Cyrname's relatives add French flair to February Sale line-up

A speculative inquiry from Mathieu Talleux received a swift response, with the French breeder now responsible for two of the more unusual lots in this week’s Goffs February Sale.

Based at Haras du Mazet, near Pompadour in the centre of France, Talleux is offering two daughters of his Al Namix mare Douna De Juilley, who has the considerable selling point of being a half-sister to Paul Nicholls’ multi-decorated chaser Cyrname.

He offers two-year-old Jumanji Du Mazet, by Great Pretender, as lot 88A, and her older sister and the mare’s first foal Helsa Du Mazet, a four-year-old daughter of Nom De D’La (251A).

"A client told me there are no progeny of this family on the market, and that maybe I should send a message to Goffs because they like them in Ireland and the UK," he explained.

"I sent a message just to say I had two fillies, but I didn’t know there was a sale the next week! They said, 'Of course we will take the fillies' - and so we’re selling them.

"It’s the first time I’ve sold horses with Goffs and my first time with an online sale. We don’t know, but we’ll try!"

While the sale, on Tuesday and Wednesday, has to be a virtual event, a state which most vendors and buyers will hope will be over sooner rather than later, it benefits Talleux as travelling from the Correze to County Kildare would have been quite a journey with his two young ladies.

Douna De Juilley is just a year younger than Cyrname and never raced, with her value rising quickly as her sibling landed a hurdle at Pau as a four-year-old before finding his feet with Nicholls over fences a season later.

Talleux said: "I bought her when she was three, before Cyrname became a champion, so it was a bit lucky.

"The Nom De D’La is a three-quarters sister to Cyrname, because Cyrname is by Nickname and Nom De D’La is a full-brother to Nickname. She’s 1.65 or 1.66m, a good looker and good mover.

Matthieu Talleux with resident stallion MasterofthehorseCredit: Haras du Mazet

"The Great Pretender is smaller but that's because she's younger. Because it’s an AQPS family, they’re not early horses, but they're two nice fillies."

The next few weeks will get much busier for Talleux and his wife Marie-Aude, a couple with wide experience in the horse world who developed their stud on a former cattle farm. They are involved in spelling, pre-training and sales preparation as well as standing both Arabian and thoroughbred stallions.

"I started my stud stud seven years ago, so it’s still really young," he says.

"This year I have an Irish stallion, [2009 Derby third and son of Sadler’s Wells] Masterofthehorse, and another German stallion, Devastar.

"Before that, for one of my clients I had Arrigo, who was bought by David Futter from Yorton Farm a month ago. I have a filly by Arrigo out of Cyrname’s sister, she looks really nice and is my best yearling."

Bidding begins at noon each day in a live online format. First to go under the hammer on Tuesday are almost 70 young two-year-olds which could have appeal to those looking with a bit more optimism towards the coming Flat season.

Moortown House Stud is early in the programme with a Zoffany colt (4) out of a winning half-sister to the great Big Orange, while there are a few chances to find representatives of the red-hot Mehmas, including a filly offered by Mareshah Stud (21) from the family of granite middle-distance star Fantastic Light.

Supplementaries include Shamrock Bloodstock's Starspangledbanner colt (72A) from the family of Barney Roy and Gordon Lord Byron, and a Footstepsinthesand (82A) for Paddy Moloney who has speed dotted across his page, including Coventry winner Hellvelyn.

The session concludes with some horses in training, and with the crumbs from the Aga Khan's operation usually proving popular his trio including Timourid (109), particularly unfortunate to run into Classic winners Serpentine and Galileo Chrome in maidens last season, are among the highlights.

The owner-breeder was responsible for last year's €220,000 sales-topper, the well-related filly Sheranda.

Wednesday's session showcases breeding stock, including a few mares who have been covered by smart stallions.

The Aga Khan's well-related Sheranda topped last year's February SaleCredit: Goffs

Boherguy Stud consigns the Invincible Spirit mare Gold Lace (241), who has produced black-type earner Gold Filigree and is in foal to Camelot.

There are quite a few offerings through both days from another of Ireland's signature breeders, Moyglare Stud. Heading the draft are Topaz Clear (214) - a Pivotal maiden winner and half-sister to the top-class Forgotten Rules who has been covered by the late Zoffany - and Rose Tinted Sand (219), a Siyouni daughter of a Group-winning half-sister to Casual Conquest.

Baroda Stud closes proceedings with Lope De Vega's New Zealand Listed winner Rubira (253), carrying to the in-demand New Bay, while that same stallion has covered Soft Lips (140), whose daughter Unveil performed well in juvenile French Group races last term and is being offered by Whitethorn Bloodstock on behalf of Emir Alkas.

The sale has been split for this year in the hope that weanlings from both codes will be able to be sold in the flesh on March 11.

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