Kingman Filly Revives Foal Trade

[Wandering Eyes]

Newmarket, UK–Lest we forget, these animals are born to run. Because they certainly aren’t all bred to do so. There is nowhere like a foal sale to remind you how many Thoroughbreds are sooner brought into the world to walk round in a circle for two minutes, and then good luck to them once the hammer falls. True, for a majority of shoppers at Tattersalls this week, the idea is that they will still prove capable of doing the same next autumn. In the case of the filly who made the headlines on the second day of the December Foal Sale, however, it was all about her eligibility to do exactly what she was born to do.

“She’s not for resale,” said Anthony Stroud with a grin, after a daughter of Juddmonte’s dashing young sire Kingman (GB) was knocked down to the adjacent John Gosden for 370,000gns. The pair routinely operate for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin stable, of course, and were able to see off a sustained challenge from Jamie Railton for lot 704.

Her price—exceeded only once in the equivalent session, back in 2007—contributed to a much more cheerful session after that dispiriting start to proceedings on Wednesday. From a virtually identical offering, 211 lots changed hands out of 263 offered, compared with 216 of 259 last year, for turnover of 9,142,000gns, barely down from 9,258,500gns last year. That brought the average right back to 43,327gns, up marginally on 42,863gns last year, albeit the median shrank to 30,000gns from 33,500gns. The clearance rate also recovered well from the opening day, at 80% just short of 83% in 2017.

Consigned by Castlebridge, the session-topping filly is out of Blue Angel (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and duly a half-sister to Listed Dee S. winner Viren’s Army (Ire) (Twirling Candy). The second dam, moreover, is a Classic-placed half-sister to the top-class miler Bigstone (Ire).

“She does trace back to a very good Wildenstein family,” Stroud said. “And Kingman has had a fantastic year. It was probably more than one wanted to spend but when you want one, sometimes you have to stretch for it.”

“She is a queen, a beautiful filly,” said Bill Dwan of Castlebridge. “She has been very busy here, she was vetted nine times. We were obviously very hopeful, but that certainly exceeded expectations.”

Blue Angel boards with Dwan for Geoffrey Howard-Spink, who bred the filly as Ruskerne Ltd. “Her first foal Viren’s Army was a stakes horse, and her second was a good racehorse too, so we decided the mare deserved an upgrade,” Howard-Spink said. “Kingman was such a good racehorse, which was why we chose him. But he had such a good season with his first runners, and everything has just fallen into place. We always try and sell as foals, and this is easily the best result we have had in the sale ring.”

The Show Goes On-And On…

Showcasing (GB) is certainly enjoying a remarkable sale—which is no less than you would hope, after the latest elevation in his fee at Whitsbury Manor Stud to £55,000 for 2019. If that’s what you have to pay for a cover, even an average of 90,615gns for 13 sold to date represents a fair deal for a living, breathing weanling.

One way or another, the market is certainly backing him to upgrade mares—much as he has done his own profile, from a fee of £4,500 just five years ago. Several foals that brought big money yesterday were out of either unraced or unproven mares.

True, one or two of these had already caught quite a following wind. Literally so, in the case of Lisiere (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}), the dam of lot 745, a colt offered by Trickledown Stud and sold to Joe Foley for 190,000gns.

Lisiere was bought for Penny Cave and Trickledown’s Paul Thorman by Bobby O’Ryan at the Horses-in-Training Sale here five years ago for just 15,000gns—at which time her half-brother Dick Whittington (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was a hot-off-the-press €280,000 punt at the Goffs Orby Sale. A punt that paid off, the following year, when he won the G1 Phoenix S. for Aidan O’Brien.

Cave explained, “It was blowing a gale, a real hurricane, and a lot of the horses could not get in. So I rang Paul and said this might be an opportunity to pick one up cheaply. So he said we should both go through the catalogue and list six lots, and see if any doubled up-and Lisiere was the first to come up. I couldn’t believe what we got her for.”

With just two other mares at home, and husband Simon as “the staff”, Cave protested that she could not afford £35,000 even for what she views as “an all-singing, all-dancing sire” at Whitbury—but was delighted to agree to a foal-share.

Then there was the dam of lot 652. The Shadwell-bred Ealaan (Invasor {Arg}) was sold for just $4,000 at the Keeneland November Sale in 2013. As the daughter of G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Misterah (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), with a stakes-winning half-sister meanwhile producing Ertijaal (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), she was imported to Europe and artfully picked up by Whitsbury for 26,000gns here three years ago.

It was only subsequently that Ertijaal really began to stamp himself as one of the fastest horses to have operated at Meydan. Sure enough, Peter and Ross Doyle were prepared to go to 130,000gns for Ealaan’s second foal, a colt, alongside Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud.

