'Dreams do come true!' - Sea The Stars colt brings 800,000gns at Book 2 opener

A new week but a familiar story as day one of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale saw a slew of punchy prices spent at Park Paddocks on Monday.

It took all of 17 lots for last year’s high mark to be bested as Anthony Stroud and Coolmore’s MV Magnier clashed over the Sea The Stars colt out of Kitcarina from Fiona Marner’s Windmill Farm, with the former party winning out when a bid of 800,000gns was delivered from behind the partition.

The youngster is the first foal out of the winning daughter of Shamardal, whose siblings include her full-sister Kitcara, dam of this colt’s close relation Al Aasy, a three-time Group 3 winner also by Sea The Stars, and the French Listed scorer Kapour.

“Dreams do come true and this was a breeder’s dream!” said an emotional Marner, who was toasting her best ever sale with her sole yearling on offer this year. “It’s beyond all our expectations and it’s so wonderful for the team. He’s been a saint all the way through from the day he was born.

“I’ve got a lot to thank John Clarke [racing manager to the Tsui family] for because he very kindly said they would take this mare, whose page has improved incredibly, to Sea The Stars. He’s a lovely individual and an outstanding first foal and the mare is back in foal to Sea The Stars and carrying a colt.

Fiona Marner: 'This was a breeder’s dream!'Credit: Laura Green

“I have two partners who are both superstars, they’re so loyal and have been a great support to me. One is Derek James, who’s in America, and the second is Peter Wollaston, who’s been a huge supporter for many years and is absolutely over the moon.”

Kitcarina came into Marner’s ownership when she was bought through Axel Donnerstag at €90,000 as a horse in training at the Arqana December Sale in 2018. She won a Kempton handicap on her debut for Andrew Balding and Windmill Racing.

Stroud, whose role with Godolphin saw him sign for 25,355,000gns worth of yearlings during last week’s Book 1, said of the colt: “He's a very good-looking horse with a good pedigree. The nick works quite well with the Shamardal mare, and also you have Al Aasy, by Sea The Stars, in the family too. He’ll be trained by John Gosden for a long-established client.”

Anthony Stroud signed for the 800,000gns top lotCredit: Laura Green

Not only did the colt better last year’s top price of 525,000gns, given by Juddmonte for the Kingman colt out of Reem, but he becomes the fourth most expensive lot in Book 2 history. The biggest price at Book 2 was brought by the useful three-time winner Tarhib, who cost Shadwell 1,050,000gns in 2019.

Online action for BBA Ireland

As evening wore on an online bid of 700,000gns from BBA Ireland secured the Frankel colt out of Qaws bred by Rabbah Bloodstock and offered by Michael Swinburn’s Genesis Green Stud. Will Douglass was consigned to the role of frustrated underbidder.

“The colt is by the sire of the moment,” said Donohoe. “Frankel is doing everything on the racetrack and in the sale ring. The two hottest sires are top and bottom of the pedigree as he’s out of a Dubawi mare. He’s a great individual and wouldn't have looked out of place in Book 1. We’re surprised by the price we had to give, it was our last bid, but we are delighted to have got him.”

Lot 787: the Frankel colt out of Qaws sells for 700,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

The youngster, a sibling to one winner and out of a half-sister to Listed scorer Hadaatha, is bred on the same cross as Group 1 winners Adayar, Dream Castle and Homeless Songs.

Swinburn said: “He was originally in Book 1 as he’s got a nice page and it’s a helluva cross. He just toed in a tad, nothing extravagant, but when we had to make our mind up about which sale to put him in, the owners decided to go with Book 2.

“He was always a big horse, tall and narrow, and during prep he hasn’t grown at all, but he’s got stronger and turned into a Dubawi basically but with a Frankel walk. He’s just a beautiful horse to deal with, as most Frankels are. We thought he’d fetch a decent price but that was very pleasing.”

Brant back for more

Peter Brant of White Birch Farm was another responsible for fuelling record trade during Book 1 last week, with 16 lots bought for a combined 11,545,000gns. Fourteen of those were sourced with Coolmore’s MV Magnier, while the remaining pair were signed for individually.

