What Classic clues may we glean there? Well, maybe none. But I liked the look of Narkez (Fr), who gave his rivals a six-length walloping in the Prix Comrade last Tuesday, picking up where he left off after winning at Clairefontaine last October. Bred by Nurlan Bizakov under his Sumbe banner, the colt represents that magic Siyouni (Fr)-Galileo (Ire) cross, though let's face it, Galileo mares work well all over the place. Narkez, trained by Andre Fabre, has helped to give his owner a great start to the season following the Listed win of Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Doncaster Mile. 

One person who is entitled to love Siyouni more than most is Peter Brant, who celebrated his first European Classic victory when Sottsass (Fr) won the Prix du Jockey Club before going on to deliver the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for Brant as well. We're looking forward to seeing his first runners emerge this season, but in the meantime Brant looks to have another decent prospect by Siyouni on his hands in the form of Louise Procter (Fr). Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, she became the second TDN Rising Star of the week for her sire when remaining unbeaten in her third start in the Prix du Belvedere at Chantilly on Thursday. She looks smart and has the entries to match. 

Making Dreams (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) kept up her trainer Karl Burke's great strike-rate in French stakes races by winning the G3 Prix Penelope by six lengths on her seasonal debut at Saint-Cloud. She is another who should enter considerations for the Classics, as should the Prix Caracalla winner Mister Gatz (Fr), who was born in the spring in which his sire Adlerflug (Ger) died. The flashy chestnut colt was somewhat reminiscent of his father as he bowled around the lush Parisian turf looking like he was having a mighty time before putting his head down to stride clear of the field by five lengths. Trained in Deauville by Stephanie Nigge for a collection of owners which includes his breeder Mathieu Boutin and Gerard Augustin-Normand, Mister Gatz holds an entry for the Deutsches Derby. 

O'Shea Shines on Dubai's Big Day

Of course last week, or more specifically Saturday, was really all about the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan which could certainly be considered a triumph for internationalism. The trophies for the eight Group races were shared between horses trained in America, Ireland, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Britain and Dubai (x2).

It was also a great advertisement for keeping classy horses in training beyond the age of three. The winners of the five Group 1 contests were aged between five and seven, with Jerome Reynier's Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) being the youngest of those, and the wide-margin Golden Shaheen winner, the former Russian-trained Tuz (Oxbow), enjoying his finest hour as a seven-year-old on his fourth appearance on Dubai World Cup night. 

Tuz and the Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River (Into Mischief) won their races in a manner which must still have their trainer Bhupat Seemar and jockey Tadhg O'Shea blinking in disbelief. By six and a half and eight and a half lengths respectively, they each set a new record for the winning distance, with Laurel River, who broke from the outside gate, overturning that held by Dubai Millennium (GB) for 24 years. 

O'Shea, now 42, has been champion jockey in the UAE 11 times and he is in pole position to claim his 12th title this season. But despite that consistent success, the Irishman had a sole Group 1 victory to his name until Saturday.

A modest and loyal grafter, O'Shea praised Laurel River's owner Juddmonte for keeping him on the horse, saying, “They could have any jockey in the world on him and they kept the faith with me. I'll be forever indebted to them.”

Juddmonte didn't need any other jockey to claim a second Dubai World Cup after Arrogate's victory in 2017. O'Shea, bold from the outset from the number 12 stall, simply rode his rivals ragged and very much deserved his night in the spotlight. 

The Auguste Enigma

The last three winners of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) were all in action over the weekend, with Shahryar (Jpn) a good second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, which also featured the last two Japanese Oaks winners Liberty Island (Jpn) and Stars On Earth (Jpn), while Do Deuce (Jpn) was not beaten far when fifth in the G1 Dubai Turf. Lest we think that Japan is completely depleted of its best runners during the big meetings in the Middle East, then look no further than Sunday's G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin. It featured last year's Japanese Derby and 2,000 Guineas winners, Tastiera (Jpn) and Sol Oriens (Jpn), along with Geoglyph (Jpn), who beat Equinox (Jpn) to win the Guineas in 2022, and the G1 Shuka Sho winner of that same year, Stunning Rose (Jpn).

So much of the Sheema Classic build-up had centred on the clash between Liberty Island and Auguste Rodin (Ire), but the latter, who won last year's Derby and Irish Derby before going on to land the Irish Champion and Breeders' Cup Turf, added to his enigmatic status by finishing last of the 12 runners. 

Don't despair. When 12th in the Guineas on debut last season, Auguste Rodin bounced back to win at Epsom, and he put his last-place finish in the King George behind him to triumph next time out on Irish Champions Weekend. This column, at least, still holds the faith that when he's good, he's very, very good. 

Epsom's honour was however upheld in Sydney over the weekend, where the 2020 Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) claimed his second consecutive stakes win for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the G3 Neville Selwood S. 

It's Whitsbury's World

It is important not to get too carried away with the early two-year-old races. Despite the annual hullabaloo over Royal Ascot, nothing really matters until the autumn, right? But it's impossible not to watch the early skirmishes with interest and Whitsbury Manor Stud's Sergei Prokofiev was represented by his second winner from just two runners when Flicka's Girl triumphed at Wolverhampton on Easter Monday. The David Loughnane-trained filly was also bred by Whitsbury Manor and sold, as is the stud's usual practice, at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 22,000gns.

Britain's other juvenile race on Monday over at Kempton went the way of Pont Neuf (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), a winner on debut for Eve Johnston Houghton, who also struck with the two-year-old Tanager (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) at Chelmsford on Good Friday. 

The trainer has a well established partnership with bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock when it comes to working the sales and the pair has once again unearthed a couple of useful looking prospects for 24,000gns (Tattersalls Somerville) and €22,000 (Tattersalls Ireland) respectively.

Johnson Houghton has made a flying start to the new season with four winners and three placed horses from nine runners since the official 'start of the Flat'.

Jack Came Back

It was announced last week that Ben Curtis, who was been riding at Fair Grounds in New Orleans over the winter, would remain in America for “the foreseeable future” after riding 43 winners and netting more than $1.5 million in prize-money.

Last September, Curtis had ridden his 1,000th winner aboard Merrijig (GB) (Schiaparelli {Ger}) and as that horse resumed on Good Friday, the absent Curtis was replaced in the saddle by Jack Gilligan, who has recently returned after a decade in the US and now has Curtis's former agent Simon Dodds representing him.

Merrijig was the first of two winners for Gilligan from three rides on Good Friday, and the jockey struck again 24 hours later on his sole ride at Wolverhampton. 

Not to be confused with the Irish conditional of the same name, Gilligan was born in Newmarket but left Britain at the age of 17 with his parents Pat, a racing writer and trainer, and Vicky, a barn foreman at WinStar Farm. With more than 400 wins in America, including two Grade III victories aboard Silver Dust (Tapit), he has been making the most of the opportunities handed to him since returning to his home town.

There are not many names in the jockeys' table with a better strike-rate than Gilligan so far this year. He is currently operating at 20% winners to rides. Backing all of his 45 mounts would have yielded a profit of almost £43 to a £1 stake.

