December Delights As Tattersalls Gears Up For Glittering Finale

In what feels like the blink of an eye, we are now embarking on the final sale of the year at Tattersalls. The Newmarket auction house generally doesn't do things by halves and, if recent sales are anything to go by, the next two weeks at Park Paddocks will include plenty of show-stopping moments, with the mares' catalogues in particular being bolstered by several significant dispersals. 

Before we get to that, however, we have one final day of yearlings to contend with. The December Yearling Sale can offer a second chance for a saunter round the ring for those who may have encountered a setback at earlier sales, but plenty of vendors opt to be included in this catalogue from the outset, whether to stand out in a smaller book, or to give a little extra time to a later-maturing yearling. 

The sale has been streamlined somewhat over the last few years to include around 200 yearlings–the exact number catalogued this year. 

Last year's topper at 300,000gns was a son of Sea The Stars (Ire) and the Oaks winner Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and it is not a stretch to think that the same sire might top the sale this time around as among the eight yearlings catalogued by Sea The Stars is a full-brother to Sea Of Class (Ire). Offered as lot 30 by Oak Lodge & Springfield House Stud, the June-foaled colt is not just kin to the late Irish Oaks winner but also to four other Group winners, with the tremendous breeding record of her dam Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) taking up almost the entire catalogue page. 

There will doubtless be interest, too, in lot 47, consigned by New England Stud as the sole Galileo (Ire) yearling in the catalogue. With the same birthdate as the aforementioned colt of June 8, this fellow is a son of the G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}) and his full-brother Platinum Warrior (Ire) is both a Grade II winner in the States and a Group 3 winner in Ireland.

Feast your eyes on the foals

There's almost nothing the bloodstock crowd loves more than to get a good look at the first batch of foals by each year's freshman sires. Opinions are quickly drawn, and sometimes have to be revised at a later date, but the acceptance or otherwise of a stallion's first crop by the foal pinhookers can play a big part in his future success at stud. 

The group that retired to stud in 2020 included a quartet of Classic winners, comprised of Godolphin's homebred Derby hero Masar (Ire), Coolmore's 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire), who is in danger of being usurped by his high-flying half-brother St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain (Ire), and the Niarchos-bred Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man (Ire).

Prospective buyers can hardly have failed to notice the worldwide success this season of graduates of Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud, which stands Deep Impact (Jpn)'s son Study Of Man and offers a weanling by the stallion under the operation's St Simon Stud banner. The colt, lot 859, is the first foal of the treble winner Quintada (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and a grandson of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio victrix Quiza Quiza Quiza (GB) (Golden Snake).

Masar's first batch of foals catalogued include a half-brother to the G2 Railway S. winner Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), offered by Brook Stud as lot 890, while Norelands Stud, where Magna Grecia was born and raised, consigns a colt by him (lot 948) out of the listed winner Twitch (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and from the family of Hong Kong champion Viva Pataca (GB).

Waldgeist (GB) was a Group 1 winner at two and missed out by just a short-head when aiming for Classic glory in France but he more than made up for it by winning three more Group 1 races during his four seasons of racing, culminating in the Arc.  Having had all nine of his Goffs November foals sell last week for an average of €54,278 and top price of €180,000, Waldgeist has six weanlings on offer at Tattersalls. These include two fillies from his co-breeder, Newsells Park Stud, with lot 695 being a half-sister to listed winner and Group 2 runner-up Aljezeera (GB), who is by another son of Galileo in Frankel (GB).

The long list of freshman sires with first foals at Tattersalls is completed by Advertise (Ire), Blue Point (Ire), Calyx (GB), City Light (Fr), Crystal Ocean (GB), Eqtidaar (Ire), Flag Of Honour (Ire), Inns Of Court (Ire), Invincible Army (Ire), Land Force (Ire), Le Brivido (Fr), Portamento (Ire), Sogann (Fr), Soldier's Call (GB), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB).

Last week brought the sad announcement of the death of Cheveley Park Stud's celebrated stallion Pivotal (GB). The 28-year-old was pensioned last year and there are two chances to acquire members of his final crop at Tattersalls. A colt out of Royal Seal (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to the Breeders' Cup winner Queen's Trust (GB), is among the Cheveley Park Stud draft as lot 589, while Drumroy Farm offers a filly from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Starcraft (NZ) as lot 1024.

Magnificent mares in abundance

We have already seen high levels of demand for quality breeding stock in America and Ireland in the last few weeks and that is unlikely to change as the sales season concludes in Britain and France.

A sad element of sales over the last few months has been the significant downsizing of the Shadwell racing and breeding operation, though as ever, dispersals and reductions of this nature offer tremendous opportunities for breeders to buy into bloodlines that do not regularly come onto the market. Sizeable drafts from major breeders are not unusual, however, though this year's offerings can perhaps be described as supersized. Furthermore, this year's catalogue includes 24 mares and fillies in a dispersal from Sir Robert Ogden and another eight from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani's Al Shahania Stud.

“Particularly enticing for breeders from all over the world are not just the specific dispersals but effectively we have a dispersal numbering 224 lots from Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell,” said Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George. “These are not specifically referred to as dispersals but numerically it's bigger than ever and there are some really smart mares and fillies in there from these teams from some of the best families in the world.”

