Written by Emma Berry, TDN Europe
A German breeder, a British stallion, an American buyer. In a fully reopened world, the international participation that had been anticipated ahead of BBAG's major yearling sale was played out as Jason Litt made a splash on his first visit to Baden-Baden when signing for the sole Kingman (GB) yearling in the sale, offered by the day's leading vendor Gestut Fahrhof and commanding the top price of €450,000 (AU$658,000).
Along with Litt, buyers from Britain, China, Ireland, France, Italy, Dubai, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, and of course Germany underlined a diverse and vibrant market which led to gains of 24 per cent for both aggregate and average.
Of the 204 horses offered through the one-day sale, 157 (77 per cent) found a buyer, with the clearance rate dropping just slightly from 80 per cent last year, but the average up to €53,258 (AU$77,800) with the overall turnover at €8,361,500 (AU$12,220,500).
Fahrhof to the fore
It has been quite the week for the partnership of Gestut Fahrhof and Kingman, with the stallion reaching a new high of 50 stakes winners and 30 Group winners courtesy of the stud's homebred Habana (Ger), who landed the G3 Zukunfts-Rennen at Baden-Baden on Wednesday.
In the sale ring two days later, Kingman's son (Lot 62) from the family of this year's G1 Deutsches Derby winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was the draft's leading light when topping the sale, selected by a first-time visitor to the auction.
Lot 62 - Kingman (GB) x Sammarco (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of BBAG
“I'm really happy right now,” said American agent Jason Litt. “We got the one we wanted. We came here trying to buy what we thought was the best horse in the sale, and we thought he was the best horse in the sale.
“He's likely to stay in Europe but it is all to be determined. He has a great attitude and great balance.”
Litt added with a laugh, “He checked all the boxes, as everyone hates to hear.”
“He's (Lot 62) likely to stay in Europe but it is all to be determined. He has a great attitude and great balance. He checked all the boxes, as everyone hates to hear.” - Jason Litt
The colt's relative Sammarco, who is now a dual Group 1 winner, returns to the track on Sunday to take on Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, and plenty of other members of the close family have won stakes races in Britain, Ireland, France and Australia.
The Fahrhof draft was also represented among the top lots by a Frankel (GB) half-brother to Group 1 winner Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}), who will race in Germany for Eckhard Sauren, the President of the Cologne Race Club who bought Lot 58 for €210,000 (AU$306,900).
The colt's dam Praia (Ger) (Big Shuffle {USA}) was herself a winner and Listed-placed and is a half-sister to Paita (GB) (Intikhab {USA)), a former Champion 2-Year-Old filly in Germany.
Lot 58 - Frankel (GB) x Praia (Ger) (colt) | Image courtesy of BBAG
An international bidding skirmish was in play later in the day for another Fahrhof consignee, the first foal of Listed Diana Trial winner Realeza (Ger) (Maxios {GB}) by former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (Ire). Anthony Stroud was involved for a while, but it was Andreas Suborics who had the last word at €325,000 (AU$475,000), with Michael Donohoe the unlucky underbidder from outside the ring. Suborics confirmed that he will train the chestnut colt (Lot 156) for owner Jurgen Sartori.
The mixing of Dubawi (Ire) and Monsun (Ger) bloodlines has worked well in this family already, with Realeza's three-parts sister Rumh (Ger), a Listed-winning daughter of Monsun, having produced the multiple Group 1 winners Yibir (GB) and Wild Illusion (GB), both of whom are by Dubawi.
Gestut Fahrhof, which has also consigned yearlings at the Tattersalls October Sale in the past, offered all its yearlings for sale at BBAG this year, and was the sale's leading vendor with 12 sold for €1,420,000 (AU$2,075,400) at an average price of €118,333 (AU$173,000).
Jason Litt, Byron Rogers and Andreas Jacobs of Gestut Fahrhof | Image courtesy of Emma Berry
Reflecting on a good day for his team, Fahrhof's owner Andreas Jacobs said, “It is a fantastic sale, a boutique sale at a wonderful location. It's wonderful because of great food, great restaurants, great hotels, but also a great sales crowd. This year we had some good genuine prices, so expectations from the vendors were reasonable, and I think the catalogue was better than last year.”
He continued, “On the Farhrhof side we had better horses in the sale because we didn't send any to Tattersalls, so that helped our sale. I'm very proud to have sold the most expensive Kingman. I've loved Kingman since he was a racehorse and I think he was one of those that has everything you want to have–good character, a good scope, and he improved with the work every minute.
“I've loved Kingman since he was a racehorse and I think he (Lot 62) was one of those that has everything you want to have - good character, a good scope, and he improved with the work every minute.” - Andreas Jacobs
“The Night Of Thunder we sold was equally smart and everyone was on him which was why he generated an exceptional price. We're very happy with the day's results, and also with the Baden-Baden race results. To have a Kingman filly; there's nothing better than to have a 2-year-old Group-winning filly. I'm very excited about her and very proud.”
Yulong strike for Frankel filly
Out of luck with bidding on Fahrhof's Night Of Thunder colt, Michael Donohoe was successful only a short while later when buying the only Frankel filly in the catalogue for €250,000 (AU$365,400) for Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments.
Lot 161, who was offered by Ronald Rauscher, is the third foal of the Acclamation (GB) mare Vagabonde (Ire), a dual winner in France and a half-sister to a pair of Group 3 winners in Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Sasparella (Fr) (Shamardal {USA}).
Lot 161 - Night Of Thunder (Ire) x Vagabonde (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of BBAG
“Mr Zhang has had plenty of luck with the sire and I thought she was lovely,” said Dononhoe. The Yulong Investements silks have been carried to Group 1 glory in Australia by a homebred daughter of Frankel in the Chris Waller-trained Hungry Heart, winner of the G1 Australian Oaks and G1 Vinery Stud S.
He continued, “There's a nice bit of Acclamation about her and she looks like she might be quite a forward Frankel. We loved the pedigree and thought she represented good value. I was underbidder for different clients on the Kingman and the Night Of Thunder. It's a really strong market.”
A bidding tussle between Tina Rau and Ronald Rauscher saw the latter come out on top for Haras de l'Hotellerie's filly by Sea The Stars (Ire) out of the Listed winner Imagery (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) (Lot 44) at €250,000 (AU$365,400).
A pedigree with roots in Gestut Schlenderhan, which includes three black-type half-siblings for the yearling, and another four of the same for her dam, was enough to persuade Rauscher's client, one of Germany's leading breeders, to purchase the filly with her future broodmare career in mind.
“She's been bought for my main partner, Christoph Berglar,” Rauscher confirmed. “He loves Sea The Stars and he loves that Schlenderhan family, and there's Monsun in there. She's very nice, I liked her a lot.”
