Tag: Ulysses

“It’s All To Play For” – Murphy Team Place Faith In Derby Hope White Birch

John Murphy has described himself as very lucky to have come across Betfred Derby contender White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and says that his 14-1 chance for Epsom glory is more than worthy of his shot in the line-up for the eagerly-awaited Classic. 

White Birch identified himself as a bona fide Derby prospect when streaking to G3 Ballysax S. glory at Leopardstown earlier in the season. From there, he went on to overcome a tardy start to finish an excellent second behind The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G2 Dante S. at York, enhancing his Derby credentials in the process. 

Murphy, who turned 62 last week, said, “It's hugely exciting. It gives you a pep in the step and we're really looking forward to it.”

Murphy is best known for sending out Newmill (Ire) (Norwich {GB}) to win the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006. That was the Upton-based trainer's first ever top-level triumph and he followed it up with another when Newmill went on to win at the Punchestown Festival later that spring. 

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the days of Newmill, with Murphy almost entirely concentrating on the Flat now, the fruits of which will be in full bloom on Saturday.

“We're just very lucky,” he added. “We're very thankful to everyone who has made it possible, especially all of our staff, who have done a great job with White Birch.”

However, it's not entirely true to say that White Birch will be Murphy's first Derby runner. The man who describes himself as a producing trainer, a nod to the fact he gets as much of a kick out of selling horses as he does winning with them, pinhooked Papal Bull (GB) many moons ago. 

Papal Bull went on to finish a luckless 10th in the Derby for Sir Michael Stoute the same year Newmill won the Champion Chase and is just another horse that Murphy enhanced the value of, having bought him as a foal for just 20,000gns and selling him on to Demi O'Byrne as a yearling for 100,000gns. 

But it is Murphy's son George, along with the help of Tally-Ho Stud's Roger O'Callaghan, who deserve all the credit for finding White Birch. O'Callaghan highly recommended the grey to the 29-year-old and a private deal was brokered. 

Recalling the story, Murphy said, “It was George who saw White Birch first. The horse had been recommended by Roger O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud and you have to listen when Roger speaks. When George went to see him, he loved him. He's a beautiful-looking horse. He had everything.”

There may have been a certain amount of luck in White Birch finding his way to the Murphys but even more when it came to hanging on to the horse. The phone calls were endless when White Birch won his maiden by over six lengths at Dundalk last November but it was long-standing owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, who has had Big Time (Ire) (Kheleyf) and Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) here and won the Oaks with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who came up trumps.

Murphy said, “He always did it easy and always had a lovely brain. He did it very well at Dundalk and there was a lot of interest in him after that. 

“The owners [Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez] expressed an interest and we were delighted that they bought him and were kind enough to leave him in training with us. They are long-standing owners of ours and love their racing. They are here for a good one now anyway.”

A good one might be putting it mildly. White Birch is well found in the Derby market and, with Shane Foley committed to riding Jessica Harrington's Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Colin Keane has been booked to ride. 

Murphy said, “We're delighted to have Colin on board. We have had a good relationship with Colin over the last number of years and White Birch definitely won't be lacking in the saddle anyway.”

And what would success mean to this father-and-son operation who have been without a flagship Group 1 horse for the best part of a decade?

“It's huge,” comes the response. “We might seem calm but, inside, a lot is going on. It's all to play for in the Derby. He probably has as much entitlement to go there as anything else in the race. Everything is good with the horse and we are happy.”

The post “It’s All To Play For” – Murphy Team Place Faith In Derby Hope White Birch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Seven Days: All The Young Dudes

We're starting to feel a little long in the tooth in this corner. The racing equivalent to the observation about policemen looking young these days now applies to the weighing-room, and on Saturday one young gun after another came out with a performance that would entitle them to be considered the next big thing. 

Benoit de la Sayette has already achieved plenty in his nascent career. Now 20, he had his first ride in November 2020 and became the first apprentice attached to John Gosden's stable in almost 30 years. 

On Saturday he won the Lincoln for the second time in three years aboard the David Menuisier-trained top weight Migration (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}). Last October, de la Sayette was crowned champion apprentice, a title that could probably have been his a year earlier if he had not been banned for six months after testing positive for cocaine not long after his first Lincoln victory on Haqeeqy (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Chasing him up in last year's apprentice race was Harry Davies, who has just turned 18 and is attached to the powerful Kinsgclere academy which has produced so many good apprentices over the years. Currently on 70 winners, it won't be long before Davies loses his 3lb claim and, as he demonstrated nicely on Saturday evening, he's every bit as good without it. Charlie Appleby was swift to notice Davies's talents and has used the young jockey with some frequency, including in the Cardinal Conditions S. at Chelmsford, in which he was unable to claim but still got the job done nicely to win aboard Bold Act (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who heads next to a Classic trial.

While Davies was wintering in Bahrain then preserving what's left of his claim, a new name came to the fore on the all-weather circuit: Billy Loughnane. Now with 42 wins to his credit, 36 of which have come this year, the youngster only turned 17 last month and is currently lying in third in the overall jockeys' standings. Returned from a stint riding in America, he won the first turf race of the season, the Brocklesby S., in which he too was unable to use his claim. 

