Galileo Filly Shines at Book 1 Closer

Newmarket, UK–Her name may be Gloam (Ire), but there's every reason to hope that the future for the Galileo (Ire) first foal of G1 Breeders' Cup heroine Dank (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is bright after she became the most expensive yearling sold in the world this year at 4 million gns. She is also the second-most expensive yearling ever sold at Tattersalls, following the 5 million gns Al Naamah (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2013.

Her breeder James Wigan raced her mother, the winner of five stakes races in his colours headlined by back-to-back wins in America in the GI Beverly D S. and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and instead of following his usual practice of offering the cream of his West Blagdon Stud foal crop at the December Sale, he decided instead to entrust her to Liam and Jenny Norris to consign through their Norris Bloodstock draft.

Gloam (lot 418) is now set to race under the Godolphin banner, with John Gosden, acting on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, outbidding MV Magnier in a tussle for the filly which included Kerri Radcliffe and Grant Pritchard-Gordon in earlier rounds.

“We never sell yearlings but I wanted to wait to see that the mare had a good, healthy foal on the ground before deciding to sell Gloam as a yearling,” explained Wigan, who has a Galileo filly foal from the mare to look forward to. “She won't be sold, and I didn't really want to sell Gloam either, but I'm pleased that she'll hopefully be trained by John Gosden. We asked Liam and Jenny to sell her–they're not that far from us and they've done an absolutely wonderful job. They prepped her beautifully.”

Gosden said, “she's by a great stallion out of a phenomenal racemare who won a Breeders' Cup. She was a gorgeous filly to look at with a lovely mind and she came from a proper owner-breeder. There was a lot of competition for her and there should have been, because fillies like this very rarely ever come onto the market. We see her as a racing and breeding prospect for the future.”

At 102,290,000gns, Book 1 of the October Sale achieved record turnover for a European sale, that tally coming from the exchange of 349 yearlings–or 79% of the 442 offered. The aggregate was up by 16% on last year's previous record, and the figures for the average and median also broke new ground, the former coming in at 293,095gns (+29%) and the median at 165,000gns (+27%).

The final day's aggregate stood at 34,686,000gns (+14%) for 116 of 146 yearlings sold. The average was 299,017gns (+17%) and the median 152,500gns (+9%).

The Norris Bloodstock team was also the consignor of last year's co-top lot at Book 1, which was also a world's best for a yearling in 2016, when offering the subsequent Group 3 winner Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) on behalf of Philippa Cooper's Normandie Stud. And it's not the first time they've sold a horse for 4 million gns, as that was the price fetched by the dual Oaks winner Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) when offered in foal to Frankel (GB) in 2013 having been bought as a yearling by Liam Norris for €200,000. Dancing Rain was too bought by Sheikh Mohammed, with John Ferguson signing for her on behalf of Darley.

“James and Anita Wigan have been wonderful and we really can't thank them enough for asking us to sell this filly for them,” said Jenny Norris. “She's been an absolute pleasure to deal with throughout and she genuinely just never put a foot wrong.”

Her husband added, “I look at plenty of yearlings every year and it's rare to come across one that has the physical attributes to match such a special pedigree. I really couldn't fault her. It was a pleasure to have her at our farm for several months for James and Anita and we're both relieved and delighted that she has sold so well. She certainly deserved to.”

In addition to having a Group 1 winner as a dam, Gloam is a direct descendant of the 1984 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Masarika (GB) (Thatch), whose daughter Masskana (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) produced not only Dank but G1 Hong Kong Cup winner Eagle Mountain (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Sulk (Ire) (Selkirk), winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

The Main Attraction…

Floors Stud brought just one yearling to Newmarket from the Scottish Borders, but lot 347 was pretty special in more ways than one. By Dubawi (Ire), he is the ninth foal of the Duke of Roxburghe's homebred five-time Group 1 winner Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}), and his pedigree was delivered another important update only last week when his half-brother Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remained unbeaten when winning the G2 Tattersalls S.

