Decorated Family Heads To Tattersalls

Tattersalls routinely produces a show-stopping finale to its sales year across the fortnight of the December Sale, which starts today with a single session of yearlings.

Last year's record-breaking auction, featuring the final draft from the Ballymacoll Stud Dispersal, broke the 100 million gns barrier, with 6 million gns of that tally being given for one broodmare-in-waiting, the top-class sprinter Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). While the mares' section routinely steals the headlines, the December Sale is a proper bloodstock gallimaufry: the yearlings today progress to four sessions of foals starting from Wednesday then another four days from next Monday featuring fillies in training, broodmares. There's even a stallion, the current Rathasker Stud resident Es Que Love (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), who sells as lot 1680 and was represented by his first crop of runners this season. Frankel's half-brother Morpheus (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) had been catalogued but has been withdrawn and sent instead from Tally-Ho Stud to stand at Haras du Grand Chesnaie in France.

The 200 yearlings catalogued have been whittled down to 170 after withdrawals and they are headed, on paper at least, by a son of Frankel out of the Japanese champion Vodka (JPN) (Tanino Gimlet {JPN}), the winner of five Group 1 races among her ten victories, including the Tenno Sho and the Japan Cup. Mount Coote Stud consigns the brother to four-time winner Tanino Frankel (GB) as lot 59.

Catridge Farm Stud, which has been led so expertly by David Powell for many years, has its final consignment at the December Sale and among its four yearlings on offer is an Intello (Ger) half-brother to seven winners who is eligible for French premiums (lot 79). Catridge is also selling a No Nay Never filly (92) out of a daughter of the listed Criterium de Vitesse winner Beta (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to Arc winner Bago (Fr) and multiple Group 1 winner Maxios (GB) from a celebrated Niarchos family which includes Machiavellian.

Also among the yearlings is a Teofilo (Ire) half-brother to Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) offered by Drumachon Stud as lot 87. Two full siblings to this yearling, White Desert (Ire) and Amazing Red (Ire), have sold for 220,000gns each when offered as foals at Tattersalls.

Four Days Of Foals
Thirty-one stallions have members of their first crop on offer and some have already been tested last week at Goffs, where Shadwell's Irish 1000 Guineas winner Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) appeared to have plenty of admirers. His 21 foals to sell from 24 offered returned an average of €61,286 from a €15,000 covering fee. Another 12 are catalogued this week.

Awtaad is not the only Classic winner attempting to make his mark, however. The 2016 Derby winner Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has nine foals catalogued, while Prix du Jockey Club winner New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has 13 and Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has 15.

Adaay (Ire), the first son of Kodiac (GB) to stand in Britain at Whitsbury Manor Stud, has a sizeable draft representing him at Tattersalls with 33 foals on offer. The only freshman to beat that is Cheveley Park Stud's Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) with 39.

There are three sons of Kitten's Joy retiring to stud in Europe this season but Bobby's Kitten was the trailblazer in this regard and 25 of his first crop of foals will be for sale at Park Paddocks.

Al Shaqab's G1 Darley Prix Morny winner Shalaa (Ire) has 13 yearlings catalogued while Vadamos (Fr), a miler son of Monsun (Ger) who has received good support at Tally-Ho Stud, has 12 on offer.

There is rarity value for two American-based Coolmore stallions, Air Force Blue (War Front) and Vancouver (Medaglia d'Oro) who have one foal apiece in the catalogue, while the Aga Khan's French-based Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal) has two foals catalogued.

Away from the first-season sires there is of course plenty to recommend the sale. One of the most poignant moments of last year's sales season was the sight of Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) being led round the ring by Peter Reynolds as part of the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal. Until that stage the great mare had produced only fillies at stud but after being sold for 270,000gns she foaled her first colt by Kingman (GB). He will be offered by Norelands Stud as lot 975 and is one of 17 foals in the book by Juddmonte's exciting young stallion.

The Castlebridge Consignment has two of the three Dubawi (Ire) foals who remain in the sale after withdrawals. Lot 1006 is the full-brother to Group 3 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) and half-brother to Grade 1 winner Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), and lot 1000 is the son of G3 Fairy Bridge S. winner Lady Wingshot (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Luca and Sara Cumani's Fittocks Stud has the other Dubawi foal and the sole filly (1022), a half-sister to the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. winner Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire}).

Decorated Family Features
There is only one Galileo (Ire) foal entered for Tattersalls and, as a full-sister to the treble Group 1 winner Decorated Knight, lot 1010, who sells through New England Stud, is a rather special package.

Four days later her mother Pearling (Storm Cat) (1918) will take to the ring carrying a full-sibling and, even without her celebrated son, the 12-year-old mare is noteworthy as she is a sister to Giant's Causeway and You'resothrilling. Both have made an immense contribution to the breed, the latter as the dam of the Galileo-sired Group-winning quintet of Gleneagles (Ire), Happily (Ire), Marvellous (Ire), Taj Mahal (Ire) and Coolmore (Ire).

Two lots after Pearling will follow her winning daughter by Frankel (GB), named Ambrosia (GB) and consigned by Highclere Stud as lot 1920.

Pearling and her daughters are just three of a number of horses of varying ages to have been offered for sale this year as part of a reduction by Blue Diamond Stud, which is owned by Imad Al Sagar and Saleh Al Homaizi. Their Royal Ascot-winning filly Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal) set a new record when topping the Horses-in-Training Sale at 1 million gns.

Another filly to be offered at the December Sale with a memorable Royal Ascot association is Whitsbury Manor Stud's Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) (1897). The daughter of listed winner Place In My Heart (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) secured both the G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Flying Childers S. in a stellar season for the Hot To Trot Racing syndicate in 2017.

Michel Zerolo and Eric Puerari's European Sales Management routinely has a select draft for the mares' sale at Tattersalls and this year the consignment includes Martin Schwartz's GI Matriarch S. winner Off Limits (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (1871). The 6-year-old has won seven races in total, having started her career with David Wachman in Ireland, where she won the listed Cairn Rouge S., before being transferred to the care of Chad Brown in America.

At least one mare to have received a significant update since the publication of the catalogue is the Group 3 winner Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The 11-year-old mare (1819) is being offered in foal to Siyouni (Fr) from Norelands Stud and she is now the dam of a Group 1 winner following the success of her son Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Verterm Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

For breeders looking at families with current top-class form, there is also a chance to buy a half-sister to this year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}). Her listed-winning sibling Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}) is being offered as an in-training prospect from Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables as lot 1896.

Four wildcards have been added to the mares' section since the publication of the catalogue and these include this year's dual Group 2 winner Signora Cabello (Ire) (1908A). The daughter of Camacho (GB) provided one of the highlights of the season when chasing home Pretty Pollyanna (GB) for second in the G1 Darley Prix Morny.

There will be a note of sadness for all those who remember with fondness Kevin Mercer, who died last year. Ten mares and nine foals will form a dispersal from the Mercer family's Usk Valley Stud next week, including Welsh Angel (GB) (Dubai Destination), the dam of the Group 3-placed Scarlet Dragon (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) who is offered as lot 1659 in foal to Showcasing (GB). Usk Valley also offers a Sea The Stars (Ire) weanling colt out of the Group 3 winner Gower Song (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) (947).

The December Sale can be relied upon to provide memorable moments and it is guaranteed that the ring will be packed for some of the big names of the mares' sale a week on Tuesday, and for the Juddmonte draft 24 hours later. However, as last year's final day—when the average only just scraped above 5,000gns—and indeed very selective trade at last week's Goffs November Sale reminds us, dealing at the lower end of the market has become incredibly tough.