrath, who signed for him on behalf of an undisclosed client. “He will be going jumping but hopefully he's not finished on the Flat. He's by an exciting young sire who looks like he's doing well with his jumpers.”

 

Salvator Mundi to Qatar

Leading Qatari trainer Gassim Al Ghazali has been a regular at the horses-in-training sales over the years and, after a pandemic-enforced hiatus, this year he has returned in person to continue the restocking of his Doha stable. Along with agent Will Douglass he bought seven lots this week, waiting until near the end of the sale to secure the one at the top of his list, the 3-year-old Galileo (Ire) colt Salvator Mundi (Ire), from John and Thady Gosden's stable.

Offered as lot 806 for owner/breeder Bjorn Nielsen, the half-brother to listed winner Chartreuse (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) has won his last two starts over 1m4f and 1m6f to climb to a rating of 91, and was eventually sold for 205,000gns.

“He's a progressive horse and we like buying from Mr. Gosden because they are well-bred and well-produced. They are looked after and respected, and there are miles left in the tank,” Douglass said. “This horse has a proper pedigree. He'll go straight to Qatar and he was a bit of a stand-out in here.”

 

Horse Watchers Reinvest Raasel Prize-Money

Not long after recording their best day on a racecourse when 10,000gns purchase Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) scorched along the Sandown turf in landing the G3 Coral Charge, The Horse Watchers, who have made a habit of unearthing jewels at the horses-in-training sale, paid 70,000gns to add Aphelios (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) to their team.

The most The Horse Watchers had ever spent on a horse prior to Friday was 50,000gns but Chris Dixon, who along with his brother Martin is a key cog in the wheel of the syndicate, revealed that the group of owners were happy to reinvest some of the prize-money for winning the Coral Charge.

Aphelios (lot 654), signed for by Jason Kelly Bloodstock and The Horse Watchers, is a half-brother to black-type performer Land Of Legends (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), and won for Harry and Roger Charlton.

Dixon joked, “We are rolling up the prize-money we won with Raasel last week–we do like to gamble so it's in our nature.”

Prior to Raasel's Sandown victory, Dixon took part in the TDN's weekly Q&A series, where he outlined what the syndicate's approach was to recruiting horses at the sales.

Along with Aphelios, Kelly and The Horse Watchers also bought Nasim (GB) (Galileo Gold {GB}) (lot 437) for 32,000gns from Andrew Balding and paid the same amount for Marco Botti's Mobashr (lot 554), both on Thursday.

 

St Lawrence Strikes Again

It was a busy few days in Newmarket for Oliver St Lawrence and the leading bloodstock agent picked up another top-notch prospect for Bahrain in four-time winner Roxzoff (Ire) (Zoffany  {Ire}) for 150,000gns.

St Lawrence paid 100,000gns for Nietzsche's Star (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and 120,000gns for Rollajam (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) at the sale on Thursday and once again flexed the muscle he has behind him when securing the highly touted Charlie Hills-trained 3-year-old.

Roxzoff (lot 636) will team up with Sheikh Nasser, whose representative Yousif Taher, said, “He is a good horse who we think will suit racing in Bahrain and I came especially for this horse. He is well handicapped and improving and will race for Sheikh Nasser's Victorious Racing.”

 

De Vega Snapped Up For Saudi Arabia

Puerto De Vega (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (lot 645) won the fourth race of his career at Epsom off a rating of 78 just over a week ago, which was a timely boost to his date with the sales, with the Ballylinch Stud-bred and owned gelding selling for 80,000gns.

Another rock-solid horse to be on his way to Saudi Arabia, Puerto De Vega was described as an ideal type for Carnival races by Andre Pereira, the acting agent who snapped up the gelding from The Castlebridge Consignment.

Pereira said, “He is a lovely horse, a beautiful type, very correct and a great physical. He has proven form, and by Lope De Vega and out of an Exceed And Excel mare.

“He goes to Saudi Arabia for the Carnival season. Hopefully, if he adapts well out there, he will make up into a horse for the World Cup meeting. I am very happy to get him.”

 

Record Trade

“Records across the board are always welcome and the 2022 Tattersalls July Sale has achieved unprecedented figures for all the key indicators,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony as the sale concluded on Friday evening. “The sale turnover has exceeded 16 million gns for the first time, an average price in excess of 30,000gns is also a first for this fixture and the median of 15,000gns is another sale record and a clear indication of a sale which has shown extraordinary strength and depth from start to finish.

