Plan comes together as €130,000 Sea The Stars colt seals the top spot

"I love it when a plan comes together," the immortal words of John 'Hannibal' Smith uttered with regularity in The A-Team and probably echoed by Bill Dwan of the Castlebridge Consignment and Ling Tsui, and her bloodstock team, when the ploy to send her homebred handsome Sea The Stars colt to the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale yielded a €130,000 dividend.

One of only two sons of the brilliant racehorse, whose Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel victor Sosie heads many ante-post lists for the upcoming Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, catalogued in Fairyhouse, his sire power and pedigree drew plenty of lookers to the door of his Barn J stable and they were not disappointed by what they encountered.

With the bids raining down on the ring, there was heated competition for the colt whose roots are in Ballymacoll Stud, just a couple of miles as the crow flies from the sales ground, but it was agent Billy Jackson-Stops and trainer George Scott who combined with precision of an A-Team mission to secure the colt whose pedigree includes two of modern racing's greatest matriarchs, Urban Sea and Flaming Page, to whom the colt is inbred.

"This colt was obviously brought here to stand out and he did that!" smiled Scott after signing for the March-born bay. 

"Every time we went to see him, he showed himself better and better, he was well placed in this sale."

Just 14 yearlings by the outstanding champion, who remains the only horse to win the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and Arc in the same season, have come under the hammer in the Tattersalls Ireland sale ring and this colt has achieved the second-highest price of the cohort. The most expensive was Astrologist, who was sold by Mount Coote Stud to Aiden Murphy for €135,000 eight years ago and was also bred by Sunderland Holdings.

Scott said: "It is hard to buy progeny of Sea The Stars and we are really pleased to get this colt. He is for a new client who wants a horse to race at a high level and we think this could be the one. The client has had racehorses before but is a new to me and I just put this one up to him and luckily he went with it."

Scott has enjoyed another hugely successful season, with his recent star performers including unbeaten Group 2 Champagne Stakes winner Bay City Roller, Isle Of Jura, who beat subsequent King George hero Goliath in the Hardwicke Stakes, and German St Leger winner Prydwen.

Having proved his talent as a trainer and attracted powerful owners to the yard, Scott is attempting to build on the work already done and purchasing horses of this potential is all part of that process of evolution.

"If you get enough of that type of horse into the yard then you so improve the chances of getting a nice one," he added.

The second most expensive Sea The Stars yearling to be sold at Tattersalls Ireland, making €130,000 in the ringCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

The colt is the third foal out of Narrative, a daughter of Archipenko who was placed on four occasions as a three-year-old in Germany. She is a half-sister to the Group 2 Blandford Stakes and Listed Ballymacoll Stud Stakes winner Eleanora Duse, third in the Yorkshire Oaks, and to the Listed Newbury Fillies' Trial winner and Irish Oaks and Ribblesdale runner-up Scottish Stage.

Second dam Drama Class was third in the Listed Golden Daffodil Stakes and is a Caerleon half-sister to the Group 2 York Stakes and Group 3 Darley Stakes winner Stage Gift out of Stage Struck, a winning Sadler's Wells full-sister to the Dewhurst and Champagne Stakes winner Prince Of Dance.

The colt's fourth dam is the outstanding Ballymacoll-bred and owned Sun Princess, victorious in the St Leger, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks and placed in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, King George and Coronation Stakes.

Jackson-Stops has a varied portfolio of trainers as clients and earlier in the session he was in action on behalf of Andrew Balding, for whom he purchased a Teofilo filly from the family of Raven's Pass.

Offered by Kildallan Farm, the half-sister to three-year-old maiden winner Dubai Treasure set Jackson-Stops and owner Michael Blencowe back €80,000.

"Michael loves more middle-distance horses," remarked the successful buyer. "She is a very classy filly by a sire who I love, and the mare was very progressive – she ended up running off a good mark, and it goes back to a good page. She is going to the right trainer too."

Dam Juneau is by Dubawi and won four times for Mark Johnston and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Her peak Racing Post Rating was 92, earned as a three-year-old, and she is out of Snow Rose, who is a full-sister to the Breeders' Cup winner and classy sire Raven's Pass.

The Elusive Quality mare is also a full-sister to Windsor County, the dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Castle Lady, by Shamardal, and of Top Score, winner of the Listed Meydan Classic.

Megan, Mark and Julia Dreeling are all smiles after selling their homebred Dandy Man colt to Federico Barberini for €75,000Credit: Tattersalls Ireland

Snow Rose has a yearling filly by Ten Sovereigns, who is offered by Whitehall Stud as lot 713 on Thursday during Part Two of the September Yearling Sale.

Classic-winning trainer Adrian Keatley is coming to the end of his best ever season since relocating from the Curragh to Yorkshire, with the Kildare-born trainer firmly established in Malton.

Among the horses who have showcased his talents are recent Group 3 Sirenia Stakes winner Symbol Of Strength, with the two-year-old son of Kodiac building on his third in the Gimcrack.

