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Vibrant Goffs November Sale Concludes

The level of trade during Saturday's second and final session of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale was meant to take a step down following Friday's electric marquee session, but Baroda Stud's 3-year-old Galileo (Ire) filly Loyal (Ire) (lot 1406) ensured there was still a six-figure bidding battle, with the dust eventually settling in favour of Ballylinch Stud–who bred the filly and raced her in partnership with Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor–for €280,000, the highest price achieved on the second day of the Breeding Stock sale for 15 years.

Loyal ran four times this season for trainer Aidan O'Brien. She is the first foal out of Chartreuse (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), the listed-winning and multiple group-placed mare purchased by Ballylinch from Highclere Stud for 825,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2016. Chartreuse is a granddaughter of Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill), whose descendants include the Group 1-winning brothers Ectot (GB) and Most Improved (Ire); G3 Nell Gwyn S. and G1 1000 Guineas third Daban (Ire), and Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who doesn't appear on the page but was third in the G1 Criterium International after the publication of the catalogue. Chartreuse's 2-year-old filly Expand The Map (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is in America, having been bought by Mike Ryan for 230,000gns as a yearling last year, and she finished second in the Klaravich silks in her lone start at Saratoga in July to none other than the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Chartreuse has a yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) that was a 370,000gns buyback at Tattersalls October this year and a filly foal by Lope De Vega (Ire).

“Her dam is a lovely young mare and everybody knows how good Galileo is as a broodmare sire and some of his daughters who didn't perform on the track have gone on to be good broodmares,” said John O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud. “It could all still happen for her in the next few years and we will observe with interest what happens around the family.”

The 2021 renewal of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale produced results not seen at the auction since the heady days of the Wildenstein Dispersal in 2016 and the Paulyn Dispersal in 2013. The sale was back up to two days this year from one in 2020, making direct comparisons inexact, but there is no denying nonetheless the strength of the past two days. A total of 371 fillies and mares were sold (81%) for €16,219,300, up from the €5,490,600 accrued from 174 sales last year. The average jumped 38% to €43,718, while the median was up 26% to €17,000. Though Alcohol Free's dam Plying (Hard Spun) was the star of the show at €825,000, there was incredible demand for the offerings from Derrinstown Stud, Godolphin and the Aga Khan Studs.

Combining last week's four-day foal sale with the Breeding Stock Sale, 1,106 horses changed hands (82%) for €41,827,300. Last year, 656 were sold for €23,069,200. The average across the two sales climbed 7.4% to €37,819, and the median was up 11% to €20,000.

“Thank you,” said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby upon conclusion of trade. “It's no secret that Ireland, Irish bloodstock and, by association, Goffs have endured a torrid time over the last while, and so it has been most uplifting to host a sale of such vibrancy, strength, depth and consistency over the last six days. For that we firstly have our vendors to thank and, as ever, we are indebted to each one of them for their support of our sale.

“We commented on a superb Foal Sale on Thursday, but even that amazing trade almost paled into insignificance when compared to the electric atmosphere of our Breeding Stock Sale, most especially yesterday although today's top price is the highest for the session in 15 years. We knew that we had assembled the best catalogue for many years as so many major breeding entities had drafts of note but the tempo, enthusiasm and hunger to buy was just breathtaking as a huge cast of international buyers, both in person and online, battled for mare after mare to highlight the enduring attraction of the best Irish bloodlines. The class of 2021 will disperse around the globe as international breeders tap into the class and quality that was offered, whilst it was also heartening to see so many local stud farms investing in the future.

“Goffs November has long held a significant place in the calendar and the last week has only underlined its importance to Irish breeders, who sell with us safe in the knowledge that they will always get that little bit more, as well as international buyers who are attracted to Ireland by the quality on offer, together with the unique welcome they receive from the Goffs team and our colleagues at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. Indeed, a trip to Goffs is of course for business but our teams always go out of their way to make it enjoyable at the same time. So our thanks to everyone who has walked through our famous gates this week. Nothing is possible without their patronage and we truly value every lot and each bid.”