Pecheur Swaps Roles for Rottgen

German Classic-winning jockey Maxim Pecheur retired at the end of last season to succeed Markus Klug as the trainer at Gestut Rottgen near Cologne. He had previously ridden Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) in the famous Rottgen colours to win the 2017 G1 Deutsches Derby. The colt was trained by Klug, as was Pecheur's G1 Preis der Diana winner, Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), for Gestut Brummerhof. 

Pecheur is clearly adjusting well to his new role at the historic training centre and he could well have a Derby contender of his own this year after his first runner, Anspruch (Ger) (New Bay {GB}), won on debut at Cologne on Monday. The Rottgen-bred colt is out of the Group 3 winner Anna Katharina (Ger) (Kallisto {Ger}).

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

Source of original post

Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) follows in the hootprints of Bucanero Fuerte with victory in the Irish Flat turf season opener for Adrian Murray and @amoracingltd at @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/sqWXjTopte

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 18, 2024

The post Freshman Sergei Prokofiev Off The Mark In Curragh Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

In this week's Q&A, Thomas revealed how some people in the industry have shared with her that she has become an inspiration for smaller breeders. She also lifted the lid on her own hopes and dreams for Vandeek this season and explained her philosophy to breeding. 

You have had lots to dream about over the past few months. Where is the ceiling with Vandeek?

Gosh, who knows? Everybody is excited about what could be. What he has shown so far, if he can carry on the same trajectory for a little bit longer, you don't know where he will end up. 

In your heart of hearts, could you see him staying a mile or is he pure unbridled speed?

I think that, if a race was run to suit, the mile wouldn't bother him. If he is dilly-dallying at the back, he's not going to waste an ounce of energy and, then if it came down to a turn of foot at the end, you could almost see him doing it. He's a tall horse, has a really good stride and he relaxes in his races so I suppose you could say, from that perspective, he might be able to do it. His grandmother won over a mile in France so it's in the pedigree. But, what's he best at? Probably the distance he has been racing at, which is over six furlongs. 

There's nothing wrong with fast horses.

There's not. I like speed horses and that excites us. It seems to be what we have managed to do quite well with over the years so we stick to it. That's not to say we don't look outside the box as well when it comes to stallion choices and to buying mares. But speed is generally the way we tend to go and we try to breed commercially as well. You need to be able to bring something to the sales that will be attractive to buyers; something that is precocious, early and fast. That's the way we have been heading. 

The big thing I would say about your success story with Vandeek is that it would have given a lot of smaller breeders huge encouragement to keep going despite what was a very difficult year.

Absolutely. I've had so many text messages and phone calls from some people that I have never even met before. Some people have told me that I am their inspiration! All I could say, was, 'thank you very much.' It definitely has given a lot of people hope. But it's very difficult. Financially, it's a hard thing to do. We do all of the work ourselves and it's only recently that I have managed to get somebody in to help with the mucking out on the days that I am not here. That will help to take the pressure off my husband a little bit. We've always done it on a bit of a shoe-string. I did my Masters in Equine Science and I tend to draw on that knowledge a lot as well. I think it helps in keeping horses healthy and in their best condition which, in the long run, makes them more efficient. The biggest gamble you are ever going to take in this industry is breeding because you never know what you are going to get. If you are lucky, you get a nice foal but, if you are unlucky, you might get something that won't even make it through the sales ring. My Dad is in a different business to us and often says that this is the only profession where, often the product you produce might not be worth what went into producing it. That can put you in a very difficult position, especially if you have invested heavily. 

And given the current economic climate, have you made any changes to how you run your operation with regards to reinvesting in the broodmare band or maybe not putting some of your mares in foal?

We try to be economical and efficient in everything we do and we've never really spent a lot of money on stud fees. If we have wanted to use some of the more expensive stallions, we have tended to do foal shares. But, with regards to covering and not covering mares, when you only have five mares like we do, you have to keep plugging away. If you don't breed anything you don't have a chance of making any money. You have to keep the wheel turning otherwise you will have nothing to sell. If you were to leave one mare off for a year, you are guaranteed that one of the mares you did choose to breed from won't go in foal, so then there's two mares who aren't producing for you in a year. 

And Mosa Mine (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), the dam of Vandeek, could be viewed as a triumph for perseverance with regards to giving your stud a major payday given her Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt sold to Coolmore Stud for 450,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale last year.

The triumph of that is for a little stud like ours to produce a horse that will be trained at Ballydoyle. I think that is amazing. For us to have a horse trained at Ballydoyle and the prospects of Vandeek becoming a stallion in the same year, it's a dream come true really. A result like that is nice because we can invest a bit into facilities and look at buying our next broodmare. I haven't really felt the rain on my back this winter. It does put a spiring in your step, that's for sure. 

Remind us how Mosa Mine joined your broodmare band?

We bred Mosa Mine to begin with. She was a beautiful foal; in fact, we named her Bonny because she was a bonny wee thing. It was back in the days when we had just moved to this property and we had no stables at the time. She was a May baby and we foaled her in the field because the weather was kind. We sold her as a yearling but she probably didn't reach her potential on the track. We loved her and decided that we wanted her back. We thought she wouldn't make much money at the horses-in-training sale, and she didn't [£800], so that was great for us. 

And what does the future hold for her?

She's not in foal at the moment but she is going back to Havana Grey (GB). It's kind of an obvious choice but then again, you think can lightning really strike twice? But it's a proven recipe at the highest level and Havana Grey seems to be progressing all the time so it suits. When you look at the other proven stallions, you could be looking at the likes of No Nay Never, which is at a much higher price and therefore we'd have to consider a foal share. With Havana Grey, we could possibly think of retaining the next filly out of the mare if we wanted to. 

I know you said that you have a penchant for speed but what sort of stallions are your mares in foal to?

We've got a sister to Mosa Mine by Compton Place (GB) and she is in foal to Twilight Son (GB). We've gone for speed there in the thinking that the progeny could end up becoming quite a nice breeze-up prospect as Twilight Son had quite a good time of it at the breeze-ups last year. The family is quick and it might just suit. Then we have a Medicean (GB) mare in foal to Masar (Ire), so that is something a bit different. But then again, Masar showed quite a bit of speed as a two-year-old as well, so that helps. She has already produced a lovely horse by Masar called Move On In (GB),  who is trained by Ralph Beckett, and it was off the back of him that we sent the mare back to the stallion. She had an Ardad (GB) in between and he's gone to breeze. We also have a mare in foal to Perfect Power (Ire), so speed again. We have done well with first-season sires in the past.

Could you put your philosophy towards breeding into words?

Wow. That is a tough one but you have to enjoy it. This doesn't feel like work to me. I might be mucking out all day long but it doesn't really feel like work. It's a lifestyle. You have to take the highs and the lows and you mustn't take the lows personally. If you talk to other breeders, everybody suffers the lows. Not everybody gets to enjoy the highs, but we all suffer the lows. When you get the highs, you have to enjoy them without looking at them like a pleasure plane. You have to do your best by your horses; look after them, keep them healthy and well fed. We've a good team of vets, farriers and local feed merchants and that all helps. Above all else, you need the help and support of your friends and family. When it comes to deciding on your stallions, you have to go with what you like, what you can afford and what you hope will work, and you must make your own decisions. When I first started, there were times when I took advice on stallion choices. If it didn't work out, then that person would get the blame and I don't like that. I'd prefer to live and die by my own decisions and remain positive. I'm an optimist at the end of the day.

