No Nay Never’s Little Big Bear Best In The Windsor Castle

The subject of a momentous gamble in Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S., Ballydoyle's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never–Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) duly delivered to maintain the 100% record of the TDN Rising Stars in Royal Ascot's two-year-old contests. Hammered into 6-5 favouritism to get Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore off the mark for the week, the impressive Naas maiden winner raced near the pace far side before being sent forward with hands and heels passing halfway. In the end, the imposing bay had to fight to fend off the stand's-side winner Rocket Rodney (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) but was equal to the task to score by a neck, with Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths back in third. “It was a good performance from a horse who is still learning,” Moore said. “He was out on the wing and the horses in the middle were ahead–he got a bit lonely, but he has plenty of ability. He is a big horse and I thought he did that comfortably. I know he didn't win by far, but there was more in the locker.”

Runner-up by a short head to the subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. runner-up Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and ahead of future winner Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on debut at The Curragh Apr. 10, Little Big Bear dealt with the drop to this trip without fuss when dominating his maiden from the well-regarded Joseph O'Brien-trained Alexis Zorba (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) at Naas May 7. The extent of the money flow in his direction leading up to the off spoke volumes about the expectation surrounding him and he was carrying that weight looking to provide Aidan O'Brien with the Royal Ascot winner the form of his juveniles seemed to suggest was a formality this Spring.

Rosegreen's two-year-olds are never hard-baked for this meeting and there were a few moments when Little Big Bear needed encouragement from Moore before halfway as several appeared to be travelling sweeter across the track. It was only as he approached the furlong marker that the sizeable colt began to emerge as one of the chief protagonists and by the time he had got to half a furlong out he had the measure of Rocket Rodney who was a few horse-widths out of range. “He was drawn a little away from the pace, but we were delighted with him,” O'Brien said. “He should get further in the future and is in the Phoenix Stakes. He is a big horse. It is obviously a very fast race and horses need to know a lot in it and be very educated. He had only had the two runs, so we were a bit worried about that, but we're delighted really.”

Little Big Bear is bred to stay much further on the dam's side, with the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner, G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up and GI E P Taylor S. fourth Adventure Seeker being a granddaughter of the legendary All Along (Fr), the French champion and US Horse of the Year in 1983 courtesy of her G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, GI Turf Classic, G1 Rothmans International and GI Washington D. C. International victories. A half to the precocious but ill-fated G3 Princess Margaret S. third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City), she produced Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway) who was second in the 12-furlong G3 Hobart Cup. Also connected to the G3 Prix du Muguet winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-placed Art Francais (Lyphard's Wish {Fr}), the dam's yearling is a full-brother to Little Big Bear.

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
WINDSOR CASTLE S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-15, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.33, g/f.
1–LITTLE BIG BEAR (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Adventure Seeker (Fr) (SW & GSP-Fr, $155,312), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: American Adventure, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: All Along (Fr), by Targowice
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€320,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Camas Park Stud & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £59,200. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $84,657. *1/2 to Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway), GSP-Aus, $352,585. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rocket Rodney (GB), 131, g, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Alushta (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (18,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 18,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Victorious Racing Ltd; B-R W Stapleton (GB); T-George Scott. £22,390.
3–Eddie's Boy (GB), 131, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Spontaneity (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (45,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Middleham Park Racing XLV & Partner; B-Crossfields Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Archie Watson. £11,190.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.20, 14.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Chateau (Ire), Jumbeau (GB), Bolt Action (Ire), Silencer (Ire), Wodao (Fr), Union Court (GB), Kuwait City (Ire), Ramazan (Ire), Kaasib (Ire), Rocking Ends (GB), Yahtzee (Ire), Mehmar (Ire), Knebworth (GB), Edgar Linton (Fr), Far Shot (Ire), Democracy Dilemma (Ire), Finn Russell (Ire), Guiteau (Ire), Star of Lady M (GB), Seismic Spirit (Ire), Whistle and Flute (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Camelot Colt Tops Buoyant Arqana Opener

DEAUVILLE, France–A strong opening day of the Arqana October Sale saw a colt by Camelot (GB) top proceedings at €440,000, bought late in the session by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency on behalf of MV Magnier.

Consigned by the leading vendor Ecurie des Monceaux, lot 209 is a half-brother to the listed Prix Michel Houyvet winner Big Blue (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

As has been seen throughout the European yearling season so far, there was a buoyant level of trade in Deauville on Monday, with figures exceeding the pre-pandemic returns of 2019.