Loughnane's winning mount, Doddie's Impact (GB), is named after the late rugby star Doddie Weir, who died from motor neurone disease (MND) last November. The son of Pearl Secret (GB) was bred by Ciaran and Nicola Paterson and was bought for £6,000 as a yearling by his trainer Robyn Brisland, who is now dreaming of Royal Ascot.

Cross Channel Racing, which owns Doddie's Impact, has pledged 50% of his prize-money and any sale proceeds to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation which raises funds towards vital research into MND. There will be plenty of people willing this colt to keep winning.

Honourable mentions must also go to apprentices Jonny Peate, who won the Lincoln consolation race, the Spring Mile, on Harswell Duke (GB) (Garswood {GB}), and to Connor Planas, who landed both divisions of the apprentice handicap at Doncaster in a rare Flat double for Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell. 

Hold That Thought

In the centenary year of the Wildenstein family's racing and breeding operation, a Classic winner would certainly be fitting, and there would arguably be no race more appropriate for Diane Wildenstein to win than the Prix de Diane. 

The owner-breeder, who races under the name of Ballymore Thoroughbred, is currently in pole position for the 'French Oaks', with her unbeaten filly Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who progressed from her facile victory in the Listed Prix Rose de Mai to take Saturday's G3 Prix Penelope with similar ease. 

Pensee Du Jour's family has already been represented by a winner of the Prix de Diane in the 1976 victrix Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin {Fr}), who also won the Penelope en route to victories in the Oaks at Epsom and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.  in her sensational season for Angel Penna Sr. Pawneese was a half-sister to Pensee Du Jour's third dam, the Group 3 winner Petroleuse (Fr) (Habitat). The celebrated dynasty also includes the Arc winner Peintre Celebre (Nureyev) and star stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who is a great grandson of Pawneese. 

Brazen Doncaster Double 

Sunday's results at Leopardstown had a largely familiar feel to them with Aidan O'Brien winning both Guineas trials courtesy of Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Never Ending Story (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). 

At Doncaster on the first day of the British turf season, results were more evenly spread with some notable results for smaller stables and less-heralded stallions.

Australian sprinter Brazen Beau (Aus) hasn't stood in the northern hemisphere since 2019, but fillies from his second and third crops, Vadream (GB) and Astral Beau (GB), gave him a stakes double. The former, who has also won the G3 Bengough S. at Ascot, was the comfortable winner of the Listed Cambridge Trophy in her preferred muddy conditions for Charlie Fellowes, while Astral Beau took a major step forward to notch her first stakes victory in the Listed Doncaster Mile for trainer/breeder Pam Sly.

The Sly family has enjoyed much success with Astral Beau's family. Her grand-dam Speciosa (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) pulled off a famous triumph in the 1,000 Guineas 17 years ago and has produced five winners, including Asteroidea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the dam of Astral Beau, and Specialty (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), whose daughter Eileendover (GB) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) won a Listed bumper and later scored on the Flat at Newmarket.

The trainer now plans to return to Newmarket's Guineas meeting, with the aim of running Astral Beau in the G2 Dahlia S.

Birch Flying

Cheveley Park Stud, who were once more celebrating victory at the Cheltenham Festival last month, will be turning their attention towards the Flat even though a few juicy jumping targets remain this season. 

With the treble Group 1 winner Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set to headline this year's Flat team, several colts bred by the stud got the ball rolling in other owners' colours. Arguably most pleasing of all for the Cheveley Park team was the victory of White Birch (GB), who provided his sire Ulysses (Ire) with back-to-back winners of the G3 Ballysax S. after Piz Badile (Ire) last year. 

White Birch, who really should be owned by Peter Brant, is out of the 98-rated Dutch Art (GB) mare Diagnostic (GB). He made his first two starts in the colours of his trainer John Joseph Murphy until being sold privately to race for Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez.

Another grey colt from the same Cheveley Park Stud crop, Theoryofeverything (GB) Frankel {GB}), made a striking debut on Sunday when winning a Doncaster novice race by six lengths in ground that had dried overnight from heavy to soft.

Now owned by Prince AA Faisal, Theoryofeverything had a yearling price tag of 325,000gns, reflecting his breeding. His dam Persuasive (Ire (Dark Angel {Ire}) won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and her Dubawi (Ire) juvenile colt is now with Godolphin, having fetched 1 million gns at last year's October Sale.

Amazing Both Sides of the Atlantic

There was a Franco-German one-three in Saturday's GIII Orchid S. at Gulfstream when French ex-pat Christophe Clement saddled Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}) to win on her American debut, with fellow German-bred and stable-mate Atomic Blonde (Ger) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) in third.

Both mares went through the ring at Arqana last December, when Dr Christoph Berglar's homebred Amazing Grace sold to Moyglare Stud for €850,000 and a private sale of €340,000 was agreed for The Atomic Blonde. Breeder Michaela Faust, who owns Gestut Karlshof with husband Bruno, has retained part-ownership of the latter and now races the Italian Group 3 winner with West Point Thoroughbreds and Heather Winter. Incidentally, Amazing Grace and The Atomic Blonde had filled the same two places when racing against each other in last year's G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden. 

