By Emma Berry & Alayna Cullen
NEWMARKET, UK—Any doubts as to the participation of some of the leading buyers at Tattersalls’s flagship October Sale were largely dispelled as Book 1 got underway on Tuesday with four seven-figure lots and the most expensive yearling sold in Europe or North America this year. That honour went to the sole, emotional offering from Colin Murfitt’s local Pantile Stud (lot 174) in the Kingman (GB) half-brother to 2000 Guineas and G1 St James’s Palace winner Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who sold for 2.7-million gns to Oliver St Lawrence acting on behalf of Fawzi Nass and Bahraini interests. The Kingman colt will be trained by Roger Varian.
“He didn’t put a foot wrong from the moment he was born,” said Bo Hicks-Little, stud manager for breeder Colin Murfitt’s Pantile Stud. “He’s just been a superstar and he’s so straightforward. He’s not just a great specimen physically but mentally he’s so professional. He’s been very easy to look after. To me he’s just ‘Goofy’, it was a Disney naming theme that year. I’m going to go back to the stable to see him now.”
The colt’s dam Galicuix (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to G1 King’s Stand S. winner Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), had herself been bought by Murfitt from the same ring back in 2013 for just 8,000gns. A non-winner herself, she hit the bullseye with her first foal, Galileo Gold, and has produced five winners from her five runners to date. She did not produced a foal in 2020 but is back in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB). The Kingman colt was consigned for Pantile Stud by Houghton Bloodstock.
In what felt a strong market throughout the first session of Book 1, figures did predictably take a dip from last year’s buoyant trade but Sheikh Mohammed’s bullish return to the yearling sales accounted for approximately a quarter of the day’s turnover of 27,250,000gns, which was down by 22% on 2019. The clearance rate held up respectably for an elite sale at 73%—or 124 sold from 158 yearlings offered. The average was down 14% at 223,790gns and the median fell by 33% to 120,000gns.
Floors Stud The Main Attraction
The name Godolphin appeared alongside three lots at Arqana’s Select Sale last month and was absent entirely from the Goffs Orby Sale, Keeneland September and Fasig-Tipton’s Selected Yearlings Showcase but Sheikh Mohammed returned with intent to Tattersalls October Book 1, with Anthony Stroud signing for eight lots on his behalf for a total of 7.22 million gns, including three of the four seven-figure lots of the session.
Two of those yearlings hailed from Floors Stud, whose star broodmare Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) was upstaged only by her own daughter when the Dubawi (Ire) colt out of Grade III-placed Cushion (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) elicited a duel between his co-breeder Coolmore and Anthony Stroud. With both interested parties based outside the ring, MV Magnier made his last play at 2-millions gns before the hammer came down on lot 109 in Stroud’s favour at 2.1-million gns.
Earlier in the session, Stroud had outbid Andrew Balding for Attraction’s colt by Frankel (GB), who was the first yearling of the week to breach the million mark at 1.1-million gns. Sold as lot 41, the colt is a full-brother to Elarqam (GB) and half-brother to dual winner Maydanny (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), each of whom also sold for seven-figure sums to Shadwell as yearlings in the same ring.
“I wish Guy was here,” said Floors Stud owner Virginia, Duchess of Roxburghe, of her late husband Guy Innes-Ker, the 10th Duke of Roxburghe, who died in August 2019. He has been succeeded in the dukedom by his son Charles, while younger son George now assists his mother in the running of the stud.
She continued, “This means a huge amount. Everyone knows the story of Attraction and we are very emotionally attached to her. This is really my husband’s legacy. He adored the Dubawi colt as a foal so I hope he’s watching from upstairs.”
Attraction was famously the filly who was too crooked to go to the yearling sales herself but she was a star on the track for the Duke of Roxburghe and Mark Johnston, winning the 1000 Guineas in Britain and Ireland as well as the G1 Coronation S., G1 Sun Chariot S. and G1 Matron S. Returned to her birthplace near Kelso she has continued to repay her breeder handsomely, both in the sales ring and on the racecourse, via her eight winning offspring, which include Bearstone Stud stallion Fountain Of Youth (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and G2 York S. winner Elarqam, a 1.6-million gns yearling in 2016. Cushion, who won twice for John Gosden and was twice Grade 3-placed in America after being transferred to Christophe Clement, raced in partnership for the Duke of Roxburghe and Sue Magnier.
