Arrowfield and Rosemont dive in at Tatts opener

Arrowfield into the fray

John Warren's Highclere Agency, acting on behalf of Australia powerhouse Arrowfield Stud, secured a well-credentialled daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) from the Godolphin draft, the 3-year-old filly Final Thought (Ire), who cost 240,000 gns (AU$469,000) and is destined for a date with The Autumn Sun.

A winner of one of her six starts for Saeed Bin Suroor, she is a daughter of the Grade 3-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Anjaz (USA).

Her grandam Playful Act (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) won the G1 Fillies' Mile en route to becoming the English joint-Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and she is herself out of the celebrated matriarch Magnificient Style (USA) (Silver Hawk {USA}), the dam of six black-type winners led by Newsells Park Stud stallion Nathaniel (Ire).

Speaking to TDN AusNZ, Arrowfield's bloodstock manager Jon Freyer said that it is was a family that Arrowfield had wanted to be involved with for some time, and it had fought hard to make sure she came to Australia.

"We love that family, it's one of the best families in the studbook and it’s a very deep family that goes back five of six generations and that has had a lot of success out here. From different branches of it horses like Champagne and a few others have come out it," he said.

"It’s great bloodlines, terrific to match to. She is really going to suit The Autumn Sun and Maurice and she will probably go to The Autumn Sun her first season.

"We love Sea The Stars, his statistics are really good and we were keen get a Sea The Stars mare."

It’s family which goes back to the influential 1950s mare Delta (USA) (Nasrullah {Ire}), from which a remarkable 126 stakes winners descend, including Australasian Group 1 winners St Reims (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Champagne (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), Charmont (High Chaparral {Ire}) and It's Somewhat (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}).

"If we are going to go to overseas to get mares, we want pedigrees that aren't readily available here. We buy families that are deep families with no weaknesses in them and those which are going to suit our stallion roster," he said.

Freyer said Warren played a key role in assessing the physical suitability of Final Thought.

"She's an athletic, attractive mare. She's got nice depth to her and a good shoulder. She's an excellent mover and she had a bit of talent, she was an 85 rater," he said.

While Final Thought was the main target for Arrowfield, Freyer said it would continue to look for opportunities both at Tattersalls and the upcoming sale at Arqana.

Rosemont's triple play

Rosemont Stud has been active in the majority of global mare sales in 2021, so it was no surprise to see it active with three purchases together with David Redvers on the first day.

The pair paid 110,000 gns (AU$215,000) for Jadeerah (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was offered through the Shadwell Estate and is in foal to Blue Point (Ire).

Jadeerah is a daughter of multiple Group 1 placegetter Maqaasid (GB) (Green Desert {USA}), who is connected to Australia through the fact her half-sister Jamooh (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) produced the G1 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the G2 Chairman's Quality winner Raheen House (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Godolphin mare Deep Snow (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) was also picked up by Redvers and the Victorian-based farm for 110,000 gns (AU$215,000).

A winner of two of her seven starts for Bin Suroor, she is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Arctic Sound (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and a sister to stakes-placed Breeze Easy (GB). Their dam, Polar Circle (USA) (Royal Academy {USA}) is a stakes winner and half-sister to French Group 2 winner and G1 Coronation S. winner Ocean Ridge (USA) (Storm Bird {Can}), and a sister to Listed winner Fokine (USA).

Gallery: A few of Rosemont Stud's purchases in partnership with David Redvers

The third purchase by David Redvers Bloodstock and Rosemont Stud was Lot 1582, the No Nay Never (USA) mare Arabian Romance (Ire), who cost 23,000 gns (AU$45,000) from the stables of Kevin Philippart de Foy.

She is a winner of two of her 10 starts and is from an extended family which has produced Group 1 winners and sires Pride Of Dubai, Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Pinatubo (Ire).

Show time for Northern Farm

It was Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm which signed for the day's top lot, a young mare who perhaps appropriately traces back to the great Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}), at 450,000 gns (AU$879,000).

The Blush With Pride (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}), branch of the Best In Show dynasty has grown fresh limbs in the US during 2021.

The 1982 Kentucky Oaks winner's celebrated-daughter Better Than Honour (USA) (Deputy Minister {Can}) can now add to her record new credits as respectively second and third dam of two brilliant talents, albeit both meanwhile held up by injury: G2 Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (USA) (Tapit {USA}), and G3 Kona Gold S. winner Cezanne (USA) (Curlin {USA}). And another of her daughters, Butterfly Blue (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), is third dam of G3 Dwyer S. winner First Captain (USA) (Curlin {USA}).

On the other side of the Atlantic, however, it is Butterfly Blue's full sister Maryinsky (Ire) who remains the most conspicuous blossom on the family tree, notably through her champion daughter Peeping Fawn (USA) (Danehill {USA}) and her Group 1-winning son Thewayyouare (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}).

Coolmore's use of Japanese titan Deep Impact (Jpn) as an outcross mate for Peeping Fawn produced a very smart juvenile in September (Ire), and now Maryinsky's 7-year-old daughter by Fastnet Rock, Crimson Rock (USA), will participate in the Japanese industry's quest for regeneration following the loss of its perennial champion sire. Presented here as Lot 1418 by Newsells Park, in the partial dispersal from Al Shahania Stud, she was sold to Katsumi Yoshida for 450,000 gns (AU$879,000).

“Of course this mare line is one of the best,” said Yoshida's representative, Shingo Hashimoto. “That was very attractive, and Fastnet Rock is going well in Japan. We are always looking for the best blood to refresh our breeding. We haven't yet decided whether or not she'll go straight to Japan, but hopefully she will suit the sons of Deep Impact on the farm.”

