By Brian Sheerin, TDN Europe
Stauffenberg spashes the cash
Fearless pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg broke his own record for the most money he has ever spent on a foal when going to €650,000 (AU$1.16 million) to secure a New Bay half-sister to Group 1 heroine Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) and Group 2 scorer Santorini Star (Golden Horn) at yet another memorable renewal of the Goffs November Foal Sale.
The sale-topping filly was consigned by Luke Lillingston of Mount Coote Stud and headlined trade that saw a 91% clearance rate. The €18,359,000 (AU$32.6 million) turnover was roughly the same as last year while the average was down by 5% and the median was down by 2.5%. The added context to those figures is that last year's trade was just about the hottest it ever was so Goffs have done a serious job to follow on from that.
Philipp Stauffenberg and Luke Liiiillingston | Image courtesy of Goffs
Stauffenberg did not pull any punches in the build-up to this week's sale when admitting to being 'badly punished' for 'not being disciplined enough' at the foal sales last year. As a result, he endured one of the most difficult years he has since he started pinhooking.
Not one to climb back into his shell off the back of a sub-par yearling sale season, Stauffenberg held off bloodstock agent Ed Sackville on the sublimely-bred filly at that record sum on a day he spent €960,000 (AU$1.7 million) on two yearlings – the second being a Lope De Vega filly from Stanley Lodge.
He said, “If you look into it, there are very few foals of that quality. It's a high-end page. Obviously it is a lot of money but, on the other hand, when you look at what these pedigrees are making, I think it's fine. We will see. It's the first New Bay I have bought so hopefully the stallion will be doing something positive next year. He should be.”
Asked if he has ever bought a more expensive foal to pinhook, Stauffenberg said, “No. I would say the big pinhooks last year got punished quite a lot so it is a big risk. But she is a nice filly, she's a racey filly and even if we were to fail to sell her as a yearling, I think we'd be happy to race her. That could even increase her value more. It's a family that has done well, especially with fillies, so there is a risk. If it were a colt, I would not have done that but, with a filly, it's easier to take the risk.”
New Bay (GB) x Livia's Dream (Ire) filly | Image courtesy of Goffs
That wonderful filly's family that Stauffenberg referenced has been cultivated by Lillingston on behalf of owner Olivia Hoare, who raced the dual Group 1 scorer Dreamloper with Ed Walker.
And what a journey connections have been on with the family. Just this year, Santorini Star popped up to win her Group 2 before finishing second to Consent in the Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp. Put simply, not many foals from families as happening as this one are sent to the public auction.
Lillingston commented, “The story goes back to when my father was still alive. We were selling the dam and, at the same time, Olivia Hoare was getting into the horse business. She inspected all of our yearlings and he told her that the mare was the pick of all of our yearlings. I had no idea that she was going to bid on her but she bought what turned out to be Dreamloper's dam Livia's Dream (Teofilo) for 45,000gns (AU$95,200) at Newmarket.”
He added, “A decision was made to sell this filly earlier in the year. There were only two dams in this sale that had produced a Group 1 winner and a Group 2 winner so she was always going to be really exciting. There was great interest in her from all over that world which was lovely.
She has a lot of guts – she had 83 shows yesterday. You've got to admire Philipp Stauffenberg. He's the bravest of the brave because he's going to try and pinhook her. But I guess he has a nice feeling because, if it didn't come off, he still has a lovely filly from a very nice family that he could race. It's all there on the page already but it's only going to go from strength to strength.”
Irish National Stud’s Cathal Beale enjoys magic day
The Irish National Stud has produced one of the performances of the week and leads the consignor's table heading into Thursday having sold 16 foals for just shy of €2 million.
Included in that tally is two of the top five most expensive foals – a Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly to Ed Sackville and a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly to MV Magnier – sold all week, leading the Irish National Stud boss to describe this sale as one of his proudest moments in the bloodstock business.
What is most impressive about the achievement is that Oceanie (Dansili), the dam of the €500,000 Night Of Thunder filly, was sourced for just €75,000 at Arqana in 2023. Meanwhile, the Wootton Bassett's dam Loyale (Turtle Bowl) was bought at the same sale for €80,000. When you factor that into the fact Big Break (Dansili), whose Palace Pier filly led Tuesday's trade at €220,000, was sourced for 30,000gns, it goes some way in explaining the achievements.
Beale said, “I think this has to be one of my best days in the game. I am at this 20 for years but I have been in the National Stud for eight years and it's definitely the best-ever day we've had at a sale in my time anyway. It's a fantastic day for the team – I've always said we've a great team and great land but we didn't have the pedigrees to match up to that. Over time, we have been able to buy in a few nicer mares and get to better stallions. I knew that if I gave these lads working at the stud quality stock that they would do it. Today, they proved that they can do it.”
Beale added, “This sale is the showcase for Irish breeders. It is amazing, really. The level of footfall and trade is off the charts. There has been a serious buzz in the ring all week and it's still humming there with only a few lots left to go in. It's been off the charts since showing started. We haven't stopped, which is the best complaint you could have. It's been relentless.”
Ace Stud swoops for Night Of Thunder colt
Ace Stud has a potential stallion prospect in its arsenal in the shape of Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes winner and leading 2,000 Guineas candidate Gewan and the powerful owners swooped for a foal by the same stallion, Night Of Thunder, for €410,000 online. The colt was bred and consigned by Moyglare Stud and hails from Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Princess Highway (Street Cry).
Ace Stud's Paul Curran commented, “Obviously a very good colt by Night Of Thunder, who is a sire we love after this year. They are hot commodities at all of the major sales in Europe so we thought we got good value there. It's a very good page and it's important that it was a colt as well. The plan will be to race him in the green and white silks. Very happy to have secured him and we thought we got him for a very good price.”
Night Of Thunder | Standing at Darley
Also bidding online, Ace Stud bought a brother to their own stallion Lucky Vega for €260,000 from Baroda Stud. The outfit also bought a filly by Shaquille, who stands at Ace Stud, off AM Thoroughbreds at €25,000.