The Arc-winning owner also made an eye-catching acquisition on Monday when agent Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock went to 410,000gns for the Sea The Moon colt out of Pearly Spirit from Yeomanstown Stud. Karl Burke and Joseph O’Brien were among the underbidders.

The dam is an unraced sibling to five winners, including her Invincible Spirit sister Pearls Galore, who landed her seventh race in the Group 1 Matron Stakes just last month. Her half-sisters include the Listed winners Lucky Lycra and Pearly Steph, while the siblings are out of Pearl Banks, a Group 3-winning daughter of Haras de Saint Pair foundation mare Pearly Shells.

“He’ll go to Jean-Claude Rouget for Mr Brant,” said Zerolo, who was seated beside the trainer and directly to the left of the rostrum.

When asked to expand on what appealed about the colt, he said: “Pretty much everything, at least I hope so as he wasn’t cheap! He’s got a fine page and it’s a pedigree we know well in France. He comes from a very good family belonging to Mr Putsch and Sea The Moon is most definitely a serious stallion.”

David O'Callaghan: 'He was a Book 1 horse in Book 2, but that was part of the plan'Credit: Laura Green

The colt was bred by Haddenham Stud Farm and rewarded a bold pinhook by Yeomanstown Stud, who signed for the youngster at 110,000gns last December. Yeomanstown’s David O’Callaghan said: “He’s an exceptional colt, as good a yearling as I’ve produced for any sale this year. He was a Book 1 horse in Book 2, but that was part of the plan.

“We always like to put a horse like him into Book 2, he was exceptional, a beautifully balanced horse, bay with black points, a beautiful mover and very correct. I don't think there was a man or woman on the sales ground who didn’t admire him. He’s gone to a great owner and I hope he does very well with him.”

Hillwood in clover

A fine day for Hillwood Stud was capped by the sale of the Lope De Vega filly out of Moi Meme to Paddy Twomey, with the sibling to two stakes performers bringing 375,000gns.

The filly is a sister to Solario Stakes runner-up King Vega and Capital Structure, who wasn’t catalogued as having black type but finished second in the Grade 3 Waya Stakes for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables on her latest start.

“She’s a nice filly by a top stallion in Lope De Vega and out of a Teofilo mare,” said Twomey. “Her two siblings are stakes horses already so I’m delighted to have her. She’s for an existing owner and hopefully she’ll make a nice broodmare when she’s finished racing.”

Moi Meme, a daughter of Teofilo who won the Listed Prix de Liancourt during her time in training with Pascal Bary, has enjoyed a successful marriage with Lope De Vega since she retired to paddocks, with her five foals by the Ballylinch Stud resident including three winners, while the quintet have now generated 1,985,000gns in Tattersalls receipts.

Paddy Twomey: secured the 375,000gns Lope De Vega fillyCredit: Laura Green

“She’s been a success in the sales ring and on the racecourse, which is obviously the ultimate place,” said Hillwood’s Charlie Vigors. “She was a very good racemare herself and she’s from a good family so she ticked the boxes for us. She’s repaid us handsomely several times over. She’s actually in foal to Night Of Thunder as we thought she’d have a change of scenery for a year.”

The mare’s two-year-old has been named Lady Boba but is yet to race for Ralph Beckett. However, there is a clue to the regard in which she is held as Hugo Merry, who bought her for owner Andrew Rosen and Barry Schwartz at 160,000gns, was the underbidder on her sister.

Hillwood had another good result earlier in the day when Stroud signed the ticket for the Showcasing colt out of Megan Lily at 260,000gns. Bred by Montcastle Bloodstock, the colt is the third foal out of the winning and Listed-place daughter of Dragon Pulse, who joined the Hillwood broodmare band at a cost of 180,000gns in 2018.

The mare’s second foal, the two-year-old Lope De Vega filly Diamond Vega, provided a handy pedigree update just ahead of the sale by running a promise-filled second on her debut at Kempton for Ralph Beckett in late September.