The winner wasn't the only high-profile purchase for Moyglare Stud at Arqana last year. Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), winner of the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and runner-up to Clement's Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, has also now joined the Clement barn to race for Moyglare's Eva Maria Bucher-Haefner.

Closer to home, the Irish-based, Swiss-owned operation can look forward to the return of last year's Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in Wednesday's Heritage S. at Leopardstown.

Starstruck by Mr Hollywood

Germany placed itself on the TDN Rising Stars list early for the season when the glitzily-named Mr Hollywood (Ger) was pushed out with just hands and heels by Leon Wolff to win on debut for Henk Grewe at Mulheim. 

There was a lot to like about the race. Firstly, who doesn't love a flag start on the Flat? Far better than the angst of starting stalls. And Mr Hollywood, as pointed out by Tom Frary, did indeed add some movie star sparkle to a grey day in Mulheim. 

His sire Iquitos (Ger), who signed off from his racing career at the age of six with victory in the Grosser Preis von Bayern to add to his two previous Group 1 wins, is a son of Adlerflug (Ger), the stallion who sadly died just as the rest of Europe suddenly realised he was really rather good. The only other Adlerflug sire remaining in Germany is the more widely known Torquator Tasso (Ger), now in his first season at Gestut Auenquelle.

Iquitos stood for two seasons at Gestut Ammerland before moving last year to Gestut Graditz, south of Berlin, where he covers for €5,000. Mr Hollywood was the first of only five foals born in his debut crop. The following year that number dropped to two, and he had 13 registered foals last year. It's fair to say that Iquitos has not exactly been well supported in his stud career to date. Perhaps Mr Hollywood might prompt a rush of late bookings this season. 

Let's Get Quizzical

Two members of the TDN Europe team were lured to Co Carlow last week to take part in the the Mark O'Hanlon Memorial Racing and Breeding Quiz at the famous Lord Bagenal Inn.

The last time this quiz had taken part in 2020 was just before the Covid shutters came down on the world. One can normally expect to find Willie Mullins on a team in his local, and it can only be presumed that his absence this time around was as a result of the lingering embarrassment at having answered one of the questions about himself incorrectly three years ago. 

There was no such shame for the trainers in attendance last week. Richard Fahey remembered that he had trained 235 winners in 2015, Pat Fahey was able to name his winner of the November Handicap, and Joseph O'Brien recalled the name of his brother's first Classic winner, guiding his team of JJ Slevin, Kevin Blake and Mark Hackett into a dead-heat for second with Luke Barry, Nancy Sexton, Brian Sheerin and myself. 

I had hoped to sign up a ringer when I saw Ryan Moore waiting in the queue for my flight to Dublin. I swiftly thought the better of it as I passed him by and could have sworn that I saw his look of vague recognition change in a heartbeat to one of horror at the thought that he might have to spend the flight sitting next to an annoying member of the Fourth Estate. 

Fortunately for Moore, our seats were far apart. He disembarked to go and do what he does best, and rode a winner at Navan that afternoon. I headed to Leighlinbridge and followed that time-honoured tradition observed by racing journalists of starting an argument in a pub quiz and staying up drinking into the early hours. We all have our calling. 

A brave person might say that quiz organiser Joe Foley is something of a control enthusiast. His own version of 'the umpire's decision is final' was read out at the start and went along the lines of 'the answers are the answers even if they are wrong'. A few bold quizzers approached the front desk to challenge Foley through the evening but were swiftly sent packing, and almost certainly docked several points for the audacity of the challenge.

I'm not usually a favourite-backer, but the identity of the winning team was never really in doubt. The unimpeachable Ryan McElligott, who had turned down several large bungs to jump ship, lifted the trophy along with Bobby and Mouse O'Ryan and Ger Connelly.

Richard Fahey was less fortunate than Ryan Moore when he was obliged to share his breakfast table the next morning with two journalists and the indefatigable Foley, who had presumably overseen at least three covers at Ballyhane Stud across the road before returning to the Lord Bagenal.

Foley spent much of breakfast looking at videos of various horses on Fahey's phone. The words “rocket” and “Queen Mary filly” were uttered in hushed tones and when an enquiry as to the identity of this speedball was issued, the stallion master wasted no time in replying with a grin, “She's by Soldier's Call”.

Fahey rashly promised to allow the TDN to visit his yard, but only on the proviso that I muck out ten boxes before being granted an interview. Happily, along with arguing in pub quizzes, mucking out is one activity at which I'm fairly proficient. In the coming weeks, I'll head to Yorkshire, pitchfork in hand, with the aim of extracting the name of this year's Queen Mary winner.

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Foals Keep Up Market Momentum at Tatts

by Chris McGrath

NEWMARKET, UK — The world certainly looks a different place from when these babies slithered into the straw. A less frightening one, thankfully, to many breeders, who have been relieved by a remarkable strength and depth in all levels of the market after the global economy absorbed the shock of Covid. So while the Tattersalls December Foal Sale opened in the customary low register, business on Wednesday unequivocally maintained the buoyant morale established in other sectors. Indeed, the clearance rate of 84% was a session record, and likewise the 16 transactions of 40,000gns or more.