It's a refreshing story, especially in a year where there was a lot of doom and gloom. And, who knows, maybe you can inspire one more breeder to keep going and maybe they will breed a champion like Vandeek.

You never can tell where the next one will come from. You are very lucky when it happens to you but, you must remember, you can breed the best to the best and get the worst. I was talking to John Deere before and he was explaining how, you put a bunch of genes from the stallion and the mare into a bucket and you take a handful of each and, what you're left  with, that's what you get. It's true, really, isn't it? In saying that, I have chosen the mares I want to breed from so it's not exactly random but, when you do put the ones you like together, there is no predicting what you might get.

The post Kelly Thomas Q&A: ‘Some Breeders Have Told Me That I Am Their Inspiration’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

He was born in one of the old brick boxes which should be granted special sporting heritage status on February 11, 2008. It is hard to believe that his 16th birthday is looming. Backing on to his foaling box is the one where Kingman (GB) entered the world, also in the month of February but three years later, and along the row is the birthplace of Dansili (GB), whose extraordinary mother Hasili (GB) is commemorated in bronze close to that illustrious foaling wing.

In almost every instance, the Juddmonte stallions go and then they come back to live across the vast expanse of lawn from where their lives began in the lavish yard that was built 100 years ago initially to house the 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner Manna (GB).

An outlier in this regard is this year's new recruit, another winner of the 2,000 Guineas, Chaldean (GB). Laying down an important marker as the first son of Frankel to retire to Banstead Manor, Chaldean was the result of a foal-share by Juddmonte with his breeders, the Harper family of Whitsbury Manor Stud. 

When the chestnut colt appeared at the December Foal Sale of 2020, the Juddmonte inspection team liked what they saw, so much so that Simon Mockridge duly bid 550,000gns to buy out the Harpers. It was a sound decision. 

Chaldean was still four days shy of his third birthday when he became a Classic winner. Still technically three, he now strides across the stallion yard like he owns the place: a proud, strong and correct young stallion. To the manner born, if not at the manor born.

As he struts his stuff before posing without the hint of a fidget, Chaldean already has the professionalism of a stallion who has been putting on such a show for years rather than months. He certainly looks the part, but then the big, bay head of his father appears over the door of his stable as if to remind us that so far the bragging rights are all his. 

One of the plaques at Banstead Manor Stud's foaling unit | Emma Berry

Frankel became the champion sire of Britain and Ireland for the second time in 2023. The Andrew Balding-trained Chaldean, who had also won the previous year's G1 Dewhurst S., just as his sire had done, was one of his 11 Group 1 winners. That list includes the Oaks winner Soul Sister (GB), Nashwa (GB), a Classic heroine herself a year earlier, and the brilliant six-time Group 1 winner Inspiral (GB). Remarkably, all three of those fillies reside in John and Thady Gosden's stable and have remained in training for the coming year.

Chaldean's dam Suelita (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) had already dropped hints that she was something a bit special when her first two foals, The Broghie Man (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) and Gloves Lynch (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}), each earned black type. Her record improved again when her fourth foal became the G2 Mill Reef S. winner Alkumait (GB), by Whitsbury Manor Stud's home stallion Showcasing (GB), who was himself bred by Juddmonte. Alkumait is now at Capital Stud in Ireland.

Then came Alkumait's full-sister Get Ahead (GB), a Listed winner who was runner-up in the G1 Flying Five S. last season before being bought by Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavey for 2.5 million gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. By then of course she was also a half-sister to a Classic winner. The next one to look out for, and once again in the Juddmonte silks, is the mare's two-year-old filly by Kingman (GB), who topped the foal sale of 2022 at a million gns. She has been named Kassaya (GB), after a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar II, one of the rulers of the Chaldean Empire. A classy touch by a classic operation.

Shane Horan, Juddmonte's nominations manager, says of Chaldean, “He put together a very good sequence of wins following his maiden. He won three very prestigious two-year-old races in the Acomb at York, the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and the Dewhurst Stakes. The Dewhurst is obviously the crowning race of the year for the two-year-old season, and he won that in the second-fastest time ever. And straightaway we knew we had a stallion prospect, even just based on that.

“But then obviously he trained on as a three-year-old and won the 2,000 Guineas. That solidified his stallion career, and then with the credentials of being a son of Frankel out of a very fast mare who's a proven producer of fast two-year-olds and sprinters, we knew we had an exciting package to deal with.”

Horan recounts how the interest in Chaldean “snowballed” as breeders came to view him during the December Sales. 

“I think just going back to people remembering what he was like as a foal and the commercial breeders, they're trying to produce foals like that. If he can throw [foals] like himself, there's the precocity on his dam side. She is by Dutch Art out of a Green Desert mare, so there's a lot of speed there,” he says. 

Horan reflects on another stellar year for Chaldean's sire in 2023, which has been followed up at the start of this new year by Inspiral winning the Eclipse Award for the Top Female Turf Horse, and Measured Time (GB) becoming his latest big winner in the G1 Jebel Hatta last Friday.

“Frankel's first big son to stud was Cracksman,” Horan says. “And from his first crop, he gets an unbeaten French Derby and an Arc winner in Ace Impact. So that's very encouraging. And then throw in the fact that Chaldean was a very good two-year-old, and that's what people really want. So it is encouraging and fingers crossed.”

However much crossing of fingers takes place, it will all be up to the magic of genetics now. Chaldean will certainly be served up a decent book of mares, even considering the competition he faces for blue-blooded females from within his own stable yard.

He stands now in the box once occupied by Rainbow Quest, and he is the charge of Elliott Body, who proudly shows him off while vouching for how easy he has been to handle since his arrival at the stud late last year. 

Once stabled, Chaldean has to his right his own imposing father and the venerable Oasis Dream (GB), still covering at the age of 24 and with a record as both sire and broodmare sire that deserves plenty of respect. To his left is Bated Breath (GB), in the stable once occupied by his late sire Dansili and with a potentially big year ahead of him, and Kingman (GB), who is swiftly compiling his own solid line-up of sons at stud. 

The competition naturally continues beyond the walls of Banstead Manor, too. In Newmarket alone there are three new Group 1-winning sons of Frankel at stud this year – with Triple Time (GB) having joined Darley and Mostahdaf (Ire) at Shadwell – as well as Onesto (Ire), from one of Juddmonte's top families, in France. Farther afield, Adayar (Ire) and Westover (GB), have joined the stallion ranks in Japan, while Hurricane Lane (Ire) has a jumps berth in Ireland. 

It is too early to be talking about succession when it comes to Frankel: he's still king of the hill and likely to be for years. But often the heir comes from within, and Chaldean has plenty in his favour to give him a chance to succeed.

The post Chaldean Ushers in a New Age at Juddmonte appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Havana Grey topped the standings with a profitability index of 10.75, comfortably ahead of the next best stallion, Sioux Nation, on 6.61. Those figures were calculated by dividing each sire's 2023 yearling average by their covering fee of 2021, when the offspring in question were conceived.

