By Emma Berry
Markus Jooste was prevented from having runners at South Africa's major Sun Met meeting last weekend amid the fallout from the Steinhoff accounting scandal, and some of the thoroughbreds in which he is involved in Europe are likely to provide a boost to the bottom line of the Tattersalls February Sale, which begins its two-day run on Thursday.
The mixed auction has been on the up in recent years, not just in numbers catalogued, which saw it stretched to two sessions in 2017 from its more regular stand-alone day. Twelve months ago also featured a new high mark when Easton Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was sold for 500,000gns to Mick Flanagan. That record price has to be under threat with the inclusion in the sale of the regally-bred Willie John (GB) (Dansili {GB}), catalogued as lot 379, to be sold from William Haggas's Somerville Lodge on behalf of Jooste and the China Horse Club. It's rare to see a Classic prospect change hands at this time in his career but the unusual circumstances of the colt's current ownership means that he will return to the ring where he fetched 325,000gns as a yearling. Since then, the son of Meon Valley Stud's dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) has won his sole start–a seven-furlong novice race at Yarmouth–in eye-catching fashion, and he holds entries for the Derby and the Irish Derby.
“He looks great and is in good shape. All the vettings have been good and there's been plenty of interest in him,” said Willie John's trainer William Haggas, whose own Classic success stretches to Derby winner Shaamit (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}) and Oaks winner Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). “He won his maiden very impressively and he certainly has potential. Obviously we don't want to lose him and if he'd been staying with us we'd have been looking at a campaign starting with the Craven Stakes.”
Other well-bred offerings co-owned by Jooste to be returning to Tattersalls for sale are Smoulder (GB), the 4-year-old Redoute's Choice (Aus) half-sister to Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who will sell today as lot 150. On her previous appearance in Book 1 she fetched 725,000gns, while Key To My Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who sells four lots later as 154, was a 1.3 million gns yearling and won the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas last season.
Also in the draft from the Castlebridge Consignment as lot 152 is Pocketfullofdreams (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 2 winner The Juliet Rose (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) who won a mile maiden and was runner-up in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial for Jooste and the Coolmore partners.
Other notable Castlebridge offerings include the final mare from the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal, Thetis (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who missed her intended slot in the December Sale. Offered as lot 149, she will be sold alongside her Lope De Vega filly foal who was born on Jan. 13.
Among a Juddmonte draft which, as ever, includes some interesting in-training prospects, two in-foal mares will be offered on the first day. Lot 70 is the regally-bred Listed winner Novellara (GB), a 15-year-old daughter of Sadler's Wells and Modena (Roberto) and thus a half-sister to Group 1 winners Reams Of Verse (Nureyev) and Elmaamul (Diesis), and also to the dam of Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Already a Group 3 producer, Novellara will be sold with a mid-April cover to Bated Breath (GB) and will be followed through the ring by Canada Water (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 71), a full-sister to the Arc winner Rail Link (GB) who is carrying to Showcasing (GB) on a May 24 cover.
Among a 27-strong draft from Godolphin are two Shamardal fillies of note: lot 183, the unraced 3-year-old Endow (Ire), is a grand-daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks winner Pure Grain (GB) (Polish Precedent), while lot 186, Laughily (Ire), is also three and is out of a half-sister to G3 Prix de Cabourg winner and G1 Lockinge S. runner-up Alexandros (GB) (Kingmambo) from the further family of In The Wings (GB) (Sadler's Wells).
Buyers on the lookout for a progressive staying or dual-purpose prospect will doubtless be scrutinising the well-credentialed Zenon (Ire), a 4-year-old son of Galileo (Ire) and the Indian champion filly Jacqueline (Ind) (King Charlemagne) who has won twice for John Gosden and is rated 96. He is catalogued as lot 394, two lots before Gracious Diana (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}) (396), an impressive maiden winner last season at Newbury and a half-sister to the classy stayer and Australian-based stallion Dandino (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
A popular feature of the February Sale at Tattersalls has been the staging of the TBA Flat Stallion Parade before trading commences on the opening day. This year, 14 first- and second-season stallions will be on site in the Left and Right Yards and will parade through the ring at 11am. These include Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Danon Ballade (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Frankel's full-brother Proconsul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Australian newcomer Spill The Beans (Aus), who is the first son of Snitzel (Aus) to stand in Europe, and his fellow National Stud resident Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
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