Highest-grossing day ever: Tattersalls Mare Sale smashes records

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Irish Oaks winner sold to Amo Racing

The sale of Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) during Tuesday's Sceptre Session at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale boiled down to a head-to-head between Kia Joorabchian and Newsells Park Stud owner Graham Smith-Bernal, with the Amo Racing founder once again underlining his burning desire “to compete” after coming out on top with a bid of 4.8 million gns (AU$9.9 million).

The bidding war which pit Joorabchian and Smith-Bernal against one another was a far cry from what we witnessed at Park Paddocks nine weeks earlier, when the pair were united in their joy after Amo bought the Newsells Park-consigned Frankel (GB) filly who topped Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale at 4.4 million gns (AU$9 million).

This time the result was bittersweet for the team at Newsells Park who, having raced You Got To Me through one of their bloodstock syndicates and in partnership with Valmont, were in the position of being both consignor and underbidder. American-based trainer Will Walden, bidding for Woodford Thoroughbreds' John Sykes, was also still in the reckoning as the fee being commanded reached 4 million (AU$8.3 million). However, as has so often been the case in recent weeks, it was a determined Joorabchian who came away with the spoils in the shape of the 3-year-old who also has a runner-up finish in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks to her name from eight career starts for Ralph Beckett.

“We've got to compete,” Joorabchian said of his motivation to complete the purchase, in part down to him now having three stallions based at Tally-Ho Stud to support.

“We've been trying to compete for many, many years and probably burnt so much cash trying to pick the next one. We've three or four stallions now–Bucanero (Fuerte), Persian (Force) and King Of Steel is the obvious one. I'm going to try and back King Of Steel as much as I can and people who back him will get my backing as well. That's how I look at it.”

Whether You Got To Me will be among King Of Steel's (USA) first book of mares in 2025 is seemingly open to debate, however, with the real possibility remaining that she could stay in training at Beckett's Kimpton Down Stables as a 4-year-old.

“I don't know,” Joorabchian replied when the topic of future plans was put to him. “It's a very good question. Obviously, Beckett wants her back and I said as long as he doesn't injure her he can have her back! I'm thinking about it.

“He's done a wonderful job with her and I can't just say, 'take that away'. If I was going to another country, maybe. But no, she stays with Beckett.”

He added, “We were getting to a point where we felt that this is well overpriced, but she could be very cheap in the long run. We don't know. At least we know she's proven and she won the Irish Oaks. I am so happy because the guys who own her, Valmont, are dear friends of mine. They are people that I have a partnership with in other horses. Buying this back means that everything they have bought with me is free.”

It was Alex Elliott who bought You Got To Me on behalf of Valmont for 200,000gns (AU$412,000) at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale, before Newsells bought into the filly during her 3-year-old campaign.

Julian Dollar, manager at Newsells Park, offered his commiserations to Smith-Bernal in missing out on retaining the Classic winner as he said, “She's very special to us. Graham was very, very keen to keep her, as you could tell, and the syndicate were very keen to stay in, which was great, but there's a level.”

Smith-Bernal added, “The fact that she is by Nathaniel made her extra special.”

Australian purchases

Ralph Beckett-trained mare, River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was last seen finishing runner-up in a Group 1 over 1m6f at ParisLongchamp, went the way of Oakley Creek online for 1,650,000gns (AU$3.4 million). A quick scan on Google reveals that Oakley Creek is a walkway in Auckland, New Zealand. Given Yulong's penchant for bidding online, along with their creative approach to signing for big-money lots, it wouldn't be the wildest guess as to what colours River Of Stars will line out in when next seen. The same could be said for the Henry de Bromhead-trained stayer Term Of Endearment (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), a winner of a Group 2 over 1m6f at Goodwood, who went the way of Red Bank (also online) for 1.3 million gns (AU$2.7 million).

Willingham purchased Frangipani (Ger) for 725,000gns (AU$1.5 million) and Woodland Garden (Ire) for 310,000gns (AU$641,000).

Coolmore Believe in Boughey

Coolmore Stud paid the ultimate compliment to George Boughey by securing Group 2-winning sprinter Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at 3 million gns (AU$6.2 million) before confirming that the Newmarket handler's stable star would be kept in her familiar surroundings with the ambition of bagging a breakthrough success at the highest level in 2025.