It was another hugely successful year on the racecourse for the progeny of Havana Grey, with the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Vandeek (GB) emerging as the star of his second crop of two-year-olds. The sire's burgeoning reputation was later reflected at the sales where his 65 yearlings sold for an average of 90,951gns/€107,914, a significant return on their investment for any breeders who sent mares to him in 2021 when his fee was just £6,000. His fee has been increased to £55,000 (from £18,500 in 2023) for his sixth season at Whitsbury Manor Stud in 2024.

Sioux Nation has also been given a fee increase by Coolmore (from €17,500 to €27,500) having built on the success of his juveniles in 2022 when he was second only to Havana Grey among that year's first-season sires. Several members of that crop became Group winners in 2023, headed by G2 Challenge S. heroine Matilda Picotte (Ire), and those who invested in one of his 30 yearlings to sell last year will be hoping for more of the same. They made an average of 55,676gns/€66,060 having been conceived at a fee of just €10,000.

Cotai Glory (GB) and Twilight Son (GB) both operated at basement fees in 2021–€5,000 and £5,000 respectively–and there was certainly value to be had for those breeders who took advantage. Tally Ho Stud resident Cotai Glory had a 2023 yearling average of 25,914gns/€30,747 from 54 lots, giving him a profitability index of 6.15, while Cheveley Park Stud's Twilight Son wasn't far behind on 6.00 having seen his 25 yearlings make an average of 28,595gns/€33,928.

The top five was completed by Sergei Prokofiev (Can), who joined Havana Grey at Whitsbury Manor at a fee of £6,500 in 2021 and will be represented by his first runners in 2024. Those two-year-olds shouldn't be underestimated if the way they performed at the sales last year is anything to go by, making an average of 34,624gns/€41,081 from 84 lots sold.

With a profitability index of 5.59, Sergei Prokofiev was one of only two first-season sires to make the top ten along with Ghaiyyath (Ire) on 4.68, the multiple Group 1 winner who stood at the much higher fee of €30,000 when covering his first mares at Kildangan Stud in 2021. Big things are expected from his first runners in 2024 after his 65 lots caught the eye in a big way at the yearling sales, fetching an average of 118,457gns/€140,549.

The post Havana Grey Tops Profitability Index Calculated By Weatherbys appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

There is plenty, still, to look forward to next year, with fellow Whitsbury-based stallion Sergei Prokofiev set to be represented by his first crop of runners and Dragon Symbol taking up his position on the roster. 

From all things Whitsbury to reflecting on the breeding stock sales, the ever-engaging Harper makes for required reading in this week's Q&A.

You must look back on 2023 pretty fondly with Whitsbury Manor Stud homebred Chaldean winning the 2,000 Guineas for Juddmonte?

We wouldn't have a lot of runners in Classic races because of the types of stallions we stand but, obviously, we use a few outside stallions every year. When you use the best stallion around [Frankel], you hope to provide yourself with a chance to step up on quality. It couldn't have worked out any better with Chaldean winning the 2,000 Guineas. 

Where would that rank?

A great milestone. It ranked very highly but I don't feel as though it was a whole heap of hard work that produced the result. For example, producing a stallion like Showcasing or Havana Grey, that takes five or six years of hard work from every team member pulling in the same direction. A result like Chaldean is a piece of good judgement in the sales ring to buy the mare by Dad, which isn't to be underestimated, but even he would admit that there is a lot of luck involved. So, you get yourself a diamond mare in Suelita, what are you going to do with her? You're going to send her to a diamond stallion. It's brilliant, and it's fantastic, but it's not comparable to the whole Whitsbury machine working together for years to make a stallion. I see the two things very differently. 

You must have got a lot of pleasure at seeing Chaldean's half-sister Get Ahead, a talented mare in her own right, selling for 2.5m gns to Ian MacAleavy's First Bloodstock? 

I'd have rathered if we didn't have to sell her! We have to remind ourselves that the function of Whitsbury is not to have a small, uber broodmare band sending mares to the best stallions on the planet. Our job is to keep small breeders alive in England because, without them, there is no breeding industry in this country. If we can sell Get Ahead and support the business in areas that help, such as the grassroots by making stallions, then that's our job. Effectively, weighing up the sale of Get Ahead, we can't be everything to everyone. You can't be brilliant at everything. It doesn't work like that for anybody. So weighing it up, we ask ourselves what our priority is. Is it looking out into the paddock and seeing the occasional super mare going to the super stallion or is it making the next stallion? We effectively prioritised the buying of Dragon Symbol over keeping Get Ahead. That's the choice we made. 

I'll go on to Dragon Symbol in a second but, when you mentioned Whitsbury supporting the grassroots players in England, I just wonder how you would look back on the breeding stock sales on a personal level taking into consideration how many smaller breeders took a kicking?

The most satisfying thing for us this year was the 20 to 30 smaller breeders who really benefited from Havana Grey. That means that some of those breeders can reinvest and possibly step up the next rung up the ladder, which is great, or, on a slightly scarier level, it means some will survive another two or three years. Without stallions like Havana Grey, that doesn't happen. I'm not pretending to have the answers as to why this is but, culturally, when smaller breeders in England stop, they stop for good. They don't come back. When small breeders in Ireland stop because, say there's a dip in the market or maybe there's overproduction, for whatever reason, they seem to have the ability to come back when times get better. I feel like we have to be the lifeboat throwing the vests out to keep some of the smaller breeders alive and, when you get it right and you help a load of people, it's very satisfying. Obviously, we're trying to run a profitable business as well, we're not a charity, but we need a thriving industry and we have to provide our clients with a chance to make money. It's very satisfying when it happens. 

Did you listen to this month's Jamie Railton podcast where Roger O'Callaghan was the guest? Roger singled out Whistbury for high praise. A lot of people would say there are similarities between how Whitsbury and Tally-Ho Stud is run. What would those similarities be?

I listened to it, yes. There's lots of other places in England who had good years, so we don't have a monopoly on that. But what do we do similar? For starters, we don't really worry what other people are doing and Tally-Ho certainly don't worry either. The one thing that we would agree on is that we need to see success scattered around the business from time to time. It can't be for one outfit all the time because that's not how a sport works. I've a few friends and connections who have never been involved in the breeding industry who have started to ask me questions about getting involved for the first time. I've known some of these people for 20 years and they've never asked me that so it's nice to think we have just pricked the interests of a few new players because we can't just have people going out of the market. We need new people as well. 

For me, one of the stories from the mares sale was your neighbour Katrina Yarrow getting 52,000gns for Havana Grey foal with the first mare she ever bought.

Exactly. And that was someone who was brave enough to listen to us when we recommended the mare. Fair play to Katrina for giving it a go. You're only ever going to find out by giving it ago and, if you don't risk too much and keep top of what you are prepared to invest, it can be a lot of fun.

Getting back to the Railton podcast, when Roger said that some breeders need to look themselves in the mirror over some of the poor results in the ring, rather than blaming the game, did you think that was fair comment?