Turnover from 180 horses sold reached €16,017,000, with the average of €88,983 being up by 53% on last year and comparing favourably to the 2019 figure of €81,362. The median of €65,000 was up from €60,000 in 2019 and €43,000 12 months ago. The clearance rate was also up at 82.5%.

 

Wootton Bassett In Demand

For much of the day colts by Siyouni (Fr) and Wootton Bassett (GB) had shared top billing, with each being sold for €420,000, to Coolmore and Anthony Stroud, respectively.

Wootton Bassett may no longer stand in France but his burgeoning reputation ensured that he played a significant role during the first session at Arqana. Anthony Stroud and Matt Coleman signed for four of his yearlings, including the day's co-second-top lot (lot 49). Though that colt out of the Frankel (GB) half-sister to Charm Spirit (Ire), bought for €420,000 from Ecurie des Monceaux, was for an undisclosed client, two of the quartet were bought for Alison Swinburn, who has enjoyed noted success with the stallion through Audarya (Fr). The G1 Prix Jean Romanet and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner was bought from this sale for €125,000 back in 2017.

After signing for lot 14, a daughter of the Group 3-placed Harem Lady (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) at €210,000 from Haras d'Etreham, Stroud said, “She's been bought for the same connections as Audarya and will go into training with James Fanshawe. She's a lovely, athletic filly.”

That purchase was backed up a little later by the acquisition of lot 45 from La Motteraye Consignment. Knocked down at €270,000, the colt is the first foal of the dual winner Lolldaiga (Ire), who is also by Teofilo and is a granddaughter of the G3 Prix de Flore winner Louve (Irish River {Fr}).

Stroud Coleman also signed for lot 153, Haras de la Louivere's May-born colt out of the unraced Tubereuse (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), a sister to the G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Lesstalk In Paris (Fr), for €310,000.

With 14 yearlings sold during the first session, Wootton Bassett's average for the sale stood at €200,857.

 

Al Shaqab and Etreham Partner Up

Al Shaqab Racing were also among the buyers of Wootton Bassett's stock, with the team going to €220,000 to secure lot 80 through Nicolas de Watrigant. Another from the Monceaux draft, the filly is a daughter of the South African Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 runner-up Olma (SAf) (Dynasty SAf), herself a granddaughter of the G1 Fillies' Mile victrix Teggiano (Ire) (Mujtahid).

Al Shaqab's purchases on Monday also included a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt bred on the same Kingmambo cross as Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II winner Baaeed (GB), as well as the Al Shaqab stallion Zelzal (Ire), another Group 1-winning miler by the Aga Khan Studs stallion.

After going to €320,000 for the full-brother to listed winner Sivoliere (Fr) (lot 117) from the Etreham draft, Al Shaqab's Paul Hensey said, “He was our pick of the catalogue today. Obviously Sea The Stars is going from strength to strength and he's bred on the same cross as Zelzal, which was of interest to us. He will be trained by Stephane Wattel.”

Al Shaqab also formed a partnership with Etreham to buy the Haras de Fresneaux-bred colt by Almanzor (Fr), whose dam Rapid Transaction (A P Indy) is a granddaughter of the GI Kentucky Oaks winner and stellar producer Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom). Offered as lot 98 through Haras des Capucines, the half-brother to black-type earners Fastidious (Fr) and Central Park West (Fr) was bought for €180,000.

Siyouni Stronghold

Coolmore's support for Siyouni (Fr) yearlings has been strong this season in particular, but that's hardly a surprise given that it recruited Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) to the stallion yard in Fethard for the 2021 season and has already welcomed this season's outstanding 3-year-old St Mark's Basilica (Fr) ahead of next season. Those two stallions are both out of daughters of Galileo (Ire) but Monday's acquisition (lot 67) is a son of the listed-winning Montjeu (Ire) mare Modern Eagle (Ger).

Strong competition for the half-brother to the listed-placed Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) took agent Laurent Benoit to €420,000 and he later confirmed that he had been bought for the Coolmore partners.

Those partners sometimes include Peter Brant of White Birch Farm, who in his own right went to €350,000 for a filly by young Coolmore stallion Churchill (Ire). Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock did the bidding on his behalf for lot 119, the half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Shakeel (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who was bred and sold by Haras de Montaigu.

“She'll be trained here in Deauville by Jean-Claude Rouget,” said the agent.

Zerolo and Brant also struck late in the day for lot 201, another of the colts to have contributed to a good day for Wootton Bassett. The grandson of the G1 Nassau S. winner Winsili (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bought from La Motteraye for €400,000.

