Tag: Night of Thunder

Record Books Rewritten as Book 1 Bonanza Concludes

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

NEWMARKET, UK–And breathe. Book 1 is over, galloping out the door after a three-day bonanza of record returns, the highest-grossing single day of horse trade in Europe, and the world's most expensive yearling of 2022.

What this all means for next week and Books 2, 3 and 4 of the October Yearling Sale is anyone's guess, but a safe bet would be that all those potential buyers so frustrated at playing bridesmaid during Book 1 still have rolls of grubby fifty-pound notes burning holes in their pockets.

But before the bell rings for the first session of Book 2 on Monday morning, let's have a closer look at the facts and figures of three days of rip-roaring trade that  had even seasoned sales-goers walking around Park Paddocks shaking their heads in disbelief. It's no wonder really, as the sale's aggregate reached an all-time high of 126,671,000gns, soaring 45% on decent levels of trade at last year's Book 1. At 200,000gns, the median was also a new record, and was up by 25%, while the record average rose by 30% to 298,752gns. With 424 sold of the 489 yearlings offered, the clearance rate climbed by 4% to 87%.

Let's Hear It For…

This time 10 years ago, Frankel (GB) was preparing for his swansong on British Champions Day, and in that time he has gone from ruling the racecourse to ruling the ring: his 25 offspring at Book 1 accounted for 15% of the turnover over the three days, amassing a tally of 18,745,000gns and selling at an average price of 749,800gns. His greatest rival Dubawi (Ire) beat that figure, with an average of 849,524gns for 21 sold. Together, Frankel and Dubawi accounted for 14 of the 16 yearlings to have sold for a million gns or more, with the four most expensive yearlings of the sale all being by Frankel.

Newsells Park Stud completed a five-timer of successive leading vendor titles, a mantle it has achieved on seven occasions in total. From 29 consigned, the stud sold 23 yearlings for a total of 10,985,000gns.

Fellow British farms Watership Down Stud and Fittocks Stud also fared very well during Book 1, the former selling 10 yearlings for 8,780,000gns, and the latter 11 for 6,010,000gns.

Leading Investors

Brightly attired each day, Sheikh Mohammed was easy to spot at Tattersalls but nowhere was his presence more greatly felt than on the buyers' list, which he dominated almost from flagfall.

Bidding through Anthony Stroud at the group's favoured spot next to the walking ring, Sheikh Mohammed lent enormous support to the elite yearling market, adding 35 yearlings by a range of top sires to his Godolphin string for a total outlay of 25,355,000gns, which was roughly 20% of the sale's record turnover.

The Coolmore and White Birch Farm partnership spent 10.2 million gns on 13 yearlings, and agent Richard Knight signed for 15 for just over 10 million gns.

“This has been an extraordinary yearling sale,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. “When the first two lots through the ring on Tuesday morning made 500,000gns and 1,300,000gns, the stage was set and the pace has been unrelenting from that moment on. Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale annually showcases the very best yearlings to be found in Europe, and even by the lofty standards of this special sale we felt that this year's catalogue was out of the ordinary. Nevertheless we could not have predicted the extraordinary level of trade we have experienced over the past three days.”

He continued, “Record turnover in excess of 125 million gns, a rise of almost 40 million gns on last year's October Book 1, as well as a record median and a record average price just under 300,000gns are impressive statistics by any standards, but the progression of this sale in recent years has been truly remarkable. Only 12 years ago Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale produced turnover of 48 million gns and an average of 107,000gns, which puts this week's remarkable figures into context.

“As well as the huge rises in all of the key indicators, an unprecedented 73 yearlings have sold for 500,000gns or more and there have been 16 which have broken the million-guineas mark with the 2.8 million-guineas Frankel colt from Watership Down Stud being the highest-priced yearling sold anywhere in the world this year.”

Watership Up

Different day, same story. Within an hour of the start of the final session of Book 1, a colt by Frankel (GB) offered by Watership Down Stud shot to the top of the leaderboard at 2 million gns. The previous day's high of 2.8 million gns was not reached again, meaning that the team at Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber's Watership Down Stud can exit Book 1 with major brownie points for having consigned two of the top three lots of the most extraordinary sale witnessed at Tattersalls, or indeed anywhere in Europe.

Lot 381 was added to the extensive shopping list of agent Richard Knight and, bred by Bjorn Nielsen on the same cross as this year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto (Ire), he has plenty to recommend him.

“The dam has produced a 100-plus-rated horse already, he comes from a nice family. He is just a lovely colt. It was the top of our budget and where we saw we'd have to go to get him,” Knight said.

“We underbid a filly yesterday by Frankel and they are as hot as anything and hard to buy. We were well aware we'd have to pay a good price to get him.”

“There is a beautiful bunch of horses here, it is the best catalogue of individuals we have seen at any yearling sale this year. You often get into some sales and individuals don't match up to the pedigrees. Here, the individuals have matched up as well–there are some lovely horses.”

 

Cumani Identifies Reason Behind Record Figures

Trust Luca Cumani to come up with a playful reason behind the sky-rocketing spend at Tattersalls this week.

“Maybe people want to enjoy themselves before Putin strikes the nuclear button?”

The legendary trainer-turned-breeder had reason to crack a joke after selling his Frankel colt (lot 379) to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for 1.9 million gns.

Cumani, who, along with his wife Sara, operates under the banner of Fittocks Stud, may have been all smiles after the hammer fell, but revealed that his heart won't be thanking him after a pulsating few days.

“Boom, boom, boom,” he said, beating his chest with his fist. “I'm still an apprentice at this job and this is only our third year consigning.”

Fittocks Stud sold 11 yearlings this week for a total of 6.01 million gns.

Cumani added, “We sold a Dubawi yesterday for 1.6 million gns (lot 301) and now this Frankel for 1.9 million gns–it's been an amazing week.

“The market is very strong and long may it continue. It's very exciting to be a part of this environment. I love it.”

The sale to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm represents a continuation of a long-lasting relationship between Cumani and the owners.

He said, “Peter Brant has been a friend for many years. I used to train for him in the eighties and early nineties. I trained the dam of Thunder Gulch [Line Of Thunder] for him. I've known him for donkey's years.