Yea, I would agree with Roger completely. We're all good at seeing the difficulties in our game but the skill is figuring out how to combat it. Sending back the same mares, who are a year older, year after year, and then saying, 'oh, it hasn't happened for me,' is not the approach. If you asked that same person what they have done to give themselves a chance, what have they actively gone and done, they often don't have any answer for you. Some will say, 'oh, well I can't go out and buy a new mare, I had to play it safe because the foal sales didn't go well or the yearling sales didn't go well.' Well, the answer to that is no, when the foal or yearling sales don't go well, that's when you have to go out and buy a new mare! You almost have to be more active when things aren't going well. People tend to almost go back into the shell when things aren't working for them. Everyone should be trying to improve all the time. I mean, I read Emma Berry's piece with Peter Kavanagh in the TDN on Tuesday, and he made some excellent points. The bit I would completely agree with is that, part of the puzzle, and the piece of the game that we rarely talk about, is horse husbandry. It's arguably the most important part of the puzzle. From choosing stallions, to buying mares or even sending horses into training, it's all completely irrelevant if the horse husbandry hasn't been good enough. That is the area that is slipping in Britain; the horse husbandry is going the wrong way a lot of the time. Obviously there are plenty of people doing a good job but, in general, the slide is in the quality of husbandry, and that's difficult to get around. When husbandry slides, the rest of it becomes irrelevant. 

What are we talking about here? Just poorly presented foals at the sales with regards to lack of bone, poor feet etc?

Everything. The quality of the land, management of the pasture, the attention to detail on the stock, general care of the stock; it's everyday stuff. Thinking that you can just turn out horses and forget about them, be it mares, foals, whatever, horse husbandry is an everyday job. If you are not on it every day, it slips. 

I was at the pinhookers panel at Tattersalls on the evening before the foal sales where you came out with a great line when referencing a conversation you had with your accountant. I think he was questioning one of your decisions and you said something along the lines of, 'you don't get to have a say, you just keep the score!' With that in mind, and I know you won't mind me saying this, but I would say there were a few people questioning the decision to stand Dragon Symbol at Whitsbury. Lucky you don't care what other people think!

We had the same reaction with Showcasing and Havana Grey. When we bought Showcasing, I was told that the Gimcrack wasn't a stallion-making race. You had to go back to Mill Reef when a Gimcrack winner became a good stallion. What a load of rubbish that was. With Havana Grey, people were saying, why are we getting excited about a son of a stallion who was standing for eight or 10 grand, or whatever it was at the time. That made no sense to me either because, first of all, Havana Gold had already proved himself as a bloody good stallion and, also, you could give 10 examples in about three seconds of horses who were more successful than their sires. In terms of Dragon Symbol, he's very easy to defend. He was five pounds a better racehorse than Havana Grey ever was and it's about standing a quality racehorse at the end of the day. To be first past the post in a Commonwealth Cup, with himself and Campanelle six lengths clear of the rest, and to then go and be beaten just a neck behind Starman in a July Cup as a three-year-old, those are serious performances. I happened to think Cable Bay was a bloody good stallion as well. He just didn't have the rub of the green in terms of fertility and soundness, in that he had one or two issues that held him back, which was nobody's fault. He got eight black-type two-year-olds in his first crop which is better than ninety per cent of stallions and that allowed them to double his fee to 15 grand, which nobody batted an eye over. He absolutely deserved it. 

Dragon Symbol (right) | Racingfotos.com

Is it extra special bringing Dragon Symbol back to where he was bred or does it even matter?

The answer to that is I couldn't give a monkeys who bred him! It's a nice thing to talk about but it had zero influence on the decision. In fact, I think it could have the opposite effect as people might get the wrong end of the stick in thinking Dragon Symbol was a vanity project when the reality is that it couldn't be further from the truth. We're far too business-minded and commercial to worry about that sort of thing. 

And what's the vibe ahead of Sergei Prokofiev's first runners next year?

I don't even want to hear things from trainers in February, let alone December, but all I would say is that the Sergeis are very easy customers to deal with. They are relaxed and compliant. As we were saying earlier, sadly with the staffing in the industry, we don't have the time to deal with difficult horses compared to back in the day, so having a stallion who produces even-tempered and nice horses is a step in the right direction. 

We almost got to the end of the conversation without waxing lyrical about Havana Grey. I know you find it boring to continue to heap praise on him but even you must have been punching yourself over the continued support behind him at the foal sales?

It's fantastic but my pulse doesn't raise much at the sales. When we're selling our own stock for good money, we need to do that to keep the cogs turning in the right direction and to reinvest in the industry, but it's not something I get excited about. What excites me most is watching our horses win on the track. I do get nervous watching a two-year-old we thought a lot of make its debut. Even if it's a Class 5 at Wolverhampton, I'll be far more nervous about that than a horse going through the ring. The other thing that makes us happy is trying our best to help and advise people and, when it works out even better than what we'd hoped it would, that is very satisfying. Celebrating the result of our clients is more satisfying. 

The post Ed Harper Q&A: “What Excites Me Most Is Our Horses Winning On The Track” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The post Get Ahead Garners 2.5M Gns During Sceptre Sessions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Time and time again, the man behind Kilminfoyle House Stud produces pinhook after pinhook in a similar fashion to how Whitsbury Manor Stud's emerging force seems to transform whatever pedigree he touches. 

The latest transformation played out on Tuesday evening of Book 2 at Tattersalls when a colt by Havana Grey (lot 1020), who Fitzpatrick purchased as a foal under the banner of JC Bloodstock for 82,000gns here in December, sold to Anthony Stroud for 425,000gns. 

Stroud knows a thing or two about high-class sons of Havana Grey, having paid 625,000gns for the unbeaten two-year-old sensation Vandeek (GB) from Glending Stables at the Tattersalls Craven Sale back in April. 

Like Vandeek, Tuesday's sale-topper will be trained by Simon Crisford, but will carry the colours of HH Shaikh Nasser, according to Stroud. 

He said, “Havana Grey has done terrifically-well. This is a very well-balanced horse who moved particularly-well.”

Asked if parallels could be drawn between this colt and Vandeek, Stroud responded, “Well, with Vandeek, we were lucky enough to see him breeze. This horse has the credentials to be a very, very nice horse. He's got a pedigree and is by a stallion who is on the upgrade and doing really well.”

He added, “Havana Grey is a very exciting young stallion and, from what he has had, he's done very well. He's doing a great job. This colt is for HH Shaikh Nasser and is going to Simon Crisford.”

The Havana Grey colt is a full-brother to high-class two-year-old Elite Status (GB), who made 325,000gns at this sale last year. Elite Status may not have been a match for Vandeek when they met in the Morny and the Middle Park, but he has confirmed himself a classy juvenile in his own right when landing a Group 3 in France, and it was on the strength of him showing up on the track this season that Fitzpatrick snapped up his little brother at auction from Whitsbury. 

He explained, “I bought this colt as a foal solely on the full-brother. I sold him [Elite Status] last year and loved him. Whitsbury Manor is a great breeder and this horse is a pleasure to do anything with. My thanks go to Anthony Stroud and I wish the new owners the very best of luck.”

Fitzpatrick added, “I also can't thank my staff enough–Pamela, Hannah and Santos. It is only for them, the work they do, I actually think they are made of iron!”

