Domeland and Snowdens strike for sons of Siyouni at Tattersalls

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Table: Australian activity on Day 2 of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale

Domeland purchase Kyeema

Horses purchased out of the William Haggas stable have proved a good source of winners in Australia and this came to the fore once again last Saturday when My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) landed the the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley and Domeland, a breeding and racing ownership organisation based in Australia, who run their horses under the banner Viribright Racing, will be hoping the 2-year-old gelding Kyeema (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) (Lot 712) can prove to be a similar profile.

“My boss really liked this horse – he will be heading to Sydney, we are not sure about a trainer yet,” said representative Roy Cheng, who purchased the gelding for 360,000gns (AU$643,900).

By Siyouni (Fr), the colt is the winner of two races in succession – at Catterick at the beginning of August over 1400 metres and two weeks later back over 1400 metres at York.

After two subsequent unlucky runs at Kempton and Chester, the colt has gone on to prove his liking for the York track finishing second in the Listed Rockingham S. earlier this month.

Siyouni has a good record in Australia, siring eight winners from 22 runners, headed by three stakes winners including star 3-year-old filly Amelia’s Jewel, who stretched her unbeaten record to four when she took out the Listed Belgravia S.

Sydney-based trainers Peter and Paul Snowden and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) also purchased a son of Siyouni from the Haggas’ Somerville Lodge draft at Tuesday’s sale, paying 160,000gns (AU$286,200) for a 4-year-old gelding (Lot 708) by the French-based sire.

Consistency is key

Johnson told TDN AusNZ on Wednesday that they were happy to secure the gelding and is confident that he will suit the racing in Australia.

“Myself, Peter, Paul and Colum Mc Cullagh, the racing manager, all agreed he was one to target. He’s had nine starts for three wins and his runs throughout this year have been consistent. He’s been competitive in nearly all of his starts this year, which gives you confidence that he has not been overtaxed,” said Johnson.

“Having seen William Haggas train on the heath in Newmarket for the two years I was at Roger's (Varian), he is one of the best trainers in Europe and you know that he programmes his horses to have them as competitive as possible, without over racing them and this horse is a prime example of that.”

Famed for the high-class record when training 2- and 3-year-olds, the Snowdens have dipped their toes into the tried horses pool over the past few years, including when purchasing Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) for 250,000gns (AU$447,200) at the 2021 edition of the sale and since joining their Sydney stable he has won twice and also finished second in the G2 Shannon S. The gelding will line up in Saturday’s G2 Linlithgow S. at Flemington on Saturday.

“The Snowdens have an excellent record with their 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds, but it is only a few years ago when Peter was the head trainer at Darley he had a lot of horses running at 1600 metres and 2000 metres at the top-level.

“In the last couple of years he has had a massive influx of colt syndicates through the stable, but in the middle of last year we joined forces and bought a couple of imports, including Huetor, who won the Doomben Cup.

“The second one was Old Flame, who we bought at this sale last year and he has won twice and has also been Group 2-placed and he will run in the Linlithgow S. at Flemington this Saturday. Those two horses have given us the confidence to go again and we have bought a few horses this year privately and we were very keen to have a crack at this sale.”

The gelding is out of the Listed-winning Danehill Dancer (Ire) mare Sentrail (GB) and she is a half-sister to Enticing (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), the dam of One Master (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), a winner of the G1 Prix de la Foret on three occasions.

Johnson also expressed his admiration for the gelding’s sire Siyouni, who he believes is a top-class sire all over the world and his progeny have particularly performed well in Australia.

“Siyouni, from a limited number has done well here, including with the likes of Amelia’s Jewel, Almeryton and See You In Spring have been very good adverts for the Aga Khan sire,” he said.

“He is a fantastic stallion in Europe and he’s also had success in America. Substantial has a Group 1 winner on the pedigree and this coupled with the physical and race performance really adds to the appeal of the horse.”

By Royal appointment

A number of The King's high-profile runners, including Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (Lot 685), who provided him with his first winner as an owner at Leicester earlier this month, proved popular on Tuesday.

That particular son of Sea The Stars (Ire) will join the stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, after Johnny McKeever of McKeever Bloodstock went to 300,000gns (AU$536,700) to secure the gelding from the draft of his former trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

The 99-rated Just Fine has so far landed three races and he derives from a family which is familiar to Australians. The gelding is out of Bint Almatar (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}), who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Falls Of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), the dam of dual Australian Group 1 winner Cascadian (GB) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

Being out of a Kingmambo (USA) mare, Just Fine is bred on one of the very best crosses in the global Stud Book, a nick that has produced a perfect 20 winners from 20 runners and they are headed by four Group 1 scorers and eight stakes winners. This cross has never been more prevalent than this year, given that Haggas’ star 4-year-old Baaeed (GB) is also out of a daughter of Kingmambo.

Sea The Stars himself is considered one of the world’s best racehorses and he has proved successful in Australia, represented by 22 winners and eight stakes scorers, including Group 1-winning duo Fifty Stars (Ire) and Shraaoh (Ire).

“It has been a while since I have bought one from the Royal Studs. Gai Waterhouse trained for the late Queen and will be thrilled to be getting a horse that she owned,” said McKeever.

“Sea The Stars is one of my all-time favourite racehorses and sires. I rate him up there with all the great ones and, except for Frankel, is one of the best staying stallions in the world.

“We are looking for good-quality horses and Sir Michael (Stoute) recommended him very strongly. This horse's level of form is pretty good, and he has the right profile. We have tried on a few others - we were underbidders on Chairman and this morning on Inverness.”