Elarqam was himself bought by Shadwell this time last year for 1.6 million gns, and Sheikh Hamdan returned for his younger sibling and offering 1.35 millions gns for the privilege of racing him in his blue-and-white silks next year.

“Elarqam has given me so much of a buzz. I don't think I've ever been so nervous before a race since the days of Attraction,” admitted the Duke of Roxburghe as his prized colt left the ring. “Yes, making money in the sales ring is important to keep the stud going, but we're here to breed racehorses. I'm thrilled that Shadwell have bought this colt and that they are doing so well with Elarqam. I believe he won't run again this year and will be aimed at the Guineas next year. That will give us something to dream about over the winter.”

Those dreams may also run to the eventual racecourse debut of Attraction's current filly foal by Invincible Spirit, who has been retained by the duke and has already been named Motion (GB).

“Her filly foal will not come to the sales but Attraction is back in foal to Frankel,” he continued. “This yearling wasn't perhaps as obviously good-looking as Elarqam initially but he has thrived over the summer and through his sales prep and turned into a lovely, balanced colt. He's been here on his own but he's been an absolute saint the whole way through.”

As usual, it was Angus Gold who secured the colt on behalf of Shadwell. He said, “Sheikh Hamdan feels he's a very good horse by one of the top stallions around. He was keen to have him and he liked him enough to buy him.”

In regards to Elarqam, Gold added, “He's been put away [for the year]. It'll be interesting to see whether he stays further; it looks to me like he'll stay a bit further than a mile, but we'll have a go at the Guineas first if he's up to that and then if not, if he needs to go a mile and a quarter, we can head down that route. He's got a great attitude, he's a very determined horse and the times he's run so far he's really got going in the last 150 yards. He's definitely crying out for the mile now and it'll be interesting to see in time whether he wants to go further than that.”

Two lots later, Gold signed for lot 349, a War Front filly bred by Bobby Flay and consigned by Baroda & Colbinstown Studs, for 550,000gns. Flay had coincidentally paid the same price for the dam, Auld Alliance (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), at Tattersalls December in 2013, and she picked up black-type when finishing third in Woodbine's Listed Flaming Page S. for trainer Graham Motion the following year. This is the first foal out of the half-sister to Guineas and King George winner Golan (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}) and G2 Dante S. winner and sire Tartan Bearer (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}).

“She'll stay here [to race],” Gold said. “We haven't decided where she'll go yet, but Sheikh Hamdan liked her and we have a couple nice War Front 2-year-olds and she had a good pedigree, so he was keen to buy her.”

Gold struck again at the seven-figure level midway through the afternoon when prevailing over DMM.com's Yohann Gainche at 1.5 million gns for Shadai's Dubawi colt out of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) (lot 416). Danedream won the G2 Oaks d'Italia and a pair of German Group 1s before Teruya Yoshida bought into her before the Arc, and she rewarded his investment further by adding the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., by a nose over Nathaniel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden the following season. Danedream's first foal, the 3-year-old filly Nothing But Dreams (GB) (Frankel {GB}), is in training with Roger Varian for Yoshida but has yet to start, nor has her 2-year-old Frankel colt Solid Dream (GB). Danedream has a filly foal by that same Juddmonte sire and is back in foal to him, and Yoshida, who was at Tattersalls to see his colt sell on Thursday, said the filly foal would be retained.

With regards to the decision to sell this colt, Yoshida yes, “I've been very much thinking about what I should do, but a dream of mine for a long time has been to sell a very good horse here.”

He said watching some of the better Dubawis, like Postponed, race inspired him to send a mare to the Darley sire.

“Dubawi is the hottest sire in Europe, and I've seen many Dubawi horses, like Postponed, so I decided to send one to him,” he said.

The Dubawi colt was consigned by Newsells Park Stud, where Danedream is boarded. Newsells finished the sale as second-leading vendor, with 14 sold for 5,962,000gns, its sales also including Wednesday's 1.3 million Galileo colt out of Shastye (Ire) (Danehill).