 

Bouchard Invests In Dubawi Filly

There was just one Dubawi yearling in the Arqana October catalogue and she will eventually join the broodmare band being assembled by Jean-Louis Bouchard, who bought the half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) for €340,000 through agent Gerard Larrieu.

“I love Dubawi,” said Bouchard , who was in the restaurant with Larrieu and trainer Pascal Bary as the Ecurie des Monceaux-consigned filly (lot 77) went through the ring. “I like the filly, she's very tall. I bought a stud about four or five years ago and we have been building that up and I need very good mares for the future. I think she should be a very good broodmare, she's the sister of a Group 1 winner, she's got everything [going] for her.”

Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland signed up one of the two Galileo (Ire) colts in the sale, a half-brother to the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. winner Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal), sold as lot 55 through Haras des Capucines for €260,000.

“He's been bought for an established client who has horses in training in France, Ireland and England,” said the agent. “We thought he was a good physical and obviously he has a good pedigree. They're not making Galileos any more so we thought he was a bit of value.”

The colt is out of Magic Tree (UAE) (Timber Country), a half-sister to the Group 1 winners Mastery (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) and Kirklees (Ire) (Jade Robbery).

 

Rising Stars

Cloth Of Stars (Ire), another Group 1 winner bred on the Sea The Stars–Kingmambo cross, has his first yearlings for sale this year and made quite a splash on Monday through lot 145, the half-brother to G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Ocean (Fr) (Exosphere {Aus}). Bred by Julian Ince as Haras du Logis, where the stallion stands, the colt is out of Tevara (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), who is also responsible for the listed winner Aiming For Rio (Fr), by another Logis stallion, Rio De La Plata. The mare is out of the G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner Torgau (Ire), whose sire Zieten also stood at Haras du Logis.

“It's fantastic,” said Ince after Anthony Stroud signed for the son of Cloth Of Stars at €280,000. “We brought three here by the stallion and they loved them. Someone even accused me of cloning yearlings as they all look so alike. It's great to have a stallion who is producing such lovely stock.”

It was announced this week that last season's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Victor Ludorum (Ire) (Shamardal) will stand at Haras du Logis from 2022.

 

A Duo For Australia

Niall O'Connor, who graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start  course last year, got his career as a bloodstock agent off on a promising footing with the purchase of two yearlings for the Australian training partnership of McEvoy Mitchell Racing.

His second signing of the day at €185,000 was for lot 91, a daughter of Camelot (GB), who has enjoyed notable success in Australia through Group 1 winners Russian Camelot (Ire) and the ill-fated Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire). Consigned by Anna Sundstrom's Coulonces operation, she is the first foal of 3-year-old winner Pink Paint (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) from the Wildenstein family of Arc winner Peintre Celebre.

The agent had also struck early for lot 12, going to €105,000 for a daughter of Le Havre (Ire) and another first foal, this time out of the winning Rajsaman (Fr) mare Gouville (Fr). The further family includes a name familiar to Australian racing fans in Contributor (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), a dual Group 1 winner in the country for John O'Shea and Godolphin.

“This was a team effort between Tony and Calvin McEvoy and their regular agent Damon Gabbedy, who unfortunately couldn't be here because of the travel restrictions,” said O'Connor, who has previously worked at both Keeneland and Magic Millions. He has also completed stints with agents Dermot Farrington and Jeremy Brummitt, with the latter charged with buying yearlings for Quantum Leap Racing, which is run by O'Connor's father, Eamonn.

He added, “While on the Flying Start I had a work placement with McEvoy Mitchell Racing at Flemington and they expressed an interest then in getting involved in Europe. Hopefully these two fillies can prove their worth on the track. The market has been so strong for colts this year. We looked last week at Tattersalls and came on here in the hope of finding a bit of value. The Camelot filly was one of the nicest on the sale and we're lucky to have her.”

Selling recommences at Arqana at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Creative Cause Colt Leads Summer Sale Breezers

A 2-year-old colt by American-based sire Creative Cause is bound for the stable of trainer Simone Brogi after Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency went to €100,000 to secure the colt on behalf of Middleham Park Racing and partners during the opening session of the Arqana Summer Sale on Wednesday. Lot 8, out of the winning Proud Citizen mare Fight With Pride, represented a good pinhook for Willie Browne of Mocklershill, having cost $12,000 at Keeneland September last year. The colt was bred by Brereton Jones and his son Bret Jones, who own Airdrie Stud in Kentucky and stand the sire and also stood the damsire. He was the top-priced lot of the early breeze-up portion of the session, where 70 youngsters were offered, with 48 sold (68.6%) for an aggregate of €721,500. The average for the 2-year-olds was €15,031, and the median €8,500.