It is instructive of the peculiar fluctuations of bloodstock values that Crimson Rock should have caused the ring to fall silent as the bidding climbed, through competition from the likes of James Wigan of London Thoroughbred Services and Greg Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm, to the highest level of the Sale to date. For she made even more as a yearling, when knocked down to Spendthrift Farm for US$1,000,000 (AU$1.4 million) at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale.

One way or another, however, she ended up running in the silks of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani when winning a Newbury maiden on debut for Ralph Becket the following year. Sadly she could not live up to that promise in two starts at three, but she appeared here carrying a third foal (by Highland Reel {Ire}) and these remain early days in her second career.

First-time buyer aims high with Juddmonte mare

The first of two batches of fillies and mares from Juddmonte Farms provided a late afternoon highlight during the opening session with a range of the operation's top families proving a lure for buyers.

At the head of the group was Sun Tide (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), a winner last year at three and now in foal for the first time to Kameko (USA), whose own 3-year-old career included victory in last year's 2000 Guineas.

On a page which featured only two dams, and with almost every name listed being in bold black type, Sun Tide's most illustrious immediate relative is her half-sister Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Three other half-siblings have also claimed stakes races, while her dam Midsummer (GB) (Kingmambo {USA}), a Listed-placed winner herself, is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winners Reams Of Verse (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) and Elmaamul (USA) (Diesis {GB}).

For a new player in the industry signing up a first broodmare, it would be hard to think of a better way to start than with a mare who offers both owner/breeder and commercial possibilities. The lucky new owner of Sun Tide could not be named by Charlie Vigors, who was the last bidder standing at 400,000 gns (AU$781,000), but he did confirm that Lot 1426 would now be residing at his Hillwood Stud.

“She's been bought for a new English-based client and I think this is their first horse. They want to have a boutique broodmare band and there's no better family to buy into. They might race a filly but she has a nice commercial cover if they do decide to sell,” said Vigors.

“She's a neat, attractive mare so there are plenty of options for where you want to go with her in the future.”

Sun Tide had followed another 4-year-old, Tacitly (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), into the ring and the daughter of the G1 Falmouth S. winner Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar {USA}) will be heading to Normandy to join an elite group of mares after Robert Nataf and Henri Bozo went to 375,000 gns (AU$732,000).

“She's for a partnership between Ecurie des Moneaux and a client of Robert Nataf,” said Bozo of Lot 1425, who is carrying her first foal by Frankel (GB). “Her pedigree speaks for itself and she is in foal to the right stallion.”

Regarding plans for next year, he added, “I have an idea but we will have to discuss the mating. Maybe she could be one for Wootton Bassett.”

Tacitly's family has been in the news of late as her relation Time Test (GB), who is also by Dubawi (Ire) and is out of her dam's half-sister Passage Of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}), is currently in vogue with breeders on the back of a successful season for his first crop of runners.

The first eight of the Juddmonte draft, all in-foal mares, sold for an average of 167,750 gns (AU$328,000), with 15 fillies to be sold on Tuesday.

Showcasing mares in demand

Group 3-placed as a juvenile and finally a winner at the 23rd time of asking, Model Guest (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was certainly a trier in her racing days, with eight runner-up finishes to her name. Covered by Kingman (GB) in February, she went through the ring on Monday as Lot 1469 and will continue her secondary career in Ireland, having been bought by Eddie O'Leary for 330,000 gns (AU$645,000).

“If she produces something like herself we'll be okay,” said the Lynn Lodge Stud owner. “She's a beautiful mare and there are some good Kingman crops to come through.”

Another daughter of Showcasing with a markedly similar profile was also on the shopping list of Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock Agency, who bid 270,000 gns (AU$527,000) for Endless Joy (GB).

The 4-year-old (Lot 1464) won over six furlongs at two and was third in the G3 Firth of Clyde S. on her final start for Clipper Logistics. She was sent to Darley newcomer Blue Point (Ire) for her first cover in February.

Gallery: Some of the Showcasing (GB) mares sold

Like so many from her breeders Whitsbury Manor Stud and Margaret Slade, Endless Joy hails from a fast family which includes her half-brother, the hardy Listed winner and Group 3 runner-up Laugh A Minute (GB) (Mayson {GB}), while the further family features one of this season's leading sprinters in the July Cup and Commonwealth Cup runner-up Dragon Symbol (GB) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}).

Hillen has last word on Statement

It was a long wait, but Stephen Hillen was “very excited” to have landed one of the final lots into the ring—the standout in a tail-end session reserved for horses in training—as a rather different project from most that had preceded her through the preceding 11 and a half hours.

Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) touched an official rating of 106 for Martyn Meade, having run none other than Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) to a photo in the G3 Fred Darling S. before trying her luck in the G1 Thousand Guineas. Her form has somewhat tapered off since, despite a Group placing at Epsom, but she still has miles on the clock and Hillen hopes that she can renew her progress in the silks of his wife Becky.

He duly gave 300,000 gns (AU$586,000) for Lot 1568, in the process rewarding the perseverance of this filly's breeders at Ballylinch Stud. Offered at the Orby Sale as a yearling, she was knocked down for 100,000 gns (AU$197,000) but ended up running in the silks of her home farm.

“I loved her run at Newbury, beaten a short head by Andrew Balding's filly that went on to win two Group 1s,” Hillen said. “It's all about her form, hopefully she can come back to something like that. I don't where she will be trained, but it will be in the UK”

As and when Statement does move onto the kind of career that drives the rest of this Sale, she will be supported by multiple stakes placings in both her first two dams. “Lawman looks like a tremendous broodmare sire, too,” Hillen noted. “And this filly is from a brilliant nursery in Ballylinch."