Record Yearling Season Concluded At Tattersalls

A little over 137 million gns has been spent on yearlings at Tattersalls throughout 2016, with the company's one-day December auction adding a further 4,377,500gns to the tally to ensure a record figure for the year.

It was a case of 'if at first you don't succeed' for the Frankel (GB) half-brother to multiple Group winner Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), who, after failing to meet his reserve when offered at Keeneland in September, played a leading role in Newmarket on Monday, topping the session at 250,000gns.

The son of the Anabaa mare Debonnaire (lot 166) has already notched some airmiles as he was born at Highclere Stud in Hampshire and has travelled to and from Kentucky for his sales debut. Such experience may well stand him in good stead if he is to emulate his elder sibling. Hartnell was a classy 3-year-old for Mark Johnston, winning the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot followed by the G3 Bahrain Trophy, and his early staying prowess persuaded his owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed to export him to Australia. Switched to the care of John O'Shea, Hartnell has added the G1 The BMW and G1 Turnbull S. to his résumé in four Group victories in his new home and most recently finished third to Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) in the G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Bred by Greg Goodman of Mt Brilliant Farm, who purchased Debonnaire privately from Darley, the colt will be in good hands for a future globetrotting career as he is to be join the Newmarket stable of Ed Dunlop, a trainer famed for his overseas raids with top-class gallopers.

Signing the ticket on behalf of an unnamed client, agent Charlie Gordon-Watson said, “The owner said he wanted to buy two horses and I told him he should buy just this one. He's out of a smart mare–I love Anabaa mares–and he'll go to Ed Dunlop.”

Lady Carolyn Warren, whose Highclere Stud not only foaled the colt but also offered him for sale at Tattersalls, added, “I'm delighted for Mt Brilliant Farm. He's a lovely horse and the mare has a nice full-sister to him. She is now back in America and in foal to Tapit.”

With exactly the same number of yearlings sold as in 2015, figures were up across the board for the December Sale. The aggregate rose by 7%, while the average of 30,827gns also improved by 7% and the median was up by 8% at 21,500gns. Clearance was also solid, up by 6% to 85%, achieved through the sale of 142 yearlings from 168 offered.

Seven of those horses brought six-figure sums, including lot 167, who was also taking his second turn at a yearling sale after being bought in at Goffs for €100,000. The colt surpassed that mark on Monday, attracting a final bid of 120,000gns from Tom Goff, who said, “He's been bought for George Baker at Manton. He's a lovely horse and looks a real 2-year-old. I liked him when I saw him at Goffs and was surprised that he didn't sell. He's a classy-looking Kodiac who should be an early winner.”

Offered by Rathbarry Stud, the April-born colt is a half-brother to Hold Your Colour (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), winner of the Listed Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy at Ripon before being sold to race on in Hong Kong.

A trio of colts hit the 110,000gns mark, the first of the day being Gaynestown Stud's son of Acclamation (GB) (lot 71), who will race in the successful Middleham Park Racing colours after being bought by Peter and Ross Doyle.

“When we looked at him, we thought he looked a lot like Mehmas. He's a ready-made 2-year-old and a lot of the breeze-up boys were all over him. Let's hope we'll see him at Royal Ascot,” said Middleham Park's Tom Palin.

The colt shares his sire with the aforementioned Doyle purchase Mehmas (Ire), who was trained by Richard Hannon to win this season's G2 Arqana July S. and G2 Qatar Richmond S. and has now been retired to Tally-Ho Stud. This horse, a 44,000gns foal pinhook, will also be heading to the Hannon yard.

Matching his price later in the session was lot 99, a son of Dutch Art (GB) who saw business partners Tom Goff and Richard Brown go head-to-head on behalf of their respective clients with Brown coming out on top.

“He's going to be trained by Simon Crisford. He was supposed to be in Book 1 but he had a little hiccup. He looks a 2-year-old,” said Brown of the Carmel Stud offering, a grandson of G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. winner Secret History (Bahri).

The regally-bred Galileo (Ire) colt out of Better Than Honour's daughter Better Not Cry (Street Cry {Ire}) (lot 165) was the only other yearling consigned to the sale by Highclere alongside the day's top lot and he will be sent to breeze in France next year by Jamie Railton and Alban Chevalier du Fau of the Channel Consignment, who bought him for 110,000gns.

Bred by Elevage 11 LLC, the March-born colt is the first foal of his dam, a half-sister to two GI Belmont S. winners in Rags To Riches (A P Indy) and Jazil (Seeking The Gold). Better Not Cry has a filly foal by Galileo and was covered this year by his Classic-winning son Gleneagles (Ire).

Galileo was also the sire of the only other six-figure lot of the day (176), the son of GI Beverly D S. winner Mauralakana (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) who was sold for 100,000gns to Mick Flanagan. Offered through the Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of his breeder Bob Scarborough, the colt is a full-brother to two winners, Du Moto (Ire) and Hail The Hero (Ire) and is from the further family of top-class international campaigner Jim And Tonic (Fr) (Double Bed {Fr}).

Galileo's younger half-brother Sea The Stars notched the only six-figure filly of the sale when his daughter of the stakes-winning Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) (lot 181) fetched 170,000gns from McKeever Bloodstock. Holy Moon has produced seven winners from seven to race including four stakes winners, three of which won the G2 Oaks d'Italia–Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), Final Score (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and Cherry Collect (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). The former two also won the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio.

There's a break in the action at Park Paddocks today, with the first of four foal sessions getting underway on Wednesday at 9.30am.