Buyers delve into Godolphin goldmine as 120,000gns Beautiful Illusion tops trade

There may have been an unfamiliar feel to the start of this year's February Sale, with Covid-19 restrictions forcing Tattersalls to hold the two-day auction entirely online, but once selling got under way there was a distinct sense of business as usual, with offerings from the Godolphin draft once again proving a major draw.

The consignment from Sheikh Mohammed's operation duly supplied Thursday's session topper as Avenue Bloodstock's Mark McStay went to 120,000gns for the well-related Beautiful Illusion.

The four-year-old daughter of Shamardal was a talented runner while under the care of Charlie Appleby, winning twice on the all-weather at three. She was last seen running in France having switched to the stable of Henri-Alex Pantall.

View full Tattersalls February Sale results and statistics

She is the fourth foal out of Long Lashes, a daughter of Rock Hard Ten who landed the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes for Godolphin in 2009. McStay said he already knew the pedigree well, having spent 15 years working at Godolphin before setting up the Newmarket-based Avenue Bloodstock.

"She's the daughter of a very good racemare, who I remember from my time at Godolphin, and she's by a world-class sire in Shamardal," said the agent. "She had ability herself and achieved a good rating of 89.

"I saw her ten days ago at Moulton Paddocks, Godolphin kindly facilitated a visit. She's a good-walking filly, and was a stand-out today on paper and physically. She's been bought for an existing client and I'm not sure of plans at the moment."

Beautiful Illusion strikes a poseCredit: Godolphin

The Godolphin draft saw 18 lots sell for turnover of 390,000gns, 34 per cent of the session's aggregate. Those 18 lots represented 15 per cent of the 118 sold during the session.

The six-figure barrier looked like being passed for a second time when the final offering of the day, Emmet Mullins' wide-margin bumper winner Noble Yeats, reached 290,000gns.

However, that sum was not enough to see the hammer fall as the son of Yeats, who is declared for a red-hot renewal of the Goffs Future Stars bumper at Leopardstown on Saturday, went unsold.

Kodiac connection

Record-breaking sire Kodiac has a striking record when paired with Shamardal mares, with the cross responsible for 15 winners in Britain and Ireland, including the likes of Hello Youmzain, the dual Group 1-winning sprinter who has joined the ranks at Haras d'Etreham, Gifted Master and Group 3 winner and Cheveley Park Stakes third Umm Kulthum.

The Tally-Ho resident's 2021 book now includes another daughter of Shamardal after the stud's Tony O'Callaghan landed a winning bid of 65,000gns for Godolphin's Symbol Of Love.

"Bidding was easy online and that was the only bid we had," said O'Callaghan. "She's for Kodiac – she's by Shamardal and they go well together. She has a good page and she looks a nice filly."

Kodiac surveys the scene at Tally-Ho StudCredit: Amy Lanigan

The four-year-old ran twice for Appleby, finishing third to subsequent Listed winner Indie Angel on her debut before being beaten just a neck into second by Nehaall at Chelmsford last month.

She is a half-sister to Listed-winning Firebird Song, while her dam, the Pivotal mare Policoro, is a half-sister to the dam of Darley's promising young sire Territories.

Symbol Of Love is also inbred 3x4 to the influential Helen Street as Policoro is out her granddaughter Magna Graecia, while Shamardal is a grandson through Helsinki.

Farrell gets his Kiss

Canice Farrell of Knockatrina House in County Laois was also among the breeders to add to their broodmare band on Thursday when going to 48,000gns for the well-related Swiss Kiss, consigned by New England Stud on behalf of Lordship Stud.

The ten-year-old daughter of Dansili, who was sold in foal to Rathbarry Stud stalwart Acclamation, has bred two winners from as many runners and is out of Lordship's famed producer Swiss Lake, making her a sibling to stakes scorers Swiss Spirit, Swiss Diva and Swiss Dream.