In fact, even if you set aside a sale that performed rather better than anticipated last year, business comfortably outstripped even the pre-Covid levels of 2019. Year on year, meanwhile, a virtually identical offering (204 entered the ring, three more than 12 months ago) yielded turnover of 2,624,800gns, up no less than 66% on 1,585,100gns. That translated into a giddy 15,350gns average, up 31% from 11,741gns (10,091gns in 2019); and a 10,000gns median up from 8,000gns (a mere 5,000gns in 2019). Just 33 lots failed to find a new home, compared with 66 last year.

And these figures, in a way, perhaps represent a more instructive harvest than those recorded at the top end. For it is days like this that can tell you most about horses and horsemen alike, and how they respectively cope with the attrition of the market's lower reaches. Many more “obvious” foals will doubtless be offered on Thursday, but the real judges were already at work and their acuity and diligence should, if only the wind keeps blowing behind them, find due reward many of these animals return to market next autumn.

Passing Every Test…

Time Test (GB) is the only rookie stallion in Europe to have mustered four black-type winners from his debut crop but here he owed his latest headlines to the people who stand his rival Ardad (GB), who has matched him with two group scorers.

For it was Overbury Stud who presented a son of the National Stud stallion to achieve the top price of the opening session, at 75,000gns, from Redpender Stud. And Time Test must share the credit for Lot 362 with his dam, Wild Mimosa (Ire) (Dynaformer), who had further decorated what is already an excellent family when the result of their first mating, Love Interest (GB), made a stylish winning debut for David O'Meara at Newcastle since the publication of the catalogue.

Wild Mimosa was confined to a single start in a frustrating career for the Lloyd-Webbers and was culled for 52,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock in this ring four years ago–despite a productive start as a broodmare, and counting two Group 1 winners (Compton Admiral (GB) (Suave Dancer) and Summoner (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and the dam of champion The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) among her siblings. It is not difficult to understand why, however, judging from the testimony of Simon Sweeting.

“She's a mare we have to take the foals off straightaway as she savages them,” explained the Overbury Stud manager. “She has done it twice. So we were told not to let her see the foals, and to raise them on foster mares: we have one organised every time now. But she's been a huge success.”

Indeed, her yearling colt by Ardad brought six figures at the October Sale here.

“The 2-year-old looks like she might be okay,” said Sweeting. “She'll go back to Time Test. She was in foal to Ardad, but sadly lost it at 42 days.”

Sweeting declined to be partisan about Ardad's rival, describing him as a very different sire–while “almost” as good. In fact, he has a breeding right in Time Test. “He's a fabulous stallion,” he said. “And he's got a lot farther to go, we're very excited about him. It's great that the National Stud has such a good horse, I'm thrilled about that.”

The new owner of this colt, Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud, said: “He's a nice-looking horse by a promising young sire. I've never had a Time Test before, but this one is well-made, so we'll hope for the best. There's a bit going on in the pedigree. I thought less would buy him, but you have to keep bidding if you want one.”

Time Test had another colt stoke up the embers of the session when one of the very last into the ring, presented by his home farm as Lot 433, brought 66,000gns from Michael Fitzpatrick. This is another pinhook project, interestingly about an Apr. 25 foal, but he was certainly an elegant one.

“Time Test is a son of Dubawi and they're doing well,” explained Fitzpatrick, after signing as Good Will Bloodstock. “It's a trend that is becoming apparent. I'd like to have a Time Test to sell next year as I think his first crop will go on again as 3-year-olds.”

 

Hoping For the Stars To Come Out…

The market is gradually waking up to the gift made by Tweenhills in introducing the Australian sensation Zoustar (Aus) at such an inviting fee, and if his first Northern Hemisphere crop lives up to expectations next year then he may prove a very fertile pinhooking medium.

Sure enough, the March colt consigned by Highclere Stud as Lot 355 brought one of the top prices of the day from Billy Jackson-Stops.

“This is for a new pinhooking venture for Tony Elliott's Rogues' Gallery,” the agent explained, after signing a 70,000gns docket as JS Bloodstock/RGS. “He's a good physical, and hopefully there will be good upside with Zoustar. He's likely to be prepped for next year's sales back here.”

His dam is also entitled to contribute, of course, as a listed winner on both sides of the Channel. Making Eyes (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) is catalogued as Lot 2067 in Highclere's mare consignment here next week.

Railton Boards The Ulysses Bandwagon…

As the son of a Derby winner and Oaks winner, Ulysses (Ire) appears eligible to do better still as his debut crop benefits from maturity and middle distances next year. That obviously makes his achievements already still more auspicious, with 16 juvenile winners from 37 starters including G3 Eyrefield S. runner-up Piz Badie (Ire).

Some pinhookers were ahead of the curve, as they would hope to be, most notably Hegarty Bloodstock in converting a 4,000gns punt on a colt by the Cheveley Park stallion in this ring 12 months ago into a bumper payout of 150,000gns in Book 3. Demand has risen accordingly, and Jamie Railton was obliged to pay 60,000gns–the highest price of the morning–for a colt offered as Lot 279 by Bearstone Stud.

“We will just have to see how Ulysses turns out, but he has certainly made a promising start,” Railton said. “I've not been fortunate enough to have one yet, but he was a top 10-furlong horse so looks a sire with a future. Let's hope this horse matures and develops and goes the right way: I just thought he was a nice, attractive individual–and that is what they cost.”