“When you have a Havana Grey yearling, it gives you a chance,” – Joe Foley

That wasn't the only big-ticket Havana Grey bred by Whitsbury through the ring on the day as a filly (lot 981) consigned by Ballyphilip Stud was knocked down to Joe Foley standing alongside Steve Parkin earlier in the session for 280,000gns. 

That particular filly netted her connections a nice packet as she was sourced as a foal at Goffs last November for just €68,000.

Foley commented, “She's a very good example of what the stallion can throw. As we all know, he's made an outstanding start, he's on the way to superstar stallion status. We have a good two-year-old by him this year called Queen's Guard (GB). When you have a Havana Grey yearling, it gives you a chance.”

He added, “I like the fact she's out of a Showcasing (GB) mare. I like the idea of him as a broodmare sire and the pedigree goes back to Blue Duster. It's a good, fast family and one I like.”

82,000gns into 425,000gns at #TattsOctober Book 2

Lot 1020 is by Havana Grey and his full brother is the G3 winner Elite Status. He was consigned by @KilminfoyleStud who pinhooked Elite Status. He has been bought by Anthony Stroud. pic.twitter.com/p3iaSI7QiK

— TDN (@theTDN) October 10, 2023

Pinatubo Continues To Pack A Punch As McElroy Provides More Amo For Kia

Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian has been showing some love to Ben McElroy this week with the American-based bloodstock agent signing for a 325,000gns Pinatubo (Ire) colt among others on behalf of the owner.

That transaction came just 24 hours after McElroy featured alongside the list of buyers for the Pinatubo filly that was also acquired on behalf of Amo on Monday for 110,000gns. Needless to say, McElroy described himself as a fan of Darley's young stallion. 

McElroy said of lot 939, “He is a very imposing colt, a great mover with great strength. He carried himself well the two or three days of showing and is just a lovely horse. I actually thought he might cost maybe a bit more than he did. Maybe the aggressive bidding helped out on that a little bit.

“He's been bought for Amo Racing and will go back to Robson [Aguiar] who will assess him for Kia. We will decide on a trainer next spring. We bought a beautiful filly by the stallion yesterday and he seems to be getting really nice stock. Pinatubo was a great racehorse and I think this colt has a great chance.”

The Pinatubo colt was sold by Ballyhimikin Stud. Aguiar and Hamish Macauley, who have bought plenty of horses on behalf of Amo before, also featured among the list of buyers. But the relationship between McElroy and Joorabchian is a newer one.

The agent explained, “We'd always meet up with Kia at the races down through the years and maybe we even bid against each other when we were in America last year. Robson bought a horse [Valiant Force (Malibu Moon)] who turned out to be Kia's first Royal Ascot winner at Keeneland last year. Between Saratoga and Keeneland, we bought a few horses for Kia this year and we've bought a few here for him as well.”

He added, “Robson really rated this horse very highly and I suppose it will be Robson who decides how he fits in with all the yearlings heading into next year.”

McElroy, Macauley and Amo went on to snap up another colt by up-and-coming Darley-based stallion Earthlight (Ire) for 325,000gns. But the real story here was how Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud transformed the colt (lot 1013) from a 78,000gns foal here in December to the major payday in the ring on Wednesday. 

“He was a good-looking horse and we took a chance-plenty of others don't work out so well,” a beaming Murphy reported afterwards. “Earthlight is a son of Shamardal and he is from a very good dam line. We were lucky that Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) [Grade 3 winner] came up in the first dam and then Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) in the second dam won the Gimcrack.”

Murphy added of the Earthlight colt, who was bred by Derek Iceton of Tara Stud, “He is very much a two-year-old and is a precocious type of horse. Hopefully we will see him at Royal Ascot.”

Fellowes To Train 350k Wootton Bassett Colt

Charlie Fellowes has a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt to look forward to training next year after owner Paul Hickman shelled out 350,000gns on the WH Bloodstock-drafted yearling who is bred on the same cross as Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Fr).

The Wootton Bassett colt (lot 915) was bred by Westerberg and is out of Galileo (Ire) mare Beluga (Ire), a half-sister to Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) and a sister of the Group 3 winner and Irish Derby third Dawn Patrol (Ire).  

He was bought by Will Douglass, agent for Charlie Gordon-Watson, who was standing alongside Fellowes to the right of the rostrum. The winning bidders held off the challenge of Richard Ryan who was on the phone atop of the stairs. 

“It's not been as easy as the market would suggest,” Douglass commented. “This week has been a lot better. He's a very special horse and has been bought for an English owner called Mr Hickman. He's had horses with Charlie for a few years and is involved in Cloudbreaker (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).”

Douglass added, “We bought a few for him last year and got a Frankel [colt for 250,000gns] here last week. We also underbid one at Deauville for a lot of money. It's not easy. When you follow those nice horses through, you're competing against countries, not just people. If you want to get in, it's really tough.”

Beluga has a Wootton Bassett colt foal and is in foal to Camelot (GB). She is also a sister to Listed winner Kissed (Ire).

lot 915 currently leads the way on day 2 of the #TattsOctober Book 2 Sale

This colt is by Wootton Bassett and was consigned by WH Bloodstock. He has been bought by @cgwbloodstock for 350,000gns and is to be trained by @FellowesRacing. pic.twitter.com/YiOFTBwLGH

— TDN (@theTDN) October 10, 2023

Talking Points

• What a day for Whitsbury Manor Stud. Not only did Havana Grey earn the plaudits of major buyers Anthony Stroud and Joe Foley but the stud also bred the respective lots that both men signed for. That's what you call a good day at the office. 
• As good as Havana Grey performed on Tuesday, it must be said that Pinatubo continues to impress. Of the 10 yearlings through the ring by Darley's hot prospect, they averaged 128,600gns. What's more impressive is the fact that Pinatubo has posted a bigger average–150,250gns—than any other stallion on day one and two of Book 2. 
• Edgar Byrne played a major role at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when signing for a €115,000 Kameko colt to join Scandinavian-based trainer Niels Petersen. The same connections were active at Book 2 on Tuesday when landing a Dark Angel (Ire) colt from Yeomanstown Stud for 145,000gns. The colt (lot 816) is a brother to Fantasy Lady (Ire), winner of the Listed Staffordstown S. and not beaten far in an Irish 1,000 Guineas for Paddy Twomey.
• The clearance rate remained strong on Tuesday at 86%. However, compared to this corresponding day's trade 12 months ago, the average fell 18% to 88,171gns while the median dropped 6% to 66,000gns.

The Golden Touch 

By Georgia Cox 

Lot: 976
Filly by Havana Grey (GB) – Chloris (GB) (Dansili {GB})
Bred by Hascombe and Valiant Stud
Consigned by Hazelwood Bloodstock
Purchased by Ross O'Sullivan 

Chloris admittedly did little to write about on the track herself, but she has shown promise as a broodmare with her first foal Royal Elysian (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) placing in three of her four starts to date. Of course Dansili is well known for his success as a broodmare sire. 

Chloris is a third-generation representative of a family nurtured by esteemed owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, and further back the family also includes the Wildenstein-bred Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre. Her half-sister Bartzella (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) was a convincing listed winner for William Haggas. 