 

Aga Khan, Derrinstown Demand Endures

Offerings from the Aga Khan Studs were popular during Friday's session, and that trend continued on Saturday, with that draft accounting for the second and third highest prices, both 3-year-old fillies. Richie Fitzsimons of BBA Ireland signed at €80,000 for the unraced Rayagara (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 1349), a daughter of the G2 Debutante S. winner Raydara (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and half-sister to G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial third Ridenza (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“Mystery Angel, who was second in the Oaks this year, is out of a Dark Angel mare so the cross is an exciting one. She is a nice filly and the mare has already produced a Group 3-placed filly rated 96 with her first runner,” Fitzsimons said.

Tally-Ho Stud, meanwhile, scooped up the twice-placed Sunniyra (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 1351) for €68,000. She is out of the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial second Summaya (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), from the extended family of her breeder's Derby winner Sinndar (Ire).

The late Sheikh Hamdan's Derrinstown Stud was the clear leading vendor at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale, culling 40 for €4,508,000. Derrinstown had accounted for five of the top seven lots on Friday and its top seller on Saturday was the winning Shaaqaaf (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}) (lot 1338), who was sold in foal to first-season covering sire Mohaather (GB) for €60,000 to Tipper House. The 7-year-old Shaaqaaf is out of the listed-winning Burke's Rock (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Also hitting the €60,000 mark was Marlhill House Stud's 6-year-old Clifftop Dancer (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) (lot 1356), who was scooped up by Holloway Thoroughbreds. The half-sister to group winners Bankable (Ire) and Cheshire (GB) is carrying her second foal, by Fastnet Rock (Aus), after producing a Highland Reel (Ire) filly this year.

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A Cooler, Calmer Golden Sixty Returns To Action

Having passed the potentially gut-busting early-season group handicaps, where he'd have been forced to concede plenty of weight, reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) makes his much-anticipated 6-year-old debut in Sunday's G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse.

By all accounts, it is a much more mature version of Golden Sixty, who was last seen taking out the G1 FWD Champions Mile nearly seven months ago to run his winning streak to 14, three wins shy of the record held by the legendary Silent Witness (Aus). One of those horses that does just enough in his trials heretofore, the bay has put his rivals to the sword and is unbeaten in three morning hit-outs ahead of this comebacker. He should be fit enough to dispatch of a familiar cast en route to the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 12.

“He's good, he's healthy. He's more relaxed as you can see even in his gallops,” trainer Francis Lui told the HKJC notes team.

“I think he's getting more mature all the time. He's very well. He's good. We have this Sunday's race and then the Hong Kong Mile and then we'll see after that what we do,” he added.

 

Sunday's co-featured G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200mT) also lures a pair of top-shelf runners who race first-up in the form of Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) and the evergreen Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}). Wellington won four of his six starts last term, capping the season with a 1 1/2-length defeat of the re-opposing Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize Apr. 25. Hot King Prawn is the defending champion of this event and bounced back from a subpar seventh as the favourite in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint to earn a long-overdue top-level tally in the Centenary Sprint Cup. He was last seen finishing fifth, four lengths in back of Wellington, in a Class 1 handicap over course and distance Mar. 13.

“He's always been quite an easy horse to get fit and, of course, he's a very good horse so he always gives me a good feel,” said jockey Alexis Badel of Wellington. “He might need that first piece of competition, he might need to have that run but he looks good, fresh and happy. His action is good as well.”

Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), third in last year's BMW Hong Kong Derby, earned champion stayer honors with a victory in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400mT) in May and was highly impressive in taking out the G3 Sha Tin Trophy H. over an insufficient 1600 metres Oct. 17. The 5-year-old entire is the marquee horse in the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup over a much more suitable 10-furlong trip, a race he'll be using as a steppingstone to either the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup–the richest event on International Day Dec. 12–or the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase over the 2400 metres.

