Bahrain Boost For Arqana As Zoffany Colt Sets The Pace

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

DEAUVILLE, France–It wasn't until the wild-card selection after the end of the main catalogue that the day's top lot walked the ring at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, and that honour went to Willie Browne's Mocklershill team and their colt by the late Zoffany (Ire), who sold for €550,000.

Oliver St Lawrence had kept his powder dry for much of the day, but having warmed up with a €520,000 bid for a Siyouni (Fr) colt from Longways Stables, he went strong again for the session leader, with both colts having been purchased for a friend of Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass. They will be trained in Britain by Roger Varian and Charlie Hills, respectively.

Of the top lot (148), St Lawrence said, “Roger Varian saw this horse this afternoon and really liked him. They just seemed to be getting harder to buy all day. He's a big, strong horse with a big shoulder on him and he went very well and did the ninth-fastest time.”

Bought at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 80,000gns, the half-brother to G2 Kilboy Estates S. winner Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass) was unsold at $65,000 when put through the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Having led allcomers in Deauville, the colt was naturally the star of the Mocklershill draft, which ended the day as leading vendor with eight horses sold for €1,690,000.

They included a brother to Group 1-winning juvenile Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never), lot 55, who was bred by Camas Park, Lynch Bages and Summerhill, and bought by Ross Doyle for €300,000.

“He is a very good-looking and imposing horse, like his sire, and this is the type of horse he throws,” said Doyle. “The sire is also having a very good season. He's just a very nice horse who was bought for an existing client.”

The sale's figures contracted slightly from last year's record-breaking turnover and median, but the latter figure, at €100,000, was only the second time in the auction's history that a six-figure median had been recorded. The average of €131,777 was down by 4%, and the aggregate dropped by 10% to €13,573,000, with five fewer horses sold this year compared to last. The clearance rate of 84% was recorded from 103 horses sold from 123 put through the ring.

 

Another 'Lucky' Siyouni For Longways

Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell already had good reason to love Siyouni (Fr) and their “lucky sire” delivered again when their colt by the French champion left the ring with a price tag of €520,000. Oliver St Lawrence saw off a range of potential purchasers, which included Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and Alastair Donald, and confirmed that the colt out of a full-sister to crack sprinter Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), had been bought for a Bahraini owner.

“He was a horse that caught our eye. I wasn't expecting to have to pay that sort of money for him but it has been a tough day to buy the horse one wants to buy,” St Lawrence said. “He came up there very nicely and hopefully he justifies our confidence. He'll go to Charlie Hills.”

Vendors Murphy and O'Connell of Longways Stables have previously topped the Goffs UK Breeze-up Sale with a Siyouni 2-year-old and they also sold Le Brivido (Fr) here in Deauville for €105,000 six years ago. Beaten a short-head in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, he went on to win the Jersey S. at Royal Ascot.

“I love Siyouni,” said O'Connell, who was navigating the sales ground on crutches while awaiting hip surgery. “He's even a lucky sire for us and we've always had two or three by him every year from the word go.”

Despite turning this 200,000gns yearling into an expensive breezer (lot 124), the couple remarked that the breeze-up season has not been all plain sailing for vendors.

“It hasn't been a great year,” said Murphy. “We came here slightly up but we had a fair bit of money tied up in these horses so it is a relief to have sold him well.”

O'Connell added, “Everyone had expected there to have been a bit more of a buzz today. We had plenty of people looking in the last few days but the sale has been a little quieter than we thought it would be.”

 

Grove Has Good One Ready

Brendan Holland has rightly earned a reputation for being one of the best at his craft and, in producing a More Than Ready colt (lot 70) from a $90,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland in September to a €450,000 breeze-up star, he enhanced his already excellent record at this particular sale.

Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland secured the colt and revealed that he viewed him as more of a dirt performer in the making.

Donohoe said, “He's a beautiful-looking horse, very intelligent, and he did a fantastic breeze. He looks to have a fantastic temperament.”

He added, “We liked everything about him to be honest. Plans are undecided, but he could race on turf or on the dirt. He's probably more of a dirt-type horse so he will probably end up in the Middle East.”

Holland has topped this sale four times in the past and sold The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {GB}) and Ocean Atlantique (American Pharaoh) under his successful Grove Stud banner.

He said, “This horse has done really well from when he was a yearling. He's an exceptionally good-looking horse who breezed well. So far, so good. This sale has been lucky for me and we've had plenty of success on the track with horses we've brought here.”