“Showcasing is out in the open with everything he has done,” Murphy said. “So the idea will be to come back here next year. Ertijaal is a son of Oasis Dream and obviously so is Showcasing. So hopefully the cross will work.”

Another fan of Showcasing is Jamie Railton, who warmed up for his crack at the top lot of the day by giving 140,000gns for lot 700, a colt presented by Castlebridge out of a Night Shift half-sister to German Group 1 winner Temida (Ire) (Oratoria {Ire}).

“He’s for the investment syndicates we operate and will be back for resale,” Railton explained. “To me, he was the standout of the day. Obviously we sold Advertise (GB) and Quiet Reflection (GB), so hopefully this can be our third good one by the sire.”

His colt is a sibling to three winners but another son of Showcasing to score well as a first foal was lot 747, out of a winning Pour Moi (Ire) mare from the family of Group 1 winner Wannabe Grand (Ire). He made 130,000gns from Howson and Houldsworth, from the draft of Hawes Stud—who promptly bettered that with lot 748, a Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt, drawing 150,000gns from Railton.

Shalaa Lives Up to Billing

Shalaa (Ire) must look to his laurels as his first weanlings come onto the market, having retired at the most expensive fee of his intake in Europe. But he certainly stepped up to the plate with lot 728, a filly out of G3 Princess Margaret S. runner-up Full Mandate (Ire) (Acclamation {GB})—herself a half-sister to G1 King’s Stand winner Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

That’s a pretty brisk pedigree and persuaded Al Shaqab Racing to go to 160,000gns, representing a warm vote of thanks to breeder Liam Sheridan for sending Full Mandate to their stallion. (Glory be! Another end user, by the look of things.)

Jill Lamb bought the mare for Sheridan here in 2012, for 80,000gns, when Profitable was just a weanling himself. His subsequent success had pointed the way to Haras de Bouquetot.

“It was a fairly obvious decision to send the mare to Shalaa as we wanted to use a son of Invincible Spirit,” Lamb explained. “Liam is a commercial breeder and as a daughter of a first-crop sire, we thought it was a good point to sell. The mare is in foal to Kodiac (GB).”

The filly was presented by Newsells Park Stud, whose Julian Dollar added, “She is a lovely, racy filly and it is great that she has gone to what we’d assume is the end user.”

Shalaa, clipped to €22,000 for 2019, achieved another six-figure sale through lot 630, the first foal of a winning Peintre Celebre sister to the dam of Classic-placed Little Nightingale (Fr). Presented by Plantation Stud, the colt raised 100,000gns from Abbeylands Farm.

“I loved Shalaa as a racehorse and we’ve seen a good few that we like,” explained Frannie Woods. “So we were keen to get our hands on one. Hopefully he’ll be a Book 2 horse, he’s a very good individual with a good pedigree.”

From the family of Group 1 winners Lost World (Ire) and Fijar Tango (Fr), the colt had been acquired in utero when Mags O’Toole gave €70,000 for the mare as part of the Etreham draft at Arqana last December. If that looks good business now, the plaudits must be extended to the consignor—Plantation Stud having sandwiched this sale with three other mustard offerings.

First had been another son of Shalaa, lot 628, who raised 68,000gns from Tina Rau Bloodstock; BBA Ireland then signed an 82,000gns docket for lot 629, a Muhaarar (GB) colt, on behalf of an Irish pinhooker; and then Yeomanstown gave 95,000gns for lot 631, another first foal to sell well for Showcasing (GB) out of an unraced sister to G1 Lockinge S. winner Virtual (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

Grass Greener at Meadowlands

The above comments about Showcasing’s foals riding the slipstream of a fee hike are still more relevant to No Nay Never, who has received a giddy elevation to six figures for 2019 after his first crop of runners put him to the fore of his intake in Europe.

One of his daughters had duly topped the low-key opening session on Wednesday and yesterday his son lot 625 brought 120,000gns from Fairway Partners, as part of a stellar draft presented by Brian Kennedy of Meadowlands Stud.

This colt was offered on behalf of Kennedy’s vet John Yarr. He credits Jason Walsh at Coolmore for advising No Nay Never, whose first crop has put him at the top of an exciting intake of new European stallions this year, as an option to impart speed to his Montjeu (Ire) mare. Not that he needed much persuading, having made his only visit to Royal Ascot in the year both Caravaggio and Lady Aurelia put No Nay Never’s lamented sire Scat Daddy in lights.

“He’s been bought just for a group of friends to resell,” explained purchaser Benoit Jeffroy, standing with Nicolas De Watrigant. “He’s a very athletic horse, with plenty of quality, and of course the sire is on fire.”