There should be an injection of extra speed from the dam, as one would expect from a speed-oriented nursery like Bearstone. A five-furlong winner by Indesatchel (Ire), she has already managed to produce a stakes-winning sprinter in Vintage Brut (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}). That horse is clearly the best by his own sire, on ratings, and the mare has also produced winners by Firebeak (GB) and Equiano (Fr) from her only surviving foals so far on the track. As such, Railton is entitled to hope that Ulysses, with ripening stock to fly the flag in the meantime, will appear a real upgrade by the time he returns this Feb. 8 foal to the yearling sales.

The young stallion still has an awfully long way to go, of course, before he can aspire to the status of farm legend Pivotal (GB), whose death in peaceful retirement, aged 28, was mourned five days before the sale. Pivotal was a sprinter whose progeny often had more stamina than expected, but in threatening to reverse that paradox Ulysses is playing a commercially useful game.

The Force Is With Rookie Sire…

Needless to say, a lot of the energy in this market traces sooner to a newer cycle; to the search for a future Time Test, Ardad or Ulysses. And plenty of rookies predictably prompted an early roll of the dice.

One was Land Force, the G2 Richmond S. winner by No Nay Never who, after a single start at three in Australia, returned to Europe to cover 155 mares at Highclere Stud. That gave him quite a footprint here and he landed a couple of breakthrough punches in his home farm draft–both ending up in the day's top six transactions.

“They look runners,” said Con Marnane, such a good judge of the evolving physical, after giving 65,000gns for a February colt (Lot 380). “This is a lovely, quality colt, and we had to go an extra bid or two to get him. But I think the stallion could have some quality yearlings next year. Of course, he was a very good racehorse himself.”

But the dam could certainly contribute in that respect, too, having been placed in the G3 Princess Margaret S. and herself being out of a stakes-placed half-sister to dual Classic winner Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley). She was bought by Avenue Bloodstock at the end of her career with Paul Cole, at the December Sale here three years ago, for 190,000gns.

Lot 356, similarly, had the benefit of a young dam with a useful page: she's an unraced Redoute's Choice (Aus) half-sister to G1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup Regal Parade (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and G3 Acomb S. winner Entifaadha (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Farther back, this is the famous Juddmonte family of Zafonic (Gone West), Reams Of Verse (Nureyev) and Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). That steeled Alex Elliott's resolve in giving 60,000gns for this February colt.

“I'm a huge fan of the Scat Daddy line,” the agent said. “And a big admirer of Land Force. But this colt has a lovely pedigree all round, I've always loved the family. And he's a lovely horse, a good early foal with a lot of upside to him. He's bred to be fast, and should be easy to place in any sale next year. I buy for a few [resale] syndicates and he'll probably go to Ireland in the meantime.”

 

Tested Methods Opens New Territories…

Pinhookers seeking motivation through the toil of the months ahead will keep in mind the inspiring touch pulled off by John Foley of Ballyvolane Stud with a Time Test colt picked up in this ring a year ago for 56,000gns. Having elevated his value to 400,000gns in Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale, Foley was back to play up his winnings on a Mar. 5 foal by Territories (Ire) offered as Lot 234 by Hungerford Park Stud.

“He's a lovely horse with good updates,” Foley remarked after signing a 50,000gns docket as GHS Bloodstock. “He'll be for resale, I doubt we can repeat what we did but we'll try.”

Those updates concerned the colt's half-brother Wentwood (GB) (Pour Moi {Ire}), who has been in productive form in Australia, notably in winning the G3 Bendigo Cup H. last month. Among those disappointed to see the colt head off to Co. Limerick was Matt Coleman, who gave Foley sporting congratulations as underbidder.

Having kept that powder dry, Coleman was later able to give 55,000gns for the solitary offering [Lot 410] this week by Zarak (Fr), who has shown such promise in beginning to recycle one of the world's greatest pedigrees. He was acting for Daniel Macauliffe and Anoj Don, previously partners in the Group 2-winning juvenile Fighting Irish (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

“He has been bought to race, and they were very keen to buy one by the sire,” explained Coleman. “From here he'll probably go to Culworth Grounds and will race in Britain.”

The February foal, sold by Stauffenberg Bloodstock, represents a rising tide in the Haras de Bonneval sire, who retired at €12,000 but rises to €25,000 next spring after including two Group 1 performers among 17 winners from only 32 starters.

 

Tide Remains Strong For Ocean…

Being every bit as brilliant as he was hardy, the designation of Crystal Ocean (GB) as a National Hunt sire offers a depressing commentary of the state of commercial breeding today. So it's good to see that some prospectors have their wits about them sufficiently to grasp that he has every right, as a top-class son of Sea The Stars (Ire), to add to the proliferation of stakes performers in his family tree.

Matt Houldsworth, for instance, gave 46,000gns for a February colt from an excellent German family, presented by Castletown Stud as Lot 365 and now on his way to Aughamore Stud.