More Than Ready stands at WinStar Farm in Kentucky and has had 12 horses break $1 million in career earnings. Holland's offering by the stallion is out of the unraced Sweet Lollipop (Candy Ride {Arg}), a half-sister to Danny Boy (Harlan's Holiday) and Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat), who were genuine black-type performers in America.

 

 

Breeders' Cup-Winning Owner Buys Cracksman Filly

One of the main talking points in the build-up to this sale was the amount of international clients knocking about and Dean Reeves, who campaigned and now stands former GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno), made his presence felt by securing a Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) filly (lot 132) for €420,000.

Agent Stephen Hillen signed for the filly who will join Christophe Clement and, flanked by the leading owner, the pair could scarcely hide their delight afterwards.

Hillen said, “I saw her on the farm in Yorkshire about a month ago and really liked her. I think Cracksman could be a top sire. There have been a few by him breeze really well already and she's probably going to go a mile and a quarter. We think she's pretty exciting and she may not start until the autumn. Thrilled to get her. Well done to Dean.”

And with that, Reeves took the mic, where he outlined some ambitious plans for his new recruit. He said, “It's very exciting. We really wanted to get a nice filly to send back to the States and she fit a lot of the criteria. We think she will be very successful. The breeding is there for her to make a future broodmare so it's very exciting.”

Reeves added, “We'll take our time with her and Christophe is as good a trainer as you can find. He does a great job for us and Steven has done a wonderful job in selecting the horses. We've been very successful and that bodes well. My wife is here and we've met some wonderful people this week. Hopefully this filly will make us look pretty smart. We'll be back.”

The filly from the first crop of Darley's young son of Frankel (GB) was consigned by Church Farm and Horse Park Stud, who enjoyed a successful day as the second-leading vendor with 10 juveniles sold for an average of €150,800.

Also among their bestsellers was one of the early highlights when Anthony Stroud bid €300,000 for the second lot through the ring, a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly from the family of Group 1 winners Jakkalberry (Ire) (Storming Home {GB}) and Crackerjack King (Ire) (Shamardal). The agent revealed that she will be trained in Newmarket by John and Thady Gosden.

 

Power Play

Tom Whitehead's Powerstown Stud posted a pair of decent returns within half an hour of each other when two colts each sold for €280,000 to Dubaian and Saudi Arabian owners, respectively.

Colm Sharkey, acting on behalf of a client from Dubai, signed for lot 74, a well-bred Shamardal colt out of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Thawaany (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) who was bought as a yearling for 92,000gns from the Shadwell draft at the Tattersalls December Sale.

“He's for a client in Dubai and he was the only horse we wanted from a very short list. He vetted well and breezed well, and cost a bit more than we thought but my client was keen to have him,” said Sharkey of the colt whose dam is a half-sister to the G1 Irish St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Granddam Chelsea Rose (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}) won the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and has produced five black-type performers.

When lot 82 passed through the ring shortly afterwards, it was his American bloodlines that were the deciding factor for agent Marco Bozzi, who went to €280,000 on behalf of his undisclosed Saudi client. Whitehead had paid $60,000 for the son of Good Magic when buying him from breeder Hermitage Farm at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Three years earlier the breeders had bought his dam, the stakes winner Vieja Luna (Street Hero) in that same ring for $160,000.

“He's a horse that we went to see last week in Ireland. He's for a new Saudi client and this is the horse we wanted absolutely,” said Bozzi. “He passed the vet, he passed everything, and the pedigree is right. They love [Good Magic's sire] Curlin in Saudi.”

Bozzi also bought lot 23 for €125,000 from Powerstown Stud, which was third overall on the leading vendors' table but led by average, with five sold for €223,000.

 

Double Delight for Derryconnor Stud

Katie McGivern had good reason to be quietly confident when she spoke to the TDN on the eve of the sale but, as every horseperson knows, it's never wise to be too confident before the horse has crossed the line in front, or exited the sale ring after selling well. For McGivern's Derryconnor Stud, the latter happened twice in three lots when the only two horses she had brought to Deauville rose sharply in value after posting professional and fast breezes on Thursday.