“My son George runs the stud with me, but he has a new job and was not allowed to be here today, which is a real shame,” said the Duchess of Roxburghe. “Ed [Sackville] has been a fantastic support and with Simon Marsh, too, and all the team at Floors has been amazing. Chris [Gillon, stud manager] deserves a special mention. He has produced the horses to perfection, every single one of them. I was so pleased it was him leading up the colt today.”
She continued, “I am thrilled for my late husband who did nothing but dream of Attraction and she has really done us proud. They were two really lovely horses, and they have been since they were foals. My husband always thought they were two of the best he had ever produced and he has been proved right. We wish Anthony Stroud and the team all the success.”
Chris Gillon has managed Floors Stud in the Scottish Borders for eight years and commented after the sale of Attraction’s colt, “It’s absolutely brilliant. We loved him as a foal and he came perfect all the way through his prep. He got down here and everything went so well. Just to see him go through the ring and do that, it’s the icing on the cake.”
He continued, “The late duke saw him as a foal and he loved him and thought he was the best yet that Attraction had produced, but for the colt to come here and do exactly that, the duke will be up there smiling, that’s for sure.”
Golden Touch For Norelands
Harry McCalmont’s decision to buy Fleche d’Or (GB) (Dubai Destination) from her breeder Anthony Oppenheimer has proved to be an incredibly wise one. It wasn’t long before her champion son Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) had improved the pedigree immensely and, though he was famously unsold as a yearling, the mare’s subsequent offspring have been understandably in demand. Last year, her colt by Frankel was the second-top lot of Book 1 when sold to Godolphin for 3.1- million gns. Now named Dhahabi (Ire), he won on debut for Charlie Appleby at Newmarket and has since been listed-placed. This time around the only thing that changed was the price, as Stroud outbid Oliver St Lawrence at 2-million gns to sign for his full-sister (lot 162).
“Once she finishes racing she will be a lovely addition to the broodmare band,” Stroud said. “These sort of fillies rarely come on the market.”
For Norelands Stud manager Matt Gilsenan the result was bittersweet. He said, “I’m slightly disappointed to be honest, as we’d have loved to race her but at that level, in this market and at these times you have to be realistic. It’s very important to the farm to keep everything going. The mare has been absolutely amazing and this filly has been bombproof. She had over 120 shows and a lot of vetting and everyone loved her.”
McCalmont added that Fleche d’Or has a Sea The Stars filly at foot. “I promise she is not coming here next year,” he said. “The mare is back in foal to Kingman.”
McCalmont added, “We’re very pleased to see Sheikh Mohammed here. He saw the filly the other day and I’m very glad he bought her.”
Oakgrove Strikes Again With Dubawi
The cross of Dubawi and Galileo has worked notably well through Group 1 winners Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire) and the top lot of the day wasn’t the only yearling bred this way to be signed for by Anthony Stroud. Oakgrove Stud’s Dubawi (Ire) filly out of the G3 Prix de Psyche winner Be My Gal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), offered as lot 53 by her breeder John Deer, was another to be added to the list at 525,000gns.
Oakgrove Stud manager David Hilton said, “I think it’s a very strong price in what has been a tricky year for everybody. We’re delighted she has been bought by a great judge and thank you to Sheikh Mohammed. She was probably bigger than you would expect for a typical Dubawi but everything was in proportion and she has a bombproof temperament.”
Oakgrove Stud is responsible for breeding one of Dubawi’s best sons, the treble Group 1 winner Al Kazeem (GB), who has returned to stand at his birthplace and is responsible for Group 1 winner Aspetar (Fr) as well as Deer’s Listed Denford Stud S. winner Saint Lawrence (GB).
Stroud’s busy start to the day also included the purchase of lot 36, from Newsells Park Stud, at 480,000gns. A close relation to G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano winner Eminent (Ire), the son of Frankel is out of the young Oasis Dream (GB) mare As Good As Gold from the family which includes Group 1-winning Sadler’s Wells sisters Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon (Ire).
Another Sea The Stars For Miss Yoda Team
Georg Von Opel’s Westerberg operation has been a new name on the buyers’ bench in recent yearling seasons and the owner’s outlay on well-bred fillies with a long-term intent of establishing a broodmare band was rewarded this season with the victory of Miss Yoda (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Preis der Diana in Von Opel’s native country.
Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, who bought Miss Yoda at the BBAG Yearling Sale, was with Von Opel and the filly’s trainer John Gosden when he signed for another daughter of the Aga Khan Studs stallion.