The post A Cooler, Calmer Golden Sixty Returns To Action appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Plying Lives Up To Star Billing

KILDARE, Ireland–Four days of foal trade certainly whetted the appetite for a quality auction of breeding stock at Goffs on Friday, and the widely anticipated sale of the Group 1 producer Plying (Hard Spun) (lot 1185) certainly didn't disappoint when the dam of Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) sold to Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for €825,000. This was the most successful edition of this breeding stock session for a number of years with 13 lots making €250,000 or more; the corresponding number for the past two years was three. At the close of business, the aggregate amounted to €13,913,500, well over twice as much last year's figure of €5,479,600, when the sale was staged in a single session. The clearance rate was 86% while the average came in at €70,627 and the median was €30,000, both major increases on 2020. Last year's aggregate for 173 sold was €5,479,600. The average was €31,674, and the median €14,000.

The tale of the sale topper had been well documented in the build up to the sale, with the mare having been bought by Martin Cooney of Jossestown Farm and Elaine Shaw for just €21,000 at Goffs three years ago. Of course, Plying received the mother of all pedigree updates when Alcohol Free won the G1 Cheveley Park S. last year, but she added further lustre to the family when adding both the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Coronation S. to her CV this year. Offered in foal to one of the best stallions in the business in Lope De Vega (Ire), it was no surprise when the bidding quickly surpassed the €500,000 mark and as it progressed it was Donohoe's BBA Ireland colleague Adrian Nicoll who countered each of Donohoe's bids before Nicoll cried enough at €800,000. As has been the case with many of Donohoe's big ticket purchases, he was acting on behalf of Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong Investments.

“We thought this represented a fantastic opportunity to buy a blue hen mare and I actually think she was good value at that price,” the agent said afterwards. “I think Alcohol Free is a proper champion filly, she is so tough and honest and she stays in training next year as well which is great. The Lope De Vega cover is obviously a big attraction as well as he is a stallion very close to Mr Zhang's heart. We haven't decided who we will cover her with next year, we will take our time before deciding, I'm just delighted to have bought her.”

 

Derrinstown In Demand

The Derrinstown Stud draft provided some rare jewels and one of those, the stakes placed Riqa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 1238), commanded the day's second highest price when selling to David & Diane Nagle's Barronstown Stud for €550,000. Part of that premium was due to the fact the 13-year-old was offered in foal to Kingman (GB), but the fact that she is the dam of the very smart triple group winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) did her prospects no harm.

The quality of the Shadwell mares was evident from early on, and a date with five-time Group 1 winner and exciting young stallion St Mark's Basilica (Fr) is on the cards for the Shadwell mare Aaraas (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) after she was knocked down to John McCormack for €380,000. Lot 1077 had obvious credentials, being the dam already of a top-class performer in Madhmoon (Ire) who won the G2 Golden Fleece S. and was runner up in the G1 Epsom Derby two years ago. After seeing off Jeremy Brumitt to land the 12-year-old mare, McCormack said, “I've bought her for an overseas client but she will stay locally for the time being. There are a number of very exciting young stallions in Europe and after careful consideration we have decided to send her to St Mark's Basilica. He was a wonderful racehorse and I think it will be an excellent marriage. This is a very accomplished mare and to me she was one of the obvious ones to try and buy. She is proven and has already bred one very good horse so there is no reason she cannot do that again. When I saw some very respected breeders follow her into the ring, it persuaded me to go the extra yard to try and get her.”

McCormack returned to the fray late in the evening when purchasing Eylara (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) (lot 1246) for €350,000. The Aga Khan-bred filly won last year for Dermot Weld, attaining a rating of 91 in the process and is a half-sister to Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) from a family replete with black-type horses.

A Shadwell mare called Garmoosha (Kingmambo) (lot 1085), who is also the dam of a Group 2 winner in Raabihah (Sea The Stars {Ire}), surpassed the price paid by John McCormack when selling to MV Magnier for €430,000. The 13-year-old had been covered by Sea The Stars (Ire) but is not in foal and is from the immediate family of two Oaks winners in Eswarah (GB) (Unfuwain) and Midway Lady (Alleged).

“She is a lovely mare and she could suit either Wootton Bassett or St Mark's Basilica so we will see. St Mark's Basilica is a very special horse to do what he has done on the track and we will be supporting him strongly,” said MV Magnier.

