Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
At A Glance:
Twenty mares were sold in the opening Sceptre Session on Monday at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, with Ace Stud securing the top lot Caliyza (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), in foal to Gleneagles (Ire), for 850,000gns ($1.8 million).
The stats took a slight dip on the whole on Monday. Compared to this day 12 months ago, the 21,451,000gns ($45.5 million) turnover was down by 7%. The median fell by 6% to 47,000gns ($99,600) and the average by 7% to 96,193gns ($203,913). The clearance rate was the exact same at 85%.
From that total turnover, the Sceptre Session saw a share of 8,950,000gns ($18.97 million), with an average of 447,500gns ($949,000) and a median of 390,000gns ($827,000). Four mares went unsold in the session for a clearance rate of 83.3%.
Three of the five top lots went the way of Ace Stud, split by top purchases from Sam Sangster and Katsumi Yoshida.
Ace Stud make moves for Calandagan half-sister
Less than 48 hours on from Calandagan's record-breaking victory in the G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo, it was his year-older half-sister, Caliyza, who enjoyed her turn in the spotlight when knocked down to Ace Stud for 850,000gns ($1.8 million) during the first of the two Sceptre Sessions at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
At the close of play on Monday, Ace Stud had signed for three of the day's five top lots, with the dual winner Caliyza being joined by the 4-year-old filly Amazonian (Sea The Stars) at 650,000gns ($1.38 million) and this year's Listed Scurry Stakes scorer Town And Country (Earthlight) at 600,000gns ($1.27 million).
Town And Country has already been pencilled in for a visit to Ace Stud's promising young sire Shaquille in the new year, but plans remain fluid for Caliyza. This year, the daughter of Le Havre was covered by Gleneagles, the sire of the horse who underlined his status as the world's best on Sunday when becoming the first European-trained winner of the Japan Cup for 20 years.
“What can you say? There's a three-part (relation to Calandagan) in the belly and it makes a lot of sense after the weekend,” said Ace Stud's Paul Curran. “It's a phenomenal, phenomenal pedigree and, commercially, you've got a very good horse to come out of the belly, no matter what it is. We were delighted to get her.”
“There's a three-part (relation to Calandagan) in the belly and it makes a lot of sense after the weekend.” - Paul Curran
He added, “There are no immediate plans. We'll sit down with everyone, especially the boss, and have a talk through them all.”
The 5-year-old Caliyza was consigned by Overbury Stud, having been bought by Blandford Bloodstock on behalf of the operation for 155,000gns ($329,000) at this sale 12 months ago.
“That was terrifying!” said Overbury's Simon Sweeting. “I am very lucky that I am on a wonderful farm, that was laid down to grass a long time ago – everything is as it should be. I have a fabulous team and they will do anything for the horses. I'm hugely fortunate.
“We have got the right horses coming in and we have had some luck this summer.” - Simon Sweeting
“We have got the right horses coming in and we have had some luck this summer. She came here a year ago as a wildcard and we bought her then. There are few of us involved with her and it is a good team effort.”
He continued, “When we were talking about her cover, we had no intention of selling her originally. Richard just said, 'Let's try and breed a racehorse.' Still, until the King George, we were not going to sell her, but things then stepped up and changed. And, of course, Sunday morning brought in a different group of people.”
Determination shapes Ace Stud’s 2.5 million gns spend
The most determined members of that group proved to be the team at Ace Stud, sitting high in the seats to the left of the auctioneer's rostrum.
From there, Castledillon Stud's Town And Country and Amazonian, a member of the Highclere Stud draft, were also added to the Ace Stud fold for a total of 1,250,000gns ($2.65 million), having gone through the ring as successive lots.
Paul Curran | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“It's a family we know very well,” Curran said of the once-raced winner Amazonian, a full-sister to River Of Stars whose efforts included a runner-up finish in the G1 Caulfield Cup after being bought for 1,650,000gns ($3.5 million) at this sale last year.
“She (River Of Stars) has done well this year and ran very well in the Melbourne Cup (when finishing fourth). We like to buy into these families again and we're looking for immediate relations. We think a lot of her (River Of Stars) in Australia and she could be something for next year's campaign again.”
“She (River Of Stars) has done well this year and ran very well in the Melbourne Cup (when finishing fourth). We like to buy into these families again and we're looking for immediate relations.” - Paul Curran
He added, “Town And Country was bought for Shaquille and the Fastnet Rock mare (32,000gns ($68,000) purchase Cockeyed Optimist) earlier on was the same. We want to buy some nice broodmare sires for him and we've picked up a few nice mares to row into him with.”