Vigors said: “He’s been a lovely colt from day one. Showcasing has had a fantastic year so bringing a nice one here out of a stakes-placed mare and with a two-year-old sibling who has shown a lot of promise on her first run, the stars can align for you. I’m delighted that Anthony bought him and I hope he’s very lucky for him.”

Charlie Vigors: 'I’m still lagging behind my mother!'Credit: Laura Green

Showcasing, who stands at the in-form Whitsbury Manor Stud, has enjoyed a successful 2022 campaign that has taken his record to 124 stakes performers.

He sired his fourth Group 1 winner earlier in the month when Belbek landed the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, while his juvenile crop also contains Queen Mary Stakes heroine Dramatised and Lowther Stakes scorer Swingalong. His older performers are headed by the Group 3-winning sprinters Raasel and Sense Of Duty.

Expanding the thought process that led to the mating, Vigors said: “I think Showcasing’s record speaks for itself and Megan Lily comes from a speedy family so we thought he was a good fit. Showcasing has had a fantastic year and obviously if you’re selling a nice horse by an in vogue sire, then it’s a much easier sell than one who’s not!

"We bought Megan Lily in foal to Ribchester and she’s got a nice foal at home who’s a full-brother to Diamond Vega.”

Megan Lily won twice for Richard Fahey and Nick Bradley and was also third in the Listed Criterium de Vitesse. The daughter of Dragon Pulse is a sibling to eight winners, including dual Group 3 scorer Yellow Rosebud and the Listed-winning Seeharn

Despite Hillwood’s productive day, Vigors joked that he had not matched the exploits of his sales-topping mother Fiona Marner by saying: “I’m still lagging behind my mother! We’ve had a fantastic day, it’s been great all round and I’m delighted that mum had such a good sale too.”

Brown back in action at Book 2

At the 2020 renewal of Book 2, Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown bought a son of Nathaniel on behalf of Saeed Suhail for 280,000gns. That colt turned out to be none other than Desert Crown, the unbeaten Derby hero who was last seen trouncing the field at Epsom by two and a half lengths.

Brown was back in action here and went to 325,000gns for the New Bay half-brother to the progressive Listed-winning sprinter Gale Force Maya.

“I thought he was a smashing colt physically and I’m a big fan of the stallion,” said Brown. “I think he’s going places and, like any son of Dubawi, you’ve got to take him very seriously. We actually passed on a couple of horses earlier because he was the one horse we wanted today.

“He’s been bought for Saeed Suhail, who’s here and will be here all week. He bought a bunch of horses last week and obviously this sale was lucky for us a couple of years ago. Since I’ve been buying for him he’s not stayed for Book 2, but he was very keen to be here so hopefully we can get a few more nice horses and see if we’re lucky again.”

The colt was bred by Joanna and Malcolm Imray from the Galileo mare Parabola, whose five winners include the dual Group 3 scorer Psychedelic Funk. The six-figure youngster was consigned by Gillon Bloodstock, which is run by Chris Gillon from Floors Stud. Gillon spent ten years at Floors when the farm was owned by the late Duke of Roxburghe but took over the running of operations following the Duke’s passing.

Chris Gillon: 'Selling in the good Books, and consigning good quality horses, that’s what it is all about'Credit: Laura Green

“It’s fantastic to do that in only our second year and our first time at Book 2 as Gillon Bloodstock,” he said. “Breeders Joanna and Malcolm Imray are just ten miles from Floors, they loved the colt and sent him to us in February. He’s done nothing but improve right up until he got into the ring. Everyone at home has worked really hard with his prep and it has paid off.

"When I was with the late Duke we were always here in Book 1 and Book 2, and just to be here as Gillon Bloodstock at Floors Stud is fantastic. Selling in the good Books, and consigning good quality horses, that’s what it is all about."

