Dubawi tops Tattersalls on opening day with three millionaires

Cover image courtesy of Laura Green/ Tattersalls

Camilleri colt tops Day 1

Sales can often start with more of a whimper than a bang, but with only the second horse in the ring at Tattersalls on Tuesday, the 2022 October Yearling Sale roared to life as the first Dubawi (Ire) yearling to be offered ensured that seven figures were lit across the bid board.

That was repeated twice during the day, both times by offspring of Darley's elite sire, with top honours eventually falling to Hazelwood Bloodstock's colt out of Ring The Bell (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was bought by Godolphin for 1.5 million gns (AU$2.8 million).

Though few stallions can match the achievements of Dubawi, at his level he is being graced with some of the best mares in Europe, and Ring The Bell, owned by Australia’s John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds, is from a family with strength in depth.

Though tried only once on the racecourse herself, Ring The Bell is a full sister to no fewer than three Group 1 winners in the dual Classic heroine Hermosa (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire) and The United States (Ire), all by Galileo (Ire), while both her dam Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and grandam Zelding (Ire) (Warning {GB}) won Group races in France.

Furthermore, the cross of Dubawi on Galileo has had noted success via the likes of Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath (Ire) and 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder (Ire), both of whom are now standing on the Darley roster.

With Sheikh Mohammed present at Park Paddocks on Tuesday, along with an international who's who of the bloodstock industry, the Godolphin operation flexed its muscles.

During the opening session of Book 1, Anthony Stroud signed for eight yearlings, five of which were by Dubawi, for a total of 6,025,000gns (AU$11.15 million). This equated to roughly 20 per cent of the day's turnover and included the day's three most expensive lots.

A sale that had been widely touted to include a particularly fine selection of yearlings certainly got off to a positive start.

The clearance rate rose from 78 per cent to 86 per cent, with 135 horses changing hands for 31,993,000gns (AU$59.2 million), which was up by 27 per cent but was accrued from 19 more yearlings sold than in the equivalent session last year.

The median was up fractionally (five per cent) to 160,000gns (AU$296,000), while the average rose by 10 per cent to 230,165gns (AU$428,000).

Top family for Meon Valley Stud

A family which has already produced five seven-figure lots at Tattersalls in the past was responsible for the first to breach that barrier at this year's Book 1 when the second yearling into the ring, Meon Valley Stud's daughter of Dubawi and G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), brought the hammer down at 1.3 million gns (AU$2.4 million).

The first of eight purchases by Anthony Stroud on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, the descendant of Meon Valley's influential foundation mare Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}) was offered as Lot 3.

“It's been a very good family,” said breeder Mark Weinfeld. “We've been very lucky with it. She had been very popular, but you never quite know until you get up there how many people will be there. We're absolutely delighted.”

The family, which includes the filly's G1 Prix de l'Opera-winning grandam Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic {USA}) and another of her daughters, the dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), has been nurtured by the Weinfeld family over more than four decades.

It is one with which Sheikh Mohammed has already enjoyed significant success, having raced the Sadler's Wells Group 1-winning brothers Opera House (GB) and Kayf Tara (GB), who are grandsons of Reprocolor.

Easily persuaded for Dubawi colt

Alex Elliott made a determined effort for Cheveley Park Stud's colt by Dubawi out of the Group 1 winner Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), but eventually had to settle for second best when Anthony Stroud made the final bid for Lot 127 at 1,000,000gns (AU$1.85 million) on behalf of Godolphin.

Cheveley Park Stud had bought the colt's dam as a yearling from her breeder, John Tuthill, and she has proved to be an inspired purchase.

Not only did she win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and G3 Atalanta S. but, since she was acquired, her page has been boosted by the exploits of her younger siblings, which include Godolphin's G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Listed winner Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}).

“It's nice to come to a top-class sale and have a horse of that sort of quality,” said Cheveley Park Stud's Managing Director Chris Richardson. “He was a gem from the moment he was born and we were obviously delighted that he has gone down so well.

