Brother To Derby-Winning Duo at BBAG

BADEN-BADEN, Germany—There are plenty of yearlings by higher-profile stallions selling today at BBAG's major sale of the year but few which should command as much attention as Gestut Rottgen's half-brother to the last two G1 Deutsches Derby winners, Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}).

Offered as lot 202 and already named Worrick (Ger), the colt is a son of Kamsin (Ger), the former German champion 3-year-old who stood at Rottgen for his first five years at stud and last season moved to the jumps division of Haras d'Etreham in Normandy. Worrick's Classic credentials are further enhanced by the fact that Kamsin is also a Deutsches Derby winner, as is his sire Samum (Ger).

All three of the yearling's half-brothers have been offered at the sale in the last three years. Windstoss was bought back at €16,000, while Weltstar fetched €40,000 and the current 2-year-old from wonder mare Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkonig {Ger}), Walerian (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}) was also a buy-back at €110,000.

With Samum (Ger) deceased and his son Kamsin exported, a major hope for the future of the Monsun (Ger) male line in Germany is Gestut Fahrhof's Maxios (GB) and he again has strong representation at his home sale with 18 yearlings to sell. Among them is a well-related filly in Jamie Railton's draft (lot 179) out of Night Fashion (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}), a winning sister to the German champion filly and dual Group 1 winner Night Magic (Ger) and the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy winner Night Wish (Ger).

Only Soldier Hollow (GB) outranks Maxios numerically at BBAG. The Gestut Auenquelle resident was responsible for last year's top lot—a €500,000 brother to Group 1 winner Dschingis Secret (Ger) bred by Soldier Hollow's owner Helmut von Finck—and with 25 yearlings catalogued today he is likely to play another major part in the sale.

Von Finck's Gestut Park Wiedingen consigns three Soldier Hollow yearlings. The dam of last year's leader, Divya (Ger) (Platini {Ger}), is not represented as he yearling Soldier Hollow filly has been retained but in lot 199 the stud offers a brother to Germany's champion 3-year-old of 2016, Wai Key Star (Ger), who added another Group 3 victory to his tally last weekend at Baden-Baden.

Gestut Gorlsdorf's Sea The Moon (Ger) was the freshman darling of last year's sale and the encouraging start made by his first-crop runners should ensure that the 13 members of his second crop offered today at Baden-Baden are not overlooked. He will have some competition from his own illustrious sire, however, as Sea The Stars (Ire) has three yearlings catalogued, including lot 76, Gestut Etzean's daughter of the G2 Diana Trial winner Monami (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}).

Of the freshman stallions represented this season, there are three yearlings by Coolmore's Gleneagles (Ire), who provided a record-breaking top lot at the Goffs UK Premier Sale earlier this week, while Golden Horn (GB) is represented by lot 197, a Ronald Rauscher-consigned colt out of the listed-placed Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk), a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).

Brazen Beau (Aus), Free Eagle (Ire), Gutaifan (Ire), Hallowed Crown (Aus), Outstrip (GB), Sidestep (Aus) and Hunter's Light (Ire) also feature, while Germany's key first-season hope is Gestut Etzean's Amaron (GB), a son of Shamardal who was as talented as he was durable. The specialist miler won nine stakes races including the G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua.

Seven of Amaron's eight yearlings for sale hail from Etzean, a farm with a proven track record of producing classy stock, including dual Group 1 winner Night Magic (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}). The first of the group into the ring will be lot 14, a colt named Royal Dancer (Ger), the first foal of Royal Princess (Ger), a Lord Of England half-sister to the Etzean-bred GI Beverly D S. winner Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun {Ger]).

In line with most other European yearling sales this year, the numbers have crept up at BBAG, which has catalogued 279 lots, though there were 27 withdrawals at the time of writing. Early plans to spread the sale into a second session on Saturday were scrapped, with BBAG wishing to keep the single-session format which is so popular with visitors.

BBAG Manager Klaus Eulenberger said, “We're very happy to see so many people here from different countries. We would wish to have more German buyers here to help the middle market but it's great to see so many visitors. It's really not that different to Newmarket in the buyers we have here.”

He continued, “Of course we are known for our stayers but we have precocious horses here in the sale—perhaps not that many but they are here and from last year's sale we've had a number of 2-year-old winners already, not just in Germany but in France, England and Ireland We're very happy about that, and we had A Raving Beauty (Ger) here as a yearling and she has gone on the win a Grade 1 in America over a mile.”

As Eulenberger outlined, a decent number of international agents and trainers were in town for viewings on Thursday, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club team, Godolphin's Anthony Stroud and David Loder, David Redvers and Peter Molony of Qatar Bloodstock, Nicolas Clement, Mark Johnston, David Marnane, Andrew Balding, Jeremy Brummitt , Alex Elliott, Chantilly's newest trainer Gavin Hernon, and breeze-up pinhookers Tom Whitehead, Norman Williamson and Con Marnane. With a slightly larger catalogue, selling will begin early at 9.30am.