It's been 10 years since any Normandie Stud yearlings have been offered for sale, but Philippa Cooper made an explosive return to the ring at Tattersalls' October Sale when her Dubawi (Ire) colt out of G1 Coronation S. winner Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) became the most expensive yearling in the world this year, selling for 2.6-million guineas to Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum. Dubawi was the sire of the only other yearling to surpass seven-figures on the day, also purchased by Ferguson for 1.2-million guineas. He was far and away the day's leading sire, with eight sold–six to Ferguson–for a total of 6,825,000 and an average of 853,125.
With 13 more horses sold than in the same session last year, the day's aggregate was up by 5% at 31,240,000gns, but the average and median both dipped, by 5% and 9%, at 229,706gns and 145,000gns, respectively, while the clearance rate improved by one point to 82% for 136 horses sold from 165 offered.
The auditorium started to fill several lots before the bay colt (lot 39) entered the ring, and several international entities were quick to register their interest, with early bidders including Matthew Houldsworth, Sun Bloodstock, Robert Nataf and Markus Jooste.
Ultimately it came down to a duel between two parties closely linked to Dubawi himself, with John Ferguson taking on Roger Varian, who trains Postponed (Ire) and a host of others for Dubawi's owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. With Varian retreating down the back stairs after his final bid of 2.5-million guineas, the path was left clear for Ferguson to recruit another well-credentialed son of Darley's leading sire to the Godolphin team for 2017.
The top lot was followed into the ring by his dam's half-brother (lot 40), a colt by New Approach (Ire) and one of three from Normandie Stud in Book 1 consigned by Norris Bloodstock. There was plenty of interest in the son of Fallen Star (GB) (Brief Truce), whose offspring also include Listed Heron S. winner Fallen Idol (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and G2 Lancashire Oaks runner-up Fallen In Love (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and when the bidding stopped at 420,000gns it was in John Warren's favour on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing.
The Normandie trio was completed by lot 8, a Shamardal first foal for the unraced Deborah (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who was another on John Ferguson's list at 130,000gns.
Understandably delighted at her successful return to the sales, Philippa Cooper said, “I'm so proud of Liam and Jenny Norris for doing such a good job with these horses, and to my stud groom Paul Smith and team at Normandie Stud. They've done all the hard work, I just do the matings.”
She added, “It took me 10 years to pluck up the courage to come back here to sell yearlings–I had to wait to find the Norrises, it was meant to be. I knew I had to bring the type of horses that people want to buy and this has just been such a nice experience compared to what I went through when I consigned the horses myself. Jenny and Liam do such a professional job and the horses behaved so well. We're a nursery, not consignors, so I had to find someone to do it for me.”
Cooper confirmed that she will be retaining Fallen For You's colt foal by Frankel (GB) and that the mare is back in foal to Dubawi.
While Liam and Jenny Norris are familiar figures on the sales circuit and had a notable highlight in their sales career when selling Oaks winner Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) for 4-million guineas at the December Sale of 2013 in their former guise as Clairemont Stud, this season marks the first year of selling under their own Norris Bloodstock banner from their new base at Granham Farm in Marlborough.
“We knew he was a nice horse and really classy but we didn't really expect him to make this much,” said Jenny Norris of the Dubawi colt. “We're so grateful to Philippa for sending us such nice horses to consign–it's a huge boost to us in our first year consigning under our own name. It's a massive team effort. Rachael Andre is a big part of the team and has been with us for years and it's a pleasure to come here with a really good draft of yearlings.”
Ferguson, who was the day's leading buyer, spending 7,625,000gns on 13 lots, including six Dubawis, said of the session-topper, “We're getting to the stage now where the dams of these [Dubawi] yearlings are truly exceptional, and you have a situation where you have a Coronation S. winner, he's the second foal and a wonderfully balanced and athletic horse. He was top of the range, really. He was a horse that was always going to make a lot of money so that wasn't a huge surprise.”
Ferguson also swooped a short time later for another son of Dubawi, lot 52, another product of a young stakes-winning mare, for 550,000gns. The bay is the second produce of First City (GB) (Diktat {GB}), the winner of three Group 2s in Dubai as well as three group races in Britain who was also third in the G1 Falmouth S. The March foal was consigned by Genesis Green Stud.
“First City was a very talented mare,” Ferguson said. “She was rated 117. She's a young mare and the colt was an athletic horse and we're glad to have him.”