Marco Bozzi was in play again at €230,000 for the filly from the first crop of Sioux Nation, the Coolmore sire who has galloped off to a great start at stud with five winners from 15 runners. It would be no surprise to see this sleek, near-black filly out of Sparks (Ire) (Elusive City) join the list of winners before too long. Robustly made with an easy walk, lot 64 is the second foal of her dam, who is a half-sister to G1 Prix d'Astarte winner Marbye (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), who has in turn produced the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) winner Marcellina (Jpn).

Having paid 36,000gns for the Sioux Nation filly at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, McGivern pushed the boat out to €68,000 to secure the filly by Siyouni (Fr) at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale. Her boldness was rewarded with a winning bid of €160,000 from Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency for lot 66, out of the winning Sea The Stars (Ire) mare Stars So Bright (Ire).

“Until you go through the ring and people fall in love with them you can never be sure. I'm still shaking at the moment but I'm sure when I reflect on it I still won't believe it,” said McGivern.

“I've always said that the good ones can cope with all the pressure and they don't let you down, and these two didn't. All the team at home have worked so hard and they'll be delighted.”

De Watrigant also signed for lot 114, a Tally-Ho Stud-consigned daughter of Exceed And Excel (Aus), at €360,000.

He said, “We really fell for her. Physically she stands out and she went well in her breeze, showing a lot of quality. She's by a very good sire and I've bought her for MV Magnier, so she will be joining Coolmore.”

 

Barberini's Expert Eye For A Well-Bred Filly

A huge amount of patience is required to find the right horse at the sales but, in Federico Barberini's case, he had been waiting for Mocklershill's lot 49 ever since he saw the Expert Eye (GB) filly at the Tattersalls December Sale.

He explained, “I thought she was a gorgeous individual and I actually remember her from the Tattersalls December Sale. She really caught my eye last year so I remembered her. She has done really well since.”

Another consigned on the day by Mocklershill, the filly, who cost 85,000gns at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale and came back through the ring on Friday for €240,000, is out of an unraced Oasis Dream (GB) half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}), from a strong black-type family which includes treble Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

Barberini added, “She comes from a very nice family and came highly recommended. The sire is going well with his first 2-year-olds and they are nice horses who look to have the scope to be more than one-hit wonders.

“She's for Apple Tree Stud, good clients based in Gloucestershire, and the plan is that she will be a very nice racehorse and then a broodmare for the farm. A trainer is yet to be decided.”

 

Amo Racing Continues Investment

Amo Racing swooped for Aguiar Bloodstock's Good Magic filly (lot 18) out of the Grade II-winning mare Luna Vega (Malibu Moon) at €280,000, with Kerri Radcliffe signing on behalf of the prominent owners.

Between Britain and Ireland, Amo Racing has enjoyed 16 winners already this season, including Queen Olly (Ire) (No Nay Never), who became a 'TDN Rising Star' after scoring impressively at York on Thursday.

Radcliffe hopes the Good Magic filly can prove another good acquisition and said, “She has been bought on behalf of Amo Racing who are having a great time at the minute.”

As well as being a Grade II winner, Luna Vega was Grade I-placed in America, and is the granddam of Shesawildjoker (Practical Joke), who won at stakes level as a 2-year-old in America last year.

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell said, “We're delighted to be back at Deauville. The sale took place in very good conditions, notably thanks to the work and professionalism of our vendors to bring their horses in the best shape. We must also salute the quality of the track at Deauville and the sun that was with us. The market was solid, without extravagance, with a very international dimension. Our buyers came from the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Scandinavia, some of whom made the trip to Deauville for the first time.”

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Record Book Two Ends With No Half Measures

NEWMARKET, UK–On both sides of the Atlantic, the yearling sector in 2021 has shown an especially heartening vigour in the middle market–and you can't get much closer to its centre of gravity, on this side of the water, than Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls.

Despite losing the stimulus of Shadwell, which last year corralled 36 lots from this auction for 5,327,000gns, Wednesday's third and final session rounded off a quite astonishing performance overall.

Never mind its giddy elevation on last year's sale, which had itself rallied so much better than many feared after a seismic shock to the global economy. This time round Book 2 surpassed even the 2019 edition, which had achieved record turnover of 48,499,000gns for an average 78,224gns and median 55,500gns. Despite the obvious challenges of the domestic environment, notably chronic prizemoney issues and a volatile outlook in the broader economy, turnover soared to 54,512,000gns (up 13% on 48,362,500gns) for an average 83,865gns–up 10% on 75,992gns last year–and a median of 62,000gns, up fully 24% on 50,000gns. The clearance rate climbed in tandem to 88% from 85%.