Maher on the board again

Chairman (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) proved one of the highlights on Monday when selling from Freddie and Martin Meade to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for 400,000gns (AU$715,600) and the Australian trainers returned to the well on Tuesday.

Will Bourne, the bloodstock executive for the powerful training partnership, struck for Ruling (Ger) (Camelot {GB}) (Lot 664), fourth behind Monday's session-topper Waterville (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Irish Cesarewitch last month, taking the gelding home for 300,000gns (AU$536,700).

“From here, he (Ruling) will go to Harry Eustace before going into quarantine,” Bourne said. “He is a nice, athletic horse, he will go to Ciaron’s Sydney operation. He is a genuine stayer.

“He has had a break but has come back well and he has the perfect profile for the Sydney autumn carnival.

“The carnival can really accommodate a horse like him and there is a lot of prizemoney on offer. We are looking for five or six horses in total this week but it is a very buoyant market and they are hard to buy.”

Ruling is the sixth foal out of the G1 German Oaks-winning mare Rosenreihe (Ire) (Catcher In The Rye {Ire}), and hails from the same family as Group 1-placed winner Savvy Six (Ger) (Pour Moi {Ire}) and Listed winner Rose Rized (Ger) (Authorized {Ire)).

So far this week, Maher and Eustace have purchased three horses for a gross of 830,000gns (AU$1,484,800) and are expected to be active over the next few days.

Australian Bloodstock purchase two

The strength of the trade took its toll on many, but not Ronald Rauscher, who described himself as pleasantly surprised about being able to pick up the 106-rated Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (Lot 741) for 300,000gns (AU$536,700) on behalf of Australian Bloodstock.

Earl Of Tyrone has improved 29lbs since joining Paddy Twomey this season and Rauscher said he is hopeful that there can be more to come.

“The objective is staying races in Australia. I know where he has come from and who trains him very well-he was obvious for us,” said Rauscher. “I thought there might be a bit more action on him, so I am not unhappy where we landed. He is a very nice horse, very correct, very well looked after.”

Australian Bloodstock and Ronald Rauscher struck early on in the afternoon, when they parted with 75,000gns (AU$134,200) for the placed son of Highland Reel (Ire), Made Of Gold (GB).

Gallery: Australia Bloodstock's two purchases from Day 2 of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, images courtesy of Tattersalls

Over the two days, Australian Bloodstock and Ronald Rauscher have purchased three lots for a total spend of 425,000gns (AU$760,300).

Ritchie makes his maiden foray at Tattersalls

There was a new name amongst the purchasers on Tuesday, as New Zealand trainer Shaune Ritchie made his first purchase at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale.

Based in Cambridge, the handler, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray, will be heading home with the three-time winner Mahrajaan (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) (Lot 655) having purchased the gelding from Shadwell Estate Company for 75,000gns (AU$134,200).

Mahrajaan is the ninth foal out of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf-winning mare Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and is a half-brother to Listed winner Aghareed (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}), the dam of multiple Group 1-winning champion Baaeed (GB) and fellow elite-level winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Ritchie told TDN AusNZ that he had also wanted to target this sale and was confident the horse's good form in Europe would translate in New Zealand.

“It is the first horse I have bought from this sale. I have been wanting to do it for a while,” he explained. “I worked for John Dunlop when I was a kid for a couple of years and I appreciate the English stayers.

“I always wanted to buy a horse that was a little bit under the radar and could put a little bit more condition on and we have the advantage in New Zealand where we have halfway paddocks and each horse has their own paddock throughout the day and sometimes when these horses get a little bit older, the 4-year-olds particularly in Australia and here in Britain, they go to the stable and to the walker and they work and go back in the box.

Ritchie said the vetting showed the horse was still very immature and he believed he could develop into a good stayer, who would appreciate the New Zealand style of racing.

“Going through his form and in 10 starts he’s only run one poor race, but he still looks like he’s developing. When we had him vetted the x-rays said that he still has a bit of softness in his knees and a couple of things like that, so he is the sort of horse when he gets back on that New Zealand grass will really thrive.

“He is an on-pace stayer and with racing in New Zealand and Australia there is always a tactical advantage with those sorts of horses. It is our first attempt at coming here and it’s nice to have a crack and if it works successfully, it won’t be hard to talk our clients into coming back up again.”

Mahrajaan will not be the only horse headed for the green pastures of New Zealand with Albert Bosma’s Go Racing purchasing Mutamanni (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) (Lot 524) for 85,000gns (AU$152,000).

Another consigned by the Shadwell Estate Company, Mutamanni won his only start for Freddy Head in France and he is out of Murafrif (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Having purchased two horses on the first day of the sale, Hubie de Burgh of de Burgh Equine and Darby Racing added another to their portfolio when they bought one-time winner and Group 3-placed gelding, Anchorage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), from Coolmore for 60,000gns (AU$107,300).

Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman, Bennett Racing and Annabel Neasham signed for Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) for 120,000gns (AU$214,700) on the opening day of the sale and the same team struck again on Tuesday when they purchased William Haggas-trained gelding Vintage Choice (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) for 55,000gns (approx. AU$98,400).

The 3-year-old son of Lope De Vega (Ire) has raced five times for one win and a further three placings earning him an official rating of 92.

Avenue Bloodstock, Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock have been active at the yearling sales across Europe this year and on Tuesday they made their presence felt at the Horses in Training Sale, buying two-time winner and Group 3-placed gelding Glounthaune (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) for 135,000gns (AU$241,500).