Andrew Black goes to 350,000gns for share in the Aga Khan's sizzling sire Zarak

Breeding rights and shares in up-and-coming stallions dominated the first Tattersalls Online Sale of 2023, with a share in Zarak topping the bill at 350,000gns.

His early success has made the Aga Khan's homebred sire one of the most sought-after in Europe and the share, for 1/50th of the Group 1 winner, was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock on behalf of Andrew Black's Chasemore Farm.

The ten-year-old's fee was more than doubled to €60,000 for this season following the success of his first two crops, which include five individual Group winners headed by the Group 2 winner and Group 1 third Purplepay and the Classic-placed fillies Times Square and La Parisienne.

Chasemore Farm enjoyed Group 1 success on the track last year as the breeders of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lezoo, from the first northern hemisphere crop of Zoustar.

Blandford's Tom Goff was tasked with buying the share for Chasemore and the agent said: "Andrew and Jane Black have a number of mares they would like to send to France to be covered by Zarak over the next few seasons so, after some discussion, the decision was to give it a go."

Goff was quick to praise Georges Rimaud and the team at the Aga Khan Studs for their management of stallion syndications.

“The fact he is managed by Georges Rimaud at Haras de Bonneval is another massive plus for me personally," he said. "We have first-hand experience of their stallion syndicates - they are absolutely blue chip and are exceptionally well managed.”

Havana Grey's first crop took the track by storm in 2022 and a breeding right to Whitsbury Manor Stud's Flying Five Stakes winner was the other lot to break the six-figure barrier on Thursday.

Heather Raw of Shoreham Stud went to 105,000gns for the breeding right in the sire of Group 3 winners Rumstar, Eddie's Boy and Lady Hollywood, in addition to Cuban Mistress and Shouldvebeenaring, both successful at Listed level.

Leading first-season sire last year with 13 stakes performers from a crop bred at an introductory fee of £8,000, the Molecomb Stakes winner will stand the fast-approaching breeding season for an increased price of £18,500.

Whitsbury Manor's leading first-season sire is in huge demand with breedersCredit: Whitsbury Manor Stud

Raw's most notable success has been in breeding two winners of the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes in Utmost Respect and Barney McGrew. The ill-fated Utmost Respect won four Group sprints for Richard Hannon, including the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes, while Barney McGrew's finest hour came at Newcastle.

The next highest prices, while fetching considerably less than the top two lots, also came via breeding rights.

A breeding right in Time Test, the Group 2 winner and Grade 1-placed National Stud stallion whose fee is £15,000, was acquired by Web Bloodstock for 32,000gns.

From an excellent Juddmonte line, Time Test is, like Zarak, a son of Dubawi, and in his first crop sired the Group 2 Beresford Stakes winner Crypto Force and the Group 3 winners Romantic Time and Rocchigiani.

Champion sprinter Harry Angel made a bright start to his stud career, with Listed winners Proverb and Arkansaw Kid providing him with stakes winners in each hemisphere.

A breeding right in the son of Dark Angel, who will stand the upcoming season at £10,000, his lowest price since retiring to stud, was secured by Stephen Hillen for 30,000gns.

The top five was rounded out by Whozatgirl, the most expensive horse sold in the auction at 20,000gns, and bought by Jimmy Chua.

A four-year-old daughter of Estidhkaar, she has been placed in both her bumper starts for Robyn Brisland. Her dam Cantaloupe has an excellent record as a broodmare, with 11 winners from 13 runners, and the Priolo mare is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Cantilever, the second dam of Irish St Leger and Punchestown Champion Hurdle winner Wicklow Brave.

The Tattersalls Online January Sale realised turnover of 656,500gns and an average of 21,177gns, with the median at 2,300gns. Of the 65 lots offered for sale, 32 were sold.

The sale attracted more than 180 registered bidders from across Britain and Ireland, as well as the Middle East, France, Italy, Sweden and Germany.

Read more

Opinion (£): Flightline was worthy of Frankel-equalling rating

'There's nothing more the horse can do' - Rajasinghe still surprising as a sire (£)

Grade 2 winner Ballyshannon Rose to be sold on Goffs Online later this month

'He's a good foal' - St Mark's Basilica the latest sire to welcome first progeny

'If looks are anything to go by, he'll be a successful stallion' (£)