By Adam Houghton
Finally there's a feeling that Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) is starting to get the recognition he deserves following his scintillating success in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York's Ebor Festival. Already a two-time winner at Royal Ascot before that career high on the Knavesmire, he's quietly put together the sort of record which ought to earn him a queue of mares at his stable door by the time his racing days are over.
And if for whatever reason it doesn't work out for Bradsell as a stallion, then he'll surely always have a place at Tattersalls as the equine ambassador for the Somerville Yearling Sale, having been bought at Park Paddocks for just 12,000gns in its very first year in 2021. He's been the poster boy ever since.
“He's an absolutely outstanding advertisement for the Somerville Yearling Sale,” Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George said of Archie Watson's sprinting star on the eve of this year's sale. “He was immense in the Nunthorpe and he looks as if he's got all of the credentials to go on to more Group 1 glory. For a sale of this nature, it's fantastic to have flagbearers of this quality.”
Bradsell certainly isn't the only one. This year alone the juveniles Arabian Dusk (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Enchanting Empress (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) and Tropical Storm (GB) (Eqtidaar {Ire}) have all won Pattern contests after changing hands at this sale 12 months ago. Listed scorers Enchanting Empress and Tropical Storm sold for 62,000gns and 50,000gns, respectively, while Arabian Dusk, the winner of the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, proved a successful pinhook after being picked up for 80,000gns.
“She emphasises two aspects to the sale, I think,” George said of Arabian Dusk. “It shows the quality of the horses to be found in the Somerville Yearling Sale, but it's also been a very happy hunting ground for the breeze-up consignors. She was bought for 80,000gns last year and sold for 525,000gns at the Craven Breeze-up Sale–it was fantastic business for all concerned.”
He added, “The consistent number of Group and Listed winners coming from the sale tell their own story. Don't forget Anisette, who is arguably the best turf filly in California at the moment. There are only three Grade I races for fillies in California these days and she's won every single one of them. She was purchased for 26,000gns [in 2021] and I think it emphasises the diversity and the depth of the quality available. It's not just a one-dimensional sale.”
As well as being far from one-dimensional, the Somerville Yearling Sale is also no longer a one-day fixture. For the first time this year it will be held over two days, with over 430 lots–up from 305 offered in 2023–scheduled to go under the hammer. Selling begins at 10am on Tuesday.
Explaining the decision to move to two days, George said, “This sale has well and truly established itself as an important fixture in the European yearling sales calendar. Demand for places in its short history has always been considerable and it was felt that this year it made eminent sense to expand the fixture to two days, in response to that demand.
“It's a strong catalogue, obviously significantly larger than we've had before, and it's full of the sort of yearlings that buyers have come to expect from the sale. There are certain areas of the market which are stronger than others, but quality yearlings have always found buyers in abundance and I think we'll see that in the next couple of days.”
Only time will tell whether there's another Bradsell to be found, but buyers will have the opportunity to get their hands on a half-brother to the filly who chased him home in the Nunthorpe, Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). Lot 279, consigned by Kildallan Farm, is an Inns Of Court (Ire) colt out of the unraced Kodiac (GB) mare Misfortunate (Ire) whose four-year-old daughter also won the G2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh in July.
Other potential highlights include lot 235, Hazelwood Bloodstock's half-sister to the GI Natalma Stakes heroine La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) by Earthlight (Ire), while the pedigree of lot 204 received a significant update on Sunday when his half-brother, Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), ran away with the G3 Prix d'Arenberg at Longchamp. This colt from the Ballinafad Stud draft is by Tally-Ho Stud resident Cotai Glory (GB).
Last year's Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was also in the news on Sunday when he doubled his Group 1 tally in the Grosser Preis von Baden. His breeder, Philipp Stauffenberg, is consigning for the first time at the Somerville Yearling Sale this year, with a pair of fillies set to be offered under the name of his Stauffenberg Bloodstock.
The Hello Youmzain (Fr) filly set to go through the ring as lot 223 is out of the German Group 3 runner-up La Merced (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), while the second dam, La Pilaya (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}), is a half-sister to five black-type performers.
The other Stauffenberg offering, lot 185, is from the first crop of A'Ali (Ire), who had eight yearlings sell at the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale at an average of £57,125 and for an aggregate sum of £457,000.
Speaking of last week, it seems right to include a few lines from the leading buyer at Doncaster ahead of a sale where the clientele promises to include many of the same faces.
Anthony Bromley, acting on behalf of Classic-winning owner Phil Cunningham, signed for 10 yearlings for a total of £1,010,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, but overall trade was down on the previous year–the average and median both dropped by 14%–and Bromley expects more of the same as we head into the autumn.
“As I thought the top quartile is very strong, but then there's chances,” Bromley said of the market last week. “The lower end is a little bit sticky and there are moments to find value. I know the parameters are going to be a bit down, but it's not going to be any different anywhere else this autumn. All of the averages and medians are going to be down this year.
“We've got 450 fast yearlings this week [in Doncaster] and in a weeks' time we've got another 450 at the Somerville Yearling Sale, so it will be interesting to see whether it'll hold up through the whole thing.”
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