Given how many sales, over the years, have ended with grumbles about “polarisation”–alleging a vacuum between the elite and bargain ends of the spectrum–such giddy trade through this middle tier appears particularly auspicious. Doubtless many factors remain to be analysed, once the dust settles, but Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony was rightly exultant over the final indices.

“At the end of Book 1 last week, we referenced the depth and diversity of the demand,” he said. “And the momentum established there has been very much sustained throughout a record-breaking Book 2.

“New record turnover at any sale is always an achievement–but for Europe's largest yearling sale to reach new levels, as we all strive to return to normality after 18 months of turmoil, is pretty extraordinary. Only ten years ago, Book 2 had turnover of a fraction over 25,000,000gns and an average price below 40,000gns. This year's has broken the 50,000,000gns mark for the first time, produced a record average, in excess of 80,000gns, and also an unprecedented median.

“Similar to Book 1, international buyers have again made a massive contribution to the market, with notable participation from American and Australian interests as well as from Hong Kong, Japan and throughout the Gulf region. But perhaps the most encouraging feature of the record-breaking sale has been the domestic demand. British and Irish trainers have been the backbone of the sale and to see such a voracious appetite for quality yearlings, not only at Books 1 and 2 but also at our Newmarket-based yearling sales last month, has been fantastic.

“As ever, we are hugely indebted to the consignors from Britain, Ireland and further afield, who make Books 1 and 2 of the October Yearling Sale the showcase for so many of the finest yearlings to be found in Europe. Consistent quality is the key to attracting the buyers in such numbers, and we now turn our attention to Book 3 where buyers will continue to find yearlings of the highest calibre.”

That catalogue opens on Thursday at 10 a.m.

All Power To Ballyvolane As Pinhook Passes Test

It felt like no coincidence that the author of one of the touches of the sale should also have placed it so aptly in context. For true horsemanship serves perspective, as well as profit.

“It's amazing to get a result like this, as we all work hard,” said John Foley after watching a Time Test colt (lot 1193), pinhooked for 56,000gns in the same ring last December, catapult his value to 400,000gns. “This is a very tough business, and there are more hard days than good days. We have great help at home. Donnacha Higgins gives me a hand with the yearlings, and my dad, who's 77, mucks out six or seven boxes every day. We have great staff with us here, too. Everyone is doing their best. It makes a huge difference when you have people who want it to do well, so when it works out it is great.”

It worked out here, all right, in quite spectacular fashion. Foley reckoned that the star of his Ballyvolane Stud draft had secured as many as 20 vettings, with Alastair Donald of SackvilleDonald ultimately seeing off the challenge of trainer Richard Hughes on behalf of King Power Racing. This was by a distance his sire's top price to date.

“But expectations are the biggest killer for stallions,” Foley said. “The slow burners are the best. Time Test is doing really well, his stats are very good. We were taking a gamble, but sons of Dubawi have done very well and this colt was very well prepared by the National Stud. He was the sire's dearest foal and there were reasons for that, but then he just kept improving. He's a 'wow' horse: such attitude and presence. Plenty of people told us that he was as nice a horse as there was in the sale. I do think he's special, the best yearling I ever had in 17, 18 years at it. He's obviously gone to a top firm and hopefully he becomes what we think he is.”

It is some tribute to Time Test that his son should have suddenly exalted the commercial prowess of a 20-year-old mare, Aurelia (GB) (Rainbow Quest), whose overall sales record has hitherto been relatively ordinary–despite producing Harlequeen (GB) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) to make the Oaks podium at both Epsom and The Curragh. (And actually both the third and fourth dams also produced a daughter to finish second in the Epsom Classic.)

Though Foley is well established at his Co Limerick farm, this was a new pinhooking venture with a couple of friends. “We knew that this lad would be a fair throw as a foal,” he explained. “So if he didn't work out, we thought with three of us involved the pain wouldn't be too much. Now we'll go back to the foal sales and try it all over again.”

Donald, conversely, had put all his eggs in one basket. “He was my favourite horse of the week,” he explained. “Of a list of four that we put together, we decided to skip three and hold out for him. But it was a gamble worth taking. He's a beautiful horse, the stallion's on fire and the mare has produced a third in the Oaks. He's a proper Classic type.”