First City is herself a granddaughter of the U.S. and French group winner Marble Maiden (GB), who is the second dam of Grade I winner Sheikhzayedroad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Giant Result For Newsells…
John Ferguson was also the buyer of the session's second seven-figure yearling, a 1.2-million guineas son of Dubawi from Newsells Park Stud (lot 75). The February foal is the third foal out of the GII New York S. winner Giants Play (Giant's Causeway), whose first foal, the 3-year-old filly Playful Sound (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), is unbeaten in three starts all this year for Newsells and trainer Sir Michael Stoute. Giants Play's Dansili colt fetched 260,000gns from Hugo Lascelles at this sale last year, and she produced a filly foal by Dubawi this year and is back in foal to the sire.
Lot 75 has every chance to succeed both on the racetrack and at stud, being a descendant of the stellar producer Magnificent Style (Silver Hawk). His second dam is the G1 Fillies' Mile winner and champion 2-year-old filly Playful Act (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who sold to Ferguson for $10.5-million at Keeneland November in 2007. In addition to Giants Play, who was her first foal, Playful Act is the dam of GIII Orchid S. winner Anjaz (Street Cry {Ire}) and listed victress Tearless (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}). Her last reported foal is the winning 3-year-old Shamardal colt Lusory (GB).
Playful Act is a daughter of the G3 Musidora S. winner Magnificent Style, whose exemplary produce record includes G1 Coral-Eclipse and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. victor Nathaniel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who Newsells raced in partnership and stands; G1 Irish Oaks scorer Great Heavens (GB) (Galileo {Ire}); and group winners Changing Skies (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), Percussionist (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Echoes in Eternity (Ire) (Spinning World).
Giants Play was a $850,000 Keeneland September purchase by John Warren for Newsells and, as Newsells Manager Julian Dollar pointed out, one of the last horses purchased by Klaus Jacobs before his passing later that year.
“She was about the last horse Mr Jacobs bought before he passed away and she raced successfully for Sir Michael Stoute and then for Christophe Clement in America,” Dollar said. “We decided to keep the Street Cry filly out of her [Playful Sound], we never offered her for sale, and she looks good. It's a nice, lovely family.”
Playful Sound is a contender for Friday's Listed Pride S. at Newmarket, and Dollar said, “I suspect she'll stay in training. I know Sir Michael likes her.”
Bluegrass Boys Enjoy Tatts Touch…
A visit to last year's December Foal Sale prompted Kentucky-based pinhookers Mike McMahon and Jamie Hill to dip a toe into the European bloodstock market, and their first foray proved to be an incredibly successful one.
They sent the dark brown Shamardal colt they purchased for 220,000gns to their old friend David Egan at Corduff Stud and, back at Park Paddocks 10 months later, the first foal of the Galileo (Ire) mare Hikari (lot 102) returned a handsome profit when selling to Shadwell for 725,000gns.
“We buy about a dozen foals each year and we wanted to buy a really nice one here and this is just a fantastic result,” said McMahon, while his business partner Hill added, “We've been friends with the Egans for most of my life and they've done a great job. I imagine we'll be coming back to the foal sale later in the year.”
Bred by Brucetown Farms Ltd, the colt traces back to GI Spinster S. winner try Something New (Hail The Pirates), his winning dam being out of the unraced Something Mon (Maria's Mon) and thus a half-sister to G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner Raymi Coya (Can) (Van Nistelrooy).
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Expands String…
He may have missed out to his cousin Sheikh Mohammed on the day's top lot, but Sheikh Mohammed Obaid augmented his string with Roger Varian with three quickfire purchases late in the session when the trainer spent a total of 1.2-million guineas on lots 166, 168 and 170 on his behalf.
The most expensive of these (168) was the Dansili (GB) half-brother to last year's sale-topper out of Sadler's Wells mare Loveisallyouneed (Ire), an unraced daughter of the blue hen Jude (GB) (Darshaan {GB}). Consigned by his breeder Newsells Park Stud, the March-born colt was finally hammered down at 650,000gns.
“Sheikh Mohammed Obaid is very enthusiastic and he's really enjoying his racing,” said Varian. “He's keen to grow his string with some quality individuals and this colt has a real stallion's pedigree.”
Two lots later, Varian went to 300,000gns for a Dark Angel half-brother to two black-type horses in the Group 3-placed Kingsdesire (Ire) (King's Best) and Lucky Beggar (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), who was bought for 185,000gns in the same ring as a foal by Ballykeil Stud. Another two lots on and a War Front filly out of a sister to Mastercraftsman (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was the latest addition to the trainer's Kremlin House Stables after being bought for 250,000gns from the New England Stud draft.