On the equine front, the bloodstock world has been dealt a great blow in 2021 with the deaths of Galileo (Ire) and Pivotal (GB), and there have also been the losses of some major owner/breeders.

George continued, “There were a very sad few months at the beginning of this year when we lost three such significant contributors to the industry in the shape of Prince Khalid Abdullah, David Thompson and Sheikh Hamdan.”

Among the 93 lots on offer from Shadwell is the unraced 2-year-old Shomooly (GB) (Frankel {GB}) whose dam Riqa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 1298) was bought at Goffs last week for €550,000 by Barronstown Stud. Listed-placed herself, Riqa's best offspring is the dual Group 3 winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Tuesday as dusk falls tends to be the time that the sale ring at Park Paddocks truly lights up during the week of mares. There's stiff competition to be the queen of this year's proceedings but one who has justifiable claims to top honours is Newsells Park Stud's Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who is owned in partnership with her co-breeder Gestut Ammerland.

Waldlied (lot 1839) really does have everything one could desire in a top-class breeding prospect. A superior performer herself, she won the G2 Prix de Malleret, and she is foal to Kingman (GB), by whom she has a yearling colt and who is also the sire of her Group 3-winning half-brother Waldkonig (GB). Her foal this year is a filly by Siyouni (Fr). 

Then there's the back story. Waldlied's three-parts brother is the Arc winner and young stallion Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Their dam Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) was herself a Group 3 winner, while grandam Waldmark (Ger) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) was Group 2-placed and is the dam of the Classic winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Skip back another generation to the third dam and there appears the influential Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), who is also the dam of the German Derby winner Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}). In short, this is a family brimming with class. 

In what will be a frenetic couple of hours, Waldlied enters the ring two lots after the Group 1 winner Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), who is lot 1837 and is included in the aforementioned partial dispersal from Al Shahania Stud, which will be featured in more depth in a future issue of TDN. 

Another appealing dispersal comes from Sir Robert Ogden, who has been a stalwart supporter of both Flat and National Hunt racing in Britain for decades, with such luminaries as Voy Por Ustedes (Fr), Exotic Dancer (Fr) and Sans Frontieres (Ire) having carried his famous pink-and-mauve checked colours.

The 24 fillies and mares to be offered by Barton Sales on Sir Robert's behalf are led by his homebred dual Group 1 winner Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who is lot 1876 and is in foal to Oasis Dream (GB), with two Galileo youngsters still to run for her. Amazing Maria's 3-year-old half-sister Turandot (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the winner of three races this year, is another member of the family to be included in the draft (lot 1874).

Earlier in the session comes one of the hardiest mares in training over the last few years, the 8-year-old globetrotter True Self (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}). She has plenty of stamps in her passport, having twice won the G3 Queen Elizabeth S. at Flemington for Willie Mullins as well as this year's Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup card in Riyadh. On a diverse CV, her 11 victories also include three listed wins on the Flat and three bumpers, as well as a victory over hurdles. She has certainly given her owners in the Three Mile House & OTI Partnership plenty of fun over her five seasons of racing and is consigned by Baroda Stud as lot 1671.

One of the notable elements of this season has been the run of success for Nick Bradley Racing, particularly with some classy fillies. Three black-type winners will be consigned to the December Sale, led by the Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who is lot 1746, and will be followed 12 lots later by the 1000 Guineas third and Group 2 winner Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) (lot 1758). The juvenile G3 Six Perfections winner and Group 1-placed Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) has also recently been added to sale as a wildcard, lot 1823A.

Another of this year's leading juvenile fillies with obvious Classic claims for next season appears in Tuesday's list as lot 1798, and is the G1 Cheveley Park S. runner-up Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). She is consigned by her trainers Simon and Ed Crisford of Gainsborough Thoroughbreds.

Meanwhile a mare with a proven track record will be offered by Goldford Stud and should have transatlantic appeal. Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is the 12-year-old dam of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) as well as the listed winner Classical Times (GB) (Lawman {Fr}). Back in foal to Lope De Vega on a Mar. 10 cover, she is slated as lot 1810 and hails from a family which also includes the Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). A little later in the day, her daughter Daily Times (GB), a juvenile winner by Gleneagles (Ire), will go through the ring also carrying to Lope De Vega (lot 1829).

Looking ahead to a fortnight of what is certain to be brisk trade at Park Paddocks, Jimmy George added, “The market has proved to be incredibly resilient throughout the course of 2021 and it has been a great boost to everybody. The December Sales at Tattersalls are always very much a fitting way to bring the curtain down on the British and Irish sales season and it is regarded as a must-attend fixture for many breeders, not just from Britain and Ireland but throughout the world.”

He continued, “It is widely regarded by a lot of people as the most international bloodstock sale in the world and this year's catalogue definitely looks set to attract the overseas buyers in numbers, especially now that the vast majority of them are able to travel more freely. We staged last year's December Sales under pretty extraordinary conditions and people responded magnificently. It has been great to have been able to stage sales under pretty well normal conditions throughout this autumn and we are looking forward to doing that again for the foals and mares.”