Deerpark's Elegant Star…

The Fagan family's Deerpark Stud was another boutique operation with a sole yearling on offer in Book 1 and their Sea The Stars (Ire) colt duly became the most expensive yearling by the sire to be offered at public auction when selling for 1-million gns to Kerri Radcliffe.

Lot 433 is the first foal of the winning Shamardal mare Elegant Shadow (Ger), a granddaughter of the outstanding racemare and producer Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig), the winner of 12 races, including three at the highest level.

John Fagan delegated the spokesman duties to his son Peter, who said, “He's been a very special horse since the day he was born and dad and Ciara McEvoy have done a wonderful job in producing him in such great condition for the sale. I'd also like to thank Suzanne Roberts, who bought the mare for us privately in Germany.”

He added, “He'd been vetted plenty of times and we were hopeful that plenty of people liked him but we didn't imagine he'd sell this well.”

An Angel For Donald…

SackvilleDonald ended Book 1 as second-leading buyer with 29 bought for 13,063,000gns. A significant portion of those were purchased for an undisclosed client who is building a stable of high quality fillies, and Thursday's purchases included lot 407, a daughter of red hot sire Dark Angel (Ire), for 825,000gns. The agency is familiar with the family, with Ed Sackville having signed for this filly's half-brother for ₤165,000 at Goffs UK's Premier Sale last year. That one, now named Frozen Angel (Ire), broke his maiden at second asking for trainer Tom Dascombe in May and has been twice second in stakes company this season, to Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) in the Listed National S. and to subsequent Group 1 winner Unfortunately (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Robert Papin. SackvilleDonald's client's haul also included day one's 2.5 million gns Frankel filly and a 1.3 million Dubawi filly on day two. Alastair Donald also signed for the next filly through the ring, lot 408, for his client, a 550,000gns daughter of Kingman (GB).

“He was keen to get some well-bred fillies,” said Alastair Donald. “The Dark Angel filly was gorgeous–Ed had bought Frozen Angel last year but she's actually a much better, more scopey model. She looks early and it's a great, fast pedigree. If she gets black-type form she'll be a lovely one to have.”

Commenting on the market at the top end this week, Donald added, “it's very nice when you have a client who has a good budget because we can pick out the best. We've missed on plenty too, but there's been a lot of nice horses with good pedigrees.”

At the conclusion of the sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “To have broken so many records over the past three days reflects a catalogue of truly outstanding quality and a sale with a global reputation for producing exceptional racehorses year after year. Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is widely regarded as Europe's premier yearling sale, but even by Book 1 standards we felt that this year's catalogue was a bit special. The sale has produced wide-margin records across the board, and first and foremost we must pay tribute to the vendors who have allowed us to produce a truly vintage catalogue which has showcased so many of the finest yearlings to be found anywhere in the world. The quality of stallions currently standing in Europe is at an all-time high and there is no doubt that the world's leading buyers recognise this. They want quality and Book 1 of the 2017 October Yearling Sale had quality in abundance.”

“The statistics for this week's sale are pretty astounding,” he added. “Obviously the individual highlight was the 4 million guineas Galileo filly out of Dank. She was not only the highest- priced auction yearling sold anywhere in the world this year, but also the second-highest priced yearling filly ever sold at public auction. The sale turnover of more than 100 million guineas is a record for the sixth consecutive year, more than double the level of only seven years ago, and the average and median have also soared to unprecedented heights. In short, the record books have been completely rewritten.”

“Equally extraordinary is that last year's record of nine yearlings selling for 1 million guineas or more has been almost doubled. There have been 17 seven-figure yearlings sold over the past three days and they have been shared between buyers from Dubai, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand and the U.S. Many of the leading participants this week are first- time buyers in Europe and it has been a genuine pleasure to see so many new faces enjoying the unique atmosphere generated by Europe's premier yearling sale. There is currently a genuine global demand for top-class Thoroughbreds and nowhere has this been more obvious than at Tattersalls this week. Book 1 has kick-started the Tattersalls sales season in spectacular fashion and we look forward to sustaining the momentum for Books 2 and 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale next week.”