“I am very grateful to MV and Paul Shanahan. I'm especially very grateful to my staff. They have done a great job today and excelled themselves.

“It's especially good that this horse stays in Europe. We need those good horses. Everybody reckons that, if you want class horses, you have to come to this sale to get them.”

Cumani also trained the dam of the Frankel colt, Blue Waltz (GB), to win three times. A daughter of Pivotal (GB), her mating with the champion sire represents a cross that has already worked notably well and includes the Group 1 winners Cracksman (GB) and Hungry Heart (Aus).

 

 

God Given Keeps Giving

Another two seven-figure lots were to follow the early Frankel flurry, and those waiting to see the Whatton Manor Stud-consigned Dubawi colt out the Group 1 winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (lot 504) were not disappointed. Following his half-brother, the G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega Ire}), into the Godolphin string, he made more than double the price his elder sibling had fetched in the same ring last year, and was eventually knocked down at 1.5 million gns, with David Redvers as underbidder to Anthony Stroud.

The colt, who is also a three-parts-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Postponed (Ire), was bred by Andrew Stone of St Albans Bloodstock, who also bred and raced his dam. He said, “When you breed a lovely horse, it is always sad to see them go. I have 16 mares and one has to keep the operation going. We are so blessed to have wonderful buyers in the market who are prepared to pay such a wonderful price. Having bred Postponed, I was so excited to see him go on so well, and now Silver Knott. I hope this horse is really good for them.”

Stone, who boards God Given at Whatton Manor Stud, continued, “A lot of credit must go to the Players and the team at Whatton, they do such a fantastic job. I am very blessed to have the majority of my mares with them and with Julian [Dollar] at Newsells Park.”

Ed Player, who was celebrating a first seven-figure sale for his Nottinghamshire farm, added, “Last year was our highest with his half-brother when he made 725,000gns, so to hit the million was unbelievably exciting. We are so delighted for Andrew. He is such a great guy, and a massive supporter of the industry.

“All year we have known he is a beautiful horse. He has the pedigree, the looks, everything, but to hit that sort of level, you dream about it, but in reality you have so many hoops to jump.”

Silver Knott is entered for Saturday's G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket and is pencilled in for a trip to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

 

Stroud also won the bidding war for lot 530, a son of Dubawi (Ire) out of How (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the final seven-figure lot of the sale. Consigned by Longview Stud, the bay was secured for 1.6 million gns and his dam is a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Minding (Ire), as well as the fellow top-drawer winners Tuesday (Ire), and Empress Josephine (Ire). All three of those fillies each won at least one Classic, while their dam is the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

 

 

Sackville Barks Loud for Dubawi Colt

Jenny Norris is no stranger to selling seven-figure Book 1 yearlings, having topped the sale on two previous occasions, and her Norris Bloodstock draft hit the bullseye again when selling Lord Margadale's Dubawi colt out of Frangipanni (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 491) for a million gns to Ed Sackville.

“I'm so grateful to Alastair [Lord Margadale] for entrusting him to me because we've had him since the foal sales, and it's great having horses like him but it was a huge pressure having him back at the farm.

“He's such a star. We'll miss him at home because he has the most amazing attitude, he just eats and sleeps. But the girls at home, Hannah, Verity and Jazz, have done a great job, we're only a small team and I'm just so pleased for all of them.”

Through Anthony Stroud, Lord Margadale bought the Lady Rothschild-bred Frangipanni, a daughter of the G1 July Cup winner Frizzante (GB) (Efisio {GB}) as a 3-year-old at the July Sale for 78,000gns. Her first foal Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was a multiple group winner in France for Andre Fabre and Lady Bamford.

Lord Margadale, enjoying the moment with his brother, trainer Hughie Morrison, added, “I'll probably burst into tears. From the word go he has been a really lovely, sweet horse. Nothing fazes him.

“We've got an extremely nice full-brother to Tropbeau and the mare is now in foal to Zoustar. We bought Frangipanni from Serena Rothschild and we brought her here last December and she didn't sell, so I am extremely happy. I think sometimes these things are meant to be.”

Sackville, who bought the colt on behalf of John and Jess Dance's Manor House Farm, said, “The whole team loved him– John and Jess Dance, Maria Ryan and James Horton. We have tried on plenty, but he was one we were prepared to go to the max for.”

After jumping 100,000gns in one bid to buy the colt at a million, he said, “If you want to hang with the dogs you've got to bark loud.”

 

 

St Lawrence the Judge

After Frankel and Dubawi, Sea The Stars (Ire) enjoyed a rock-solid week as the third-most popular sire among buyers with 28 lots selling for a total of 8,425,000gns. His half-sister (lot 476) to G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), consigned by Corduff Stud for breeder Joan Keaney Dempsey, sold to Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of Fawzi Nass for 800,000 gns.

“She is a lovely filly out of a slightly older mare, but she is a half-sister to a Group 1 winner and there are lots of fillies in the pedigree so there are, hopefully, lots of updates to come,” said the agent. “We tried to have a go at the Battaash half-sister last night (lot 344) but we didn't even get a bid in.”

St Mark's Basilica's Brother to Juddmonte

Though primarily racing homebreds, the Juddmonte team makes the odd foray into the foal and yearling sales, and has a Group 1 runner to show for it on Saturday with the 550,000gns foal purchase Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has already won the G2 Champagne S and G3 Acomb S.

On Thursday, two yearlings were recruited when Simon Mockridge went to 725,000gns for lot 415, a Siyouni (Fr) filly out of a half-sister to G1 Coronation S. winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and 600,000gns for the Kingman (GB) half-brother (lot 390) to Classic winners St Mark's Basilica (Fr) and Magna Grecia (Ire).

Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud consigned the daughter of Siyouni on behalf of his brother Michael's Gigginstown House Stud, who bought her dam Contemptuous (Ire) (New Approach {GB}) through Mags O'Toole when she was carrying this filly at the December Sale of 2020.

At 360,000gns, her purchase was a significant outlay at the time, but carrying a foal by one of Europe's most-sought after sires, as well as updates in the immediate family from G1 Oaks winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), are factors which have contributed to a terrific sales return for the first foal.