“The top price of 540,000 guineas paid for the outstanding Shadwell mare Rihaam is also a July Sale record, but perhaps the most important statistic is the clearance rate which for the fourth consecutive year was more than 90%, and on day two of the sale was a truly extraordinary 99%. Demand at all levels of the market has been typically international with buyers from every continent in the world all contributing to the record-breaking trade and particularly notable has been the strong Australian contingent headed by Zhang Yuesheng's Yulong Investments. Domestic buyers, both Flat and National Hunt, have also been competing strongly all week and the sustained demand for well-bred fillies and mares is another positive not only for the Tattersalls July Sale but also for the wider industry.”

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Shadwell Shine Again as Albasheer Shares Top Lot at 130,000gns

Shadwell were responsible for the record-breaking sales-topper on Wednesday when Rihaam (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), in foal to Dark Angel (Ire), sold for 540,000gns, and Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal), another from the draft, was the co-top lot on Thursday at 130,000gns. 

Boasting a rating of 107 and some top-notch form to go with it, having finished second in the G2 Champagne S. in 2020, Albasheer (lot 453) was knocked down to Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock. He has yet to race this season and was last seen finishing mid-division in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup over seven furlongs at Newbury in December.  

He was bought on behalf of Andy Taylor to join Archie Watson who, according to Biggs, will bid to ignite the classy form the Shamardal 4-year-old showed as a juvenile. 

“He has been bought for Andy Taylor, who races his horses under Taylor Bloodstock, and he goes to Archie Watson,” Biggs said. 

“We have been looking for a horse with his profile for a time-a horse with form over six to seven furlongs. 

“He has had a few niggling training problems, but has vetted fine. He had high-class form as a young horse and hopefully we can get back to that. We are delighted to have bought one from the Shadwell draft as we have tried on a few.”

On a day with the staggeringly high clearance rate of 99%, when all bar two of the 156 horses offered found new homes, overall the figures were up marginally on the equivalent session 12 months ago. 

At 24,864gns, the average was up by 4% while the median rose by 7% to 15,000gns. Another 3,829,000gns was added to the record takings of the opening session.

Australians Make Presence Felt

William Johnson may have been cooped up in his hotel room after becoming ill but it didn't stop the Australian making his presence felt at the sale as he bagged the William Haggas-trained Grenoble (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 540) for 130,000gns. 

Signed for by Johnson Bloodstock and Mark Pilkington Management, the 94-rated and Newsells Park Stud-bred Grenoble will continue his career for Darren Thomas of Seymour Bloodstock in Australia. 

Speaking later via telephone, Johnson commented, “He is a lightly-raced horse and comes into Australia with a rating that enables him to work through the grades.

“He falls straight into Saturday class in Australia and with prize money continuing to improve there are plenty of options from him over a mile to a mile-and-a-half.”

Seymour Bloodstock is best known for owning Merchant Navy (Aus), who landed the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot in 2018, and Johnson, along with his bloodstock agent Pilkington, identified his latest recruit. 

Johnson explained, “He is for Darren Thomas of Seymour Bloodstock who, along with his racing manager Mark Pilkington, identified the horse. 

“I have helped them on the ground with inspections and organising the vetting and the finer details. We will have a bit more of a plan as regards the trainer when they wake up with the news they have bought the horse!”

He added, “Siyouni is an extremely good stallion and he goes well in Australia, his horses bred on southern hemisphere time, their stakes winners to runners is extremely strong, and he has got Amelia's Jewel (Aus) in western Australia. Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) are standing at Coolmore Australia this year, which ensures everyone knows the stallion. It always helps whatever horse you buy if they have a bit of a pedigree and are by the right stallion.”

Bahrain Buyers Prominent

Oliver St Lawrence punched in the hours and signed for notable lots either side of the afternoon break. Rollajam (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was the most interesting of the pair and is off to Bahrain after St Lawrence went to 120,000gns to purchase the gelding on behalf of Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

“He's a lovely big, strong horse,” St Lawrence said of lot 564 in the baking evening sun. “I spoke to Jedd O'Keeffe beforehand-had done some business with Jedd in the past-and he highly recommended the horse.”

He added, “I have actually known the horse since he was a foal as he was bred by Tim and Gill Bostwick of Biddestone Stud, so I've known him a long time. Hopefully he'll do well in that part of the world.”

Asked if horses like Rollajam have become harder to buy, St Lawrence responded, “I don't know if they have been harder to buy but the English trainers have better class horses and they know what is needed. Sadly, the English [trainers] have worked out what they need to be doing and we have found it a bit harder this year.”

