Dragon Symbol Roars as First-Crop Sires Dominate Tuesday’s Session at Tattersalls

[Wandering Eyes]

NEWMARKET, UK–Improved trade punctuated by a steady stream of notable results for the progeny of Dragon Symbol would be a neat summation of Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls, with Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-crop sire alone accounting for nearly 25% of the 1,684,200gns that changed hands on the day.

That total turnover represented a 23% increase compared to 12 months ago, while the average and the median also painted a much prettier picture as opposed to what was a sluggish start to last year's December Foal Sale. The average was up by 22% to 14,774gns and the median by 8% to 9,750gns.

Meanwhile, having hovered just above 50% during the first two hours of selling, the clearance rate had increased to 66% by the end of the session, compared to 65% last year.

Following that low-key start to proceedings, it was the third hour of trade which saw things really step up a gear, with two of the day's most expensive weanlings being sold in the space of five lots. The pick of that duo was lot 304 from the Norris Bloodstock draft, a Dragon Symbol colt out of the Showcasing mare Perfect Showdance, who went the way of Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud for 75,000gns.

Perfect Showdance has already produced last year's dual-winning juvenile and Listed Blenheim Stakes fourth Itsatenfromlen by another Whitsbury Manor inmate in Sergei Prokofiev. Both Itsatenfromlen and the Dragon Symbol colt were bred by Mildmay Bloodstock, with Bridget Drew of Mildmay Farm and Stud at the helm.

“At home he was really straightforward and we knew he was a good shape of a horse,” Olly Nash, Mildmay Farm and Stud manager, said of Tuesday's joint-top lot. “I think it was quite hard to gauge how much he'd make. The Dragon Symbols we've seen have been really lovely and people are confident that they're a nice crop of foals.”

He added, “The mare is going great guns. She had that fantastic Sergei [Itsatenfromlen] that came out and won those two nice races in France. She's exciting, she's back in foal to Sergei, and it looks like she'll go back to Dragon Symbol!

“Whitsbury do such a great job with those fast sires there. We're exactly an hour away and we have a lot of confidence in them – they've always worked really hard for their breeders.”

Speaking of hardworking breeders, McCartan himself knows a thing or two about producing fast horses – having bred Battaash, Harry Angel and Fairy Godmother, to name just a few – and the Ballyphilip boss identified this colt's speedy pedigree as the major selling point after signing for him under the name of CBS Bloodstock. Bloodstock agent Matt Coleman filled the role of underbidder.

McCartan said, “He was a lovely individual, the sire was a very fast horse, and the young Showcasing mare has bred a horse rated 94 already. It's all two-year-old speed and that'll do anybody.”

'A Stunning Foal And A Great Example Of What The Sire Can Do'

On a day when first-crop sires accounted for eight of the top 10 lots – and 16 of the top 20 – the sheer weight of numbers in the Dragon Symbol camp ensured that his was the name on everybody's lips at the end of the session.

Of the 18 weanlings by the Whitsbury Manor stallion offered on Tuesday, 15 sold for a total of 409,500gns and at an average of 27,300gns, a fair return for those breeders who supported the consistent sprinter when he embarked on his first season at a fee of £8,000. It follows on from the Goffs November Foal Sale where he had seven out of seven sold at an average of €37,000.

Overall, the son of Cable Bay was responsible for seven of the top 20 lots here at Park Paddocks, with the others including a colt out of the Listed Marygate Stakes fourth Beautiful Eyes (Bobby's Kitten), who sold to Apollo Bloodstock for 58,000gns.

Lot 329 belonged to Whitsbury Manor's own draft, with head of bloodstock and sales Joe Callan able to reflect on a promising start for Dragon Symbol at the close of play, with another 29 weanlings by the sire catalogued to sell later in the week.

“They've gone down brilliantly and we're absolutely delighted,” Callan summed up. “It's great to see who is buying them, the likes of Ballyphilip Stud, Grove Stud and so on. And it's great for the breeders. Bridget Drew is a great client and we were delighted they got such a good result. He was a stunning foal and a great example of what the sire can do.

“He covered a good book in year one, and we knew we were in a good position when he covered a bigger book this year, but you don't know for sure until you get to the sales ring. But they're good foals, everybody is pleased, and we're excited about what's to come for the rest of the week.”

Shaquille Lands A Slam Dunk With Joint-Top Lot

Late in the day, lot 304 was joined at the top of the leaderboard by a filly belonging to the first crop of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Shaquille, with Luke Barry of Manister House Stud striking the successful 75,000gns bid.

Lot 372, from the Petches Farm draft, is out of a winning half-sister to talented two-year-old Baileys Jubilee (Bahamian Bounty), who won the Listed Prix des Reves d'Or, as well as finishing placed in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G2 Lowther Stakes.

Shaquille was responsible for only three weanlings to be offered for sale on Tuesday, but Barry admitted to being impressed by what he's seen of the Ace Stud stallion's progeny so far, not least in the case of this filly.

“She was very dear, but she's very nice,” Barry explained. “There are some very nice fillies tomorrow, but she stands up very well against them. It was all about the individual but, also, I like the idea of the sire. We have a nice colt at home and he's stamping his stock. He gets very nice horses and he's a good-looking horse himself.”

Confirming the filly would be reoffered for sale next year, he added, “We'll know by this time tomorrow whether we've made the right move or not.”

Native Trail Not To Be Outdone

Shortly before lot 304 went under the hammer and stole some of the limelight, European champion two-year-old colt and Classic hero Native Trail provided another of the day's most sought after foals when lot 300 was secured by Harry Sweeney's Japan-based Paca Paca Farm for 65,000gns.

Sweeney politely declined when asked to confirm plans for the colt, a half-brother to the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes third Model Guest (Showcasing), but consignor Charlie Budgett was only too happy to express his delight in the aftermath of what was a terrific result for his family's Kirtlington Park Stud.

“I'm absolutely over the moon,” said Budgett. “What was quite rewarding was all of the good judges were pulling him out and kept coming back, so we knew we had a nice horse. It was then a question of how they fought it out in the ring, really. We were just thrilled with the way he looked and the judges obviously agreed.

“We've got a full-sister to Model Guest with Hugo Palmer at the moment. The mare I bought originally just to go to Showcasing. We do a lot with Whitsbury and they support us really well. We got the Showcasing filly we wanted, so we retired the mare and she'll carry on the family for us.”

On the decision to send the dam, Looks All Right (Danehill Dancer), to Kildangan Stud resident Native Trail, Budgett added, “I thought he had a pretty strong chance and all of the right credentials. It's a mare that I own with my family, so they didn't argue which is always nice!”

Along with Dragon Symbol, Native Trail was another first-crop sire to pull his weight in a big way during this opening session, with three of his four foals to go through the ring finding a place in the top 10. His quartet sold for a total of 147,500gns and at an average of 36,875gns, with lot 385, a colt from Church View Stables, proving another highlight when knocked down to BAC Bloodstock for 42,000gns.

Meanwhile, breaking up the monopoly of the newcomers at the top of the market were Native Trail's fellow Darley sires Ghaiyyath and Harry Angel.

JC Bloodstock provided one of the day's final flourishes when forking out 68,000gns for lot 382, a Ghaiyyath colt from Altenbach Bloodstock, while the Harry Angel colt offered as lot 310 was bought by Mags O'Toole for 45,000gns. Consigned by Ashbrooke Stud, the colt is out of an unraced Tasleet half-sister to the multiple Group 3 winner Psychedelic Funk (Choisir) and dual Listed scorer Gale Force Maya (Gale Force Ten).

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