Barely two months have passed since the Tattersalls December Sale ended the Park Paddocks sale year, and the curtain is already rising on the 2023 sales season, as the two-day February Sale, begins on Thursday.
The catalogue features a diverse group of over 370 fillies and mares in/out-of-training, broodmares, colts and geldings in/out-of-training, yearlings, and 2-year-olds.
One of the highlights of the sale is consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Lady Ogden, lot 93. A striking bay son of the late Galileo (Ire), the Apr. 26-born juvenile is out of Messias Da Silva (Tale Of The Cat), and thus a half-brother to G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix Rothschild victress Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Bred by the late Sir Robert Ogden, the colt, whose dam was acquired by Ogden for $700,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-year-old sale, is from the same family as GIII Morven S. heroine Clever Power, as well as graded winners Integra, Secret Odds, and successful runners-turned-sires Clever Trick and Alydeed.
Offered by Wood Hall Sales is wildcard Sky Full Of Stars (Ger) (Kendargent {Fr}) (lot 190D) in foal to three-time Group 1-winning sprinter Advertise (GB). Already the dam of a Kitten's Joy 2-year-old colt and a yearling full-sister to the foal she is carrying, the 9-year-old's brightest day in the sun was when taking the G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden. Her dam, the stakes-placed Sworn Mum (Ger) (Samum {Ger}) is a half-sister to G3 Preis der Winterkonigin heroine Sworn Pro (Ger) (Protector {Ger}), as well as the dual stakes winner Sworn Sold (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}).
The catalogue is full of high quality drafts from some of the biggest names in the business, and Godolphin's double-digit consignment includes the unraced Morning Blush (Justify). Set to go through the ring as lot 151, the 3-year-old filly is out of GII Pocahontas S. heroine Dothraki Queen (Pure Prize), who was also runner-up in the GI Alcibiades S., and third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The Castlebridge Consignment has the largest draft of the sale at 68 pre-withdrawals, and lot 90, a yearling by Sottsass (Fr), hails from a smart family tracing to stakes winner Hedgeabout (Riva Ridge), who was placed three times at graded level. A half-sister to three winners, the bay is from the same family as GI Hollywood Turf Cup S. victor Boboman (Kingmambo). Her sire's first foals sold for as much as €180,000 in 2022.
Tweenhills Farm & Stud will offer the Classic-placed Now Or Never (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) (lot 130). Pregnant to G1 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, the 10-year-old won the G2 Rose of Kingston S. in Australia, as well as the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial in her native Ireland. At three, she ran third in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Now Or Never's second dam is the multiple group winner Land Of Dreams (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), herself the dam of quintuple Group 1 scorer turned Group 1 sire Dream Ahead.
Pure Nature (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 190E), in foal to Mehmas (Ire), is part of the Baroda Stud draft. A three-time winner, the 6-year-old is carrying her first foal, and is out of French listed winner Nature Spirits (Fr) (Beat Hollow {GB}) from the family of group winner Curtain Call (Fr) (Sadler's Wells), and Classic winner and sire Hernando (Fr).
In 2022, a then-yearling colt by Night Of Thunder (Ire) and consigned by Shadwell topped the sale at 175,000gns to Ballyhimikin Stud. A total of 328 horses sold (85%) for 5,849,100gns. The average was 17,833 gns and the median was 10,000gns.
Thursday's session begins at 11 a.m., following the TBA Flat Stallion Parade that features Stradivarius (Ire) among others. The sales ring action kicks off at 10 a.m. on Friday.
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