Meadowlands has a fine record here and moments later achieved another impressive return when lot 627, a colt from the first crop of Estidhkaar, brought 80,000gns from Yeomanstown Stud. That represents a great dividend on a €5,000 cover by the Tara Stud rookie.

And the consignment produced another very attractive proposition in lot 689, an Acclamation (GB) colt out of Gold Again (Touch Gold)—whose Kodiac foal at this sale last year brought 210,000gns. This time her son of Acclamation generated 130,000gns from Aquis Farm. Gold Again has certainly lived up to her name since Richard Venn picked her up here for just 6,500gns in 2009.

The European foal market is a new footprint for the Australian superpower Aquis, who will keep him here for resale. “We thought him the stand-out of the day,” reasoned chief executive officer Shane McGrath. “A strong, quality colt, by an established sire, a great mover with a big hip. Let’s hope he winters well, and goes the right way. We’ve had a good look around, and seen a lot of different physicals. Obviously the foals are a bit younger than we’re used to seeing, but then a nice horse is a nice horse. It’s all about expanding the horizons.”

Paca Packs a Punch

Another intriguing international presence was Paca Pace Farm of Japan, whose Harry Sweeney signalled his intent when paying the top price of the morning, 95,000gns, for a colt by Havana Gold (Ire) from the speedy family of Ya Malak (GB) and Dominica (GB) consigned by Mickley Stud.

Lot 573 was co-bred by the Countess of Lonsdale from Mocca (Ire) (Sri Pekan), who was stakes-placed for her with Denis Coakley but was subsequently sold. Mocca then came up with Kiyoshi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the G3 Albany S. and was twice placed at Group 1 level, and when she came back on the market, her original owner persuaded Mickley’s Richard Kent to join her in returning her to the fold for 72,000gns.

The partnership has previously struck a rich seam with Havana Gold, having bred Group 1 winner Havana Grey (GB)—a new recruit to Whitsbury Manor Stud—by the Tweenhills sire.

“Caroline’s very clever at breeding, the brains of the operation,” said Kent—prompting Lady Lonsdale to declare that if she were the brains, he must be the beauty. “We just feed them,” Kent responded. “I’m delighted Caroline persuaded me to join her in buying the mare. This colt has the most fantastic temperament you could wish for, never had a moment’s worry.”

Sweeney ended the session as signatory to seven lots for 582,000gns, headed at 200,000gns by lot 734—a colt by Le Havre (Ire) offered by Nafferty Stud. His dam Village Fete (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) was picked up by Nafferty here in 2015 for just 27,000gns, even though a listed winner for Juddmonte, and her son Kings Fete (GB) (Kings Best) promptly won two Group 3 races the following year.

For 100,000gns Sweeney also secured the beneficiary of a neon update in lot 766, an Iffraaj (GB) colt consigned by Dukes Stud out of a half-sister to the dam of Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}).

Cracking the Kodiac

Further overseas investment came through Justin Casse, who gave 175,000gns for lot 750, a brother to Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose Group 1-winning achievements over middle distances have rather broken the mould for his prolific sire. But Casse will not be taking the colt, presented by McCracken Farms, back across the Atlantic.

“He’s for resale and will stay somewhere in Ireland, I just need to organise where,” the agent said. “He’s a great walker, really a lovely action, with a beautiful pedigree, and should do nothing but get better with time.”

Kodiac had another good score with lot 769, a son of an accomplished Argentinian racemare in Chibola (Arg) (Roy) offered through Whatton Manor Stud. His next destination, Paul and Marie McCartan’s Ballyphilip Stud, could hardly be more auspicious in view of their established knack with the sire: witness Tiggy Wiggy (Ire), Kodi Bear (Ire) and Coulsty (Ire).

After signing a 160,000gns docket, Paul McCartan said, “We’ve had luck with Kodiac before, and he was the one we wanted today. There are a lot of lovely foals here and plenty of money for good ones. Let’s hope there’s plenty of money for them as yearlings too.”

But there was still money around with the racetrack in mind, and Damien Burns saw off another potential end-user in Shadwell’s Angus Gold at 180,000gns for another Kodiac–lot 778, a filly homebred by Cobham Court Stud. Her dam Crown (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}) has already produced listed winner Global Applause (GB) (Mayson {GB}) and Group 2-placed German juvenile Revelstoke (GB) (Toronado {Ire}).

“She’s been bought possibly to race,” Burns said. “It’s the same cross as Adaay (Ire) and the mare gets very good-looking stock. She just looks a runner, like she’ll try all day. She was the same down in the yard and the same when she came up here.”

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