The exploits of the progeny of young stallion Havana Grey speak for themselves, and that no doubt had a hand to play in this filly realising 140,000gns. The hammer fell at five times the price of 28,000gns, which was originally paid when she last walked through the ring just ten months ago at the December Foal Sale. Katie Walsh was the final bidder and signed for the filly in the name of her husband, trainer Ross O'Sullivan.

Buy of the Day

Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock doesn't miss very often and in lot 987, a Lope De Vega (Ire) colt bought from Cheveley Park Stud for 210,000gns, he looks to have sourced another nice prospect. 

For a start, the sire doesn't need any explaining and the mare, who was black-type herself, is a sister to Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 

Whether this colt runs in the Wathnan Racing silks, the major owner that Brown has been buying on behalf of recently, or any number of the major clients that the top agent represents, he could be one to keep an eye on for next year.

Thought for the Day 

Is it any wonder why we're all running around with little pot bellies on us in the height of sales season? Whether it's the toasted sandwiches and the carrot cake at Newsells or the breakfast down at Castlebridge, it's hard to resist some of the [free!] grub on offer at Park Paddocks. Just wait until the Tweenhills van arrives in December! We'll be rolling out of Newmarket for Christmas.

The post Havana Grey Lights Up Book 2 With 425k Colt Knocked Down To Anthony Stroud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Whitsbury Manor Stud is where he stands, and Whitsbury Manor Stud was the consignor and breeder of the top lot [221], a grey daughter of the Harbour Watch (Ire) mare Minoria (GB) who has already produced the Group 3-placed Its's Showtime Baby (GB) to another of the stud's stallions, Showcasing (GB).

Agent Matt Coleman signed for the filly at 155,000gns and noted that she will be trained by George Scott. 

“Havana Grey is almost a freak stallion and is surpassing everyone's expectations,” he said of the G1 Flying Five winner and last year's leading first-season sire. Coleman's business partner Anthony Stroud bought the G1 Prix Morny winner Vandeek (GB) by the same stallion earlier in the season at the Craven Breeze-up Sale.

Coleman added, “Vandeek has that wonderful flowing action and this filly has that, too. She is stand-out at the sale.”

She was certainly the most expensive by the sire but not the only six-figure filly by Havana Grey to pass through the ring on Tuesday. Amo Racing has already had two stakes winner by the stallion this season, the G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Mammas Girl (GB) and Listed winner Graceful Thunder (GB), and Kia Joorabchian's team signed up another of his daughters in lot 199, who was bred and consigned by Sophie Buckley's Culworth Grounds Farm. Hamish Macauley signed for the filly out of the dual winner Last Echo (Ire) (Whipper) at 140,000gns and noted that she will go to Graceful Thunder's trainer George Boughey. A descendant of the successful Ballylinch Stud matriarch Ingabelle (GB), she is a half-sister to Oddyssey (GB), who has been placed this season in both the G2 Superlative S. and Listed Chesham S.

“Matt Coleman helped me buy the mare,” recalled Buckley, who sold another Havana Grey filly in her draft of five for 29,000gns to Antonio da Silva.

“I wanted her as she is a Whipper mare and he's a good broodmare sire. There aren't that many of them so it is hard to get them. She has had a great update this year with Oddyssey. Pat Owens has done a great job of training him to get his black type.”

She added, “I liked [Havana Grey's] foals, and I buy a lot of foals. I thought they looked very correct and good walkers. When I was asked I punted him as the stallion in that generation of sires that I thought could be the one. I thought I had better back my judgment and use him.”

Dowling's Gallic Flare 

The rising popularity of Haras de Colleville's Galiway (GB), who already has one son at stud and another as favourite for the Melbourne Cup, spread to Tattersalls on Tuesday when Drumhill Stud's lucrative pinhook [lot 152] joined the Richard Hannon team at 145,000gns.

The colt out of the winning Modigliani mare Golconde (Ire) had been bought at the Arqana December Sale for €27,000 and beautifully prepped for his Somerville engagement by Gary Dowling, who was moved to tears by the result. 

Ross Doyle signed the ticket for Hannon and, describing the chestnut as an “absolute smasher”, added that Willie Mullins, who trains the Melbourne Cup-bound Vauban (Fr), and his agent Harold Kirk had advised him to buy as many Galiways as he could. 

Dowling, whose late father Sean was also involved in the business, said, “I started off doing it with my dad and he sadly died five years ago and it was his anniversary yesterday. His anniversary is always around the time of the yearling sales and I often find myself saying 'give us a dig out this year, Dad'. I think he was listening this year.

“We hoped he might stand out a bit at this sale. The mare is two from two with juvenile winners, and thankfully the plan has paid off. There are a couple of lads involved in him with me so we'll all get a few quid. It's what it's all about.”

Galiway was recently joined at stud in Normandy by his son Sealiway (Fr), winner of the G1 Champion S., who stands at Haras de Beaumont. 

Following an unpredictable summer in England where racecourses have fluctuated between fast ground and flooding, the sun has returned with a vengeance this week. At Park Paddocks there were more Panamas on display than in the members' enclosure at Glorious Goodwood, and there was no shortage of buyers on the hunt for the next bright, young thing.

A solid first few hours suddenly gave way to the first six-figure lot of the sale when the Hassett family's filly by Prince Of Lir (Ire) strolled into the ring and the bidding shot up rapidly. Diego Dias was the last man standing at 130,000gns and, with his colleague and co-buyer Robson Aguiar, plans to race the half-sister to French Listed winner Royal Address (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and her full-sister, the stakes-placed Yahsat (Ire).

“We bought the mare Barqeyya at the July Sale in foal to Helmet. She's been a lucky mare and has bred two black-type winners by Dandy Man,” said Tom Hassett, whose children Maebh, Orla and Richie are the members of Trio Bloodstock which bred the filly.

“It is very much family affair for the three children. My wife and I are getting nothing out of this.”

The family also divulged that Barqeyya was originally booked in to a different stallion.

“This was Plan B and it has not been a bad Plan B in the end. Ballyhane has been very lucky for us and Joe [Foley] has bought a lot of horses from us.”

Prince Of Lir has subsequently moved from Ballyhane Stud to stand in India, and he was represented by his first Group 1 winner only recently when the Adam West-trained Live In The Dream (Ire) won the Nunthorpe S. Though not bred by the Hassetts, that gelding is the result of a mating they planned for his dam Approaching Autumn (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) whom they sold in foal to breeder Lorna Doyle. 

Talking Points

• This sale doesn't pretend to be about anything other than those who on paper look to be fast and precocious sorts, and you had to get to the 18th name on the sires' table for the day, Galiway (GB), to find a stallion who had won beyond a mile. Most showed their best form at significantly less than that.

• There was an upwards shift in all sectors, with the number of six-figure yearlings rising to seven from four last year, the average improving by 5% to 31,904gns and the median by 4% to 27,000gns. Turnover of 8,646,000gns (+12%) was accrued from the sale of 271 yearlings at a clearance rate of 89%.