“He has been bought for resale,” the agent confirmed. “He's just a really quality individual, a very good-moving horse. I haven't seen many by the stallion, but he was a very good racehorse. I know he's standing as a jumps sire, but that's not to say he won't be a good sire of Flat horses. Hopefully he can go to something like Book 2 here.”

Guy O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud was another clear-sighted enough to give 30,000gns for Lot 268, a colt who can count none other than Doff The Derby (Master Derby) as fifth dam.

“This is a great-looking foal, by a champion racehorse out of a good, proven Shamardal racemare and with a good back family,” he said. “What's not to like? Simple as that. Crystal Ocean was a top racehorse by a brilliant stallion.”

Crystal Ocean has made a strong start in his “day job” and ended the recent Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale third in the averages at €35,257 for 30 lots sold, with a top price of €120,000.

A more conventional commercial newcomer to register a decent early strike was Tally-Ho's Inns Of Court (Ire), whose son out of a half-sister to Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) from Highfort Stud [Lot 431] made 49,000gns from Trev Group.

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Pinhook Fairytale Extends October Boom

By Chris McGrath

NEWMARKET, UK–Well, maybe these guys just don't have radios or newspapers. Maybe they haven't heard about the challenges at least affecting the domestic environment: chronic deficiencies in prizemoney, new volatility in the economic landscape. Or perhaps the international investors who might be relatively immune to such concerns have forced even the local market to new highs by putting such a squeeze into Books 1 and 2. Who knows? Just conceivably, this show of faith in our industry could yet prove the foundation for a sustainable bull run. Whatever the answer, roaring trade at the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls spilled into the next tier down on Thursday as the opening session of Book 3 maintained breathless momentum throughout.

Once again, trade dizzily eclipsed both the surprisingly resilient trade of the equivalent session last year and the very similar yields achieved in the boom times of 2019. In fact, turnover on day one very nearly matched historic expectations for aggregate business through both sessions.

With a virtually identical offering into the ring (273 against 270), a total of 7,268,800gns changed hands for 259 sold (a hectic clearance rate of 92.5%, itself up from a robust 87.8% last year). That represents a perfectly staggering 42.7%t leap on 5,092,700gns last year, and translated to an average of 28,065gns and median of 26,000gns—respectively up 30.6% and 62.5% from 21,488gns and 16,000gns (figures that stacked up against 21,805gns and 16,000gns in 2019).

Obviously there were still moments of disappointment, for individual vendors, but overall it was tougher going for those seeking a bargain. It's their work that always makes Book 3 such an instructive spectacle, with the makes and registrations in the car park as ever confirming that those who could not afford the obvious, in Books 1 and 2, were now ready to pit their wits against those complacent in deeper pockets.

But a parallel process also occurs among the vendors, and it was apt that the day's highest price should reward a punt made deep in the basement of the foal market last winter–albeit a Goliath of a pinhook was credited to a resolutely self-effacing David.

Its subject was a Ulysses (GB) colt discovered as a foal for just 4,000gns by David Hegarty (via Galley Flash BS) at the December Sale. Returned to the same ring as Lot 1451, he catapulted his value by a factor of nearly 40 when Matt Coleman signed a docket for 150,000gns.

No doubt the colt's cause had been assisted when older brother Gwan So (GB) outran his odds for third in the Listed Flying Childers S. last month. One way or another, anyhow, the word was certainly out, with a conspicuous crowd following the colt into the ring after his short journey from the Left Yard before falling into appreciative hush as the bidding soared.

Hegarty was reluctant to break that silence afterwards, leaving it to wife Geraldine to provide some modest background to their breakthrough success.

“David works full-time at Genesis Green and I work in a school,” she explained. “We live at Genesis, at the moment this is just a hobby, but it's something we eventually want to take further. This horse has been very straightforward, he's never given us a problem: he came into prep and just blossomed. David chose him, he loves a really good-walking horse and his walk just said it all.”

The couple's diffidence was redressed by Paul Thorman of Trickledown Stud, a grateful partner in the pinhook.

“I sent David a foal who looked a bit like a corkscrew and when it came back as a yearling it was still a corkscrew, but it looked unbelievable,” Thorman said. “I thought, 'Here's this lad paying buttons for foals and turning them out brilliantly but getting nowhere.' So I said to him that we would buy a few foals together. We've been relatively lucky, but mainly because David is seriously gifted, and he and Geraldine work like you wouldn't believe.

“This particular foal was in the Trickledown draft last year and he had gone through a rough patch, didn't look at his best, but both David and [Thorman's wife] Sara could see that there was scope there.”

But this kind of dividend they had “never imagined for a millisecond.”

“He didn't have a great hock as a foal, but that just got better and better,” Thorman reflected. “Gwan So is talented, and became a bit of a talking horse, so everything worked really. He turned into the most stunning horse and his full brother and Ulysses did everything they could to help him.

“I hope it gives David the scope to buy foals that are worth buying. Sara and I were lucky when we were starting off that we had people helping us, and I loved that. It's just one of those really good stories: the pair have been trying to buy a house, so I hope this will help get them there.”

Coleman, for his part, was acting in tandem with the absent Sean Clancy, whose client Bill Mathis recently celebrated success in the G3 Sirenia S. with Eve Lodge (GB) (Ardad {Ire})–herself recruited through Coleman after breaking her maiden before Royal Ascot. This colt will join her in the care of Charlie Fellowes.

