Shadwell land €275,000 Kodiac colt in challenging second session

Day two of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale brought highs and lows on Wednesday, with a new auction-record price of €275,000 standing head and shoulders above the rest during an otherwise challenging session for vendors.

The Kodiac brother to Shadwell's dual Group 2 winner Adaay had widely been expected to top the sale, and duly obliged after Derrinstown Stud general manager Stephen Collins got the better of a prolonged duel with Eamonn Reilly of BBA Ireland to land the colt for Sheikh Hamdan's operation.

Auctioneer Simon Kerins had his gavel raised on more than one occasion during a protracted bidding process, even exclaiming: "a brave man would put us out of our misery and say three hundred," once the €250,000 mark had been broken.

View full Tattersalls Ireland September Sale results

But each €5,000 raise from Reilly was quickly dismissed by Collins, who stood just behind the BBA Ireland man's right shoulder throughout the colt's time in the ring.

"I was very impressed with him," said Collins. "Albeit he's a late-April foal, he's still a very racy, quality individual with plenty of size and a very good step. Sheikh Hamdan owned his full-brother and he now stands at stud in the UK. I saw Adaay as a yearling and he's quite similar in many ways, solid and good-bodied with a very athletic way about him.

Stephen Collins looks on during the sale-topper's time in the ringCredit: Pat Healy/Tattersalls Ireland

"He was a very good representative of the sire. He's going to take a little bit of time but he's a really solid-looking colt. There's a lot of improvement in him as well. Hopefully he might be in one of our stallion farms at some stage."

Adaay completed his second season at Whitsbury Manor Stud earlier this year, where he stood for £6,000.

Despite trade largely proving heavy going for pinhookers, the transaction represented a significant profit for Brendan Holland's Grove Stud, who picked the colt up as a foal for €60,000 at the Goffs November Sale.

Lady Kaya's half-brother shines

Another sizeable pinhooking touch was landed by Kitty Cowhey's Loughmore Stables, who sold an Excelebration colt picked up as a foal for €26,000 to Joe Foley - acting on behalf of Clipper Logistics - for €120,000.

Despite his modest initial purchase price the colt boasted a major pedigree update as a half-brother to Lady Kaya, who finished second to Skitter Scatter in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes on her most recent outing.

"He's a lovely colt and has been well presented by Kitty and the team at Loughmore," said Foley. "The mare is obviously special and we have a great affinity for Singspiel as a broodmare sire as Suedois is out of one of his daughters - we think he's a brilliant broodmare sire.

"Lady Kaya is a high-class filly and we hope this fella doesn't let the family down. Being by Dandy Man we've been following her but this lad stands up on his own merits as a very good individual.

The Excelebration half-brother to Lady Kaya who fetched €120,000 from Joe FoleyCredit: Jack Lyons

"He was very well bought as a foal by the vendors so fair play to them. I saw him two mornings ago and really wanted to have him. He'll come back to Ballyhane now and we'll decide on a trainer later on."

The colt, who is out of the Listed-placed Kayak, is a half-brother to seven winners, including the useful pair Midterm Break and Illegally Blonde.

"We got lucky with the update from Lady Kaya, but he was a nice-looking horse from a good breeder in John O'Connor," said Matt Coleman, who signed for the colt as a foal.

"We always had the idea to bring him back here as his half-brother Midterm Break won the Tattersalls Ireland sales race a few years ago. We knew the sire was a bit of a risk but he was always a quality foal.

"We heard that Sheila Lavery thought Lady Kaya was very good back in the spring but we still never expected anything like this."

Middleham Park bag La Pelosa's sibling

Another lot that brought a major pedigree update to the Fairyhouse ring was the Hallowed Crown half-sister to La Pelosa offered by Railstown Stud on behalf of pinhooker Tim Bourke, who picked up the filly for just €7,000.

La Pelosa was listed as having won, as well as having placed in second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, but had added the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine to her race record since the catalogue's publication.

Ross Doyle struck the winning bid of €62,000, and the filly will now head into training with Richard Hannon to carry the colours of Middleham Park Racing.

"We've been determined to upgrade our yearling purchases as much as is practicable this sales season and we felt this outstanding filly afforded us that opportunity," said Middleham Park's Tom Palin.

"Her pedigree is to die for with the recent Grade 1-winning catalogue update and we're sure her page will go down well with our syndicate members. She goes into training with Richard Hannon and we'd love to think she could follow in the footsteps of Billesdon Brook, Tiggy Wiggy or Sky Lantern."

No Nay on his way

Having made a blistering start with his debut two-year-olds it always seemed likely that there would be high demand for the second crop of yearlings by No Nay Never, and that was borne out at Tattersalls Ireland on Wednesday as three youngsters by the son of Scat Daddy brought six-figure prices.

The priciest of the trio was secured by Alex Elliott, who was forced to €120,000 for the colt out of Dara's Girl, the only lot at Tattersalls Ireland to be offered by Killourney Mor Farm.