Flay Plays Both Sides of the Deal

A vendor on Wednesday and a buyer on Thursday, Bobby Flay selected a smartly-bred daughter of No Nay Never to be trained in America by Christophe Clement. The daughter of Cushion (GB) (lot 422), who was twice a Grade III winner in the US and is herself out of the champion racemare Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}), was another decent result for the Watership Down Stud draft, sold on behalf of her breeders Floors Stud and Coolmore Stud, for 600,000gns.

“The sire is very quick, and I like training grass horses in the US, my trainer Christopher Clement is a specialist,” Flay explained. “I love the No Nay Never cross over Galileo and my bloodstock agent picked her out, Tom McGreevy.”

Flay also paid tribute to James Delahooke, who had a long association with the owner-breeder and died suddenly last month. He said, “He is a huge loss. I keep thinking I am going to see him here. He was a great educator, a great friend, and, most importantly, besides his amazing ability to pick out beautiful horses and great broodmares, he was a pleasure to be around, I always learnt something about life and about horses with James.”

 McElroy Returns To Happy Hunting Ground

It was at this sale in 2019 that Ben McElroy bought dual Royal Ascot winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and the leading American agent returned to one of his happiest hunting grounds to purchase seven yearlings.

McElroy kept the biggest deal until last, signing for a Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly (lot 388) out of the Watership Down Stud draft for 800,000 gns.

Like Campanelle, the Night Of Thunder half-sister to Group 3 scorer Snazzy Jazzy (Ire) (Red Jazz) will race in Barbara Banke's Stonestreet silks. However, Coolmore will also retain an interest, with MV Magnier also signing for the filly.

McElroy said, “We're always coming out here to look at fillies who we think can be precocious–be Royal Ascot types. They go to Wesley Ward, who trained Campanelle, and the minute this filly walked out of the stall and stood in front of me, I knew she was the one we had to have.

“The stallion has made a phenomenal start at stud–starting from a low stud fee. That really gave us a lot of confidence. The mare keeps producing horses that run good ratings. Between the physical and the pedigree, she had the complete package.”

He added, “I'm really relieved that we got her and am hoping that we got some nice horses in the bunch that suit our programme.

“Barbara loves the sale and she's really excited about coming back in the summer to watch them run over here. Hopefully we'll get a few more in the bunch for next year.

“The biggest emphasis is on the physical because we're going to try and start them off early. They go to Florida, get the sun on their back and then go into training with Wesley. You want to see a bit of precocity in the pedigree and, when those two things align, they're the ones we go for.”

Crystal Ocean Colt Makes Waves

He was the highest-rated Flat horse in the world at one point but Crystal Ocean (GB) retired to the Beeches Stud in Ireland as predominantly a National Hunt stallion with multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler Apple's Jade (Fr) among the high-class jumping mares to have visited the stallion in his debut season.

But that did not stop lot 512, an easy-moving pinhook by the stallion, selling from Michael and Laurence Gleeson's Aughamore Stud for 135,000gns to Andrew Balding.

The sale justified the huge confidence that the Gleeson brothers had in the colt, bought by Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock for 46,000gns at Tattersalls last December.

It was the second big pinhook that the leading bloodstock agent and the Gleesons pulled off on Thursday as, earlier in the afternoon, a Night Of Thunder filly (lot 461) bought for 150,000 gns as a foal, sold to Alex Solis and Jason Litt for 450,000 gns.

“This guy was a dude,” said Gleeson. “We loved him from day one at the foal sales. We thought he'd be a bit different. There are not many Crystal Oceans at these Flat sales but people seemed to get it and this stallion needs to cover more Flat mares based on the two yearlings [lot 86 also sold for 115,000 gns] he had here. It was an amazing day and this horse reminds me of Stradivarius. A chestnut with a good-looking head and he's not overly big either.”

Gleeson added on the Night Of Thunder filly, “She was out of a very tough Kodiac mare [Group 3 winner Ellthea (Ire)] and it's the same cross as the Abbaye winner Highfield Princess (Fr). Night Of Thunder is on fire and we were just lucky to have one.”

Night Of Thunder enjoyed an exceptional sale, especially when considering his 2020 covering fee of €25,000. There were 28 lots by the sire sold for an average of 276,964gns, for a total of 7,555,000gns, which contributed to him ending the session as the fourth-most popular stallion on the figures.

The Gleesons were not the only people to enjoy a major twist out of the stallion as, just a few lots later, Ballyhimikin Stud's 175,000 gns colt foal (lot 463) purchase by Kildangan Stud resident rocked into 475,000 gns, with Peter and Ross Doyle buying.

Stauffenberg Sugarcoats Super Sale

Few consignors boasted a better return at Book 1 than Philipp Stauffenberg. The German native brought five horses to Tattersalls and they went down a bomb, selling for an average of 469,000gns and 2,345,000gns all told.

After quite the bounty on Wednesday, when Stauffenburg sold a Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly for 550,000gns, a Lope De Vega (Ire) colt for 525,000 gns and a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt for 650,000gns, his two pinhooks on Thursday rocked into money.

His Teofilo colt (lot 465), bought for 80,000gns at Tattersalls last December, was knocked down to Godolphin for 260,000gns. An excellent week was crowned when his 200,000gns Sea The Stars foal purchase (lot 484) netted 360,000gns to Rabbah Bloodstock.

“We brought five and sold five for very good prices,” Stauffenburg said shortly after the Sea The Stars filly went through the ring.

“When you see what is going on outside our little world, it's amazing that the market is so resilient. There is plenty of money for the good ones. We had a record turnover yesterday and that speaks its own language.

“It will be really interesting to see how Book 2 goes now because I am pretty sure that a lot of people will have left here today disappointed that they couldn't strike as well as they thought they would.”

Stauffenburg added, “The Teofilo colt was probably the best Teofilo I have seen at the foal sales for many years. He was an absolutely outstanding horse and he went the right way. We paid 80,000 and he made 260,000. That's not bad business.

“We have been quite lucky. Yesterday was quite an amazing day.”