Billed as one of the main attractions of the Sceptre Sessions, Believing did not disappoint. It's been a similar story on the track as, along with scoring a Group 2 success, she has been placed four times at the highest level.

“Amazing,” Boughey beamed shortly after the hammer fell. “She's been a model of consistency throughout her career and showed very well here at the sale. The fact that she's a Group 1 racing prospect was a huge thing to get her value over 2 million. She has a chance of going on and winning a Group 1 next year and I'm delighted for M.V. Magnier and Coolmore who supported the stallion Mehmas at Book 1. We'd spoken about it before and there was a bit of a plan to go on next year so we're delighted. She stays in training and will come back to us. She's a beautiful outcross to all of their stallions and it made plenty of sense for them.”

He added, “Having Cachet last year and Believing coming back, I had my suspicion that she would make where she did. Great for Highclere to have such good fillies to race. And for their shareholders, who are a great group of owners who travelled around the world with her. It's the perfect ending for both them and us. We've had a few horses together (with Coolmore) recently and we're delighted to have a filly to race at such a high level and for such a big operation.”

It was at this sale 12 months ago that Boughey sold his 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) for 2.2 million gns (AU$4.5 million) to Katsumi Yoshida. Like Cachet, Believing was owned by Highclere Thoroughbreds, and is another high-profile graduate from the breeze-up circuit, having been sourced from Michael Fitzpatrick at the Craven Sale in 2022.

Highclere's Harry Herbert said, “I was hearing from Jake (Warren) and the team at the stud that all the key people were on her, but we've seen so many disappointments in the ring, buying, selling and the rest of it. When it happens for the 20 shareholders after the journey they've had, from the breeze-ups when she was bought for 110,000gns to 3 millions gns, it's remarkable.”

He added, “I understand she may be staying with him (Boughey). She's been phenomenal and very unlucky not to be a Group 1 winner. It's so incredible to have a filly who looks like that, with that incredible will to win, consistency and speed. I think the fact she's staying with George is a wonderful bonus as well. We'll follow her wherever she goes.”

Stewart makes his voice heard

He hasn't gone away, you know. Major American player John Stewart may not have been at Tattersalls in person but he played a significant role in the buoyancy of the second of the Sceptre Sessions, spending 6.15 million gns (AU$12.7 million) on four elite prospects to race on either in America or Europe.

The largest outlay from Stewart came for the final wildcard of the Sceptre Sessions, the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who, having been bought through Paul Nataf by trainer Francis Graffard for €50,000 (AU$81,700) 15 months ago, returned to the ring to make 3.2 million gns (AU$6.6 million). Stewart is already an owner in Graffard's Chantilly stable, as the majority shareholder of the Group 1 winner Goliath (Ger), and the trainer will no doubt be hoping to retain this Classic prospect for next season.

“I think she will,” Graffard said. “I just spoke to John (Stewart) and I would be surprised if he doesn't send her back to me. It's a beautiful sale and I'm very pleased for the owner. They have had a lot of fun with this filly and I think they will be delighted with the price. For the whole team at home it will be very good to have her back. She's a great filly and a great prospect. It's a new owner so I'll have to discuss plans with him. I don't see why she wouldn't turn up in a Guineas and then I think she can stay 10 furlongs, so why not the French Oaks? It depends, maybe he would like to send her to America to race as well. We have plenty of options. He's a great owner, a fantastic man with a very different view of racing. It's a very positive attitude and exciting for us. I hope we can bring him the results and make sure he stays in the business.”

Stewart's opening salvo had been to buy the first of the elite Sceptre group through the ring, – another Mehmas (Fr) juvenile in the Group 3-placed Tales Of The Heart (Ire) for 650,000gns (AU$1.3 million) – but that was merely a warm-up.

Bidding online, he claimed the first seven-figure of the session, the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) at a million gns (AU$2.06 million), but he was still full of running by the time Village Voice (GB) (Zarak {Fr}) entered the ring.

Gallery: Some of John Stewart's purchases, images courtesy of Tattersalls

Village Voice turns massive profit

Eventually seeing off underbidder John Sykes and Will Walden at 1.3 million gns (AU$2.7 million) for the G3 Prix de Flore winner, Stewart told TDN, “The fillies and mares are coming to America to dominate Keeneland. We are specifically looking for turf fillies that like soft ground. I told people I was serious. 2024 was just a sample of what is to come from Resolute.”

