Dubawi Stars At Foal Sale Friday

NEWMARKET, UK–When there are two Dubawi half-brothers to Group 1 winners in a foal catalogue, the chances are that they will attract the attention of Sheikh Mohammed and go close to topping the sale, and that was exactly how it played out at Tattersalls on Friday.

First up (lot 939) was the half-brother to the Irish champion 2-year-old filly Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), brought to the sale from Ireland by his breeder Airlie Stud to head proceedings at 700,000gns. His price–100,000gns ahead of the top lot at last year's sale–made him the second-most expensive colt foal to be sold at Tattersalls after the 2.5 million gns paid for Padua's Pride (Ire), the brother to Derby winner Generous (Ire), in 1997.

“In all these decisions we are always trying to aim for quality,” said Anthony Stroud, who signed for the foal in the name of Godolphin. “He comes from a wonderful nursery in Airlie and obviously we absolutely love Dubawi. [The colt] was a very good-looking and athletic individual and both David [Loder] and I really liked him.”

Just a handful of lots later ( lot 944), Stroud was back in action in the freezing fog outside the ring, this time going to 600,000gns for the Dubawi colt out of Baisse (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

This half-brother to Godolphin's G1 Cantala S. winner Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) didn't have quite so far to travel as he was born at Luca and Sara Cumani's Fittocks Stud just outside Newmarket and consigned by them to the sale on behalf of his breeder Gerhard Schoeningh.

“He has been a star ever since he was born,” said Sara Cumani. “He's just a complete charmer. He had Grade 1 x-rays and a Grade 1 scope and we are delighted he's gone to such a good home. We're also delighted that we are even able to be here at the sale.”

The colt's dam Baisse, a listed winner in Germany and a full-sister to G3 Dee S. winner Azmeel (GB), is a permanent boarder at Fittocks and is in foal to Frankel (GB). She will visit Sea The Moon (Ger) next season.

The sole Dubawi filly in the sale (lot 954) , a daughter of listed winner and G2 Oaks d'Italia runner-up Joyful Hope (GB) (Shamardal), was bought by Andreas Putsch's Haras de Saint Pair for 310,000gns. Her dam is a sister to Italian champion 3-year-old Crackerjack King (Ire) and a half to his fellow Group 1 winners Jakkalberry (Ire) (Storming Home {GB}) and Awelmarduk (Ire) (Almutawakel {GB}).

These may be troubling times but it was easy to forget the woes of the outside world on a bumper day of trade at Tattersalls. Certainly, racing has issues to face post-pandemic but pinhookers appeared not to be deterred by the events of 2020 with some bold plays in the ring throughout a busy session. A total of 64 foals have sold for six-figure sums so far this week, most of those being offered on Friday, when the clearance rate rise to 87%. That came from the sale of 189 weanlings for an aggregate of 16,341,000gns (-4%). The average and median declined slightly but not to an overly concerning degree, settling at 86,460gns (-14%) and 57,000gns (-12%), respectively.

Alkumait's Brother To Juddmonte

While Sheikh Mohammed recruited a pair of colts by his star stallion, Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms did the same with a brace of Frankel (GB) colts.

Whitsbury Manor Stud's half-brother to this season's G2 Mill Reef S. winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing{GB}) was the more expensive of the duo at 550,000gns, with Simon Mockridge outbidding David Redvers for the son of Suelita (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).

“He is an incredibly well-balanced and strong foal,” Mockridge said. “The mare has already produced two very good horses and she suited Frankel. This is the kind of animal that we are looking for. We struggled to buy yearlings, they were making a lot of money. We have got two by Frankel today so we are very happy.”

Whitsbury Manor's Chris Harper bought Suelita as a 4-year-old from Tattersalls in 2013 for 21,500gns. Her first mating with Cityscape (GB) resulted in listed winner The Broghie Man (GB) and she has also produced the listed-placed Gloves Lynch (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}). Alkumait was 220,000gns Book 1 yearling when sold to Shadwell and his full-sister sold last month in Book 1 for 200,000gns to Creighton Schwartz Bloodstock.

“Dad bought the mare and she's the only mare he has bought in the last seven years,” said Ed Harper. “From the very first foal she has thrown nice horses. In the February of his 2-year-old career I remember getting a phone call from Brendan Duke, who trained The Broghie Man, saying I think you've bred a very good horse here. He wasn't wrong.”