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony would doubtless expand on that sentiment to include all three amazing days. He concluded, “Impressive as all the statistics are, the real feature of Book 1 of the 2022 October Yearling Sale has been the sustained demand at all levels of the market which has contributed to a clearance rate well in excess of 85%. Buyers from throughout the world, most notably the Gulf region, America, China, Japan and throughout Europe have all made a significant impact on a record-breaking sale and particularly notable has been the presence of so many of the world's most successful racehorse owners here at Park Paddocks for the duration of the sale. Their confidence in Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale is hugely appreciated and reflects not only the outstanding quality of the yearlings which the vendors commit to the sale year after year, but also the sale's unrivalled reputation for producing Classic and Group 1 winners and Newmarket's status as the European hub of the Thoroughbred business.

“In addition to so many of the world's leading owners, the number of British and Irish trainers active throughout the week has been notable and their presence has without doubt been influenced by the £7,200,000 in October Book 1 Bonus prize-money which we have distributed since 2016. The £20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonuses are hugely popular and to see so many beneficiaries reinvesting this week is a strong endorsement of a scheme which continues to reward owners at all levels of the Book 1 market.”

He added, “To have rewritten the Book 1 record books and to have seen so many breeders and consignors so richly rewarded this week has been wonderful. Europe's premier yearling sale has lived up to its reputation in spectacular fashion and we look forward to sustaining the momentum into Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale starting on Monday next week.”

The post Record Books Rewritten as Book 1 Bonanza Concludes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Blackbeard’s Sister Leads Vibrant Goffs Orby Sale at €2.6 Million

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

KILDARE, Ireland–The victory of Blackbeard (Ire) in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. was really just gilding the lily of his sensational juvenile season which has also given a tremendous boost to his yearling sister, who topped the opening day of the Goffs Orby Sale at €2.6 million.

From a start to proceedings at Kildare Paddocks that could be described as relentlessly solid, the auditorium suddenly filled with people around lunchtime on Tuesday as the dark brown daughter of No Nay Never entered the ring to an almost instantaneous bidding frenzy fuelled by interested parties from China, America and Britain. In the end it was Richard Knight who prevailed, adding the smart filly to a swathe of choice individuals for an unnamed individual who, it is believed, is returning to the racing scene after a hiatus.

Even without the stellar start of her brother, whose near-faultless season for Aidan O'Brien has included victories in G1 Prix Morny, G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Marble Hill S., the filly was adjudged to be an appealing physical specimen. Add to that the excellent record this season of her sire, the decent page of her young dam–which could yet be enhanced by a potential trip to the Breeders' Cup for Blackbeard–and a buying bench packed with international visitors, and it was a safe bet that the Glenvale Stud-consigned filly would be the day's star attraction.

A number of parties made an attempt to secure the filly, including Michael Donohoe, Amanda Skiffington, and eventual underbidder Jacob West, but none had the staying power of Knight.

“I thought she was the absolute standout of the sale, even without her brother on the page,” said the agent, who bought five yearlings at Arqana for €1.98 million and then signed for another six at Keeneland for $4,875,000.

“Just as an individual, she had everything; a lovely size, lovely shape and a very athletic filly. Every time I went to see her, she came out and did exactly what I wanted. She had the brother, the sire and we're just delighted to get her.”

He added of her lofty price tag, “It was at the top of where we thought she'd be but we really wanted her. We didn't want to leave here without her. It's very exciting. She'll go back to the UK but a trainer hasn't been decided on.”

The filly (lot 93) is the second foal of the winning Born To Sea (Ire) mare Muirin (Ire), who was fourth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on just her second start for Robert Moran when trained by Eddie Lynam. Four years ago she passed through the same ring as a 3-year-old and was bought for €210,000 by Laurent Benoit's Broadhurst Agency for the partners in the Newstead Breeding syndicate. Muirin also has a colt foal by No Nay Never this year.

Her consignor Ciaran 'Flash' Conroy of Glenvale Stud said, “You never expect that kind of return on any animal really. We expected her to sell very well, but we were a little more conservative in our expectation than what she made.”

He added, “Blackbeard has been a wonderful horse. He's  improved with every run and Aidan has done a very good job with him. [The filly] is quite similar [to him]; same physique, very strong, good limbs and a good mover.”

 

 

Rousing Start to the Orby

With a top price more than €1 million in excess of last year's sale-topper, the average for the first day of trade shot up by 25% to €129,269, but the market had plenty of depth to it as well, as the median of €100,000 (+33%) demonstrates. Turnover for the 208 yearlings sold from 237 offered (88%) weighed in at €26,888,000, a rise of 37%.

A total of 104 yearlings sold for six- or seven-figure sums on Tuesday compared to 139 across the whole of last year's Orby Sale.

Well-bred fillies were the order of the day and lot 215, a Galileo (Ire) daughter of Royal Ascot heroine Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}), proved predictably popular with Newtown Anner Stud coming out best at €750,000.

One of 11 Galileo yearlings in the sale, the daughter of the 2016 G2 Queen Mary winner attracted strong interest from Coolmore and Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, but it was PJ Colville, acting on behalf of Newtown Anner, who fought hardest.

He said, “She was our pick of the sale, we liked the cross, so let's hope she's lucky. Maurice [Regan] is trying to build a broodmare band. I'll break her in myself and we'll make a decision about where she's trained around Christmas time.”

The pedigree of last year's top lot was on display again in the catalogue and the sister to Starry Eyed (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was third on debut for Aidan O'Brien last Friday at Dundalk, took high order at Goffs when bought by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for €430,000. The agent declined to name his client, whom he described as an owner-breeder who races horses in Ireland.

Bred by Coolmore Stud and Phoenix Thoroughbreds, lot 111 is the second foal of the Grade I-winning juvenile Nickname (Scat Daddy) and was consigned by Baroda Stud.

 

Night's Good Day

Night Of Thunder (Ire) is currently responsible for the fastest filly in Europe in John Fairley's treble Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr) and he featured prominently among the leading sires at the Orby. After signing for the Galileo filly, Michael Donohoe added Mountarmstrong's Night Of Thunder filly out of G1 Matron S. winner No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) to his list of purchases at €525,000.

Lot 164 is also entitled to be pretty fast when she hits the racetrack as she is a daughter of the Listed Prix La Flèche winner Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), herself a full-sister to the G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Peniaphobia (Ire).

Two years ago, Shadwell bought Zanbaq (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the Orby Sale for £450,000 and a timely update from that filly in Friday's Listed Rosemary S at Newmarket will have done no harm to her yearling half-sister by Night Of Thunder (Ire) who was bought by Mark McStay for €350,000 from her breeder Roundhill Stud.