Residue Counts At The End Of The Day

A frantic closing hour heightened a sense that plenty of prospectors had been thwarted by the sheer intensity of demand. But the copper-bottomed residual value of lot 1279 would have stood out at any point over the previous two days.

The Zoffany (Ire) filly is out of Curtsy (Ire), a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to the dam of Mishriff (Ire), who bids to enhance a glittering CV at Ascot on Saturday; and their group-winning mother is a half-sister to Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB), i.e. also out of the great Rafha (GB). So while Curtsy could not advance her rating past 59 in a barren career, she does have a most aristocratic pedigree and Kilcarn Park were alert in picking her up for 95,000gns with an Almanzor (Fr) cover at the 2018 December Sale.

The resulting filly nearly retrieved that entire outlay in Book 2 last year, and here her sibling brought no less than 350,000gns from Thady Gosden, lurking in the stairwell alongside his father John–two gentlemen, of course, intimately acquainted with the merit of Mishriff.

“She's a very good-moving filly, there's plenty of scope and class about her,” said Gosden Jr. “Obviously it's very much the happening pedigree at the moment, one we know a bit about: it would be nice if she can be the same as Mishriff on the track. She's for a new client, and hopefully will do well for them.”

Patrick Cosgrove of Kilcarn Park was ecstatic that their sole entry in the sale had so rewarded their investment in the mare.

“Mishriff wasn't on the page when we bought her, so it's been great watching him since,” he said. “She was just a nice mare, by Galileo of course, and came within our budget. We're not the sort that can pay 200,000gns or 300,000gns. We thought we'd use a proven sire, after Almanzor, and to come back here after being happy with the price we got for that filly last year. We knew this one was popular, but if she'd made half that we would have been extremely happy.”

The mare is now in foal to Make Believe (GB) and has a colt foal by Bated Breath (GB).

Just minutes later precisely the same sum was paid by Matt Coleman, on behalf of an unnamed client of absent colleague Anthony Stroud, for a glistening Wootton Bassett (GB) filly [lot 1285] consigned by that stallion's former farm, Haras D'Etreham. This full sister to seasoned stakes operator Dave (Fr) was sold to Canirola Bloodstock for €120,000 at Arqana last December, and that bold roll of the dice has now paid off very handsomely.

“She's just a great-moving filly and we thought her pretty much the filly of the sale,” Coleman said. “We bought [Breeders' Cup winner] Audarya (Fr), so Wootton Bassett fillies have been lucky for us, and obviously he's become a fantastic sire.”

Ribchester Touch Leaves Breeder Lost For Words

Ribchester (Ire) may be waiting for his first stakes winner but that won't concern anyone who remembers the way he thrived on racing; nor anyone who saw his knockout son consigned by Barton Stud as lot 1099. Mick Kinane finally gained the day on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club at 350,000gns, a price that caused breeder Tim Bostwick of Biddestone Stud to check an impulse to express himself more colourfully when asked for his reaction.

“I'm shocked,” he admitted, settling for a more decorous formula. “He is a cracking colt, and I still have lots of faith in the stallion, but that was much better than we could have expected.”

Ribchester is actually maintaining a perfectly healthy median for his second crop, barely down on his first, and that was the case even before factoring in this son of Vitello (GB) (Raven's Pass), whose second foal Andreas Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio) was runner-up in the G2 Anglesey S. this summer. The mare was culled by Godolphin as a 3-year-old for €55,000 at Goffs November five years ago.

“Once again I have to pay credit to Tom Blain and his team at Barton Stud,” Bostwick added. “All our mares board there, they just do such a fantastic job. Unfortunately the mare is barren this year, but she has a really nice Ten Sovereigns at foot. I believe Andreas Vesalius has been purchased to go to Hong Kong, which doubtless attracted these guys.”

“He was a standout for us,” affirmed Kinane. “He is a gorgeous horse–but that is a gorgeous price, too.”

McElroy Goes Out In Style

Touring the European yearling sales has become a pivotal exercise in the career of Ben McElroy, who rounded off this year's raid by winning a purposeful exchange for one of the morning's very first lots–and, judging from his comments afterwards, the last shall be pretty close to first when he debriefs his clients back in the U.S. on the best value among his 2021 exports.

