Courtesy of TDN Europe/Emma Berry
A new record price for a yearling at BBAG was set when Gestut Brummerhof broke its own previous high through the sale of a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly from one of the country’s best families for €820,000 with Sheikh Mohammed the new owner of lot 44.
“Anthony Stroud and David Loder were here yesterday to look at the horses and they felt that she was one of the stars of the sale,” agent Matt Coleman said. “Obviously she’s by Sea The Stars, who is such a good stallion, and she comes from a very good farm.”
Coleman had another fierce bidding war on his hands when it came to securing the Kingman (GB) colt (lot 174) for the same owner. Sold by his breeder Gestut Rottgen—the champion owner and breeder in Germany in 2017 and 2018—the colt was also on the wish list of Tom Goff, Hong Kong Jockey Club and Alex Elliott, and it was the latter who pushed Coleman all the way to €700,000.
Lot 174
Spicer and Bahen in action
There was a small but determined Australian contingent present in Baden-Baden and they will not be going home empty-handed. Justin Bahen is a regular visitor to BBAG and in company with Brad Spicer he was active early on in pursuit of a colt by Sea The Moon (Ger) (lot 48).
The duo was delighted to be able to sign for the colt from Stauffenberg Bloodstock out of Aspen Royal (Ger) (Royal Applause {GB}) at €120,000.
“This is my first trip to Germany,” Spicer said. “I went to Tattersalls last year and bought a Sea The Moon and a Sea The Stars, both colts, and the Sea The Moon colt just had his first bit of fast work this morning and got rave reviews.
“We’re really happy with the colt so far and this one we just bought was a target colt for us. We had earmarked him and we were always going to go pretty hard on him so it was lovely to secure him. We were watching some of the results and the sale was getting quite hot.”
Justin Bahen and Brad Spicer
Spicer outlined his long-term plans for his European purchases. “We’re particularly looking for staying blood that we can’t get in Australia. The pedigrees up here in Germany and Europe are miles in front of the Australians. We are paying a lot of money for these tried horses so I am going to try to buy yearlings up here over the next few years to see if it works.
“It’s a three-year project and we’ll buy two or three colts a year, take them home, get them broken in straight away and they will go into the system. They will tell us when they are ready.
“It’s a three-year project and we’ll buy two or three colts a year, take them home, get them broken in straight away and they will go into the system." - Brad Spicer
“I love Sea The Stars and we’ve had a few of his horses in Australia who have gone pretty well. Justin and I are mates, but I didn’t really know he was going to get involved in the horse until we walked in the ring, but he said he’d go halves with me.
“We have quite a few buyers who are keen to get involved in what we are doing so hopefully in a couple of years’ time we will have a nice Derby or Cups’ horse.”
Bahen also went to €120,000 for lot 61, a Mastercraftsman (Ire) half-sister to German champion 2-year-old Diamond Dove (Ger) (Dr Fong) from Gestut Westerberg.
Lovett gets Harzand colt
Meanwhile, Jamie Lovett and the Australian Bloodstock team made their presence felt through the purchase of the sole yearling from the first crop of Derby winner Harzand (Ire) in the sale. Lot 59, a colt out of the champion filly Djumama (Ire) (Aussie Rules {GB}), was bought for €58,000 and will go to the stable of David Menuisier, who trains the syndicate’s Cox Plate hopeful Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice).
Australian Bloodstock signed for another three yearlings, including a Sea The Moon filly (lot 170) at €110,000 and a first-crop daughter of their Melbourne Cup-winning stallion Protectionist (Ger) (lot 90) at €50,000.
Joseph O’Brien will take charge of a pair of Protectionist yearlings, including the most expensive of the sire’s offerings in the sale (lot 36), the first foal of the unraced Zippity Do Da (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), who was bought by agent Jurgen Albrecht for €95,000.
Ciaron Maher was also represented at the sale by Stuart Boman, of Blandford Bloodstock, who signed for Gestut Auenquelle’s Camelot (GB) colt named Albert Hammond (Ger) (lot 40) in the trainer’s name at €64,000.