For Roundhill's Bobby Donworth and Honora Corridan this is a family that just keeps giving. The filly's dam Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) is a winning full-sister to Group 2 winners Puissance De Lune (Ire) and Queen Power (Ire), as well as being a three-quarter-sibling to G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Another sister, Serena's Storm (Ire) (Statue Of Liberty), is the dam of dual Group 1 victrix Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and multiple group winner and Group 1 runner-up Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}).

“You're talking to a very happy man. I thought she was gorgeous,” said McStay after signing for lot 147. “She's from an outstanding family and by a top-class sire. Hopefully she'll be a good racing prospect for her new owner, who is an international owner and races horses in England, and if that person wants to breed she's a foundation mare.”

McStay had earlier bought lot 75, the Sea The Stars (Ire) three-parts-brother to Mekhtaal (GB), who was a Group 1 winner by the same stallion, for Bon Ho. The colt's dam Miss Aiglonne (GB) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is also a half-sister to the group winners Democrate (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

The agent added, “Bon Ho loves Sea The Stars and he's had a great season with Deauville Legend and James Ferguson. Hopefully that will continue with Deauville Legend, who is by the same sire, heading to Australia next month for the Melbourne Cup.”

A Night Of Thunder filly was also on the shopping list of Rabbah Bloodstock, which bought lot 220, Lodge Park Stud's first foal of the listed-placed Skill Set (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), for €340,000. The 10 Night Of Thunder yearlings sold during the first session returned an average price of €209,500.

 

Amo 'Branching Out' With Frankel Colt

Ross Doyle and Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing joined forces on the balcony to bid for lot 77, a colt by Frankel (GB) out of the G1 EP Taylor S winner Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), for €360,000. Bred by Paul Fudge's Waratah Thoroughbreds, the colt is a full-brother to New Horizons (Jpn), a four-time winner in Australia.

“His sire has done very well, the pedigree looks good, the mare is a bit older but she has produced some good horses in the past and we just liked the way he moved,” said Joorabchian. “He looked like he was gliding.”

Amo Racing bought the G2 July S winner and multiple Group 1-placed Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at last year's Orby Sale for €225,000 through Peter and Ross Doyle.

Joorabchian continued, “We want to have all kinds [of horses]. We've had a lot of fast 2-year-olds but now we are branching out into the longer-term horses.

“We turned down a very big offer for Persian Force and he is a horse I think we will keep as a stallion. That's what we are trying to do, create our own stallions, and I think he will be one of the first. This sale has been very good for us.”

 

 

American Takeover at Goffs

The effort Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) puts in alongside Goffs to attract the American buyers looks to be paying off in spades with Jason Taylor, Mike Fowler and more contributing to the strong trade.

American agent Bo Bromagen, who described the Orby Sale on Monday as one of the highlights of his year, signed for a Churchill (Ire) filly (lot 22) for €110,000 while Ben McElroy, famed for finding Love Reigns (Ire) and Twilight Gleaming (Ire) at this sale, picked up a Gregorian (Ire) filly (lot 126) for €130,000.

ITM chief Charles O'Neill described the American buying bench to have taken over at Goffs on Tuesday and shared hopes that 60 yearlings would make their way back across the Atlantic Ocean when trade finished.

He said, “It's going really well so far. They have bought about 25 and I'm hoping that, by close of play tomorrow, they will have bought 60. That's the aim.”

O'Neill added, “Some of them got a shock today–there's a typhoon due to hit Florida so a lot of them are trying to get back or else they won't be able to get home for a while. Apart from that, it's been very promising and all the signs are good. They are after taking over.”

The Americans may have taken over but there was still room for other international players to get involved. Notable Australian-based trainer Ciaron Maher picked up one of the quirkiest entries in the sale, a Mastercraftsman (Ire) half-brother to dual Champion Chase winner Altior (Ire) (lot 86).

Consigned by Mark Dreeling's Coole House Farm, the late June-foaled colt was sold to Hamish Macauley and Maher for €150,000.

 

 

'Stars Align' For Lavery to Secure Half to Lady Kaya

As far as Sheila Lavery is concerned, there will never be another Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), but her New Bay (GB) half-brother bore a striking resemblance to the G1 1000 Guineas runner-up, which is why the trainer went to €80,000 to secure the colt from Ballylinch Stud.

Lavery has had a productive sale season, picking up the highly sought after Footstepsinthesand (GB) half-brother to Erosandpsyche (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}) at Tattersalls Ireland last week, and admitted at Goffs on Tuesday that she'd have bought more yearlings this autumn had it not been for the staffing crisis.

But lot 13 was never going to be left behind. The colt may not have been the best-looking horse at the Orby Sale, according to Lavery, but it was that striking resemblance to Lady Kaya that convinced the trainer that he was worth fighting for.

She said, “All the stars aligned. He didn't fall into everyone's category because he is narrow and maybe a little bit weak but, for me, he is very much like Lady Kaya. The physical is quite similar and Lady Kaya's racing weight was only ever 415kg. The full-sister who sold here last year [the unraced Lady Primrose (Ire)] was an out-and-out Dandy Man. This horse is more like Lady Kaya–even the walk is similar.”

Lavery added, “I didn't think I'd be able to get him but he wasn't everybody's cup of tea. I didn't mind the fact that he was a bit small and narrow because I knew what Lady Kaya was.”

Lavery's New Energy (Ire), another son of Ballylinch's hugely popular stallion New Bay, has put the stable in lights this season by finishing second in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.

Despite this, the trainer stated that she is not coloured by sires and puts much more emphasis on broodmare sires when it comes to stocking up at the yearling sales.

She said, “I have a certain criteria. I wouldn't follow a stallion. There are a few that I am partial to, say for example Dandy Man has been very lucky for me, but when I am looking at stallions, the broodmare sire means more to me. I'd put more importance on that. There are a few sires that I would knock off, but not many.”

New Energy, last seen finishing second in a Group 2 at Doncaster, is on course to tackle the G1 Prix de la Foret and is not for sale at any price.