After signing a 285,000gns docket for a Kodiac (GB) colt presented by Croom House Stud as lot 1049, the agent admitted: “I was worried what he might cost, I could see him making 400,000gns or 500,000gns just as easily. For me, he's the best colt in the sale–if not maybe the best horse I've seen since I have been over here. That's my quintessential horse, right there: a great mover, plenty of scope, and I loved the way he behaved out the back. I'm delighted to get him, I really think he's special.”

McElroy's affinity to the sire was of course sealed by his discovery of dual Royal Ascot winner Campanelle (Ire) in Book I two years ago for 190,000gns, and he had gone to 340,000gns for a Kodiac filly (lot 961) the previous evening.

This April colt is out of a half-sister to G2 Norfolk S. winner Baitha Alga (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) but McElroy hopes that a second dam by Fantastic Light might draw out a little stamina, too, while the fourth dam is the significant runner and producer Icing (Ire) (Prince Tenderfoot).

If At First You Don't Succeed…

Ed Sackville had a fairly intense few minutes in the early afternoon when venturing past 200,000gns for consecutive lots. Having ultimately been seen off by a bid of 220,000gns from Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock for a Frankel filly consigned as lot 1148 by Hazelwood Bloodstock, he was not going to be thwarted for the next into the ring and, signing jointly with Dermot Farrington, secured a No Nay Never colt (lot 1149) from Camas Park Stud for 260,000gns. He was bought for Fitri Hay, who has yet to decide a trainer.

“He's a very strong colt who looked a real 2-year-old,” the agent reasoned. “And obviously he's by an outstanding stallion who just gets better and better.”

Camas Park helped to get No Nay Never started as co-breeder of his flagship son Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Timmy Hyde Sr. is delighted that his fidelity to the stallion is continuing to pay off. The previous day Camas Park had sold another No Nay Never colt (lot 944) for 450,000gns, while a third brought 180,000gns as lot 1200.

The one secured by Sackville is out of Aljaazya, an unraced daughter of Speightstown and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Matiya (Ire) (Alzao), who has already produced a stakes performer in Magical Journey (Ire). She is back in foal to that filly's sire Night Of Thunder (Ire).

“We have had a good run with him,” Hyde said of No Nay Never. “He looks like being a top stallion, doesn't he, with a Classic winner and everything else. This colt was fairly typical of the others we've had: very well-made horses with powerful backsides on them. And he looks particularly fast.”

As for the Frankel filly that eluded Sackville, her price obviously had to be placed in the context of a £175,000 covering fee. The mare who had warranted that kind of investment was Alderry (SAf), a group winner in her native land and responsible for G1 South African Derby winner Al Sahem (SAf) as her first foal.

“I respect the South African mares,” Boman said. “I've done a lot of research on them and think they're undervalued. And I thought this an outstanding filly, Book 1 quality to look at: with a European pedigree I think she would have been a 600,000-700,000gns filly. And Frankel is almost turning into a better stallion than he was a racehorse, dare I say.”

Yeomanstown's Sharp Eye Pays Off Again

Just minutes after Time Test produced his breakout headliner, another young stallion registered his best yearling dividend to date, a filly [lot 1203] by rookie sensation Ardad (Ire) consigned by Norris Bloodstock realizing 190,000gns from Manor House Stud. Bred by the Countess of Rothes, she is the first foal of Be My Angel (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a winner in a light career for Henry Candy.

The challenge for Ardad now is to slipstream the kind of consolidation achieved by the prolific Mehmas (Ire), whose son [lot 1236] out of C'Est Ma Soeur (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) achieved a wonderful transformation at 250,000gns, having been knocked down to Yeomanstown Stud for just 38,000gns when brought here from Kingsfield Stud last December. Characteristically astute business by Yeomanstown, that; and likewise the conspicuous branding of speed.

Certainly it was unsurprising to hear what had drawn purchaser Donnacha O'Brien to this colt. “He looks the type to be out early,” said the young trainer, who was representing patrons Atlantic Bloodstock. “He's a beautiful strong horse, a real 2-year-old, and Mehmas has had a great season.”

Third dam Palacegate Episode (Ire) was herself a prolific operator in Group sprints, and is granddam of the top-class juvenile Dutch Art (GB).

David O'Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud said: “He's a belter, big and strong, a powerful mover with a great action and by a top-class stallion. When we bought him we thought he'd make a lot more, and he sold well today.”