Varian joins Saxon fan club

Roger Varian got among the action when the trainer went to 300,000gns for the Saxon Warrior colt out of Pour Deux from Flash Conroy’s Glenvale Stud. The dam is yet to field her first winner but has plenty of pedigree to back her up as she is a Dansili sister to the Listed-placed Galateia, while her other siblings include the Group 3 scorers Ancient Rome and Etoile, both of whom are by War Front.

“I’m really pleased as I loved the horse,” said Varian. “I like the stallion too, he’s just getting going. We have three, including a nice colt [Irregular Warfare] who was second on debut and we have a couple of fillies coming through. I’ve been keeping an eye on his stock and bought a filly by him last week and I’m pleased to secure this colt.

Roger Varian: 'It’s hard work but it’s not supposed to be easy'Credit: Laura Green

“He’s a good individual who vetted very well and has a page. He’s quite mature and doesn’t have a lot of growing left to do, but looking at Saxon Warrior’s stock they seem to be running from July onwards so I wouldn’t expect him to be too early. He’s for one of our existing clients.”

Coolmore’s Saxon Warrior has supplied 15 first-crop winners, while his six stakes performers are headed by Lumiere Rock, who struck in the Silken Glider Stakes, and Group 3 Prix de Condé scorer Victoria Road. Jim Bolger’s Gan Teorainn was also runner-up in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

When asked how he had found buying in such a strong market, Varian said: “Tough. There’s good trade, which is good because if they’re easy to buy we’re all in trouble. It’s hard work but it’s not supposed to be easy. Racing is racing and it always seems to stand up to outside pressures.”

What a week for Whatton Manor

The Player family’s Whatton Manor Stud has enjoyed a productive season on the track with farm graduates like Sense Of Duty, Silver Knott and State Of Rest all landing major prizes. That on-course success has been mirrored in the sales ring of late too as Whatton Manor sold its first seven-figure yearling when Godolphin bought the Dubawi colt out of God Given for 1,500,000gns during Book 1.

There was another good result on Monday as the Too Darn Hot filly out of Minwah was knocked down to Stroud at 230,000gns. The filly is a half-sister to Grand Dame, who won the Listed Coral Distaff and brought a Group 1 update to the table having finished third to Fonteyn in the Sun Chariot Stakes on her latest outing.

“We always knew we had a lovely filly and when Grand Dame started doing what she’s done this year we knew we had a good chance of a good sale,” said the stud’s Ed Player. “When she was third in the Sun Chariot, that was a lovely update to come into the sale with.

“She’s a lovely filly and I think she’s got a bit more scope than some of the Too Darn Hots, which people liked, and luckily there were a lot of people in the ring trying to buy her - the auctioneer did a brilliant job. We knew we were going to get a half decent sale but that was better than we could have expected.”

Minwah, a 13-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream, joined the Whatton Manor herd in 2012 when she was bought through Larry Stratton for 46,000gns. Her other runner is Blyton, the smart son of Kodiac.

“The mare has been a little unlucky but her two offspring that have made the racecourse have been very talented,” said Player. “She’s a beautiful mare and I think she’s produced almost £1 million in yearling receipts now. I wish we had a few more like her on the farm! She’s in foal to Ardad.”

While there were numerous peaks across the session, trade for the most part tended towards the solid rather than the spectacular, as was the last case during last week’s record-busting Book 1.

The number of lots offered dropped by two per cent year-on-year to 243 and turnover for the session followed suit by dropping two points to 18,618,000gns. Some 209 sold for a clearance rate of 86 per cent, which is identical to the corresponding session 12 months ago.

The day-one average was also on a par with 2021 at 89,081gns, while the median dipped by seven per cent at 65,000gns - down from 70,000gns.

Book 2 continues on Tuesday at 10am.

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The year's priciest yearling, a 999 call and a lime green outfit - Sales correspondent James Thomas's Book 1 diary

The perfect storm: how the elements combined to fuel blockbuster Book 1

Frankel colts to the fore again as records fall in astonishing Book 1 trade

Highest-grossing day in European sales history led by 2,800,000gns Frankel colt

Sheikh Mohammed's presence sparks 6,025,000gns Godolphin spending spree