He added, “I'm so pleased Juddmonte have bought the colt. It is going to be so satisfying to see him in the pink and green. I am delighted and I really appreciate the fact they have bought him. I have to thank my staff, too.”

Suelita wasn't covered this year as her foal was born on May 10, but the Harpers are considering a return to their home stallion Showcasing.

Juddmonte also bought lot 882, the Frankel colt out of Group 3 winner Divine (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), for 260,000gns from Voute Sales.

Lope De Vega In Demand – Again

Following a season in which Lope De Vega's yearlings sold for an average price of more than £180,000, the demand for his stock showed no sign of abating at the foal sale, with six sold throughout the week so far for an average of 210,000gns.

The full-brother to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner and young Irish National Stud stallion Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) was another to make the shortlist of Oneliner Stables and, at 300,000gns, is one of three foals bought by the Lowry family's operation so far this week. Lot 854 was offered for sale by Newtown Stud on behalf of breeder Arild Faeste and his daughter Nina of Tourgar Bloodstock.

“He is very similar [to Phoenix Of Spain] in temperament and walk,” said Newtown's Cathy Grassick, who was responsible for buying their dam, Lucky Clio (Ire) (Key Of Luck)–the first broodmare purchase for the Faeste family–at 17,000gns.

She continued, “They are unflappable, very athletic and that was what appealed about Phoenix. When he came to the sale he stepped up a gear and handled it really well, and so did this horse. I hope he is very lucky for the buyer, he is a lovely horse.”

Two of 11 purchases this week by Yeomanstown Stud were by Lope De Vega, including the half-brother to dual listed winner Khalid (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) at 260,000gns. The May-born colt (lot 878) was consigned by Church View Stables for breeder Spencer Chapman of Aston House Stud.

The current crop of foals were conceived when Lope De Vega's fee was €80,000. He will stand for €125,000 in 2021.

Floors Stud Dispersal Continues

Lope De Vega also provided the highlight for the foal section of the part-dispersal of the stock of the Duke of Roxburghe's Floors Stud when the colt out of Hibiscus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 906) sold for 220,000gns, again to the team from Yeomanstown. His 7-year-old dam, who was a winner and listed-placed at three, is a sister to Godolphin's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty (Ire) and a half to Onassis (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who provided an update when winning the Listed October S. at Goodwood.

Seven foals were sold for the Duke's family by Kiltinan Castle Stud for a total of 600,000gns, including an Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly (lot 905) from the family of Group 1 winners Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and St Mark's Basilica (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). The daughter of Prance (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 155,000gns.

Warrior Leads The Charge

Saxon Warrior (Jpn) is heading the freshman sires at the sale with nine sold for an average of 96,889gns. They were led by his Norris Bloodstock-consigned daughter of Archangel Gabriel (Arch), an unraced full-sister to Grade I winner Prince Arch. Offered as lot 835 on behalf of her breeders Hunscote Stud and Chris Humber, the filly had many admirers, including underbidders Gerard Lowry and Philippa Mains, but it was pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg who placed the final bid of 280,000gns from outside the ring.

“I'm happy and sad really as she was by far the best foal we've ever had through our hands,” said Hunscote Stud manager Andy Lloyd. “Chris is marooned in Guernsey and Steven [Smith, Hunscote's owner] is in France but they've both been watching online and will be delighted.”

He added, “We had a runner at Doncaster the day Saxon Warrior won the Racing Post Trophy and I remember Ryan Moore saying then what a special horse he was. I followed him closely and of course he won a really good Guineas.

“Norris Bloodstock did a very good job with her and Jenny is such a pleasure to deal with.”

Archangel Gabriel, whose half-siblings include the G1 National S. winner Kingsfort (War Chant), has had two foals to race to date, both of whom are winners, and her Kingman (GB) yearling colt was sold for 350,000gns during October Book 1 to Kevin Ryan.

“Physically she was an absolute stand-out,” said Stauffenberg of the filly foal. “She has real quality.”

Hunscote Stud later reinvested in a foal by Saxon Warrior's old sparring partner Roaring Lion, signing for lot 923, a Tweenhills-consigned filly out of the dual winner Great Court (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).