Town And Country (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Among the more surprising Ace Stud acquisitions on Monday was the Grade 2 bumper winner Seo Linn, a daughter of Order Of St George who was last seen winning a Killarney maiden on the Flat by eight and a half lengths.
Consigned by trainer Paddy Twomey's Athassel House Stud, Seo Linn was one of the most expensive lots outside of the Sceptre Session when changing hands for 260,000gns ($551,000). She could now follow in the footsteps of the champion racemare Via Sistina, among others, by continuing her racing career in Australia after being picked up at this sale.
“We've seen what the likes of (GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner) Ethical Diamond have done this year,” Curran said of the thinking behind the purchase. “She's a very versatile filly in the sense that she stayed and won a Grade 2 over two-miles-and-one (furlong) and, then, she came back and won over a-mile-and-three (furlongs) this year.
“She's (Seo Linn) a really, really nice-looking filly and I think she'd fit the bill for Australia very well." - Paul Curran
“We're going to explore the option of sending her to Australia. She looks a very nice filly to target some of the staying races down there. She's a really, really nice-looking filly and I think she'd fit the bill for Australia very well. We've bought well out of here before to go down there and it makes a whole lot of sense.”
Seo Linn (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Kavanagh hits the high notes with Rage Of Bamby to Northern Farm at 750k
Kildaragh Stud's Peter Kavanagh was responsible for one of the most expensive lots sold on the day when selling Rage Of Bamby, a filly he raced in partnership with Hot To Trot Racing, to Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm for 750,000gns ($1.59 million).
Rage Of Bamby landed the G3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury for Eve Johnson Houghton earlier in the year. She also landed a Listed contest at York and, having reached a career-high rating of 109, is one of the highest-rated daughters of Saxon Warrior.
However, Monday's bounty wouldn't have been possible for Kildaragh without Kavanagh's intuition, given he sourced the filly remotely from a yearling sale in Italy on the strength of just a video.
Rage Of Bamby (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Kavanagh said, “We bought her as a yearling in Italy. I bought her off a video – I just loved her head and outlook. You can even see how well she showed there today – she's a bit of a queen and has always shown great heart. I liked her a lot when we broke her in at home and I said to Eve she could be a stakes filly. We leased her to Hot To Trot Racing and they have been great partners.
“I bought her (Rage Of Bamby) off a video – I just loved her head and outlook. You can even see how well she showed there today – she's a bit of a queen and has always shown great heart.” - Peter Kavanagh
“I went and bought the dam, and then I bought the half-sister to Rage Of Bamby the following year in Italy as well, so we have an allegiance to the family and it has been very lucky to us.”
He added, “It is difficult to trade her on but, on the other hand, you need to take advantage of these good days when they come along. It will allow us to do a little more on the farm and maybe replenish our broodmare band. The dam is in foal to Auguste Rodin, so we are doing the same thing again with that Deep Impact cross. It's amazing how much respect the Japanese buyers have for that sire line and it is great that they were there. Alex Elliott underbid her I think. Wonderful when it comes together.”
Wonderful indeed. And, perhaps even more special given Kavanagh was resigned to keeping Rage Of Bamby as a broodmare prospect of his own due to the lack of vet action in the build-up to the sale.
“All day we were just wondering what was going on because we didn't have a lot of vets,” he explained. “We were choosing stallions for her at one point! We were thinking, 'Sure, isn't that what the game is about, having a mare like her at home?' We just had no action. In the cold light of day, we knew she was too valuable to keep on the farm because we know what can happen with these good girls. They're like sand through your fingers. Very happy it all came together. We're going to enjoy it.”
“In the cold light of day, we knew she (Rage Of Bamby) was too valuable to keep on the farm because we know what can happen with these good girls.” - Peter Kavanagh
It was Shingo Hashimoto, a regular visitor to the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls, who signed the docket on behalf of Northern Farm.
He commented, “She looked very athletic and she's a very nice mover. Her pedigree is also very strong. The mare line comes from the Miesque line, which is doing pretty well in Japan. We're very excited to take her home. We don't decide (mating plans) until the mare is in season and we know which stallion is available. She'll obviously go to one of the better ones at our stud, so we're pretty excited about that.”
Shingo Hashimoto | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
He added, “She could match with a top-class stallion that has very good speed or she might match with a 10-furlong, 12-furlong stallion. She was one of the main ones (for them to try and buy on Monday). We also tried on some other ones that we didn't end up buying, but that's part of the game. It's not always that you can buy any horse you want.
“It's very important to try and diversify the bloodlines that we have, so that's the reason why I come each year to Tattersalls.” - Shingo Hashimoto
“I would say it (the market) is pretty fair. The good ones are trading at a very high value. You never know how it goes and tomorrow is always another day. It's very important to try and diversify the bloodlines that we have, so that's the reason why I come each year to Tattersalls. It's a very important time of the year for me.”
Statement of intent from Sangster with 1.2 million gns spend
Talk about a statement of intent. Sam Sangster continued his recruitment drive for high-quality mares to support the National Stud's new stallion Diego Velazquez, with a 1.2 million gns ($2.54 million) spend on day one of the Sceptre Sessions headed by 750,000gns ($1.59 million) purchase Miss Justice from Barton Sales.
A Listed-winning daughter of Justify, Miss Justice was last seen finishing a narrow second behind Karmology in a Group 3 at Newmarket for John and Thady Gosden. She will now join trainer Brian Meehan, before visiting Diego Velazquez in the new year.
Miss Justice (GB) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Sangster explained, “She is for Diego Velazquez. She was bought by the partners and the plan is for her to stay in training, so she will go Brian Meehan. We are going to carry on with her and probably cover her in training. She's a gorgeous filly and is lightly-raced. It's a lovely pedigree so there is a lot to look forward to. We wanted to show the kind of quality we want to buy for Diego.”
“We wanted to show the kind of quality we want to buy for Diego.” - Sam Sangster
Asked if he had any targets in mind for his new acquisition, Sangster added, “Not really. We'll regroup with Brian but I know there are a couple of Listed races in December that she could be aimed at. We could look a little further than that and see if there is anything in Dubai for her. But, as I said, when Diego gets going, hopefully he'll fancy her!”
Sangster's attack on the Sceptre Sessions was completed by 450,000gns ($934,000) purchase Galilei (Lemon Drop Kid), who was sold by the Castlebridge Consignment in foal to Too Darn Hot.
Cherry on top for Slattery
Speaking on the eve of the sale, Brian Slattery of Meadowview Stables said a good price for Listed winner Easy would put the cherry on top of what has been a memorable season for everyone connected with his brother and trainer, Andy.
Easy (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
The Country Tipperary handler has knocked it out of the park this year and, selling the daughter of Kodiac – who was offered in foal to Mehmas – to Lake Villa Farm for 450,000gns ($934,000) surely quantifies as a good result.
“Some great stories have come out of the mares' sales and it's important to show you can add value to your horses and reward the owners.” - Brian Slattery
Before rushing off for his flight home, Slattery said, “Delighted with that. We thought she'd make around that figure but it's great to see her bought by Lake Villa Farm. I hope she's as lucky for them as she was for us. (...) Some great stories have come out of the mares' sales and it's important to show you can add value to your horses and reward the owners. She was good to us, and hopefully she does the same for her new owners.”
Thought for the day
A few notable buyers have been absent from the breeding stock sales thus far. Amo Racing, for example, spent 4,675,000gns ($9.9 million) on four foals – including 2.5 million gns ($5.3 million) on a brother to Chaldean – last year, while the operation's 8,375,000gns ($17.7 million) spend on mares was highlighted by the 4.8 million gns ($10.18 million) Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me. That equates to over 13 million gns ($27.56 million) from a buyer that has so far yet to play the market at Tattersalls this week.
It's also worth noting that John Stewart, whose Resolute Racing bought five mares for 6,265,000gns ($13.28 million) here 12 months ago, also drew a blank on Monday.
Buy of the day
It feels like Tally-Ho Stud have received this accolade more times than Roger Federer has won Wimbledon but, when you buy a Classic-placed filly for just 250,000gns ($530,000), it's hard not to hand over the prize once again to the Westmeath men.
Purple Lily (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Few would have balked had Purple Lily made twice, three times, or even more than the quarter-of-a-million that Tally-Ho paid for the Paddy Twomey-trained daughter of Calyx. The dual winner has placed in Group 2 and 3 company as well as finishing third behind You Got To Me in last year's Irish Oaks. A maiden mare, she looks a perfect fit for Maranoa Charlie, who is new to Tally-Ho Stud for 2026. Extremely well-bought.
