Images courtesy Tattersalls
Sheikh Mohammed signed for the top lot on Day 1, 3.6 million gns (AU$6.88 million) for a Dubawi (Ire) colt, and was again the victor in a bidding war with Coolmore's MV Magnier, securing Lot 288, by Frankel (GB) out of Fleche d’Or (GB) (Dubai Destination {USA}).
Her earlier foal Golden Horn produced Group 1 wins in the Investec Derby, the Prix De l'Arc De Triomphe, the Eclipse S. and the Irish Champion S. and now stands at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud.
The colt was part of a Godolphin spending spree which netted 11 yearlings on the day for a total of 10.06 million gns (AU$19.22 million) and included two other seven figure purchases in Lot 326, a colt by Kingman (GB) and Lot 357, a colt by Galileo (Ire).
Day 2 saw a Godolphin spending spree which netted 11 yearlings on the day for a total of 10.06 million gns (AU$19.22 million)
However, the spending spree could not lift the day's sales to the same level as Day 2 last year, which set a particularly high bar. The average was still 242,106gns (AU$462,664) (-23%) and the median 150,000gns (AU$286,650) (-21%), while the clearance rate, which in 2018 reached 91 per cent, dropped to 84 per cent following the sale of 132 yearlings for a total of 31,958,000gns (AU$61.07 million) (-22%).
The Frankel (GB) colt was consigned by Harry McCalmont's Norelands Stud, which owns Fleche d’Or in a three-way partnership, having bought her for 62,000 gns (AU$118,000) when Golden Horn was a foal.
McCalmont, who also sold a Siyouni (Fr) colt for 1.3 million gns (AU$2.48 million) to Coolmore on behalf of his longstanding client and former Moonee Valley Racing Club chairman Bob Scarborough, was left to celebrate a remarkable day.
Lot 288 - Frankel (GB) x Fleche d’Or (GB) (colt)
"We knew they were a couple of lovely colts coming here but you put them into the ring and ask people to value them. We knew some serious people were interested in him but in the cold light of day it can be a lonely place. Thankfully today we weren’t lonely,” he said.
McCalmont added that Fleche d’Or has a weanling full-sister to the colt back at Norelands, who will be retained by the partnership, and she is now in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire).
Godolphin agent Anthony Stroud said the Frankel colt had ticked all the boxes.
“He has an outstanding pedigree and what can you say? He’s a very good individual. We stand Golden Horn and he’s looking a promising stallion. This one is by a wonderful horse in Frankel. He seemed to meet the right credentials, so we’re very happy,” he said.
Big result for Coln Valley
The sale of Lot 326, the Kingman (GB) colt, to Godolphin for 2.3 million gns (AU$4.4 million) was a huge result for Nicholas and Cherry Jones of Coln Valley Stud. The son of Grace And Favour (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), herself a sister to five-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory (GB), joined the Godolphin fray as his breeders left the ring to be congratulated by a huddle of well-wishers.
Lot 326 - Kingman (GB) x Fame And Glory (GB) (colt)
“This was the only colt we had to sell this year,” said Nicholas Jones. “We had a fantastic result last year when we sold a Showcasing (GB) colt for 600,000 gns but this is another level and you can never imagine a horse is going to make this much."
“We had a fantastic result last year... but this is another level and you can never imagine a horse is going to make this much." - Nicholas Jones
“My stud groom of 16 years, Ian Emes, foaled him and has done everything with him. I really am very lucky to have Ian.”
Stroud again took on Coolmore as well as Phoenix Thoroughbreds for Lot 357, the colt by Galileo (Ire), winning the battle with a bid of 1.1 million gns (AU$2.1 million).
Godolphin owns Line of Duty (Ire), a full-brother to this colt and the winner of last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Stroud and Sheikh Mohammed were happy to go again for the progeny of Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), who was consigned by New England Stud for Trillium Hall Stud in Ireland.
Lot 357 - Galileo (Ire) x Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (colt)
"We’re very happy, and naturally the mare has been great for Trillium Hall Stud," New England Stud principal Peter Stanley commented.
"They’ve grown some very good horses on the farm and this is yet another great one out of Jacqueline Quest, and we’re very happy-whenever you make over 1-million, you’re absolutely delighted. It was a lot more than the mare cost and she’s been a little goldmine, but better still than being a goldmine she’s delivered the goods; she’s delivering top-class horses and we very much hope that this one is lucky for Sheikh Mohammed.”
Scarborough's seven-figure result
Lot 208, the Siyouni (Fr) colt bred by Scarborough, is a half-brother to the G1 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and is bred on the same cross as another of this season’s European Classic winners, Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).
He is a son of the G3 Silver Flash S. winner Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose Classic-winning son was sold in the same ring as a foal for 340,000 gns (AU$650,000).
Lot 208 - Siyouni (Fr) x Cabaret (Ire) (colt)
“He was bred by Bob Scarborough and we hoped he’d make the seven-figure mark but it’s fantastic to get up there. It’s emotional,” said McCalmont. “We’ve had the mare for some years and we sold Magna Grecia here as a foal. Both horses had very good temperaments. This colt was very well behaved the whole way through and he is an exceptionally athletic mover. This is a huge credit to my team.”
MV Magnier saw off David Redvers for the colt who is now the highest-priced yearling for his sire.
“It’s great for Bob Scarborough, he bred a lovely horse. He’s by Siyouni, he’s by a very good sire and obviously out of a Galileo mare, like Sottsass, and he seems to be going from strength to strength in that department," Magnier said.
“It’s great for Bob Scarborough, he bred a lovely horse. He’s by Siyouni, he’s by a very good sire and obviously out of a Galileo mare." - MV Magnier
"And of course he’s a brother to Magna Grecia, who was a very good 2-year-old and a Guineas winner. Hopefully Aidan is going to run him next weekend in the [G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.]. He’s going very well at the moment and he’s a very special horse, so let’s hope this fellow is as good.”
Florentina filly heads to White Birch
The other significant Australian interest on Day 2 was the sale of Lot 289, a Dubawi (Ire) filly out of Australian Group 3 winner Florentina (Redoute's Choice) on offer by Hazelwood Bloodstock on behalf of breeder John Camilleri of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) fame. Mike Ryan purchased the half-sister to Australian stakes-placegetters Villa Carlotta (Street Cry {Ire}) and Fasano (Lonhro) for 475,000 gns (AU$908,000) on behalf of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.
In terms of sires currently standing in Australia and New Zealand, Coolmore's Fastnet Rock had six lots sell for an average of 123,667 gns (AU$236,328), Haunui Farm's Iffraaj (GB) had three sell at an average of 150,000 gns (AU$286,650), Coolmore's No Nay Never (Ire) four, at an average of 186,250 gns (AU$356,000), Arrowfield Stud's Shalaa (Ire) three, for an average of 193,333 gns (AU$396,459), and Darley's Territories (Ire) one for 110,000 gns (AU$210,210).