"He was my pick of the sale," said Elliott. "I loved everything about him, I thought he was the best physical here and he's by a stallion who's taking all before him, a bit like his own sire is doing. I didn't actually think we'd be buying him so I'm delighted. He's been bought for a new client and will be trained in Newmarket by Jeremy Noseda."

The colt is the second foal out of the unraced daughter of Starspangledbanner, who counts Molecomb Stakes winner Tournedos among her siblings.

For the second day in succession Godolphin were the purchaser responsible for the early front runner in the market, as Sheikh Mohammed's operation went to €105,000 for a No Nay Never filly offered by Castledillon Stud.

Anthony Stroud had already departed the Fairyhouse ring having landed Tuesday's session-topper, the €180,000 Night Of Thunder colt, so bidding duties had been entrusted to his business partner Matt Coleman.

"I had Anthony [Stroud] on the phone, she's been bought for Godolphin," said Coleman, who traded bids, and the occasional wry look, with BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper before striking the decisive blow.

"David Loder and Anthony saw her when they were here yesterday and really liked her so they were keen to buy her. She's a nice filly and No Nay Never has had a fantastic start."

The filly was bred by Minch Bloodstock and is the first produce of two-time winner Cabelo, an Azamour half-sister to Group 3 Prix Daphnis winner Master Carpenter. Further back this is the family of Rafha and her high-achieving sons Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.

Godolphin have already enjoyed success with the progeny of No Nay Never, with Art Du Val, a colt in training with Charlie Appleby, breaking his maiden at the first time of asking at Sandown in August.

The second six-figure lot of the session was also supplied by No Nay Never, as BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe went to €100,000 for a colt offered by Peter Nolan Bloodstock.

"He's been bought for YuLong Investments and looks a real sharp two-year-old," said Donohoe. "Mr Zhang is a big fan of the sire. Hopefully he'll make into an Ascot type, that's the dream anyway."

Donohoe's purchase is out of the Captain Rio mare Cool Cap and is from the family of talents such as Saffron Walden, Henrythenavigator and Magician.

A new connection for Kilbride

Boasting one of the stronger pedigrees in the book was Lodge Park Stud's New Approach colt out of Flashing Green, a brother to Chesham Stakes winner Tha'ir, and the youngster duly brought one of the session's bigger prices when John Kilbride saw off Kevin Ross with a winning bid of €110,000.

"The horse has been bought for one of my clients and will go to Mark Johnston," said Kilbride, who was accompanied by Johnston's son and assistant, Charlie. "He fitted the criteria that Mark looks for in terms of pedigree and he's a physical that I loved. He's not really got a ceiling, if he goes on to be a racehorse who knows how far he can go. He's a really exciting horse.

"He's a big, robust horse but he's a very efficient mover so there's nothing to say we won't see him before Royal Ascot, and of course his full-brother won the Chesham there so that would be the ideal path."

The 20-year-old Green Desert mare Flashing Green has produced seven winners, headed by Tha'ir, his Listed-winning half-sister Flashing Colour and the Listed-placed Flash Dance, a son of Monsun. The family traces back to Meon Valley Stud's blue hen Reprocolor.

"It's lovely to be given the opportunity by the Johnstons and hopefully he'll bring my client a lot of success," added Kilbride.

New Approach, who stood the 2018 breeding season at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud at a fee of £30,000, has enjoyed a fruitful season, not only supplying Derby hero Masar, but also the likes of commanding Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Loxley, Prix Jean Prat runner-up Cascadian and Britannia Stakes scorer Ostilio.

Patience pays off for Ross

Having filled the role of underbidder on more than one occasion during the two-day sale, Kevin Ross landed his first six-figure lot when giving €105,000 for an Acclamation colt bred and offered by the sire's custodians at Rathbarry Stud.

Ger Lyons provided the sternest resistance but Ross, hidden in the doorway opposite Richard Botterill's rostrum was in no mood to be denied again.

"He's been bought for Paul and Claire Rooney," revealed the agent. "He was one of our picks of the sale, it's been hard work getting the ones we want so we're pleased to get him. He's a lovely horse that looks a real two-year-old but it's too early to say who'll train him yet."

The colt is the second foal out of the Listed-placed Marju mare Irish Cliff, who Rathbarry purchased through BBA Ireland at the 2015 Arqana December Sale for €200,000. Irish Cliff is a half-sister to Sandiva and Acclamation's Listed-winning son Wentworth. Further back this is the family of Derby winner Sir Percy.

Later in the piece Ross also landed a Tamayuz colt from Riversfield Stud for €100,000.

Tough trade

Despite an increase in six figure lots on day two, trade at the September Sale failed to keep pace with the levels set 12 months ago.

By the time the final lot had exited the ring the two-day auction had seen 412 of 526 offered yearlings sell for a clearance rate of 78 per cent - down from 90 per cent in 2017.

Those results brought an aggregate of €10,492,500 - a drop of eight per cent year-on-year. That comes despite 78 - or 17 per cent - more yearlings coming under the hammer this time around.

The average price was also down by 11 per cent to €25,467 while the median dropped by 15 points to €19,500.

Full report from day one of the September Sale:

Night Of Thunder colt steals the show in September Yearling Sale opener