The filly in question was lot 124, consigned by Camas Park Stud, whose 500,000gns price tag was a significant profit on her foal price of 220,000gns last December when sold by her co-breeder Tinnakill House. Out of the Group 2-winning Acetanango (Ger) mare Diamond Tango (Fr), she is a half-sister to the hardy G2 Doncaster Cup winner Desert Skyline (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and three other black-type performers.
The filly’s sale came two lots after another good result for Camas Park Stud which sold a sister to champion stayer Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for 850,000gns to Jamie McCalmont.
“We bought her for an associated client of ours. She is a really classy filly, a bit immature at the moment but will develop into a beautiful racehorse. She has plenty of residual value as well,” said Kelsey Lupo, who signed the docket for lot 122 on McCalmont’s behalf. “She’s a very nice physical, Galileo is the best stallion in the world and a very good broodmare sire. It was a no-brainer.”
Bred by Camas Park and Lynch Bages from the Anabaa mare Dialafara (Fr), the filly is also a sister to G3 Loughbrown S. winner Cypress Creek (Ire) and to Passion (Ire), who was third in this year’s G1 Irish Oaks.
McCalmont Bloodstock also signed for the leading lot for Coolmore’s first-season sire Highland Reel (Ire), who could hardly have had a more eye-catching Tattersalls yearling debut than the half-brother to Group 1-winning miler Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Offered by Highclere Stud as lot 55, the colt was bred in partnership with Floors Stud and is a son of the unraced Nayef mare Beach Frolic (GB), a half-sister to Group 2 winners Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and Joviality (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). He was sold for 320,000gns.
Another relative of a recent Group 1 winner to register a good result for Highclere Stud was lot 148, the Zoffany (Ire) half-sister to G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}). She was bought by MV Magnier for 580,000gns and is also a half to the Listed Pipalong S. victress Exhort (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).
Frankel In Demand
It was a good day in the ring for Frankel (GB) with another highlight aside from the two millionaire yearlings being the sale of lot 66 from Fittocks Stud to Juddmonte Farms for 450,000gns. Bred on the same cross as Frankel’s leading son Cracksman (GB), the colt is the second foal of Blue Waltz (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a half-sister to the treble Group/Grade 3 winner Fantasia (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), who has in turn produced this season’s G3 Classic Trial winner Berlin Tango (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
As such a prominent owner-breeder, Juddmonte Farms is a rare name on the buyers’ sheet at yearling sales but its most high-profile purchase of recent years was Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), the four-time Grade I winner who sadly died earlier this year after three seasons at stud in America, while stud director Simon Mockridge signed for a Kingman (GB) filly at £280,000 at last week’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Frankel had nine yearlings sold through the first session of Book 1 for an average of 590,000gns.
American Presence Well Received
From as early as the second lot in the ring, it was clear that there would again be a strong American influence in Book 1. Fresh from winning the Arc on Sunday, Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm was represented on the buyers’ sheet via Demi O’Byrne, who signed for Hillwood Stud’s Lope De Vega (Ire) filly out of the listed-placed Yarrow (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 2) at 220,000gns.
Later in the session, Brant also secured a full-sister to the G3 Prix du Lys winner Volkan Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 89) for 350,000gns. The filly had previously been bought by Yeomanstown Stud for €200,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale and was one of the most profitable pinhooks of the day.
Proven sires were generally the order of the day for Mike Ryan, whose previous Tattersalls October purchases include the Grade I winners Newspaperofrecord (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). He signed for four fillies during the first session, including Newsells Park Stud’s Siyouni (Fr) daughter of GIII Robert G Dick Memorial S winner Ceisteach (Ire) (New Approach {GB}) (lot 84) at 250,000gns. The quartet was completed by a daughter of Dark Angel (lot 86) and two Frankel fillies (19 and 38). Late in the session, Ryan added a first-crop son of Almanzor (Fr) (lot 155) to the list at 150,000gns.
Ben McElroy had been active at last week’s Goffs Orby Sale for Stonestreet Stables and he signed for four lots at Tattersalls on Tuesday, including lot 22, a colt by Iffraaj (GB) for 250,000gns. The son of the unraced Dansili (GB) half-sister to Group/Grade 1 winners Power (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a successful pinhook for Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud, who bought him as a foal for 110,000gns from Barronstown Stud.
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