Yeomanstown is getting aboard the Mehmas express with Supremacy (Ire), whose disappointing second campaign won't inhibit the commercial appeal of his scores in the G1 Middle Park S. and G2 Richmond S. last year. “He has an unbelievable temperament,” O'Callaghan said. “It's great to get a Group 1 winner back on the farm, the first since Dark Angel (Ire) joined us in 2007.”

Stewart Keeps Filly For His Collection

Shamardal mares will doubtless be at their usual premium at the December Sale, so it stands to reason that one of a diminishing number of his remaining fillies to come onto the market should make 210,000gns as lot 1165.

Having secured the Giant's Causeway line so early in his own sire's career, Shamardal died in April 2020 after covering 31 mares in his final spring. And this member of his penultimate crop would arguably be worth her price as a breeding prospect even if she happens to fail on the track–a remote contingency, given that she is heading across town to the peerless James Fanshawe. For her family tapers into undiluted quality: her granddam is a half-sister to Danehill's multiple Grade I-Group 1 winners Artiste Royal (Ire) and Aquarelliste (Fr), their dam in turn placed in two Classics and a sibling to Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}).

No surprise, then, to discover that successful bidder Suzanne Roberts was operating for the filly's co-breeder Trevor Stewart, who was buying out his partners here. “Shamardal fillies are obviously a bit of a collectors' item at the moment,” Roberts observed. “And this is a sweet filly with good limbs.”

The filly was another credit to Ballyhimikin Stud, whose James Hanly paid due tribute to Helen and Dermot Jones and the “wonderful” team they have assembled.

“Some of the horses are owned by my wife and myself, but also we have a couple of partners who are also great friends and supporters,” Hanly said. “They've supported us through the bad times, of which there has been plenty–and we are always aware that they are never too far away. As long as we can get up in the morning and get around, then we're going well. If we can manage to sell a few horses as well, then that's great.”

And so, whatever the ups and downs of the market, say all of us.

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‘TDN Rising Star’ Osmose Returns At Chantilly

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the return of a recent 'TDN Rising Star'

14.50 Chantilly, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 7fT

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's once-raced OSMOSE (FR) (Zoffany {Ire}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with an impressive takedown of a Deauville debutantes' heat last month and steps up to seven furlongs in this return for the Jean-Claude Rouget stable. She encounters a trio of previous winners which includes David Curran's Clarence C (Ire) (Caravaggio), who is a Nick Littmoden-trained half-brother to G1 Matron S. heroine Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}); Andre Fabre representative Mathletic (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), the once-out winner of a July 7 maiden over this course and distance; and the unbeaten Just Bere (Fr) (Pedro the Great), who lines up for Mathieu Brasme with a perfect three-for-three record.

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Mother Earth Headlines 13-Horse Field In ‘Win And You’re In’ Matron Stakes

Derrick Smith & Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor's Mother Earth (IRE) heads a strong 13-runner field in the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown on Saturday. The winner of this race will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

A daughter of Zoffany (IRE) out of the Green Desert mare Many Colours (GB), Mother Earth finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) last year, before kicking off her 3-year-old season in perfect style with a win in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas (G1).

The filly went on to place second in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) at ParisLongchamp, third in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, and runner-up in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. She returned to the winner's circle in her last start, taking the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville on Aug. 3.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “We were delighted with Mother Earth the last day in Deauville, and everything has gone well with her since then.”

The Classic heroine is one of two Guineas scorers for O'Brien, who also saddles Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) winner Empress Josephine (IRE), alongside stablemate Friendly (IRE).

Johnny Murtagh enjoyed a glittering career in the saddle, including three wins at the Breeders' Cup. He celebrated his first top-level success as a trainer in this race last year with Champers Elysees (IRE) and the 4-year-old returns to Leopardstown to defend her crown.

The daughter of Elzaam (AUS) will need to reverse recent form with Juddmonte's Acanella (GB). Trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by Colin Keane, Acanella was last seen when winning the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (G3) at The Curragh, with Champers Elysees three-quarters of a length behind in second.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Pearls Galore (FR) is another stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time. The 4-year-old recently secured Group 3 success at Fairyhouse and Tipperary.

Other notable runners include Pretty Gorgeous (FR), trained by Joseph O'Brien, and Shale (IRE), trained by Donnacha O'Brien. The duo meet again having repeatedly clashed last season, but neither are yet to reproduce their top-class juvenile form.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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