Multiple Group 1 Winner Saffron Beach Fetches 3.6m at Tattersalls

Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) fetched a modest 55,000gns when sent through this ring four years ago at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, but having won six of her 13 starts, including Group 1 events in England and France, the 4-year-old lit up the tote at Park Paddocks, selling to HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz's Najd Stud for 3.6 million guineas early Tuesday evening during the second Sceptre Session. Consigned by Jane Chapple-Hyam Racing, Saffron Beach was a winner in Group 3 company at career start number two and capped a successful 3-year-old campaign in Newmarket's G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. Victorious in this year's G3 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot, having finished a highly creditable fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf on seasonal debut, she easily accounted for the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and was also runner-up in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend. Saffron Beach holds an invitation for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 11, but connections explained that the filly would be pointed for the G1 Saudi Cup next February.

 

 

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Najd Stud’s Aims Of Going Global

In recent years the name of Najd Stud has appeared with increasing frequency on the list of sales returns in Britain and Ireland, and the bloodstock industry globally can expect to hear plenty more about the growing Saudi Arabian breeding empire of its owner, HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Saudi-Bound Wuqood Leads Strong Final Day At Tattersalls

NEWMARKET, UK–There is a sustained drive by the British racing authorities towards greater inclusivity, and within the relatively small world of people who are keen to buy a racehorse or broodmare, there was certainly an inclusive feel to the proceedings at Tattersalls over the last two days. 

Admittedly we tend to focus on the more expensive lots in sales reports. After all, in theory these should be the horses, or indeed their offspring, who are making the headlines in the future. But we all know that theories don't always become reality, and that sometimes an inexpensively bought individual can thrust itself right into the spotlight on racing's world stage. Think, for example, of the hardy Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), a 4,000gns Book 4 yearling, thundering to glory at Epsom and Deauville last year, while racing with huge credit and giving her owners marvellous days out at Royal Ascot, the July meeting and on Arc day. 

So for those of more modest means there were plenty of horses on whom to pin dreams while not breaking the bank, with at least 20 sold for the minimum bid. There were of course many at the other end of the scale, pushing the sale to a new record median of 10,000gns (+67%), and the second-highest turnover and average for February. The aggregate, incidentally, was also beyond that set for last year's February Sale combined with the later March sale, which was specially arranged for those vendors with horses withdrawn from February when Tattersalls was forced to hold it online during lockdown. A direct comparison to last year's February Sale for turnover is thus difficult, as 328 horses were sold this time, compared to 219 in 2021, bringing a tally of 5,849,100gns. The strength of trade was however indicated by a strong clearance rate of 85%, the aforementioned record median, and the average of 17,833gns, which was up by 52%.

“It is good to have made a positive start to 2022,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony at the sale's end. “Last year's Tattersalls February Sale was conducted under particularly trying circumstances so significant increases in all the key indicators were to be expected, but nevertheless for this year's February Sale to produce a record median, turnover and average bettered only once, and a clearance rate of 85% is a clear indication of a robust market.”

He added, “The quality consignments from Godolphin and Shadwell Estates have again drawn widespread international participation and it is a tribute to the enduring appeal of stock from these two outstanding operations that all of the top ten highest prices at the sale were owned or bred by either Shadwell or Godolphin. 

“The obvious highlight of the past two days was the 175,000gns Shadwell-bred Night Of Thunder yearling out of Elshaadin who was the second-highest-priced yearling ever sold at the February Sale, but as is so often the case at Tattersalls sales of this nature, the remarkable diversity of the buyers has been the outstanding feature. Buyers from throughout Europe, the Gulf region and further afield have all made a significant contribution, either in person or bidding online, and the domestic demand has also been a source of encouragement for the wider industry as we look forward to a year of trading hopefully largely unencumbered by the challenges which we have all endured over the past two years.”

Spotlight On Saudi

While the Dubai Carnival continues apace, the international focus will temporarily turn to Riyadh towards the end of February when the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia hosts the third running of the world's richest horse race, the $20 million Saudi Cup meeting.

Clearly demand for bloodstock from Europe remains strong from those based farther afield, with the now-regular fairly large exodus to the Middle East continues to be a strong feature of this and other auctions. For the second day running, a Shadwell-bred horse topped the session when the lightly-raced 4-year-old Wuqood (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) fetched a bid of 170,000gns from Saud Al Qahtani. The buyer was representing Saudi Arabia's Najd Stud, which also made some high-profile purchases during last autumn's Horses-in-Training Sale.

