By Emma Berry
NEWMARKET, UK–As the week wore on, the shorts came off and the waterproofs went on. Goodbye summer, and hello more realistic weather for October, bringing with it more realistic prices for yearlings.
Shamardal's sons have had plenty to say for themselves of late. Blue Point (Ire) leads the freshman sires' championship with his first runners, and Pinatubo (Ire) and Earthlight (Ire) have found favour in the sales-rings of Europe with their first yearlings. During the opening session of Book 3 on Thursday, an Earthlight yearling passed the test of one fine judge in Tony O'Callaghan at 95,000gns, and come Friday, it was a son of Pinatubo who topped proceedings, bought for 90,000gns by Saud Al Qahtani of Saudi Arabia's Najd Stud. Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, the colt (lot 1733) is a half-brother to Mighty Gurkha (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}), winner of the G3 Sirenia S., out of the unraced Royal Applause (GB) mare Royal Debt (GB).
Al Qahtani explained after the sale of the Barton Stud-consigned colt that Najd Stud has bought 30 yearlings so far in 2023, the majority of which will go into training in Britain.
He said, “I hope, Inshallah, that Pinatubo will be a good sire. He was the champion two-year-old by Shamardal so why not? We hope that he will be a very good sire. We put 100,000gns on him as a budget.
“He might stay here in Britain or go to Saudi. We'll think about this and decide later. We've bought 30 yearlings this year. Eight of those will go to Saudi and the rest will stay here. It has been a very good market, very competitive.”
Najd Stud is represented in Saturday's G1 Native Trail Dewhurst S. by Eben Shaddad (Calyx {GB}), who was bought earlier this year at the Arqana Breeze-up Sale.
As the weather deteriorated dramatically through the late afternoon, there were at least two bright spots for Tattersalls when October Sale graduates Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Inquisitively (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) took the G1 Fillies' Mile and G3 Cornwallis S. respectively on the Rowley Mile. That pair had come from Books 1 and 2 last year, but Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and Honey Girl (GB) (Mayon {GB}) are among the Book 3 graduates to have won group races this season, and they were bought for 8,000gns and 4,500gns. A reminder that good racehorses can be found at all levels of the market for those with enough staying power to last the fortnight at Park Paddocks after a hectic fortnight prior to that in Ireland.
Talking Points
The market adjustment has continued through this week, with Book 3 figures running below last year. The clearance rate has remained pretty high, however, and is currently at 83% with another session of Book 3 yearlings still to sell on Saturday morning. In Friday's session, 141 yearlings (74%) were sold for an aggregate of 1,725,500gns, average of 12,238gns and median of 10,000gns. Comparative figures are tricky as the Book 3 format has changed from last year owing to the sale clashing with two days of racing in Newmarket. Generally, though, trade is running between 15 to 20% down on last year.
The favourable first impression created by the stock of Haras d'Etreham's Hello Youmzain (Fr) had been a feature of the Arqana August Sale and that continued at Tattersalls. During Book 3, he has had three yearlings sold for an average of 55,667gns, to James Tate, Mick Fitzpatrick, and the buying team of Jamie Piggott and Oliver Cole. The son of Kodiac (GB) also achieved a 71,000gns average with his three sold at Book 2.
Far Above (GB) has been the fastest son of Farhh (GB) to grace the track to date, and one man who knows more about the Group 3-winning sprinter than most is his former trainer James Tate. He stepped in to buy lot 1835, a colt consigned by Q-Cross Stables and out of the dual-winning New Approach (Ire) mare Bittern (Ire), for 70,000gns. Tate, who said that he has three Far Above yearlings in his yard, also noted that he is no longer a private trainer for Rabbah but is open to offers from all owners.
Buy of the Day
Good luck to Marcus Collie, who looks to have secured a bargain in lot 1769, a filly by Masar (Ire) from Mickey Stud. Bought for 9,000gns, well below Masar's covering fee of £14,000, she is out of Tadpole (GB), a winning Sir Percy (GB) half-sister to group winners Beaten Up (GB) and Harris Tweed (GB), and to Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Vow (GB). The dynasty has received a further boost in recent years with the exploits of multiple Group 3 winner and Irish St Leger runner-up Hamish (GB), who is out of another of Tadpole's half-sisters, Tweed (GB).
It's a prolific family whose members tend to improve with age, so here's hoping that this daughter of a Derby winner can bring some compensation to breeder David John Meaden by way of reflected glory as and when she adds to her clan's tally of victories.
Thought of the Day
Books 3 and 4 bring the curtain down on the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Saturday, a day which also sees yearling sales take place in Spain and Germany, along with a mixed Flat sale which includes foals and yearlings at Auctav in France. That's before another five days of action kicks off at Arqana on Tuesday.
The sales calendar is more congested than it has ever been, and the increase in dates, for both physical sales and those held online, is clearly in response to a growing demand from owners and breeders to trade. It is a sign of the times, but it is one which must lead to scheduling headaches for sales companies, and logistical nightmares for consignors and agents.
And for those with a season ticket on the sales charabanc, all I can say is keep taking the Berocca, maybe with the odd dash of gin.
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