He added, “I was the underbidder on Believing too. That sucked. But I gave it a good run.”

The very happy team behind 4-year-old Village Voice included bloodstock agent Patrick Cooper of BBA Ireland, who bought the daughter of the Street Sense (USA) mare Sensible Way (USA) for 38,000gns (AU$79,000) at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale, along with pedigree expert and journalist Bill Oppenheim and Tattersalls' marketing director Jimmy George.

“It's a fantastic result. Couldn't be happier,” said Oppenheim. “Jimmy and I were really just passengers. It was Patrick who found her, and Jessie and Kate (Harrington) who developed her and all thanks go to them, because they're the ones who made it happen.

“The great thing is that she's probably better now than she has ever been in her life. She looks, to me, the best she's ever looked, and I hope whoever has bought her will go on and give her a career as a 5-year-old because I think she'll be a Group 1 horse for sure.”

He added, “Patrick is a great judge and we're really lucky that he includes us. This is probably about the fourth horse we've had together in about 15 years that has turned out to be really good. They obviously cover the bad ones that haven't turned out so well. Nobody seems to remember those, including us. One of the things that we have always understood about this game is that you have to hit a home run to stay in business.

“I've been very lucky in my career to be involved in some very good horses with other people. Now we'll have to have Patrick go out and find another one.”

Life-changing result for Coleman with The Palace Girl

They say a racehorse can change your life. Trainer Kevin Coleman and bloodstock agent Sean Grassick might well agree after selling €30,000 (AU$49,000) yearling purchase The Palace Girl (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) for a cool 1.55 million gns (AU$2.7 million) to Woodford Thoroughbreds.

The stars aligned leading up to the Sceptre Sessions. On the day that the Atomic Racing-owned filly made a hugely eye-catching debut to finish second to the highly-touted Giselle (Ire) in a Curragh maiden, her half-sister Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) landed the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket.

Like Tamfana, The Palace Girl was sourced by Coleman and Grassick at the BBAG September Yearling Sale for what is looking increasingly good value. Usually, when a filly with her profile comes on the market, they are sold privately. But that pedigree update persuaded connections to roll the big dice in the ring. And boy did it pay off.

Coleman joked, “I was hoping she'd make three million but sure we'll take it! Look, it's only money and it still doesn't beat the buzz of winning a race – even a class 5 at Southwell. It's different. I suppose, we were offered a lot of money privately. I turned down a lot of money. Did I think she was going to make this money? No. But I did think she was going to make a lot of money so it was on me coming here.”

The trainer added, “I just knew when they saw the physical, it was going to happen. She's beautiful. Obviously she had to be to make that. But, obviously the pedigree update, the company she kept on debut at the Curragh and obviously how she showed this week, she's a very nice filly. Everyone is delighted. It just means we can pay for the yearlings we bought this year! So it's all rolled back in again. But, we've never had anything like this one. We knew that a long, long time ago. I just hope to God she will go on and do what we think she will do.”

Lumiere Rocks into 1.3 million to Grand Stud

Fresh from spending US$6 million (AU$9.3 million) on the Grade I winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when she topped last month's 'Night of the Stars' at Fasig-Tipton, Japan's Grand Stud added to their blossoming broodmare band with another seven-figure purchase on Tuesday when going to 1.3 million guineas (AU$2.7 million) to secure last year's G2 Blandford S. winner and G1 Prix de l'Opera third Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

Grand Stud bred the recent Cattleya S. winner Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who is said to be “the number one dirt 2-year-old in Japan at the moment”, and the burgeoning operation seems hell bent on improving the quality of its 60-strong broodmare band if their recent exploits in the sales ring are anything to go by. They also signed for the GII Flower Bowl S. winner Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) at 900,000gns (AU$1.86 million).

Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International, who signed the docket on behalf of Grand Stud, said of Lumiere Rock, “She was a very good racemare and she has a very good pedigree. We like Saxon Warrior, obviously, being from the Deep Impact line. She has a very good conformation and was a very attractive mare for them to join the stud. We're just building up the mares at the moment and don't have that many racing.”

Sceptre Top 10