On future plans for her stable star and sharing how the sale circuit has gone to date, Lavery said, “Trade has been strong. I bought one at Doncaster, an Acclamation (GB) filly who I saw as a foal and really liked so I went back in and bought her there. We got a Footstepsinthesand at Fairyhouse and a very nice Dandy Man filly from Ringfort Stud.

“There is a great appetite for horses out there, which is great to see, and I'd buy more if I could get staff. That's the big problem for us and it's not getting any better. It's not just our industry, either. We're not alone in that and, given my staff work extremely hard, I'm not going to make them work any harder. I try to keep my number of horses to about 36.”

She added, “John [Lavery, the trainer's brother] could have sold New Energy multiple times but he is in it for the racing and has no interest in selling. He's seen the downside of this game with Lady Kaya, he was there the day she broke her leg, so he knows the risk he's taking. But he just loves racing and loves being at the top table.

“He'll run in the Foret and, I don't know if many people will rate him for that as maybe they see him as a miler but, after his performance at Doncaster, I think he deserves to take his chance. He's improving with every start–mentally and physically–so the best may yet be to come.”

 

Hugh Hyland Remembered at Goffs

Amid a buoyant day of trade, there was a note of sadness at Goffs at the news of the passing of Hugh Hyland of nearby Oghill House Stud.

An immensely popular man, Hyland died on Monday. With his late brother Pat, who died in February 2021, and his son John, he ran the successful Kildare-based family farm. Hyland's brothers David and Paul are also involved in the business and are the breeders, respectively, of G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Marcel (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and Washington DC (Ire), both of whom are now at stud. Washington DC was bred in partnership with friends and clients Chris and James McHale.

Other notable Oghill House Stud graduates include the Cambridgeshire winner Third Time Lucky (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) and the multiple Group 3 winner Rose Of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), whose Fastnet Rock (Aus) half-sister sells on Wednesday as lot 411. John Hyland is overseeing the Oghill House draft for the Orby and Sportsman's Sales.

Paying tribute to Hugh Hyland on Tuesday, Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Oghill House Stud, Hugh and Pat, have been stalwart supporters of the Goffs sales, particularly of the foal sales, and both of them were a joy to deal with. Hugh was a lovely man with a great sense of humour. He was very patient and kind, and we enjoyed our business, which was mutually beneficial. With Hugh and Pat gone it is the end of an era but John is carrying on the mantle and doing a great job.”

Hyland is survived by his wife Miriam, daughter Barbara Ann and son John, grandchildren Hugh, Honor, Flora and Nicholas, and siblings Stephanie, James, Phil, Vonie, David and Paul. A Requiem Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday in St Peter & Paul's Church, Monasterevin.

Added James McHale, “Hugh was a special man, he was always warm and kind and in over twenty years of knowing him there was never a cross word between us. He taught myself and others so much about young stock and breeding. He loved horses, racing, sports and spending time with friends and family. Always good company socially, we will all remember him through many fun stories, and happy times. Deepest sympathies to Miriam, Johnny, Barbara Ann and the wider Hyland family.”

The post Blackbeard’s Sister Leads Vibrant Goffs Orby Sale at €2.6 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Seven Days: Overwhelming

Where to begin? The past week has been so wrought with emotion that by the time Sunday arrived with its 15 group races in England, Ireland and France only the dourest of stayers made it through to Doncaster's Mallard Handicap.

This is a racing publication, of course, but before we reflect on the action on the racecourse, it would be remiss not to mention the heartbreaking human loss which was so intrinsically entwined with the sport. 

Grief engulfed two nations. Wednesday brought the indelibly sad image of Henry de Bromhead as one of the pallbearers carrying his son Jack's wicker casket from the Butlerstown's Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by mourners of all ages. In solidarity with their friend who lost his life at the age of 13 in a pony racing accident, many of the youngsters appeared at the service in their riding gear.

Jack's grandfather Andrew Moffat and parents Henry and Heather gave us all a lesson in how to grieve with the utmost dignity while paying a magnificent tribute to the boy whose loss has touched people who never even met him, such was the eloquence of their respective eulogies. And during Irish Champions Weekend, Jack de Bromhead was remembered in the red armbands borne by the jockeys in his memory.

In Britain the armbands were a more sombre black. The death of the Queen is in many ways easier to bear than the loss of a teenager with so much sparkle and promise. A 96-year-old woman dying peacefully in the comfort of the Scottish home she adored is what could be described as a 'good death', but Her Majesty's passing is  of course far more symbolic than that. Its repercussions will be felt way beyond her funeral next Monday when Britain's period of national mourning ends. 

The absence of the sport's most celebrated insider will be felt keenly in racing circles. There are enough members of the royal family with a strong love of horses for us to be able to hope that the Royal Studs will endure, but none of the Queen's descendants appear to share quite the level of absorption and devotion she had for breeding and racing. Change will surely come.

Another two redoubtable members of the racing and breeding community also left us in the last week. On Tuesday evening came the shock news of James Delahooke's sudden death on the Yorkshire moors, while on Saturday the passing was reported of Evie Stockwell, whose contribution to the breeding industry has been enormously significant on both the equine and human front. At the age of 97 she had survived her twin sister Lady Mimi Manton by one month. As Eddie O'Leary observed in Nancy Sexton's tribute to Mrs Stockwell, “The world has lost two Queens this week.”

May it come as some comfort to the de Bromhead, Delahooke, Magnier, and O'Callaghan families that the thoughts of their friends and colleagues in the racing world are with them during this sad time.

The Versatile Dubawi Line

So to the horses. A one-two in the St Leger with Eldar Eldarov (GB) and New London (Ire) gave Dubawi (Ire) his 53rd Group 1 win worldwide, and if you are looking for a pattern for his offspring, the answer is that there isn't one, other than a shared willingness to win. 

From top Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine (Ire), who was one of his earliest stars, through champion 2-year-olds, Classic milers, smart middle-distance horses, and a Horse of the Year in Ghaiyyath (Ire), Dubawi pretty much has all the bases covered, including a slew of sons at stud. As well as in Britain's final Classic of the season, the line was also represented at Ireland's Champions Weekend when John Fairley's admirable Highfield Princess (Fr), by Dubawi's Guineas-winning son Night Of Thunder (Ire), sped her way to a third consecutive Group 1 win in three different countries, this time dropping back to the minimum trip to claim the Flying Five. 