Swiss Kiss has already produced a winner when bred to Acclamation, with the £240,000 yearling Continental having struck for John Dance and Jedd O'Keeffe.

"I'm chuffed," said Farrell. "It's a good pedigree, she's a good-walking mare and she has a commercial cover. The only negative is that she's a bit late. I hope to send her to either Invincible Spirit or Kodiac next."

Farrell, who also runs an equine transport business, already has one celebrity among his broodmare band in the shape of Plying, dam of last year's Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Alcohol Free. Farrell sold the daughter of Hard Spun's Starspangledbanner filly to Creighton Schwartz Bloodstock for 130,000gns at the December Yearling Sale.

On the online format of the February Sale, Farrell said: "I was bidding by phone to Shirley [Anderson-Jolag] of Tattersalls and she told me to go one more to 48,000gns, so I have her to thank! I just have to get the mare home now – I have a bunch of trucks in the yard doing nothing!"

Coleman plays it Cool

Ballyhane Stud residents Prince Of Lir and Sands Of Mali both carried the familiar all-white colours and purple cap of the Cool Silk Partnership during their racing days, and both stallions can count on the support of their former owner as Peter Swann bought a trio of mares early in the session.

Matt Coleman, bloodstock agent for the Cool Silk team, spent a combined 40,000gns on the 28,000gns Jumeirah Street, the 7,000gns Celeria and the 5,000gns Broughtons Jewel on Swann's behalf.

The New England Stud-consigned Jumeirah Street is a daughter of Street Cry from the family of Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day and was sold in foal to Harry Angel; Celeria, an unraced three-year-old by Golden Horn, was offered by Hascombe & Valiant Stud; while Broughtons Jewel, an 11-year-old daughter of Bahri who has bred two winners and is carrying to Eqtidaar, was offered as part of the Broughton Bloodstock dispersal.

Peter Swann of the Cool Silk PartnershipCredit: Laura Green

"The three have been bought to go to Sands Of Mali and Prince Of Lir, who are both at Ballyhane," said Coleman. "Both horses were raced by Cool Silk and Peter Swann has some breeding rights in the stallions, so these mares have been bought for them. Broughtons Jewel is in foal to Eqtidaar and Jumeirah Street is in foal to Harry Angel - Sands Of Mali raced against them both."

The same lockdown measures that saw Tattersalls unable to host the February Sale in its traditional format have also meant that primary and secondary schools in England and Wales are currently open only to a select number of pupils.

Consequently, some of those participating in the online event have had to do so while juggling homeschooling duties. Coleman was among those, and said: "The bidding has been easy, it's trying to keep children entertained that's been difficult!"

Woodstock restocks

The session also saw a number of short yearlings come under the hammer, including three, all offered by Hazelwood Bloodstock, who went the way of owner Julie Wood, bidding under the name Woodstock.

Wood's three-strong haul fetched a total of 71,000gns and comprised a 20,000gns colt by Cracksman from the family of Australian sire sensation I Am Invincible, a filly by the same sire who cost 26,000gns, and a 25,000gns Golden Horn filly out of the Listed-winning Lady Heidi.

"I've been thinking about this all week and it was strange this morning sitting at home getting nervous before bidding," said Wood. "But you look into the screen and it feels just like you're in the ring. It's exciting and now that I've bought them, we can make plans."

Wood, whose colours have been carried to victory by the likes of Olympic Glory, Strong Suit and Zebedee, added: "They've all been bought to race. I have really fancied Cracksman and liked the look of both of these, and the Golden Horn. They'll go to Charlock Stud now and then into training with Richard Hannon."

By close of trade, 118 of 167 offered lots had sold for a respectable clearance rate of 71 per cent. In turn, those transactions brought turnover of 1,163,600gns (down 34 per cent against the figure registered at last year's sale, held live in Newmarket), an average of 9,860gns (down 22 per cent) and a median of 5,750gns (up 15 per cent).

The Tattersalls February Sale continues on Friday at 10am.

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