“It's a family that keeps evolving and we're very grateful to Sheikh Mohammed for buying him. He knows the family well, with Creative Force having won the Champion Sprint S.”

Shadwell returns to the UK market

Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) have all contributed to a memorable season for Shadwell on the track and, on Tuesday, the hugely successful operation returned to the sale scene in Britain for the first time in nearly two years.

Shadwell confirmed its intention to remain a global player at Keeneland last month with the purchase of four blue-blooded fillies, and Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum, daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, made a first trip to Tattersalls to add another well-bred filly to the team, Lot 24.

Consigned by Watership Down Stud, the Siyouni (Fr) filly out of the four-time Group 1 winner Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was knocked down to Angus Gold for 880,000gns (AU$1.6 million), with the Shadwell racing manager revealing that Sheikha Hissa thoroughly enjoyed her first trip to the sale.

“People have been very kind around the sale grounds and gave her a big welcome,” Gold said. “It's lovely to have been able to walk around with her. She is very excited to have bought a filly with a pedigree like that.

“The first three dams are all Group winners and the family has been well-nurtured by everyone at Watership Down Stud over the years. Obviously, we're hoping to buy some pedigrees for the future and she had one of the strongest pedigrees in the catalogue.”

'Queen of the sale' for No Nay Never

A No Nay Never (USA) (Lot 77) filly consigned by Camas Park Stud was described by Tina Rau as “the queen of the sale” after the popular Chantilly-based bloodstock agent signed the docket at 780,000gns (AU$1.45 million) on behalf of Gestut Schlenderhan.

This season has represented something of a crowning glory for No Nay Never, responsible for two of the leading juveniles in Ballydoyle residents Little Big Bear (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire), and Rau, in company with Schlenderhan manager Merle Schmidt, admitted her surprise at being able to secure what she deemed was one of the best offerings in Book 1.

“She's going to go back to Germany,” Rau said. “Philip von Ullmann was here and we all loved her. She was the queen of the day and we're very happy to have her.”

One of nine progeny of No Nay Never to walk through the ring on Tuesday, Rau's purchase is out of a sister to Remote (GB) (Dansili {GB}), and she is from the family of Kingman (GB) and the extended family of Oasis Dream (GB).

That top price for a filly secured on the day for No Nay Never played a significant role in the red-hot sire securing an average of 248,571gns (AU$460,000) for seven lots sold in the opening session.

Strong Start for New England

New England Stud offered a pair of Galileo (Ire) fillies early in the day (Lots 1 and 29), with the first through the ring, a full sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), sold to Ted Voute on behalf of Prince Faisal's Nawarra Stud for 500,000gns (AU$925,000).

The second was a daughter of G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}), who has already produced a useful performer in America in the G2 San Marcos S. winner Platinum Warrior (Ire), who is a full brother to the filly.

Knocked down at 675,000gns (AU$1.25 million), Lot 29 was bought by BBA Ireland.

Gallery: Some of the yearlings offered by New England, images courtesy of Tattersalls

New England also later sold a Starspangledbanner colt (Lot 76) for breeder Emma Banks for 350,000gns (AU$650,000) to Richard Knight. The second foal of Listed winner Mrs Gallagher (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is from a family which has received plenty of updates in recent seasons courtesy of sprinting star Harry Angel (Ire) and G1 Middle Park S. winner Supremacy (Ire).

Knight has been on a prolific spending spree this yearling sale season for an undisclosed client, and he signed for another four yearlings for a total of 1,750,000gns (AU$3.2 million) on Tuesday.

The list included Lot 132, a Sea The Stars (Ire) granddaughter of Puce (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), who was bought for 600,000gns (AU$1.1 million) from Newsells Park Stud.