Another mare that will make Tipperary her new home is Muteela (GB) (Dansili) (lot 1147). She is off to Mountarmstrong Stud after Noel O'Callaghan bought her for €350,000. In foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire), the stakes winner has already bred two smart 2-year-old winners and gave birth to a Night Of Thunder colt earlier this year.

Mags O'Toole was pushed to the same price of €350,000 to secure Zahratty (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) (lot 1244) from Derrinstown. The 4-year-old, in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire), is a daughter of stakes winner Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and a half-sister to two black type runners.

Games Boosts Sister

One of the pinhook results of the year was pulled off when the Castlebridge Consignment sold Feminism (Ire) (Shamardal) (lot 1192) for €370,000 to Jill Lamb. The 4-year-old was bought four months ago at the July Sale in Tattersalls for 34,000gns by Barry Lynch on behalf of a long-standing Irish client, but at that stage her 2-year-old half-brother Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had only finished fifth on debut in a maiden. Since then, of course, he has gone on to plunder the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar having won the G3 Somerville S. at Newmarket en route. Add in Feminism's 3-year-old full brother Modern News (GB), who looks a pattern horse in waiting, and it all came together perfectly for her. Having purchased Feminism on behalf of Newsells Park Stud owner Graham Smith-Bernal, Lamb said, “She's a lovely physical with a lot of quality. Obviously the pedigree has blown up but there should be more to come from Modern Games, and Modern News looks like he should get black-type.”

Not content with landing the sale topper alone, Mick Donohoe was on something of a high-end shopping spree throughout the day, and he had earlier gone to €265,000 for Ballylinch Stud's Siyouni (Fr) mare So Unique (Fr) (lot 1153). Stakes-placed in France, the 5-year-old had a colt by Waldgeist (GB) this year and was sold back in foal to the Arc winner. The mare is likely to visit Lucky Vega (Ire), having been bought by Donohoe for Yulong Investments.

“While Mr Zhang's main aim is to support the foals and yearlings by Lucky Vega in the sales ring, he also wanted to buy a few high-class mares to send to him himself and this mare fit the bill,” Donohoe said afterwards.

A few minutes later Donohoe struck for the Aga Khan mare Eytarna (Ire) (Dubai Destination), (lot 1159) for €330,000. The 15-year-old is in foal to Teofilo (Ire) and has bred G2 Blandford S. winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) as well as the listed winner Eshera (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). She too will be covered by Lucky Vega when he begins stallion duties at the Irish National Stud in the spring. Donohoe also tapped into the Baroda Stud and The Castlebridge Consignment drafts when paying €225,000 each for Grenadine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 1181), sold in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB), and Sapphire Ring (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 1188), who is carrying to No Nay Never.

Star Mares For New Sire

Another Aga Khan mare bought to support a young stallion was Ediyva (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 1158), who was knocked down to Northern Star Bloodstock for €300,000. The mare was bought by David Ward, who is keen to send some high-quality mares to his champion sprinter Starman (GB), who will embark on his new career at Tally-Ho Stud in a few months. Ediyva has the not insignificant task beforehand, though, of delivering a Siyouni (Fr) foal, due in February. “There's been a great reception to Starman and he has been very well received so far,” Ward said. “We are keen to get a number of mares to send to him and it's very exciting.”

Ward had earlier spent €160,000 buying Muraaqaba (GB) (lot 1146) from the Shadwell draft. The Derrinstown mares were a testament to the endeavors of the late Sheikh Hamdan over the last few decades and another to sell well was Albaraah Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 1080). The 13-year-old was offered in foal to Blue Point (Ire) and was knocked down to Barronstown Stud for €230,000. Albaraah was a stakes winner herself and she has already produced two stakes winners, while she has a yearling colt by Sea The Stars (Ire) and a filly foal by Lope De Vega (Ire) waiting in the wings.

Four lots later, it took a bid of €210,000 from Summerhill to buy Ajaazah (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 1084). The stakes-placed filly was sold in foal to Teofilo (Ire) and her colt foal by Exceed And Excel (Aus) sold for €130,000 in Goffs on Tuesday.

Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock made its presence felt online when purchasing Moonlight In Paris (Ire) (lot 1099) for €165,000. Consigned by Baroda Stud, the mare was rated 102 on the track and was sold in foal to No Nay Never on her first cover.

Another overseas purchaser to utilise the Goffs online portal was Morinaga Bokujo, who went to €175,000 to buy lot 1119 from Alice Kavanagh's AK Thoroughbreds. Raheeq (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) was an impressive winner of her only start as a 2-year-old for Roger Varian, but never made it to the track thereafter. Purchased by Stroud Coleman for 37,000gns this time last year, she returned in foal to Dark Angel (Ire) which added significantly to her value.

Goffs wraps up its flat sales action for the year on Saturday with another day of breeding stock beginning at 10 a.m.

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Champion Racehorse, Sire Pivotal Dead

Pivotal (GB) (Polar Falcon-Fearless Revival {GB}, by Cozzene), Cheveley Park Stud's homebred champion sprinter who went on to have a huge impact as a sire and broodmare sire, died age 28 peacefully in his paddock at Cheveley Park Stud on Friday morning. Pivotal had been pensioned at Cheveley Park since covering a very select book of mares earlier this year.

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, said, “The story associated with the 'Mighty' Pivotal is truly extraordinary, considering he was the result of the very first covering his sire, Polar Falcon, was given. Thankfully, as a yearling, it was decided to retain him to race, rather than offer him for sale, as we did with the other yearling colts by Polar Falcon that year. Whilst in the hands of trainer Sir Mark Prescott, Pivotal truly put Cheveley Park Stud on the map, giving owners David and Patricia Thompson their first Group 1 winner in the stud's famous red, white and blue colours.

“Having covered a relatively small book of mares in his first year, his resulting progeny excelled and inspired at all levels, which they have continued to do throughout his career, both domestically and internationally. On the world stage, Pivotal has excelled as a sire, a sire of sires and as a broodmare sire, to the highest level and all of us at Cheveley Park Stud have been so blessed to have been part of his life for 28 years.”

Bred by David and Patricia Thompson out of another homebred, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained dual winner Fearless Revival, Pivotal joined the Sir Mark Prescott ranks in 1995 when, as detailed by Richardson, he was kept back from the yearling sales.

“Pivotal was a very interesting horse because he was big and awkward and clumsy as a yearling,” recalled Prescott in an interview with the TDN's Emma Berry last November. “He was the first covering of his sire and he was the first foal of his mother. And neither ever did as good again.”

Prescott recalled the first time he saw Pivotal at Cheveley Park Stud.

“I can see the field now actually, and there standing in the corner was Pivotal: wet, and bedraggled, and heavy,” he said. “He fell off the box when he came here but the first time we worked him, he absolutely flew. And it was a complete shock; normally you've got an idea.”

Pivotal broke his maiden at second asking in October of his 2-year-old campaign by 2 1/2 lengths going six furlongs at Newcastle. As referenced by Prescott, Pivotal would only once more go that far, when off the board behind Anabaa in the 1996 G1 July Cup, but that lone blip at three was bookended by victories in the G2 King's Stand S. and G1 Nunthorpe, enough to earn him champion sprinter honours.

“Sir Mark put him on the map,” said Richardson. “He broke the all-age track record at Folkestone and he gave the Thompsons their first Group 1 win in their Cheveley Park colours, which was obviously very special to have a homebred colt do that.”

Pivotal returned to his birthplace to take up stud duties in 1997, standing for £6,000. He would dip to £5,000 in years three through five but would never again stand for less than five figures following his first season with 3-year-olds. That first crop would come to number nine stakes winners and three Group 1 winners headed by Cheveley Park's Kyllachy (GB), who emulated his sire with a Nunthorpe win before joining him at stud, while Golden Apples (GB) won a trio of Grade Is in America. Another multiple Grade I-winning mare in America followed in the next crop in Megahertz (GB), and by the time that Cheveley Park-bred won the 2005 GI Yellow Ribbon S. for Bobby Frankel, Pivotal's fee had climbed to £65,000. That is because the likes of triple Group 1-winning sprinter Somnus (GB), G1 Sun Chariot and G1 Lockinge S. winner Peeress (GB) and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas scorer Saoire (GB) had continued to boost his stock.