“Bill was keen to try and buy a few yearlings,” Coleman explained. “He took a share in a couple of fillies, including one in Book 1, and we were trying to find a couple of colts as well. But we found Book 2 very strong, so thought we'd keep going here. And I just thought he was the best colt I saw here, he's very athletic.”

The page is full of Cheveley Park's red, white and blue, with a dam by farm stalwart Pivotal (GB) out of Group 1 winner Regal Rose (GB) (Danehill). Obviously Ulysses complements that with his Epsom Classic bloodlines, and Coleman remarked: “This colt is a light-framed, athletic, Galileo (Ire) type, and I could see him doing well here for Charlie and then going to the States.”

New Bay Typifies the New Dawn…

Joe Foley, flanked by Federico Barberini, stoked up the embers of the session when going to six figures for one of the final lots into the ring, and then gave his authoritative testimony to the eye-watering strength of the market.

“It has just been great trade since Doncaster, the best I have seen, all the way through, in years,” he declared, after signing a 100,000gns docket for a New Bay (GB) colt [1602] presented by Baroda Stud. “There has been a huge trade all season. Trade has been so heartening, and people making money, and it bodes well for the mare and foal sales. This sale has been the cherry on the top, and it's so heartening to see. Maybe people can really see the green shoots.”

Foley, who was acting for regular patron Clipper Logistics, had known that he would have to stretch for this China Horse Club-bred colt, whose dam is a Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to the prolific Canadian racemare Raylene (Tabasco Cat) from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Ad Valorem (Danzig).

“He was the first horse I saw in Book 3, and I thought, 'Jesus he's a good one,'” he said. “We went back to see him this morning, the two of us, and loved him. In the outside ring he was just like a cat, and there were a few shrewdies hanging out the back so we came up here to the back stairs. There's a lot to like in the family, Ad Valorem is a champion 2-year-old in there, and he's from a top-class farm.”

The icing on the cake was a sire for whom Foley has deep regard.

“I bought a colt by him on Monday,” he said. “He's doing really well, the colt was impressive in Germany last Sunday and Sheila Lavery's colt also. We admired Bayside Boy (Ire) here last year, and this one reminded us of him.”

Another admirer of the Ballylinch stallion is Foley's compatriot Mags O'Toole, who gave 72,000gns shortly afterwards for his son consigned as Lot 1610 by Garranehill Stud. This was one of several fine pinhooks on the day, having been acquired at Goffs last November for just €16,000 by Tim Bourke, but it looks as though he is expected to maintain that steep curve of progress for a while yet.

Long And Winding Road Gets Gold Paving…

Barberini, having served as lieutenant in landing the New Bay, had earlier spent nearly as much on his own account for a colt out of a cosmopolitan mare in Storybook. Foaled in the UAE, during her sire Halling's sojourn in the desert, she has divided success both as a runner and producer either side of the Atlantic, and here wrote another chapter in her peripatetic tale with a yield of 92,000gns for her Havana Gold (Ire) colt offered by Lodge Park Stud [1492]. And it augurs well for a profitable sequel that this specimen was able to satisfy a judge as discerning as Barberini.

Storybook was acquired at the Keeneland November Sale three years ago for just $50,000, despite having contributed a couple of stakes performers to a strong family. Subsequently her final Kentucky foal turned out to be the graded stakes-placed Get On The Bus (Uncle Mo), while the Declaration of War colt she was carrying on reaching Lodge Park is Chicago Soldier, who has achieved a rating of 91 in his first campaign for Johnny Murtagh.

“I went to Havana Gold because as a good physical match,” said Burns. “And I also thought that he might have a good year coming up. This is a very professional horse with a lovely temperament. I put him in Book 3 to stand out, and he did.”

Barberini could not disclose his client and no trainer will be chosen until the colt is broken in, but the odds are that he will find himself in Newmarket.

“He's a smashing horse by a sire who has done incredibly well this season,” the agent said. “He's a real 2-year-old type, a great mover with lots of athleticism. There are no certainties in this game, but the mare has already done it a few times, and the sire has done very well with his first crop: to me it made a lot of sense.

“The market has been tough all week, and the previous week too. But I think, overall, this horse is not expensive. At this price he sticks out a bit in Book 3, but he would not have been out of place in Book 2. And obviously he comes from a very good nursery.”

Dutfield Pinhool Produces Timely Harvest…

By the time they reach Book 3, prospectors tend to have to compromise on something. But the highest price of the first hour's trade, 82,000gns, was paid by Richard Brown on the premise that the Havana Grey (GB) filly presented by Harry Dutfield [1330] had all bases covered. On the one hand, the Blandford agent considered her the type to be up and running before Ascot; on the other, she is underpinned by a transparent residual value, her dam being an unraced half-sister to Showcasing (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Camacho (GB) (Danehill).

“She's for a client of David Simcock's who has a few mares, and the brief was to get a filly with a page,” Brown explained. “But we've been blown away looking for those the past two weeks! I'm delighted to get her, she looks a runner. We've been impressed with the Havana Greys we've seen so far, and this looks a very forward, sharp, mature filly. Obviously she's from a speedy Juddmonte family so I hope she'd be a fairly early sort.