Pinhookers' playground

Michael Fitzpatrick's Kilminfoyle House Stud enjoyed one of the best pinhook results of the session with the sale of Lot 106 for 525,000gns (AU$970,000) to Sebastian Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine.

The daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) was bred by Simon Sweeting's Overbury Stallions and fetched 130,000gns (AU$240,000) at the December Foal Sale. Her dam, the unraced Pacifica Highway (USA) (Pulpit {USA}), has produced two winners to date including the Grade 3-placed Ayacara (GB) (Violence {USA}), and is a half-sister to the Grade 2 winners Doswell (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}) and Secretary At War (USA) (War Front {USA}).

Yeomanstown Stud also enjoyed a decent return on a foal purchase when selling a Starspangledbanner three-parts-brother (Lot 52) to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}).

Bought at Arqana for €170,000 (AU$261,000), the colt, whose five winning siblings include the stakes-placed Lady Sidney (Fr) (Mr Sidney {USA}), brought a bid of 550,000gns (AU$887,000) from Badgers Bloodstock.

Poetic Flare's brother to Dance

Magna Grecia (Ire) featured prominently among the freshman sires during the opening session on Tuesday, principally through Lot 53, the half-brother to Classic winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), who was sold for 300,000gns (AU$485,000) to John Dance's Manor House Farm.

Bred and consigned by Clare Castle Stud, he is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare Maria Lee (Ire), who was bought from her breeder Jim Bolger in the year that Poetic Flare was born.

The 15-year-old mare has also produced Listed Zetland S. winner Glamorous Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}).

Two for Japan

Consecutive lots went the way of Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, who picked up Lot 50, a Night Of Thunder filly, for 200,000gns (AU$322,000) followed by a daughter of Ballyhane Stud's first-crop sire Soldier's Call (GB) for 100,000gns (AU$160,000).

Breeder Kildaragh Stud consigned Night Of Thunder's daughter from Malaspina (Ire) (Whipper {USA}), whose half-siblings Daban (Ire) (Acclamation GB}) and Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) are both Group 3 winners.

The Gerry Oldham-bred Malaspina is herself out of the Listed winner Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) and thus a half-sister to French Group winners Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

The Soldier's Call filly, meanwhile, represented a terrific pinhooking result for Sherbourne Lodge Stud, who bought the daughter of Maralika (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) from breeders Tim and Miranda Johnson and Mickley Stud for 12,000gns (AU$22,200) at the December Foal Sale.

Cooney plays it cool

Had Martin Cooney not carved out a niche in the breeding game, chances are he'd have made a pretty good poker player as, moments after selling the highest-priced progeny of Gleneagles (Ire) at public auction for 650,000gns (AU$1.25 million) to M.V. Magnier, the man behind Jossestown Farm could easily have been mistaken for a casual bystander at the sale.

But this was not Cooney's first rodeo.

The young breeder has been taken on a storied journey with Plying (USA) (Hard Spun {USA}), the mare he purchased for €21,000 (AU$32,000) in 2018 and sold last November to BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments for an eye-watering €825,000 (AU$1.3 million).

That sky-rocket in share price can be attributed to the emergence of Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), now a four-time Group 1 winner, in the pedigree.

Tuesday marked the end of that dream run with the family of Plying, with the Gleneagles half-sister to Alcohol Free (Lot 136) joining Cooney's fellow Tipperary men at Coolmore, leaving the young breeder facing the daunting task of replacing the mare.

He said casually of Lot 136; “Good day's work. It's great. She's a lovely filly, acts like a racehorse so hopefully she is one. She's gone to a good home so hopefully she turns out to be half as good as Alcohol Free. Now I have to try and find another one.”

Cooney added, “All she (Plying) has ever done is do us proud. Those horses are like family to us. I know we sell them but you get very attached to them and it's not like I have 20 waiting to be sold.

“I come from a small farm in Fethard so it gives you a good leg-up and start to business.”

Day 2 of the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues on Wednesday, October 5, from Park Paddocks.