Dubawi Colt Closes Orby In Style At €1.4m

The perfect finale to the 2016 Goffs Orby Sale was provided when the standout of the Wildenstein family's yearling dispersal, a Dubawi (Ire) colt out of Classic heroine Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), became the sole yearling to breach the million-euro mark when selling for €1.4 million to John Ferguson.

“This has to be the pedigree of the year in Europe,” said Henry Beeby from the rostrum as he urged Ferguson to counter bids from a Goffs representative standing alongside Joseph Allen during a protracted bidding duel for the first foal of the 2012 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner.

Beauty Parlour herself will come under the hammer during the November Sale at Goffs when she will be offered in foal to Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the concluding part of the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal which is being handled by The Castlebridge Consignment. As the Orby Sale drew to a close, her Dansili (GB) half-sister (lot 471) drew a bid of €270,000 from Geoff Turnbull of Elwick Stud – the owner of GI Arlington Million winner Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) – and was swiftly followed into the ring by Beauty Parlour's show-stealing colt (lot 472).

Heading for the door and his plane back to England as soon as he signed the docket, Ferguson had time to issue the briefest of appraisals of Sheikh Mohammed's latest acquisition, saying, “Lovely horse, great pedigree, you know the rest.”

And indeed the rest is self-explanatory for a colt by one of the world's best stallions out of a Group 1 winner by the most dominant sire in Japan. Throw into the mix an Australian champion, Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ})–a half-brother to Beauty Parlour's dam–and you have a colt with international appeal as a stallion prospect should he fulfill his genetic destiny on the racecourse.

Joseph Allen may have been denied on the top lot of the day but, signing in the name of White Birch Farm, he earlier had managed to recruit the second-most expensive of the Wildenstein yearlings, lot 461, a Dansili filly out of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Porlezza (Fr) (Sicyos {Fr}). The hammer fell for the half-sister to G3 Prix de Cabourg winner Pontenuovo (Fr) (Green Tune) at €360,000.

International Presence Felt
A strong start to the second session of the Orby followed by a dramatic climax ensured that the sale as a whole saw a 2.5% increase in turnover to €39,925,000 from 363 yearlings sold–10 fewer than last year and including the Wildenstein yearlings–for a clearance rate of 84%. At €109,986 the average was up by 5% and the median rose by 8% to €67,000.

The set of figures for the second day alone recorded turnover of €19,238,000 for 174 horses sold at an average of €110,563 (+2.5%) and median of €60,000 (-3%). The 17 Wildenstein yearlings fetched €2,726,000, selling at an average of €160,353 and median of €50,000.

As the sale concluded, Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby commented, “Twelve months ago we were reflecting on a remarkable Orby Sale with no less than four yearlings realising over €1 million. That we have made proper advances in both average and median this year with a single millionaire is testament to the depth of the trade over the two days which is also highlighted by a very good 84% clearance rate.”

He continued, “The most notable aspect of Orby '16 has been the depth of the buying bench with our regular supporters from Ireland, Britain, across Europe and further afield finding strong, top-of-the-market competition from a number of new investors from USA, the Far East and Australia following concerted and proactive marketing campaigns by our international agents and the team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. As we worked to attract them, we did so safe in the knowledge that the catalogue had advanced again as vendors continue to send us a greater share of their best and those that did so reaped the reward of a truly international sale. As ever, we are indebted to each and every one for entrusting us with their yearlings and will only redouble our efforts on their behalf with every sale to repay their faith in the Goffs service.”

Bolger Family To The Fore
Outside the Wildenstein yearlings, a New Approach (Ire) half-sister to five black-type performers all by Galileo (Ire), including dual Group 3 winner Cuis Ghaire (Ire), was the highlight of the main section of day two of the Orby Sale when sold by breeder Jim Bolger from his Redmondstown Stud for €675,000.

The new owners of lot 250 remain a mystery, with buyer Ross Doyle stating simply, “She's a very nice filly with a fantastic pedigree who has been bought for a partnership.”

That pedigree includes three siblings who have all come close to Group 1 glory, with the aforementioned Cuis Ghaire having been runner-up in the Irish 1000 Guineas while her sisters Gile Na Greine (Ire) and Scintillula (Ire) were second in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Moyglare Stud S., respectively.

The list of well-bred European fillies heading towards the paddocks in Japan will eventually be enhanced by lot 358, Mountarmstrong Stud's daughter of Shamardal out of the top-class racemare Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}), who was bought on behalf of Koji Maeda for €600,000 by Hiroshi Fukuda.

“She'll be coming back to Japan and has been bought with the long-term plan of breeding,” confirmed the agent on his first foray to Goffs.

Alexander Goldrun, a five-time Group 1 winner in four different countries for Noel O'Callaghan, played a leading role in last year's Orby Sale when her as-yet unraced Frankel filly, now named Goldrush (Ire), sold to China Horse Club for €1.7 million.

Zayat Stables Declare Intent
Members of the first crop of War Front's top-performing European runner Declaration Of War have found favour this week and none more so than lot 272, the first foal of the Listed-placed winner Sleeping Beauty (Ire) (Oasis Dream {Ire}), a daughter of the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The bay colt will be following his father across the Atlantic after being bought for €475,000 by Zayat Stables.

