Written by Emma Berry TDN Europe
Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
There are plenty of troubling stories out in the big wide world at the moment, but buyers at the yearling sales so far this season appear not to be concerned or affected by a cost-of-living-crisis, with the Tattersalls Somerville Sale the latest to benefit from a boom in demand for young stock.
The Somerville Yearling Sale is only in its second year but it has already been pegged as an important fixture in the run of yearling sales and the 2022 renewal posted huge gains in all sectors.
Four six-figure lots compared to just one last year, and an increase from 17 yearlings making 50,000gns (AU$85,600) or more this time last year to 39, meant that the median rose by 60 per cent to 26,000gns (AU$44,500), and the average by 42 per cent to 30,377gns (AU$52,000). The clearance rate also improved on a string start last year and settled at 88 per cent, while at 7,746,200gns (AU$13,258,300), the turnover was up by 56 per cent.
Select Plantation draft makes a splash
For Plantation Stud it was in sense a case of, 'If at first you don't succeed'. Last December at the foal sale, the stud took home a Zoustar filly and Shalaa (Ire) colt, knocked down to vendor for 18,000gns (AU$30,800) and 20,000gns (AU$34,200), respectively.
James Berney of Plantation Stud | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Returned to the ring as yearlings on Tuesday, it was a markedly different story, however, as the Newmarket farm accounted for two of the four six-figure yearlings on the day.
Leading all-comers was the daughter of Zoustar (Lot 213), the recipient of a boost from her half-brother Unanimous Consent (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}), who has won and been fourth in a Grade 2 in America this season and occupied that same position when he ran in the G3 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs on Tuesday.
But she had also grown into an imposing individual in the intervening nine months, persuading Richard Hughes to stretch to 160,000gns (AU$273,800) to secure her for his burgeoning team of yearling purchases this year.
Hughes, a former multiple champion jockey himself, calls on another champion of the jumps division, the legendary AP McCoy, to break in his yearlings. “They don't mess with him,” he said with a laugh.
“She'll take a bit of time but we'll see how her brother gets on tonight. If he wins tonight then she's half-price. I'd say he's a 115 (rated) horse.”
The filly has Australian sires on both sides of her pedigree as her twice-raced dam Fast Lily (Ire) is by Fastnet Rock and is a half-sister to two classy fillies in the G2 Lowther S. winner Silk Blossom (Ire) and G3 Prix de la Porte de Maillot scorer Mashoora (Ire), both by Barathea (Ire).
James Berney, who manages Plantation Stud for Michael O'Leary, said of the sale's top lot, “We are over the moon, she deserves to make that type of money and she has improved greatly through the year. Her brother's form has helped as well.
“We are over the moon, she (Lot 213) deserves to make that type of money and she has improved greatly through the year. Her brother's (Unanimous Consent) form has helped as well.” - James Berney
“We are delighted she is going to Richard Hughes and it's great for the mare. She has a Showcasing foal at foot and she is in foal to Pinatubo.”
He added, “There has been a bit of motion with this sale and we thought we'd bring along horses who might stand out a bit.”
Richard Hughes | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Shalaa makes 120,000gns
Just an hour earlier, Plantation Stud's colt by Arrowfield Stud resident Shalaa had gone through the ring as Lot 188, fetching a final bid of 120,000gns (AU$205,400) from Oliver St Lawrence.
“He is for Fawzi (Nass) and team and will probably end up in the red and white colours of Victorious Racing,” said the agent while sitting next to Archie Watson, who trains the G2 Coventry S. winner and last year's Somerville Sale graduate Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) for the same connections.
St Lawrence added, “The mare is two from two (winners) and they are both rated up in the 90s. I think he will be going to Archie.”
Lot 188 - Shalaa (Ire) x Dream Dana (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Watson also issued an update on Bradsell, who is recuperating from an injury sustained in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. and will be aimed next spring at a Commonwealth Cup trial.
The Shalaa colt's winning dam Dream Dana (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}) has produced the multiple winners Operatic (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and Dynamic Force (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and is a daughter of the dual Group 3 winner Lidanna (GB) (Nicholas {USA}). The immediate family includes the Group 1-winning sprinter Wizz Kid (Ire) (Whipper {USA}), a son of Dream Dana's half-sister Lidanski (Ire) (Soviet Star {USA}).
Teme Valley hoping for another star
A striking chestnut son of Starspangledbanner turned plenty of heads, but it was Richard Ryan who has the most staying power in the bidding battle to secure the Ballyhimikin Stud-consigned colt (Lot 147) who had been bought as a foal for €62,000 (AU$91,500).
That sum was more than doubled by the time the hammer fell at 130,000gns (AU$222,400), and Ryan had plenty of extra encouragement in ensuring that he was bought for Teme Valley Racing, who, until the end of last season had campaigned Starspangledbanner's outstanding, G1 Cox Plate-winning son State Of Rest (Ire).
“He was a slightly unexpected type of horse to find this horse in this sale, a different ball game than the rest of the field, I thought,” said the agent. “He's a good strong Starspangledbanner colt with a good backside on him. He is from a real speed family and will make a lovely 2-year-old. He is a proper horse, and would be in any sale.”
“He's (Lot 147) a good strong Starspangledbanner colt with a good backside on him. He is from a real speed family and will make a lovely 2-year-old. He is a proper horse, and would be in any sale.” - Richard Ryan
A son of the Bahamian Bounty (GB) mare Black Rodded (GB) and a half-brother to three multiple winners, the colt is a great-grandson of the fast dual Listed winner Palace Street (USA), who later found fame as the dam of G1 July Cup winner Sakhee's Secret (GB). The family has been boosted recently by the G3 Coral Charge win of Raasel (GB).
Vendor James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud said, “It is a great venue and everyone is here. It is a very good format as a one-day sale, people can get in and have plenty of time to see them over the weekend.”
He added, “It's a strong market and I'm very pleased with that price. The sire has had such a good year, there has been a big uplift in the stallion. Let's hope this colt goes on and wins lots of good races; it is a good way to start the yearling sale season.”
James Hanly of Ballyhimkin Stud | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Hanly's positive start to the season continued its good run later in the session when he sold a Zoffany (Ire) filly for breeder Sven Hanson for 75,000gns (AU$128,300) to Grant Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock.
Lot 268 hails from the family of Group 1 winner and late dual-purpose sire Poliglote (GB) and is out of the Reliable Man (GB) mare Kiss Me Daily (Fr), who is a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner I'm Your Man (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and to the dam of five-time Group-winning stayer Called To The Bar (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}).