Among those to follow shortly thereafter were the G1 Sun Chariot S., G1 Nassau S. and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Halfway To Heaven (Ire); G1 Pretty Polly S. and G1 Prix Jean Romanet victress Izzi Top (GB); G1 Dubai World Cup winner African Story (GB); dual Oaks scorer Sariska (GB); G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Coronation S. winner Immortal Verse (GB); G1 Champion S. and G1 Lockinge S. scorer Farhh (GB); G1 Deutsches Derby winner Buzzword (GB); G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere scorer Siyouni (Fr), his heir apparent at stud; and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Falco (GB).

If there is one trend among the aforementioned Group 1 stars, it is that there aren't many: the Pivotals soon proved their ability to win the best races in any country, on any surface and at nearly any trip, and to maintain their ability over many seasons. This is perhaps best exemplified by his 2014 crop, his last large crop, which included two of his best-ever runners in Addeybb (Ire)-the winner of the three Group 1s in Australia and Ascot's G1 Champion S. over the past two seasons at ages six and seven–and Avilius (GB), who won three Group 1s Down Under ranging from a mile to a mile and a half in 2019 at the age of five. Pivotal's 2014 crop also included Glen Shiel (GB), winner of the G1 British Champions Sprint S. last year at age six, and runner-up in the same race this year.

Pivotal, who stood for as much as £85,000, has sired 157 stakes winners, 89 of those group winners and 32 Group 1 winners. He has sired stakes winners at a rate of 11% of his starters, and those have come in 12 different countries. Beginning with his 2015 crop, Pivotal began covering greatly reduced numbers, but prior to that he averaged 8.5 stakes winners per crop. Pivotal was eight times the leading British-based sire by individual winners in a calendar year, and was twice the leading British-based sire by earnings.

It didn't take long, either, for Pivotal to establish himself as an extraordinary force as a broodmare sire, with no greater example than the aforementioned Halfway To Heaven, whose three stakes winners include the prolific Group 1-winning daughters of Galileo (Ire), Rhododendron (Ire) and Magical (Ire). Another blue hen daughter of Pivotal among the Coolmore broodmare ranks is Beauty Is Truth (Ire), who is responsible for the Group 1 winners Hydrangea (Ire), Hermosa (Ire) and The United States, all by Galileo.

Pivotal is likewise the broodmare sire of Love (Ire) and Cracksman (GB), both standouts of their generations, as well as American turf champion Main Sequence, standout sprinter and young sire Advertise (GB), triple G1 Prix de la Foret victress One Master (GB), G1 Commonwealth Cup winner and young sire Golden Horde (GB) and French Classic winners Olmedo (Fr) and Precieuse (Ire) among many others. Pivotal's daughters have produced 26 Group 1 winners, the most recent of those, appropriately, being Immortal Verse's 2021 G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Tenebrism (Caravaggio). Pivotal was champion European broodmare sire in 2017 and 2019, and his daughters have supplied 127 stakes winners, 74 of those group winners.

Seven of Pivotal's sons have sired Group 1 winners, with the most prolific of those being the Aga Khan's French-based Siyouni, whose six Group 1 winners include the generational leaders St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Sottsass (Fr), Laurens (Fr) and Ervedya (Fr). With the first two now in their formative years in the Coolmore stallion barn, Pivotal's sireline looks short odds to live on.

“He has had a fantastic life, but it is a sad day,” Richardson said. “It is hard for everybody here. The stallion handler, John Rice, has looked after him for all these years, day and night, and has slept next door to him. So it is very hard for everybody here. It is like seeing somebody for 20 years every day–they become really close friends.”

The Pivotal story is not yet finished being written, either.

“Of his last crop of foals, we have two fillies and a colt, and from the last crop of 30 mares he covered in 2020, he got 15 in foal,” Richardson said. “There are around 10 foals born this year, that we will look forward to seeing perform. We are fortunate that around 75% of our broodmare band has a Pivotal influence.”

 

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