De Burgh Reels In A Galileo…
Coolmore's perennial champion sire Galileo certainly needed no introduction prior to this week's Book 1 yearling sale, but a 1-2-3 finish in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday certainly didn't hurt his credentials, and thus it was no surprise to see the Tattersalls ring begin to fill shortly before lot 109, the full-sister to Arc second and triple Grade/Group 1 winner Highland Reel (Ire), came under the hammer. The bay filly sparked a bidding battle from several parties before Hubie de Burgh at last landed the winning blow at 625,000gns. De Burgh signed the ticket in partnership with James Harron Bloodstock, and noted the filly had been bought for a “Southern Hemisphere international owner.”
“She'll stay over here, but she's been bought for an international owner,” de Burgh noted.
The filly's pedigree needs no introduction anywhere in the world, but for good measure, she is the seventh foal out of G1 Schweppes Oaks third Hveger (Aus) (Danehill), who has produced Highland Reel, winner of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., GI Secretariat S. and G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase; and Epsom and Irish Derby placegetter Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the G2 Great Voltigeur S. since the catalogue was published. Hveger, who produced another colt by Galileo this year, is a daughter of G1 AJC Oaks victress Circles Of Gold (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}), the dam of Australian champions Elvstroem (Aus) (Danehill) and Haradasun (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus), and a half-sister to the dam of world champion sprinter Starspangledbanner (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) and Australian Classic winner Amicus (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
“It's an international family,” de Burgh noted. “Galileo is making the most incredible broodmare sire, and unless you have one of those in your [broodmare band], you're not going anywhere. It's just an international family and the whole world is becoming so globalized, it's good to get into such a global family. It's got top horses in the Northern Hemisphere and absolute champions in the Southern Hemisphere. To get a Galileo filly as good-looking as she is as well is great. She's got such high residual value.”
Galileo had enjoyed another good transaction earlier in the session when lot 85, a colt who is the first foal out of G3 Silver Flash S.-third Gooseberry Fool (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), was hammered down to the now common partnership of MV Magnier, Mayfair Speculators and Peter and Ross Doyle for 750,000gns. Gooseberry Fool is a half-sister to Classic winner Aussie Rules (Danehill), a family that also boasts Group 1 winners such as Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Alborada (GB) (Alzao), Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).
The same team plucked another son of Galileo from Clare Castle Stud late in the session when spending 600,000gns on lot 156, a half-brother to G3 Atalanta S. winner Ladys First (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).
Galileo finished the session as the second-leading sire by average, with seven sold for an average of 442,143gns and an aggregate of 3,095,000.
Galileo's younger brother Sea The Stars, who is paving a legacy of his own with his first few crops to race, was the sire of colt that hammered at 700,000gns in the form of lot 87. The bay, consigned by Mount Coote Stud, was bought by Charlie Gordon-Watson on behalf of Saeed Suhail, who was returning to a well that has treated him kindly this year. He campaigns Across The Stars, the winner of this year's G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot. The colt is the first foal out of the French stakes winner Gotlandia (Fr) (Anabaa), and Gordon-Watson noted the Sea The Stars-Anabaa cross appealed to him.
Frankel On Fire At Tattersalls…
It didn't take long at the start of the opening session of Book 1 for the bid board to start rolling as lot 5, a strapping chestnut Frankel (GB) half-brother to Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Opera winner Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal), strode into the ring before a captive audience and promptly sold for 500,000gns. His new owner is Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who stood alongside his racing and bloodstock manager Angus Gold as they went in pursuit of the first member of Mark Weinfeld's 14-strong Meon Valley Stud draft.
“It's obviously wonderful for the vendor to have a recent Group 1 update,” said Gold. “He's an immature colt who will need some time but he looks an athlete and he has a great attitude. Sheikh Hamdan liked him very much and I just hope we can do as well with the Frankels as everyone else has.”
The colt descends from one of the Meon Valey's three foundation mares, One In A Million (GB). His dam, Dash To The Front (GB) (Diktat {GB}), won the Listed Warwickshire Oaks and is a half-sister to G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Dash To The Top (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Fifteen minutes later Frankel was back in the spotlight when lot 12, a Qatar Bloodstock-bred filly out of the Green Desert mare Diary (Ire), reached 675,000gns, with Joe Foley prevailing in a bidding battle against Barry Weisbord and James Delahooke. Foley confirmed that the half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Total Gallery (Ire) (Namid {GB}) was bought on behalf of Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics and said, “We have a Frankel filly in training with David O'Meara and we bought another last week at Goffs out of Ramruma. You can't have too many Frankels, he seems to be putting an engine into him like we've never seen before, apart from with his sire of course.”
Frankel finished as the session's third-leading sire by average, with four sold for an average of 468,750gns.
The second session of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale begins Wednesday at 11 a.m.
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