Dubawi's latest Classic winner in the delayed St Leger came on the back of his daughter Mimikyu's win in the G2 Park Hill S. on the same afternoon that the White Birch Farm homebred juvenile Kubrick (Ire) won the G3 Prix des Chenes at Longchamp. On European earnings, Dubawi has edged ahead of Frankel (GB) in the leading sires' table and in fact he is way out in front when it comes to black-type winners for the year, his tally of 38 (12% of his runners) putting him ahead of Frankel by 14. The two mighty stallions, who live only about a mile from each other as the crow flies, are level pegging on seven Group 1 winners apiece this year in Europe.

The Lanwades Success Story Continues 

In her role as Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk, Kirsten Rausing was acting as master of ceremonies on Sunday while Newmarket's mayor Philippa Winter read the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III as Britain's new monarch. This meant that Rausing was not on Town Moor to witness a notable first for her as the breeder of a British Classic winner in Eldar Eldarov. 

She was however present for her first British Group 1 winner in her own colours when Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) won the Yorkshire Oaks to bring her Group 1 haul to five. Eldar Eldarov and Alpinista are out of the half-sisters Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) from the Lanwades Alruccaba (GB) family which just keeps giving. 

From a different family entirely springs the expat Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), another redoubtable Lanwades-bred who is thriving in Australia and now has 13 victories to his name, including the G2 Tramway S. on September 3. He is bound for the G1 Cox Plate on October 22 via the G1 Underwood later this month.

Firsts and Seconds For Many

Eldar Eldarov's St Leger win was also of significance for more of his connections. Notably, he became the second breeze-up graduate from Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm to win a Classic this season following the Irish 2,000 Guineas success of Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), last year's champion 2-year-old. Williamson was also the breeze-up pinhooker behind the 2019 Preakness S. winner War Of Will, who now stands alongside his sire War Front at Claiborne Farm. 

For Roger Varian, it was a second victory in Britain's oldest Classic following Kingston Hill (GB) in 2014, and his faith in his young stable jockey David Egan was repaid handsomely as the 23-year-old notched his first Classic victory in the same season he lost his retainer with Prince AA Faisal, for whom he won the 2021 Saudi Cup as well as two Group 1s aboard Mishriff (Ire).

Eldar Eldarov had been bought at the relocated Arqana Breeze-up Sale for £480,000 by Oliver St Lawrence for Bahrain's KHK Racing, thus also giving that relatively new owner in British racing a significant first Classic success. 

Kyprios Continues to Climb

The opening up of the Irish St Leger to older horses almost 40 years ago means that there have been a number of repeat winners, most notably the Dermot Weld-trained Vinnie Roe (Ire), who owned the race between 2001 and 2005. With Vincent O'Brien, Weld jointly holds the record for the most number of winners of the Irish St Leger, with the last two of his nine being provided by the admirable Moyglare Stud-bred filly Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Now six, she has run in the race in all four of her seasons in training, and added a third place to her fine record this year when finishing almost eight lengths behind her full-brother Kyprios (Ire), who is now the pre-eminent stayer in training following his unbeaten season which includes lifting the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.

The Weld stable enjoyed a successful Irish Champions Weekend, however, when unleashing the Aga Khan's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), a half-sister to the brilliant Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), to win the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on just her second racecourse appearance. A day earlier her 3-year-old stablemate Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won the G3 Paddy Power S., leading home a one-two for Maurice Regan's Newtown Anner Stud, which also owned and bred runner-up Thunder Kiss (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Kyprios, who runs in the Moyglare colours but is co-owned by the Coolmore partners, sealed a fruitful weekend for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore as Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) confirmed his juvenile promise by winning the G1 Irish Champion S. on only his second start since resuming from an injury earlier in the season.

Auguste Rodin (Ire), bred on theDeep Impact (Jpn)/Galileo (Ire) cross that has already yielded Classic winners Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and Snowfall (Jpn) for O'Brien, continued the tremendous run of the Ballydoyle juveniles this year with his success in the G2 Champion Juvenile S. in his first run in Pattern class. He could now be headed to England next month for either the Dewhurst or Vertem Futurity. It requires no leap of imagination to see Auguste Rodin make up into a serious Classic contender for next season as the colt is the first foal of the treble Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire), a sister to Magical (Ire) and daughter of the equally brilliant Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

Hint of Things to Come

Al Riffa (Fr) took quite a step up from maiden company to winning the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. on Sunday for Joseph O'Brien, and the result will certainly have been welcomed by the Coolmore camp. Though the colt from the penultimate French crop of Wootton Bassett (GB) is not owned by the Coolmore team but by Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah, he, like Auguste Rodin, is out of a Galileo mare and represents a cross that we are likely to see more frequently in runners following the stallion's move to Coolmore Stud two seasons ago.

The Galileo mares in Wootton Bassett's first Irish crop include Snowfall's dam Best In The World (Ire), Arc winner Found (Ire), and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Clemmie (Ire), who is also a sister to Churchill (Ire), while those currently in foal to him include Group 1 winners Minding (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire), Marvellous (Ire) and Happily (Ire).

Al Riffa, who was bred by a partnership led by Haras d'Etreham, is Wootton Bassett's sixth Group 1 winner, that group being split evenly between colts and fillies. His pedigree certainly gives plenty of hope for him to thrive with age and a bit of a step up in distance. His unraced dam Love On My Mind is a sister to the dual Sagaro S. winner and Gold Cup runner-up Mizzou (Ire), while their dam Moments Of Joy (GB) was a Listed winner over 1m6f and is herself a daughter of the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner My Emma (GB) (Marju {Ire}).

Al Riffa was sold as a foal at Arqana to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for €31,000 the same day that his dam went through the ring for just €11,000, bought by Arqana representative Zied Romdhane. The 10-year-old mare now has a yearling filly by Land Force (Ire) and was subsequently covered by St Leger winner Galileo Chrome (Ire).

Kingsclere in the Spotlight

Andrew Balding's association with Juddmonte has started in some style thanks to the smart juvenile Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who added the G2 Champagne S. to his victory in York's G3 Acomb S. 