Ringfort Caps Golden Year

Derek and Gay Veitch of Ringfort Stud brought 14 foals to Newmarket and sold 13, finishing on a starry sextet for Friday which included the Belardo (Ire) half-brother to G2 Gimcrack S. winner Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

Concluding the draft as lot 919, the son of Pardoven (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) elicited plenty of interest and brought a final bid of 280,000gns from agent Alex Elliott.

“We had three nice foals there and they all sold really well,” said Derek Veitch of his final batch through the ring, including a Cracksman (GB) filly (lot 917) bought for 92,000gns by Brendan Holland. “Everybody seems resilient in our industry,” he continued. “It's a very workmanlike sale for certain sires and certain pedigrees but if you have a nice horse it's very strong. A lot of people have turned up  and it's a different world here really.”

Throughout the summer, the Veitch family had plenty of excitement on the racecourse, even in a year when few people were allowed to go racing. Along with Minzaal, they also bred G2 Lowther S. Winner Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and the G2 Flying Childers winner Ubettebelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), both of whom were placed in Grade I contests at the Breeders' Cup.

“It has been a superb racing year and that has topped it all off really well,” Veitch said. “It's nice to be able to have a bit of success on the track and then to bring some nice foals to the sales and everybody sort of expects to see them. I hope I can keep up my own standards now. It's nice when people support you and I am very appreciative of everybody who does.”

Pardoven is now in foal to Footstepsinthesand (GB), another stallion who has been kind to Veitch as the sire of the 2019 Gimcrack S. winner Threat (Ire), another Ringfort graduate.

He added, “I'm not sure where she will go yet next year, but we'll probably try to do something similar to the Minzaal cross and either go to Dark Angel or back to Mehmas.”

Alex Elliott, who bought the half-brother to Minzaal for Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing, said, “We had Lullaby Moon by Belardo this year who won the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy and the Group 3 Prix Miesque; she will head to the Fred Darling next year and could be Guineas filly. I thought this colt was flawless, he vetted perfectly. He is a half-brother to the Gimcrack winner who showed phenomenal speed and is a very good horse.”

He added, “We stretched to buy this foal, but if he had been here as a yearling he'd have been even more. The dream when we buy anything is Royal Ascot, and we hope that in a few years' time he will be one for there.”

Sweeney's Worthwhile Trip

Irish ex-pat Harry Sweeney, the owner of Paca Paca Farm in Japan, has been busy across the last two days and is the leading purchaser at the sale with 11 foals bought for just shy of 1.5 million gns.

“It's great to be alive and to be at a sale,” Sweeney said. “I've been locked down for nine months in Japan and I had to get permission from the government to be here and to return, but we've had some success here in the past. This year we've had two graded stakes winners in Japan who were both foal purchases.”

He added, “We've bought about ten and they will go off to Ireland to be reared before heading to Japan in late summer next year.”

Sweeney's purchases included lot 858, a Lope De Vega half-sister to G3 Silver Cup S. winner Eagles By Day (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), out of the former classy stayer Missunited (Ire) (Golan {Ire}).

Joining Forces

Mimi Wadham and Violet Hesketh of WH Bloodstock teamed up with Kelsey Lupo's Atlas Bloodstock to make two six-figure purchases on Friday led by lot 1002 at 285,000gns. The daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) was bred by Dr Klaus Schulte and is out of the unraced Adlerflug (Ger) mare Amazone (Ger), whose previous offspring include Listed Dortmund St Leger Trial winner Apadanah (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). The further family, which has its roots in Gestut Schlenderhan, includes Melbourne Cup winner Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and G1 Criterium International winner Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}).

The pinhooking trio returned swiftly for lot 1005, Trinity Park Stud's Invincible Spirit (Ire) first foal of Hypothetically (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), a half-sister to Group 1-placed Lady Penko (Fr) (Archipenko). The relation to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was secured for 140,000gns.

Joseph O'Brien bought the Zoffany (Ire) half-sister to his G1 Fillies' Mile winner Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) for 235,000gns. Bred by Frank Hutchinson and consigned by Norelands Stud, the filly is out of Lady Gorgeous (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), who is catalogued to sell as lot 1740 in next week's mare sale.