Australian interest in the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is set to be strong, with favourable conditions for buyers expected and several shuttle stallions with progeny represented, highlighted by the first Northern Hemisphere crop of Zoustar.
The outstanding young sire has seven yearlings set to go through the ring in Book 1, which runs from Tuesday until Thursday, a further 25 through Book 2 and another nine catalogued as part of Book 3.
David Redvers, owner and manager of Tweenhills, where Zoustar shuttles to from his Australian base at Widden, is expecting a strong response to the son of Northern Meteor's first yearling crop through the renowned Tattersalls October Sale.
David Redvers
"There is going to be an opportunity to buy Zoustar yearlings at half the price you would pay in Australia. That has to be a huge opportunity," Redvers said.
"You look at the fact his 75 yearlings at Magic Millions and Inglis this year averaged $320,000 and he stands for three times his UK fee in Australia. Here it would be impossible to imagine his yearlings averaging that much."
The stallion's first Northern Hemisphere yearlings have averaged a healthy AU$110,572 in England, Ireland and France so far in 2021, a strong return on his introductory service fee of £25,000 (AU$46,000).
"There is going to be an opportunity to buy Zoustar yearlings at half the price you would pay in Australia. That has to be a huge opportunity." - David Redvers
Among his highlight lots in Book 1 are two lots from Highclere Stud, Lot 10, a half-sister to G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) and Lot 90, a colt out of multiple Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter Karen's Caper (USA) (War Chant {USA}).
Lot 160 is a colt consigned by Jamie Railton who is out of Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed mare Miss Work Of Art (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), making him a half-brother to Listed winner Tapisserrie (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), while Lot 199, from Fittock Stud, is a filly of out of Permission (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), a Listed winning half-sister to Tally Ho-Stud stallion Cotai Glory (GB).
Gallery: Some yearlings by Zoustar on offer at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale
Redvers said the interest in the Zoustar yearlings available is expected to be strong, especially from Australian buyers who could look to capitalise on the value available when compared to his Southern Hemisphere stock.
"I would be surprised if they weren't bidding on them. I've been talking to Antony Thompson at Widden and Anthony Mithen at Rosemont and others. There will be these extraordinary opportunities here and we should be rattling up a bit of interest," he said.
Shuttle stallions well represented
Beyond Zoustar, in terms of Australian-bred stallions, Darley's Exceed And Excel has five lots catalogued in Book 1 and a further 15 available later in the Sale, while Starspangledbanner, who shuttles between Coolmore in Ireland and Rosemont Stud in Australia, has three in Book 1 and 26 available later in the Sale.
Other stallions represented in Book 1 who are currently shuttling to Australia and New Zealand include Coolmore's Churchill (Ire), who has 11 yearlings catalogued in the first three days, Wootton Bassett (GB) (three), American Pharoah (USA) (two), Justify (USA) (five) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn), (seven).
Haunui Farm resident Ribchester (Ire) has three yearlings in Book 1, while Cambridge Stud's Almanzor (Fr) has four and Arrowfield's Shalaa (Ire) one.
There are also significant representations later in the Sale by the above sires as well as the likes of Astern, Highland Reel (Ire), Fastnet Rock, Territories (Ire), U S Navy Flag (USA), Brazen Beau, Harry Angel (Ire), Time Test (GB) and Vadamos (Fr).
Aussie-bred mares put best forward
Book 1 also features a trio of yearlings out of Australian-bred mares.
Lot 52 is an Australia (GB) filly offered by Baroda Stud out of Greater Good (Fastnet Rock). The dam was a $400,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft and she won a race at Newcastle for Kris Lees in the China Horse Club colours.
Lot 184 is a Kingman (GB) colt out of G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) winner One Last Dance (Encosta De Lago), who was bred and is owned by Fairway Thoroughbreds. He is offered by Hazelwood Bloodstock who also sold his brother on John Camilleri's behalf at this Sale in 2019 and secured 1.8 million gns (AU$3.35 million) to M. V. Magnier.
Lot 430 is a colt by Oasis Dream (GB) consigned by Loughtown Stud, who is out of G2 Matriarch S., winner Brom Felinity (Encosta De Lago), who is a sister to G1 Australian Guineas winner De Lago Brom. She has already produced four winners including the Group 2 victor Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}).
Internationals ready to capitalise
Of course, potential Australasian buyers will cast their nets much wider than just the lots which have particularly local interest, and they will face plenty of competition, not just from the local British, Irish and European market but also from North America, the Middle East and Japan.
Redvers said the level of international investment will be crucial to maintaining a strong market throughout the Tattersalls October Sale, especially with uncertainty around the level of investment from previous powerhouse buyers, Shadwell.
"The whole sales season over here has been viewed with huge trepidation because of the sad loss of Sheikh Hamdan (bin Rashid Al Maktoum), and the changes that have followed with Shadwell," he said.
"The Maktoum family, on face value, didn't appear to spend anything on horses in Kentucky (recently), and Goffs and Tattersalls have relied largely on the Maktoum family as their leading buyers. We've all been very worried as to how it would work out."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is typically active at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales for his Godolphin stable
Working against that, Redvers said, will be the confidence of buyers in the American and Australian markets. American investment played a major role in what was a positive Goffs Orby Sale in Ireland last week.
"What appears to have happened is that the American market is being driven by prizemoney in the same way that prizemoney drives the Australian market. We race for relative pittance here compared to those racing nations, and as a result, we're being seen a fantastic nursery for horses to export," he said.
"I thought Irish Thoroughbred Marketing did an extraordinary job of bringing American buyers into Goffs. Far from being weak, it was a tremendously strong market.
"We go into Tatts the next couple of weeks with a huge opportunity for Australian buyers, because it doesn't look like the Maktoum family will be busy as they have been. There have been more horses coming on the market and more reasonable reserves being put on them."
