October Families Keep On Blooming

As the clock ticks ever closer to the start of the October Sale at Tattersalls on Oct. 9, the team at Park Paddocks has been kept busier than usual making some pretty serious updates to a range of yearlings' pages.

“I don't think I've ever known a year like it for updates,” says Marketing Director Jimmy George. “I thought last year's catalogue was as good a Book 1 as we'd seen since we went to this format, but this compares pretty favourably.”

“There is a reason these horses are in Book 1. They are from the best families, but even I can be surprised, at times, by how these top-class families just keep generating, and keep producing winners. Whether it's a spectacular maiden winner or a listed winner, or even a Group 1 winner since the catalogue has come out.”

Indeed, when summarising Book 1, it's hard to know where to begin and end. For those who enjoy the theatrical drama of big sales-ring moments, make sure you're in the ring when lot 325 goes through the ring. As his catalogue page goes, being a son of Dubawi, a brother to two stakes winners, out of a multiple Group 1 winner who was herself a half-sister to a Group 1 winner and daughter of a Group 1 winner–well that's none too shabby.

But then there are the updates. Since the catalogue went to press, this son of Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) has had further boosts, meaning he's now a brother to three stakes winners, with Lah Ti Dar (GB) having recently finished runner-up in the G1 St Leger and Too Darn Hot (GB) establishing himself as the best darn 2-year-old in Europe with a facile victory in the G2 Champagne S. In short, it's the hottest page in the book as regards active families and it will ensure that Watership Down Stud will have a bigger stream of visitors than ever to its pitch in the Highflyer paddock.

When Lah Ti Dar set sail in hot pursuit down the Doncaster straight last weekend, the one horse she couldn't quite peg back was Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). That colt's full-sister will enter the ring approximately an hour before Lah Ti Dar's brother and by that stage she might not just be a sister to a Classic winner, but also to an Arc winner, with Kew Gardens looking likely to line up in Paris on the Sunday before the sale starts.

The filly will be sold as lot 298 by her breeder, David Nagle of Barronstown Stud, who achieved the extraordinary feat of being responsible for two St Leger winners in the same weekend when Flag Of Honour (Ire), also by Galileo (Ire), won the Irish equivalent the day after Kew Gardens triumphed at Doncaster.

The above mentioned are by the two most sought-after sires in Europe, and both Dubawi and Galileo are, unsurprisingly, well represented in Book 1 by the offspring of some pretty swanky mares.

Among Dubawi's tribe of 21, you'll find yearlings out of Group 1 winners Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}), Voleuse de Coeurs (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}), Ambivalent (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) and Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), the last named having provided the co-top lot of 2016, the subsequent dual Group 3 winner Glorious Journey (GB). Then there's the half-siblings to Group 1 winners Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor), Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Charming Thought (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

Galileo, meanwhile, also has 21 Book 1 yearlings, including brothers to Oaks victrix Was (Ire) and St Leger winner Secret Gesture (GB); a sister to another St Leger winner and Irish Derby winner Capri (Ire); and half-siblings to Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Garswood (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) and GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex). Furthermore, Gestut Fahrhof, selling an increasing number of yearlings at Tattersalls this year through sister stud Newsells Park, offers lot 346, a brother to treble Group 1 winner Earl Of Tinsdal (Ger), who is by Galileo's full-brother Black Sam Bellamy (Ire).

But there's more to Book 1 than just the offspring of those two luminaries. Leading second-crop sire Camelot (GB) has 13 yearlings on offer in the sale at which his Classic-winning son Latrobe (Ire) was bought for 65,000gns. This year's leading freshman No Nay Never has 10 on offer including a full-sister to his most exciting runner to date, the unbeaten Group 3 winner Ten Sovereigns (Ire), who will be sold as lot 103 by Camas Park Stud.

“More than half the horses in the catalogue are by the top 15 to 20 stallions standing in Europe currently,” says George. “And the first-crop sires are exciting this year. It's always difficult to hone in on a few individuals, but the first-crop yearling sires have arguably one very high-profile young stallion in each category. The sprinter is Muhaarar, the miler is Gleneagles, and the middle-distance horse is Golden Horn. There's a nice symmetry to that.”