“I loved this colt,” exclaimed Justin Zayat, who is enjoying a first visit to Ireland and, in partnership with Justin Casse and David Ingordo, added another four yearlings to his family's string of horses in training for next season, including a Kodiac (Ire) filly out of Alexander Queen (Ire) (King's Best) and from the family of Dandy Man (Ire) (Mozar {Ire}) for €360,000.

Referring to the colt, Zayat added, “He'll come back to America and will go into pre-training at Ocala while we decide who will train him. This is the first Declaration Of War we've bought, which is exciting, as he's obviously a son of War Front and we're expecting big things from him.”

Another operation to put their faith in Declaration Of War was Juddmonte, whose solitary Orby purchase was lot 438, the second foal of G2 Rockfel S. runner-up Cochabamba (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), bought from Clare Castle Stud for €350,000.

“She's from a family Prince Khalid knows really well and is a gorgeous filly,” said Lord Grimthorpe of the filly who traces back to top producer Peace (GB) and is closely related to one of the better 2-year-olds of this season in Global Applause (GB) (Mayson {GB}).

Back In Form
Form Bloodstock returned to the fray after a successful first session to buy a well-related colt from the final crop of High Chaparral (Ire) (lot 266) for €450,000.

The first foal of a winning half-sister to the Wertheimers' champion miler Gold Away (Ire) (Goldneyev), the colt was bred by his consignor David Nagle of Barronstown Stud who bought his grandam Blushing Away (Blushing Groom) for 300,000gns back in 2002.

“He's for Mary Slack and will likely be trained by Mike de Kock back in South Africa but nothing is set in stone,” said agent Jehan Malherbe.

The same price was also given for Croom House Stud's Shamardal colt out of Ashley Hall (Maria's Mon) (lot 383), the dam of this year's Listed Windsor Castle S. third Pedestal (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a half-sister to GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus). The late April colt was the pick of Charlie Gordon-Watson and he will race next year in the silks of Sheikh Joaan's Al Shaqab Racing.

Fillies In Demand
An early highlight in the session came when Roundhill Stud's sister to dual Group 1 winner Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 258) went the way of Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown for €410,000.

“I can't say who has bought her but he's a patient owner and this filly will be more of a 3-year-old type. She's a tall scopey filly and will be given plenty of time,” Brown commented.

Bred by Bobby and Honora Donworth from the Statue Of Liberty mare Serena's Storm (Ire), Rizeena was the star performer in the final years of Clive Brittain's training career, winning the G2 Queen Mary S. and G1 Moyglare Stud S. at two before returning to Royal Ascot to land the following year's G1 Coronation S. for owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. Serena's Storm's half-brother Puissance De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) was exported to Australia where he won twice at Group 2 level and now stands at Adam Sangster's Swettenham Stud.

Wesley Ward will train lot 351, an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-sister to five winners out of the Diesis mare Zuniga's Date and consigned by Owenstown Stud. Gatewood Bell signed the ticket at €400,000 on behalf of her new owners Jim and Fitri Hay and said, “We were underbidder on a couple of yearlings yesterday and there's been a bunch of nice horses here. We've missed a few times but we're very pleased to have bought this one.”

Horses In Training Bring Curtain Down
An unusual hiatus between the Orby Sale and the two-day Sportsman's Sale which starts today was provided by 41 horses in training as the Wildenstein Dispersal continued at Goffs.

Dubawi again provided the leading light for this section when unraced 2-year-old filly Pavini (Fr) (lot 478) sold from John Oxx's stable for €600,000 to White Birch Farm. The daughter of G2 Prix de Pomone winner Peinture Rare (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) was not the only member of the draft to be signed for by Joseph Allen, with lot 493, Achibueno (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), also attributed to White Birch Farm at €300,000.

Patrick Lawley-Wakelin went to €350,000 on behalf of Robert Evans for Bengala (Fr), a 2-year-old daughter of Pivotal (GB) and champion racemare Bright Sky (Ire) (Wolfhound) (lot 498).

“I loved her and so did Mr Evans,” said the agent. “He really liked her pedigree and the fact that she is inbred 3 x 3 to Nureyev was the most important thing for us. She will stay here in training with John Oxx and we hope that Pivotal will work well with Tonalist down the road.”

Alan Quartucci of American-based Northshore Bloodstock signed for three juvenile fillies from the dispersal headed by lot 511, Asterina (GB), a Dalakhani (Ire) half-sister to Listed winner Akatea (Ire) (Shamardal) who fetched €270,000.

Forty of the 41 horses in training offered were sold for a total of €3,113,000 at an average price of €78,325 and median of €40,000. This brought the tally for the first half of the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal to €5,859,000 with the 57 horses bringing an average of €102,789 and median of €40,000.

Concluding his appraisal of the sale, Henry Beeby said, “Of course today had an added dimension with the first part of the Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal and we would like to again record our thanks to David Wildenstein for choosing Goffs. We do not underestimate the significance of our appointment and are delighted to have generated so much interest in the iconic pedigrees that came under the Goffs hammer today headed, of course, by the sales top price of €1.4 million and then some very lively bidding for the older horses that finished the day. We look forward to Part 2 in November with a truly mouthwatering collection of broodmares, fillies and foals; rarely is such a superior selection of thoroughbreds offered for sale at public auction and the Goffs Team is incredibly proud to do so in our 150^th Year.”