“He's a lovely looking colt, the horse of the sale if you ask me,” said de Watrigant. “He was meant to go to the breeze-up in May, but after a setback he came here. I've bought him for an association between Middleham Park Racing, Tim Palin, a client of Simone Brogi's, Thomas Bernereau and Pierre Pilarski, whose colours he will run in. He'll be trained by Simone Brogi.”

Also among the leading juveniles offered on Wednesday was Knockanglass Stable's Night Of Thunder (Ire) colt out of Clowning (Distorted Humor) (lot 81i), who was bought by Jean-Pierre Deroubaix of F.B.A for €70,000, having been bought back for €48,800 from Arqana's breeze-up sale at Doncaster and having originally been a 75,000gns yearling. He was bought for Jurgen Sartori, who is making a return to racing having also bought Group 3 winner No Limit Credit (Ger), also by Night Of Thunder, for €480,000 at Arqana December last year. Lot 81i will go into training in Germany. Like the top-priced breezer, he comes from an American family; he is out of an unraced daughter of dual Grade I winner Flashing (A.P. Indy), who has produced the French listed winner and group placed Floodlight (Medaglia d'Oro).

Edging the Creative Cause colt for top lot of the sale was a gelded son of Zarak (Fr), a first-season sire who was a Group 1 winner on the flat but those headline-making son on Wednesday was catalogued as a 2-year-old store. That is because he is the first foal out of the listed-placed jumper Boreal Du Berlais, and from a quality family in that realm. Lot 214 was bought by Paul Basquin from Haras du Saubouas for €110,000. Two additional 2-year-old stores reached the six-figure mark: lot 234, a son of Authorized (Ire), and lot 192, a son of No Risk At All (Fr), each fetched €100,000.

The session was largely comprised of the breeze-up and store 2-year-olds, but also contained a small group of 3-year-old stores and horses in training. A total of 169 horses were sold on the day (73%) for €3,517,500, at an average of €20,814 and a median of €14,000.

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Honor Roll Presented By Breeze Up Consignors Association: Mr. Monomoy’s Global Trek

Mr. Monomoy's pedigree and race record are about as American as they come, but his time with Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stud in Ireland set the gears in motion to realize his potential stateside.

The son of Palace Malice is a half-sibling to champion Monomoy Girl, but the probable future Hall of Famer hadn't begun to tap into her true star power by the time her younger brother went through the ring as a weanling at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

He was purchased by Fir Grove Farm for $60,000 as a weanling-to-yearling pinhook prospect, but Willie Browne of Mocklershill Stud said the colt wasn't ready for primetime. Mr. Monomoy was entered in the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, but he was withdrawn before going through the ring.

“He was a nice foal, a little dipped in the back,” Browne said. “We brought him back to Keeneland as a yearling, having had the big update with Monomoy Girl. I thought I didn't have a home run. He looked backward and there was no interest in him.”

Browne had no other option but to bring the colt back to Ireland and train him toward a breeze up sale in Europe. He was pointed toward the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale, but the road to the French sale continued to have twists and turns.

“He was quite difficult to train in the first couple of months, having nagging problems such as sore shins,” Browne said. “Consequently, he had a short preparation for the Arqana Sale. He worked exceptionally well in the two weeks leading up to the sale.”

Mr. Monomoy sold to Mandore International Agency for 180,000 Euros (US$202,230), and he was returned stateside. He debuted later that year for owners Madaket Stables, Built To Win Stable, and Doheny Racing Stable. Michael Dubb would eventually buy in on the horse, as well.

The colt broke his maiden by 5 1⁄2 furlongs in his second start as a juvenile, and he continued to improve at three with a third in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes. His final start was his most important, going wire-to-wire and drawing off to win the G2 Risen Star Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths.

Mr. Monomoy is currently standing his first season as a stallion at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, N.Y.

Though he was offered in a European sale, Browne said he was not surprised that Mr. Monomoy became successful as a U.S. dirt runner. The horseman said about 15 of the 85 to 90 horses he acquired in Mr. Monomoy's class were born or purchased in the U.S., making the transition back to the home turf a logical one.

There are numerous recent examples of prominent U.S. runners who were sold as juveniles at the European breeze up sales; a list that includes Preakness Stakes winner War of Will, G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Ete Indien, and Grade 3 winners Outburst and Vitalogy.

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