“Harry does a superb job, he has presented her here looking amazing. I saw her again this morning at about 8 a.m. and she came out like a lion.”

Dutfield bought this filly from breeders Whitsbury Manor Stud in the same ring last December for 25,000gns, as a moonlighting project alongside his work for Hazelwood Bloodstock. And this payout could not be better timed.

“I bought my own farm two months ago, 20 acres just out by Thetford, and have bills everywhere!” he said. “I work as a stud hand, and she cost basically an annual salary for stud hand! So to come back here and do that, I am just relieved. The O'Briens are very nice people, they look after me so well: I really want to stress that, I'm so thankful to them.

“She presents herself, I just had to make sure I don't mess her up. She has a really good mind on her and has kept very fresh: I didn't lunge her this morning because she had a busy day yesterday and she came out today full of herself, ready for action.”

Brown remained active after nightfall, too, contributing to the buzz for Time Test (GB) this week when giving 72,000gns for a filly consigned by Mount Coote Stud, for a breeding partnership with Mark Dixon [1557]. She belongs to the venerable Bireme (GB) (Grundy {Ire}) family cultivated by Dixon's uncle Dick Hollingswoth.

“Gorgeous filly,” enthused Brown. “She looked amazingly sharp out there, a serious athlete, very light on her feet. I only saw her for the first time this morning, have seen her twice since, and had to get on the phone to find someone for her. And I have! She also comes from a very good farm, and that's a big part of the decision-making.”

Luke Lillingston, the worthy recipient of that compliment, has been a fan of Time Test from the outset and is already responsible for the sire's first Group 1 performer in Moyglare Stud S. third Sunset Shiraz (Ire).

Burrows Out In the Open…

One of the wonders of this market is the way it has filled a big Shadwell-shaped hole right in its middle, but there's no gainsaying the fact that the world is a very different place for the likes of Owen Burrows, who owed so much to the late Sheikh Hamdan.

Nonetheless, the Kingwood trainer is embracing the challenge of a public stable and was able to go to 77,000gns for a Dandy Man (Ire) filly consigned as Lot 1416 by her breeder Noelle Walsh's Knockananig Stud near Fermoy, Co. Cork–best known, to this point, for producing the hardy G1 Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear{Ire}).

“I bought a couple for Sheikh Ahmed in Book 2, but we were [also] after an early, sharp type, and were outbid on four of those,” Burrows said. “We thought she fitted the bill perfectly: she looks all speed, and very strong. Hopefully, she will be an April or May 2-year-old and we can have a bit of early action.

“We've got a couple of nice horses for midsummer, that I was very pleased to get in Book 2, and then hopefully some homebreds to come, though they usually take a bit of time.”

Nonetheless Burrows has had to adjust his sights when it came to the yearling sales this time round.

“Massively,” he admitted. “Normally I'm fortunate that Angus [Gold, the Sheikh's long-serving racing manager] does all the work! There's a bit more legwork now, but I don't mind that at all, other than having to be away from the yard. I had to drive back on Tuesday night to breeze Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) next morning and then drove straight back here. These Newmarket trainers don't know how lucky they are!”

Minzaal, a 140,000gns Book 2 graduate in 2019, lines up for the G1 QIPCO British Champions' Sprint on Saturday after an auspicious return at the same track a couple of weeks ago. He won the G2 Gimcrack S. as a juvenile and also made the podium in the G1 Middle Park S.

“I was thrilled with his comeback run and he breezed very well yesterday,” Burrows said. “There's always that worry that they can bounce, after coming back from a whole year off, and there's a full field of 20. But I think that shows what an open year it is. He should have a sporting chance.”

Elliott Lands His Ulysses…

The role of the sire in the fairytale of the day should not be forgotten, and underbidder Alex Elliott sounded more than satisfied to acquire another of his sons for a little under half the cost of the day's top lot when giving 70,000gns for Lot 1522, consigned by Churchtown House Stud.

“To be honest, I couldn't really split them physically,” the agent admitted. “But the recent update for the other one made him a bit more expensive. I think Ulysses had a lot of speed, for a Galileo out of an Oaks winner, and in the six- or seven-furlong maidens he's really starting to stand out. And they can only do better next year.

“This one will go to Grant Tuer for a new partnership, a couple of pals of mine. Grant supported me a few years ago and it's nice to give him a bit back. He's an exceptional trainer, if you look at his stats he's right up there.”

True enough: from 199 runners so far this year, Tuer has had 44 winners.

Despite the frantic competition, Elliott had managed to corral 25 yearlings through the first two books for a diverse clientele at home and abroad, and remained busy throughout this session too.

One key group, he stresses, are the traders. “They recognise that we have the best product in the world, one that people will always want,” he reasoned. “If we can get good money, then we will move them on. I think it's very important, with prizemoney the way it is, if you can get people to have that mentality, and that's why a lot of people are buying horses.

“That's not good in the long term, though, and we need to sort it out. As John Gosden and others keep saying, if this is strong when we're racing for rosettes, imagine what it could be like if we were racing for good money. They're running $120,000 maidens at Churchill Downs, and what are we running for?”

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