Nietzsche's Star (GB) (lot 397), a rock-solid three-time-winning son of Exceed And Excel (Aus), is also Bahrain-bound. He was the first horse to break into the 100,000gns mark in the morning session and was bought by St Lawrence to join Fawzi Nass.

The bloodstock agent said, “He is a scopey sort, goes on the firm and he seems to be progressing. Andrew tells us there is more in him.

“He seems to fit the profile for Bahrain, he has got to go up a few pounds to get into the Bahrain series, but that looks perfectly possible. He won't run here and will tick over until he can travel.”

Trained by Andrew Balding, Nietzsche's Star is out of Whim (GB) (Nayef), who was Listed-placed in France, and is a grandson of the Group 3 scorer Whazzis (GB) (Desert Prince {GB}). 

Rollajam is out of the Teofilo (Ire) mare Papaya (Ire), who is a half-sister to Lend A Hand (GB), a champion juvenile in Italy and winner of the G1 Gran Criterium (G1).

Foy To The Fore

Kevin Philippart de Foy, on course to record his best tally of winners this season, was bolstered by the addition of another smart recruit from Ireland to his Newmarket stable. 

Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah went to £500,000 to secure Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to join the trainer at the Goffs London Sale in June and he bolstered his string with the addition of National Gallery (Ire) (Caravaggio) for 110,000gns on Thursday. 

A winner on the turf and on the all-weather for Joseph O'Brien, including at Limerick last month, National Gallery (lot 548) is rated 85. 

Cadillac, a Group 2 winner for Jessica Harrington, provided his new connections with an immediate payday when finishing second in the Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot and, while there are no plans in place for their latest recruit, hopes are high National Gallery can enjoy a fruitful time in Britain. 

The hammer fell to Adel Mohommed, who said, “He will go to Kevin Philippart de Foy and we'll see.” 

Hurdles Beckon For New Year Honours

Gordon Elliott and Sheikh Fahad Al Thani enjoyed notable success when Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}) landed the Queen Alexandra S. at Royal Ascot and it was on the recommendation of the man behind Qatar Racing that the leading jumps trainer secured New Year Honours (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) for 80,000gns. 

Signed for by Mouse O'Ryan, who took instruction on the phone just below the rostrum and had to wrestle off interest from a number of notable potential buyers, New Year Honours (lot 362) will now embark on a hurdling career with Elliott. 

Of course, Elliott enjoyed huge success with the Nathaniel gelding Zanahiyr (Ire), who finished third in this year's G1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and hopes are high in the Cullentra House camp that New Year Honours can make a big impact in that sphere. 

O'Ryan said, “She is a lovely filly and  is progressive. Her sire speaks for himself and we were delighted to get her. She goes to Gordon Elliott and came very well-recommended by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani.”

He added, “There is a fantastic programme for juveniles, especially for fillies, and you'd have to be thinking that the Listed juvenile hurdle at Aintree in December would be one of a number of races that Gordon could target her at. She is for sale and she should do well.”

New Year Honours was trained by Ralph Beckett and is out of Coquette Noire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a half-sister to Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of Line Of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf.

Buy of the Day

By Emma Berry

Pivotal (GB) fillies will be in increasingly short supply, so buying one of his daughters from the farm which bred him and nurtured his sensational stallion career is a good place to start when seeking a young broodmare prospect.

Lot 380, Isakova (GB), has so far raced just once earlier this year for Clive Cox and Cheveley Park Stud and, as a 3-year-old, could still have plenty to come on the track. Down the line in a broodmare career she has much to recommend her as a grand-daughter of the great Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo), and being out of her dual-winning daughter Russian Heroine (GB) (Incvincible Spirit {Ire}).

The family has been boosted of late by two more of Russian Rhythm's grand-daughters, Bashkirova (GB) and Potapova (GB) – by Isakova's sire and maternal grandsire, Pivotal and Invincible Spirit, respectively – who finished first and second in the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom on Derby day. The 4-year-old fillies both hold entries for the G2 Kilboy Estate S. at the Curragh a week on Sunday. 

With plenty of female members of the family remaining within the Cheveley Park Stud broodmare band, further updates are likely and, at 27,000gns, signed for by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for the Grunt Syndicate, Isakova could well be viewed as a bargain buy in years to come.

The post Shadwell Shine Again as Albasheer Shares Top Lot at 130,000gns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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