A successful Doncaster St Leger meeting for the Kingsclere team also included group wins for two stalwart owners of Park House Stables. First, Bounce The Blues (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) won the G3 JRA Sceptre Fillies' S for the irrepressible Barbara Keller, one of the most enthusiastic owners in the business who also raced the Grade 1 winner Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Similar comments apply to Mick and Janice Mariscotti, who certainly know how to celebrate a big winner and struck on Sunday with the G2 Doncaster Cup winner Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). With victories in the Ascot S. at Royal Ascot and in the Listed Esher Cup, the progressive stayer, who missed almost the whole of his 4-year-old season has certainly given the Mariscottis plenty of cause for cheer this year. Patience rewarded. 

The spotlight will soon be thrown on the Balding stable which features in a new series to be released later this month on Amazon Prime. 'Horsepower' runs in four parts from September 23 and, according to the press release announcing its launch, it “captures a momentous period in the lives and careers of its two main protagonists, racehorse trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy”. 

The documentary series was being filmed when Murphy was banned for 14 months for Covid regulation and alcohol breaches. The trailer for Horsepower can be viewed below.

 

 

Stallions on a Roll

Shadwell's Muhaarar (GB) was represented by Group/Grade 2 winners on each side of the Atlantic last week. On Thursday, Polly Pott (GB) made sure Harry Dunlop's training career will go out with a bang by landing her fourth consecutive win on her first outing in stakes company when winning the G2 May Hill S. at Doncaster. 

Over at Kentucky Downs, Bran (Fr) won the GII Fanduel Turf Sprint S. Not only was the John Sadler trainee bred in France by Lordship Stud but she was ridden to victory by French Classic-winning jockey Vincent Cheminaud, who is now based in America. 

Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega was another stallion to exhibit his versatility on Sunday when represented at Longchamp by G1 Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Lady (Fr) over 1m4f and also by the 5f winner Berneuil (Ire), who landed the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert. Both horses are out of mares by Dansili (GB), which is a cross that has also worked well to produce Grade I winner Capla Temptress (Ire), Group 2 winner Cadillac (Ire), and the dual Group 1 runner-up and Group 3 winner Lope Y Fernandez (Ire).

Lope De Vega has been on a roll of late, with his daughter Dreamloper (Ire) winning the previous weekend's G1 Prix du Moulin to add to her G1 Prix d'Ispahan success, and the aforementioned Duke De Sessa winning a Group 3 on Saturday at Leopardstown. 

The post Seven Days: Overwhelming appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

John Quinn: ‘Flying Five-Bound Highfield Princess The Best I’ve Trained’ 

John Quinn has showered star sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) with praise and described the G1 Flying Five-bound filly as the best he's trained.

Highfield Princess is chasing a third Group 1 win on the spin when she lines out in Sunday's Flying Five S. at the Curragh, one of the feature races of Longines Irish Champions Weekend and Quinn, a native of County Tipperary who has been based in England for the majority of his racing career, is in no doubt that the speedball is the best he's trained.

That's not to say that Highfield Princess was always talked about in such vaunted terms. She may be one of the fastest racehorses around, but Highfield Princess would never have made big money at the sales, given she is noticeably off in front. However, Quinn has always had a soft spot for the way the filly goes about her business.

He recalls, “She had a nice demeanor as a 2-year-old but was backward. She's a typical Night Of Thunder, she's not correct in front and is well off on one, but, funnily enough, she's a wonderful mover. She has great fluidity. You get some horses who are not correct and they move terribly because they can't move any other way. But this filly stretches.”

Quinn added, “This is the best horse we've ever had. We've been lucky to have top-class Flat horses and a few top-class jumpers as well.

“We've had Cheltenham and Aintree winners, won the Queen Mary with Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) and The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) won the Coventry S. and was champion 2-year-old in France, so we've been lucky to have had some very good horses, but she's the best. She's a phenomenal filly.”

And this phenomenal filly sets a daunting standard at the Curragh on Sunday. She was a brilliant winner of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August and was even better in landing the G1 Nunthorpe S. in rare style at York. While Quinn doesn't do confidence, he expects a bold show from his stable star this weekend.

He said, “These Group 1s, they're hard races to win and the rain is coming and there's a few horses in there that will appreciate the ease in the ground. We just want to get her down to the start on Sunday and take it from there.”

Quinn will also be represented on Irish Champions Weekend by Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who runs in the “Sovereign Path” H. at Leopardstown on Saturday.

It was at Leopardstown where Safe Voyage recorded one of his career highlights when landing the G2 Boomerang Mile at this meeting in 2020 and Quinn has already been in the winner's enclosure in Ireland this season when Mr Wagyu (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) landed the Scurry H. at the Curragh in July.

In short, Quinn knows a thing or two about bagging big-race riches on home soil and, on returning home to Ireland with leading contenders this weekend, he added, “I love Ireland–I think about Ireland every day. I've been in England a long time but it's great to go back with nice horses. We only like to go back over when we think we have a big chance.”

Along with being well able to plunder big prizes on the track, Quinn has earned a reputation of being a good man to source a bargain off it, and recalls how neither The Wow Signal nor Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) would have won any beauty pageants.

Despite this, both horses flew the flag for the Quinn stable with great distinction and the trainer is hopeful of picking up a few stars of the future at the yearling sales.

He said, “We got five at Doncaster, which is great, and Sean [son and assistant trainer] was at the Somerville Sale where we underbid a few. The first racing yard I went to when I was younger was Edward O'Grady's and my grandfather was a good stock man so I've picked up plenty down the years. We like a horse with a lot of quality and a bit of scope. You will forgive plenty in a horse if you think you can train them.

“I like to have a look at a horse from the side and like something with a good bit of heart room and a good hind leg. I've never had a good horse with a bad head–I hear some fellas saying they like a horse with small ears but I couldn't subscribe to that.

“Like everything in this game, you live and learn but you want a horse with a nice step, good bone and a nice outlook with a kind eye.”

He added, “The Wow Signal was incorrect in front but he was a phenomenal horse. Liberty Beach was another. She was ordinary enough to look at and had a very ordinary pedigree but, the minute she came into the yard, I said to Sean, 'I like the look of that, she could be a racehorse.' Highfield Princess would never have made big money but she always looked like a racehorse and that's what you want.”

The post John Quinn: ‘Flying Five-Bound Highfield Princess The Best I’ve Trained’  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights