Cover image courtesy of Goffs
At A Glance
The €30,137,500 (AU$48.9 million) aggregate was up by 15% while the €142,159 (AU$231,000) average was up by 8% and the €100,000 (AU$162,000) median the exact same as 12 months ago.
Of the 232 offered on day 1, 212 were sold at a clearance rate of 91%.
The Justify half-sister to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hope Minnie Hauk topped the sale at €1.4 million (AU$2.3 million).
Book 1 continues on Wednesday with Book 2 to follow.
Minnie Hauk half-sister tops the first day of selling
The weight of expectation proved no barrier to the Justify half-sister to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hope Minnie Hauk at Goffs on Monday, with MV Magnier and the Coolmore partners going to €1.4 million (AU$2.3 million) to secure the only filly in the entire Orby Sale by the stallion.
Coolmore will be hoping that lightning can strike twice on the Justify filly as it was at this sale three years ago when the powerful operation went to €1.85 million (AU$3 million) on Minnie Hauk, who is 16-1 to provide Aidan O'Brien with a third Arc success at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
Offered by Camas Park Stud as lot 154, the February-born filly is also a half-sister to G2 Summer Mile winner Tilsit. Her granddam Zenda produced Kingman, adding another celebrated name to a pedigree that made her one of the sale's most anticipated yearlings.
“In fairness to (breeders) Ben and Lucy (Sangster), they've been great supporters of ours for God knows how long and (their son) Ollie is doing great as a trainer,” Magnier said.
“Justify is having another very good year. (G2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner) Haffner looks like he could be a very good horse next year. If she's anywhere as good as her sister I think we'll be doing all right.”
A three-time Group 1 winner, including victory in last season's Irish Oaks, Minnie Hauk was agonizingly touched off by Daryz in last year's Arc when bidding to emulate Dylan Thomas and Found, O'Brien's previous winners of the end-of-season showpiece.
Win, lose or draw on Sunday, Magnier confirmed that Minnie Hauk will be retired to the covering shed later this year. However, plans are understood to be in place for the multiple Group 1-winning Classic heroine Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) to stay in training at Ballydoyle next season.
Magnier said, “She (Minnie Hauk) ran an absolute blinder last year and Aidan is very happy with her again. Hopefully Diamond Necklace is a possibility to join her. Minnie Hauk deserves to have another go at it and hopefully she'll run well again. It's what it's all about, the Arc.”
“Hopefully Diamond Necklace is a possibility to join her. Minnie Hauk deserves to have another go at it and hopefully she'll run well again. It's what it's all about, the Arc.” - MV Magnier
He added, “I presume that Michael and Derrick will want (Minnie Hauk) to go to Justify. Looking at her sister there, it looks like it works, so I'd say that might be the move in her favour.”
Sangster joked that the Justify filly could well look good value should Minnie Hauk return to her peak form on Sunday.
MV Magnier | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
He said, “Going into a great hotel at Ballydoyle which was obviously a key factor and we're obviously delighted with the price – couldn't be happier. It was a long day but it was worth the wait. Multilingual is in foal to Frankel and is due in February, touch wood.”
Asked what it was like to watch the bidding unfold on the top lot, he concluded, “Nerve-wracking watching any race or being involved in anything like that. (There were) high expectations and she was a beauty from birth. At the end of the day, it was a joy. I was reasonably relaxed because I knew that she was a collector's item. As I said, she's gone to the best hotel in town.”
Scott strikes for Frankel colt
George Scott warmed up for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a race in which the Newmarket-based handler is set to be represented by Bay City Roller (New Bay), by purchasing a Frankel colt on behalf of the dual Group 1-winning owner's Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Victorious Forever for €575,000 (AU$933,000).
Alongside bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops, Scott was returning to the same source of Bay City Roller, himself a €320,000 (AU$520,000) Orby purchase and now as short as 16-1 for the Arc.
The Frankel colt boasts one of the standout pedigrees in the entire sale, being a son of the multiple Group 1-winning racemare Laurens. He was consigned by Castlebridge and Juddmonte, who bred the colt alongside Coverdale Stud, the racing and breeding banner used by former prominent British-based owner John Dance, filling the role as underbidder.
Scott said, “I just thought the horse improved all week. We saw him early on when we came, and as the week went on he clearly grew in confidence. We had him valued a little bit lower to begin with, but when he came up to the ring he just grew another leg.
“He really just looked like a very, very nice horse, and the pedigree speaks for itself. He is almost a collectors item – Juddmonte were the underbidders as far as I could see. It's a sale that we have been very lucky at in the past.”
“He (Lot 97) really just looked like a very, very nice horse, and the pedigree speaks for itself.” - George Scott
Laurens was the highest-profile horse to carry Dance's colours on the level. He was also a part-owner of the talented staying chaser Bravemansgame before being charged by financial regulators with multiple counts of fraud and money laundering. All told, Laurens won six Group 1s and Scott is convinced that her Frankel colt boasts a pedigree strong enough to make a stallion should his race record be good enough.
Scott added, “He is for Victorious Forever – that was Shaikh Nasser on the phone. He is always a little bit stronger when he is on the phone. When we are buying these colts for Victorious Forever we are looking at the end game. We've got a lot of nice horses, but we are looking to make it sustainable.
George Scott | Image courtesy of Goffs
“Nothing is guaranteed, but at least if you end up with a very good horse, then you've got a pedigree behind you, and that's your job done. So it made sense for the operation to take a chance on a horse like that. The operation is moving in a direction where they want to be standing stallions. That horse has a long way to go, but at least that box (pedigree) is ticked if he makes it that far.”
Bond reveals seven figure spend aided by AI
A week after signing for the record-priced Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale top lot by Study Of Man at €330,000 (AU$536,000), Bond Thoroughbreds spent €1,910,000 (AU$3.1 million) on six yearlings, headed by a €500,000 (AU$8 million) Wootton Bassett colt from Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud.
Charlie Bond was on hand at Goffs on Monday, where he revealed that the selection process was aided through artificial intelligence, of which the owner is understood to be a big believer. Like the record-breaking Study Of Man colt from Fairyhouse, the Wootton Bassett colt will go into training with Paddy Twomey.
Charlie Bond | Image courtesy of Goffs
Bond said, “The horses we buy are the trainers' picks, so they fall on their own swords and it's not my fault from that point of view! This is the first year we've really got AI (artificial intelligence) involved after the trainers have chosen the horses they train for us, so it'll be interesting to see how they turn out.
“This is the first year we've really got AI (artificial intelligence) involved after the trainers have chosen the horses they train for us, so it'll be interesting to see how they turn out.” - Charlie Bond
He added, “The trainers come with a shortlist and we compare it with the shortlist we put together with AI. Then our own vets will look them over and cut down the list again if need be. We've got an AI expert within the business (Churchill Tyres), so it made sense to apply it to the horses too. We're checking all the pedigrees and then the horse's looks as well. Hopefully we can take it up a notch.”
American agent Akers goes big on Wootton Bassett colt
American agent Mike Akers is no stranger to shopping in Europe and was on hand to land a Wootton Bassett colt from Baroda Stud at €520,000 (AU$844,000). The Wootton Bassett colt is out of the Irish 1,000 Guineas third Foxtrot Liv (Foxwedge), who has already bred a classy horse by the stallion in Archers Bay.
“Wootton Bassett needs no lead-up, I mean he has been one of the top stallions for a long time,” Akers said. “They are not making them anymore. He has really stamped a lot of his progeny; they've got bone and size. He can get you a horse that can sprint or it can run all day. He's been quite an influence for a long time.”
“They are not making them anymore. He (Lot 13) has really stamped a lot of his progeny; they've got bone and size. He can get you a horse that can sprint or it can run all day. He's been quite an influence for a long time.” - Mike Akers
He added, “We have a couple of clients that'd be happy to go tack on him. He's not for anyone in particular just yet. We've got a couple of guys that can play at that level. I think it's a very, very good crop of athletes. The guys do a really good job of preparing them; they're not overdone. It's as good a group as I've seen, and I have been coming here a while. I think we are going to have some really good numbers here in the next couple of days.”
Subplots
One of the best dishes was served last with Andrew Cary and Wells Watson, who struck the big time with Irish Oaks-winning Orby graduate Johanna Walsh (Sea The Stars), returning to the well for a €550,000 (AU$893,000) Night Of Thunder filly from Castlebridge – who happened to be the last lot into the ring on Monday. Asked if the filly would chart a familiar path to O'Brien's stable, the American owner joked, “I don't know anything else!”
Although the new owner was not confirmed, Joseph O'Brien will have the pleasure of training the brother to Al Shira'aa Racing's G1 National Stakes hero Folsom Blues (Blue Point) after signing for the colt from Baroda Stud for €750,000 (AU$1.2 million). O'Brien was one of the busiest trainers at the Orby on Monday and came home with 11 yearlings for €2.169 million (AU$3.5 million).