• Tally-Ho Stud sold 27 yearlings last week at the Goffs Premier Sale in Doncaster and brought another 26 to the Somerville Sale where the team ended the day as leading vendor with 24 sold for 746,000gns. The offspring of Mehmas (Ire), one of the stars of the Tally-Ho roster, continued to be sought after, with 14 sold for an average of 43,571gns.

• Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey (GB) is another of the most popular young sires in Europe at the moment and his 16 yearlings returned an average of 58,188gns. His stud-mate Sergei Prokofiev has his first yearlings for sale this year and they also found favour with buyers. Fourteen found a buyer at an average price of 28,179gns.

• Let's not forget Havana Grey's late sire Havana Gold (Ire), who was a great loss to Tweenhills and to the British stallion ranks when he died earlier this year just after the start of the covering season. There will be one more crop of yearlings to come from the stallion whose son Chipotle (GB) was one of the star graduates of this sale's forerunner, the Tattersalls Ascot Sale, when bought by his trainer Eve Johnson Houghton and Anthony Bromley. Havana Gold's five yearlings at the Somerville sold for an average of 30,600gns.

• There was a truly diverse list of buyers, predmoninantly on the domestic front, with 170 different entities represented.

• The Somerville boasted a big book for a one-day sale but the Tattersalls auctioneers were taking no prisoners when it came to ensuring the bidding was conducted in as timely a manner as possible. They may not be as fast as their colleagues across the water who are currently gearing up for the Keeneland September Sale, but their increased tempo was appreciated by all involved in the proceedings on a sweltering day.

Buy of the Day

The fact that the average and median were so closely aligned spoke to the strength of the middle market, but that said there are always some bargains to be found. Dylan Cunha, a Group 1-winning trainer in his native South Africa who is now in his second season training in Newmarket, has already proved what he can do with some inexpensive purchases and it would be no surprise to see him repeat the feat with the Cable Bay (Ire) filly he picked up for the minimum bid of 1,000gns. There's certainly cause for optimism when it comes to lot 54 as Cable Bay has already worked some magic in the family in the case of the dual winner and stakes-placed Belle Anglaise (GB), who is a half-sister to the filly's unraced dam Belle Monde (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). 

It's a pretty good bet that Cunha will be syndicating this filly. Go on, people, get involved. You'll have a lot of fun in the stable run by one of the nicest trainers in Newmarket. And, no, I'm not on commission.

Thought for the Day

Certain regulars on the sales circuit are starting to feel a little long in the tooth compared to the massive influx of young faces on the sales grounds in England over the last few weeks. It's great to see so many new people getting involved in foal and yearling pinhooking syndicates. And, who knows, some of them may eventually be coaxed into racehorse ownership as well as trading.

Chairman's Comments

“The Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale has established itself as an important fixture in the European yearling sale calendar in a remarkably short period of time,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. Only two years ago the turnover at the inaugural Somerville Yearling Sale was below five million gns, the average a fraction over 21,000gns and the median was 16,250gns. Today's third edition of the Somerville has produced records across the board with turnover above 8.5 million gns, an average well over 30,000gns and a median of 27,000gns.

“Somerville yearlings have enjoyed an extraordinary recent run with the likes of Bradsell, Indian Run and Relief Rally showcasing the sale to great effect on the home front and Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks winner Anisette providing the best possible advertisement across the Atlantic.

“Top British and Irish consignors have sent us some smart yearlings and their confidence in our newest yearling sale has been reflected in a sale of real depth with a clearance rate approaching 90% and the number of yearlings selling for more than 50,000gns and more than 100,000gns increasing significantly on last year's impressive numbers. 

“The pinhookers have also enjoyed some spectacular returns on their investments and today's robust trade has given us a positive start to the Tattersalls yearling sale season as we now look forward to Books 1 to 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and the unveiling of our newly renovated Somerville Yard which is the latest major investment undertaken at Park Paddocks.”

The post Havana Grey Dominates Roasting Hot Somerville Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Jasour shaped with promise when a May 18 debut second over five furlongs at Salisbury and graduated over much the same trip in a low-key maiden at Nottingham last month. This black-type debut, his third start, was his first attempt at six furlongs.

“He always gave us a lot of promise and we felt that dropping him in behind was going to see bigger improvement,” explained winning trainer Clive Cox after notching a first win in the race. “He has just run in two races where nothing has been able to lead him early. Stepping up to six [furlongs] was a step into the unknown, but he is going the right way and I'm happy. I'm so pleased for Sheikh Sultan as he is a big supporter and, following on from Golden Horde, this is a real nice horse to have. He will go to the [G2] Richmond [at Goodwwod] from here, but he will have an entry in the [G1 Prix] Morny and we will see what is what.” The winning owner, His Highness Sheikh Sultan, added, “We are delighted, all of my horses are with Clive and he has been brilliant for Al Mohamediya racing. We knew that ours was good, but the others were good too. Everything worked well and we are happy. There are plenty of races for him in the season.”

Pedigree Notes

Jasour, the fifth pattern-race winner for his second-crop sire (by Havana Gold {Ire}), is the third of four foals and lone scorer out of an unraced half-sister to MG1SW sire Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), multiple Group-winning G1 Haydock Sprint Cup third Music Master (GB) (Piccolo {GB}), dual stakes-winning G1 British Champions Sprint runner-up Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Listed Land O'Burns Fillies' S. victrix Spring Fling (GB) (Assertive {GB}). The April-foaled grey's second dam Twilight Mistress (GB) (Bin Ajwaad {Ire}) is a half-sister to Listed Washington Singer S. third Romantic Evening (Ire) (Dr Fong). Jasour is kin to a yearling colt by Mohaather (GB) and hails from the family of G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Wassl (GB) (Mill Reef).

Last to first!

Jasour (16/1) flies home for a commanding win in the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at @NewmarketRace. A first win in the Group 2 feature for Clive Cox and @JimCrowley1978. Lake Forest (7/1) and Toca Madera (40/1) fill the places. pic.twitter.com/Moym0tXnCb

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 13, 2023

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN JULY S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-13, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:11.11, g/f.
1–JASOUR (GB), 128, c, 2, by Havana Grey (GB)
1st Dam: Twilight Thyme (GB), by Bahamian Bounty (GB)
2nd Dam: Twilight Mistress (GB), by Bin Ajwaad (Ire)
3rd Dam: By Candlelight (Ire), by Roi Danzig
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (£85,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-Wardley Bloodstock (GB); T-Clive Cox; J-Jim Crowley. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $81,429. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lake Forest (GB), 128, c, 2, No Nay Never–Lady Aquitaine, by El Prado (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (130,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Silver Racing; B-Sahara Group Holdings (GB); T-William Haggas. £21,500.
3–Toca Madera (Ire), 128, g, 2, Bated Breath (GB)–Hala Hala (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€40,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; £45,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Family Amusements Ltd & J Botton; B-Tinnakill Bloodstock (IRE); T-Brian Meehan. £10,760.
Margins: 2, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 16.00, 7.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: Thunder Blue (GB), Purosangue (GB), Malc (GB), Mountain Bear (Ire), Maximum Impact (GB), Chief Mankato (GB).

The post Havana Grey’s Jasour Goes Last To First In The G2 July S. At HQ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post