“This horse has a little issue about his wind and other things but we think he might improve on the dirt, especially after castration,” said Al Qahtani. “He will be trained by Abdullah Mishref.”

Wuqood, a son of the G2 Blandford S. winner Tarfasha (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), was previously in training in Ireland with Dermot Weld, for whom he won on debut at two and went on to finish runner-up in the G3 Eyrefield S.

Najd Stud also bought lot 415, the 88-rated Caravaggio 3-year-old Velazquez (Ire), for 67,000gns from the Castlebridge Consignment, which offered him on behalf of owner/breeder Sir Robert Ogden. 

Also on the way to Riyadh is the former Marco Botti-trained Habit Rouge (GB) (Helmet {Aus}), who was sold as lot 425 for 78,000gns to Andre Pereira. 

“He should act on the dirt and he gets a mile to a 1m2f,” said Pereira. “He was really the one we came for. He's a lovely horse.”

Bought for €20,000 as a yearling by Ambrosiana Razza, Habit Rouge won four times for Botti on the all-weather, reaching a rating of 95 last season. 

Super Ted Is Super Busy

Ted Durcan was one of the busiest agents in action at the sale, and the former champion jockey in Dubai doubtless formed plenty of good contacts during his long and successful riding career. He bought five horses under his own name at Tattersalls to make him the third-leading buyer behind Blandford Bloodstock and Najd Stud, and Durcan was also in action on behalf of a Saudi Arabian client, Ahmad Al Abdullatif.

The agent signed for two of the day's leading lots, both from the Godolphin draft, with 3-year-old Perseus Way (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) bought for 80,000gns and Age Of Sail (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for 60,000gns.

Durcan said of the former (lot 342), who has been bought for a syndicate and is out of a Kingmambo half-sister to group winners  Master Of The Seas (Ire) and falls Of Lora (Ire), “He is a fine, big, scopey horse–a horse with a future. He'll strengthen up and he vetted out extremely well. He's going to remain here in England but I don't know yet who will train him.”

The similarly well-bred 3-year-old Age Of Sail (lot 343), a grandson of Oaks winner Snow Bride out of a Pivotal (GB) half-sister to Lammtarra, will also remain in the UK to continue his career.

Durcan added, “There's definitely demand for older horses that are still good to race at all levels. I do a bit of work for Saudi and for anywhere else I'm able to, and when a nice horse pops up there's definitely plenty of interest in him or her.”

Sydney To California 

Irishman Conall Meegan, who was working in tandem with American-based agent Shawn Dugan, had his eye on just one horse, Sydney Street (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and waited until close to the end of the sale for lot 417, who ended up as another of the day's leading lights at 85,000gns. The 3-year-old gelding, who has won his last two starts for Hugo Palmer and the Chelsea Thoroughbreds to earn a rating of 87, will now continue his career in the U. S.

“He's for Shawn Dugan and he's going to go to California,” Meegan said. “He looks ready-made for the U.S.–he has a great demeanour, plenty of size and is clean-limbed. He was my pick of the sale, and Shawn's too. Both the public and private markets are so competitive at the moment, and he was the one I came to the U.K. for.”

Social Contact (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who broke her maiden three weeks ago for Clipper Logistics and Roger Varian, will return to her breeder Longview Stud after being bought for 65,000gns.

“We bred and sold her as a yearling for 44,000gns but as she has now won a race, the boss was keen to buy her back,” said Jim Scallan, who manages Longview Stud for Eugene Daly. He confirmed that the 76-rated 3-year-old daughter of Operettist (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) (lot 331) would remain in training for the coming season.

“She should be a nice broodmare for the future and we wanted a filly out of the mare. She has had three [winners] out of three now and we have a nice filly by Postponed (Ire) out of her in the field. We also have a nice 2-year-old in training with William Haggas, who is also by Night Of Thunder (Ire).”

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Grocer Jack And Chipotle Join Haggas

Three horses who recently changed hands for six-figure sums at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale have joined William Haggas's stable for Prince Faisal Bin Khaled's Najd Stud.

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

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

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

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

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