Along with the young brigade there are plenty of tried and trusted names. The retirement of one of Britain's elite sires, Dansili (GB), was announced earlier this year but there will still be several of his crops to come and this season's yearlings include a colt out of the Oaks winner Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 152), who is offered by his co-breeder Ashbrittle Stud.

The consistently eye-catching exploits of Dark Angel (Ire) have ensured that he is a well-represented Book 1 sire and among his 20 to be heading to Tattersalls is Yeomanstown Stud's full-brother to the G1 Coolmore Nuntorpe S. winner Mecca's Angel (Ire) and to Group 3-winning sprinter Markaz (Ire).

Frankel (GB) has similarly high representation through 25 sons and daughters, including a half-sister to St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) from Newsells Park Stud (lot 186) and the first foal of Elite Racing Club's Group 1 winner Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), who is being consigned by Chris Budgett's Kirtlington Stud as lot 68.

Frankel's fellow Banstead Manor Stud resident Kingman (GB), whose reputation continues to grow during the fledgling days of his stallion career, has a bumper batch of 31 yearlings at Book 1, including Round Hill Stud's half-sister to the outstanding Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 107) and a colt out of Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) (lot 185) whose half-siblings Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) have both won group races this season.

Another from the Newsells Park Stud draft who is sure to arouse interest is lot 32, a half-brother to treble Group 1-winning sprinter The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) from the first crop of a stallion who should also impart speed, Muhaarar (GB). Among Muhaarar's 30 Book 1 yearlings is Mountarmstrong Stud's colt out of champion racemare Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}) (lot 214) and a half-sister to Group 2 winner Now Or Never (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) from the family of champion sprinter Dream Ahead (lot 58).

Of course when one thinks of Book 1, it's those memorable millionaire moments that live on in the mind, but the sale has a good track record of producing stakes winners that have been bought at more everyday prices. Only last week, Shepherd Market (Ire) won the Listed Prix Coronation for the partners in Windmill Racing and the filly is a rarity for two reasons. Not only is she the first stakes winner from the sole crop of just 18 foals for the subfertile and now gelded Reckless Abandon, but she is also the least expensive yearling to win a Book 1 Bonus, having been bought by Fiona Marner for 22,000gns.

“She's an example of the fact that you can find value and top quality in every sector of Book 1, and I think that's such a key element of it,” says George. “I think the trainers and the owners are getting the message that if you're going to spend 50,000gns on a yearling it's nice if you can win 30 to 40,000 for winning your maiden rather than four to five grand for winning your maiden. That's a big deal, and I think it's given more vibrancy to every sector of Book 1 because there is that angle, and prize-money like that is unprecedented in this country and in Ireland.”

Clive Cox is the trainer who guided Shepherd Market and her sire Reckless Abandon to success and he is also the trainer of the most recent winner of a bonus, the juvenile Swift And Sure (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who is the 121st horse to claim a Book I Bonus, meaning that the total amount now paid out from this scheme is £3,025,000.

The October Sale is not, however, just about Book 1. The second week of the sale sees three days of Book 2 followed immediately by a two-session Book 3 and a final half-day for Book 4 on Saturday, Oct. 20. To add extra incentive for buyers during the second half of the sale, Tattersalls stages the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket for juveniles each October, which is open for graduates of Books 3 and 4. George says, “It's a busy fortnight but there is something for everyone, starting at Book 1 and working your way all the way through to Books 3 and 4. I think it's fantastic that you can look at the back cover of the three catalogues this year and there's a Group 1 winner–at least one Group 1 winner–from each of those. There's Urban Fox (GB), who cost 10,000gns as a Book 3 yearling a couple of years ago. The Book 2 poster boy is Poet's Word (GB), which is about as good as it gets. Book 1 you've got Blue Point (Ire) and Latrobe (Ire). Latrobe is an Irish Derby winner and he cost 65,000gns as a Book 1 yearling. To be able to find Classic winners for that sort of money shows you what a unique sale it is. The Group 1 quality is at every level and that's crucial.”