Keatley has also been represented with distinction by Kihavah, who won at Ayr last weekend, and with 16 winners on the board and a nice pile of prize-money accumulated, he is building both a profile and a client base. 

To that end, he was among the trainers who were in operation in the upper tiers of the market on Tuesday and he was involved in the purchase of three yearlings, including the most expensive of the session from the first crop of Tally-Ho Stud's July Cup winner Starman.

"This is the first yearling by the sire I have managed to buy, I was strong on a few of them in Newmarket [Somerville Sale] but didn't get any," remarked the trainer.

This particular €100,000 purchase is hallmarked made in Tally-Ho, as he is the second foal out of Marriage Proposal, an unraced Kodiac full-sister to the Flying Childers and Windsor Castle Stakes winner Ardad, sire of Perfect Power.

That family appeal was a major draw for Keatley.

Adrian Keatley signing for one of his expensive purchases on TuesdayCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

"He is a fine stamp of a horse and out of a Kodiac mare, with plenty of nice horses in the family, so we are hoping for big things from him," he said. "If the sire can do it, then this yearling's family will look after itself."

The family is also that of the Prix de l'Abbaye and British Champions Sprint Stakes winner Maarek, and Keatley purchased his 2024 standard-bearer, Symbol Of Strength, from Tally-Ho, who also bred the Kodiac colt.

One of the 16 winners trained by Keatley this year is Asktheboss, a two-year-old by Dandy Man, who runs in the colours of Edelle Logan, wife of bloodstock agent Joey.

Keatley had just bought an Australia colt from Caoimhe Doherty and Tom Howley of Brook Lodge Farm for €85,000 and was about to explain to the assembled press corps the rationale behind his purchase of the colt, who had cost Doherty €27,000 as a foal when Logan approached him to conclude a deal for half of the colt right there and then.

"Lovely horse, belting horse," he commented before breaking off to do business with Logan. 

Deal done, he continued: "He has a brilliant physique; the sire's a good one, and we are dying to see what Kingman can do as a damsire – he has the right profile to succeed. He will be trained to race. I haven't had an Australia before but I didn't want to leave that lad behind me. He's special." 

The special one is the first foal out of Marennes, a winning Kingman half-sister to the Group 3 Premio del Giubileo winner American Bridge (by Kodiac) and out of the Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvenelles winner More Than Sotka, a daughter of Dutch Art.

His fourth dam is the multiple Listed-winner Party Doll and her descendants include Titus Livius, Briseida and Zagora.

Joey Logan (left) was one of the busiest buyers at Tattersalls Ireland on TuesdayCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

Jet Setting, Keatley's Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine, had been purchased by Kilbride Equine and the Curragh Classic-winning team reunited to buy Ballyogue Stud's Starspangledbanner filly. A close relation to the Coventry winner and sire Rajasinghe and out of the Listed Roses Stakes third Kurland, by Kheleyf, she cost €52,000.

Logan's was one of the most prolific names on the buyers' sheet, appearing in various partnerships with, among others, Alan Harte and Danny Hussey. His purchases with Harte included a €70,000 Sioux Nation colt from breeder Ballyphilip Stud out of a half-sister to the Hong Kong Group 1 winner Xtension and to the dams of Group 1 winners and sires Harry Angel and Supremacy.

The duo also bought Woodtown House Stud's Invincible Spirit colt from the family of Red Camellia for €60,000 and Brook Lodge Stud's Elzaam colt at €40,000.

Tattersalls Ireland and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing have built the reputation of the sale around Europe, in particular Italy. This year's Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes winner Folgaria was champion two-year-old filly in that country last season and the €10,000 purchase from the 2022 iteration of the sale is just the latest in a long list of purchases from the sale that have excelled around the continent.

They include Melfi, successful this year in the Group 3 Italian 2,000 Guineas for Chelsea Srs and trainer Endo Botti. The son of Kessaar was purchased by Botti and his wife Cristiana Brivio, of Razza Latina, at the sale two years ago and Brivio was tireless in her pursuit of yearlings on Tuesday, operating across the price spectrum on behalf of her clients.

Razza Latina were the buyers of one of the five lots to hit six-figures on Tuesday, going to €110,000 for the Irish National Stud's colt by the iconic farm's patriarch Invincible Spirit.

Brivio was purchasing the colt, who is the first foal of his dam Kotaya, on behalf of owner Fabrizio Cameli and they were delighted to secure the handsome bay.

Brivio said: "He is a very nice horse, a very good-looking colt and he is a very good model for a first foal. Everything is special and he is our pick of the sale, he stood out when we were viewing yesterday. 

The Irish National Stud's Invincible Spirit colt made €110,000 to Razza Latina Credit: Tattersalls Ireland

"I have been very lucky with the horses bought from this sale last year and this is a sale I particularly like to come to."

The colt's breeder Nicola Fitzgerald was delighted with the return on the €44,000 investment in Mastercraftsman mare Kotaya, who was originally bought as a jumping prospect from her breeder, the Aga Khan Studs.

She said: "We are very happy for the mare, it is a beautiful family. We have the foal full-brother at home and she is in-foal to Mehmas. 

"She was never a great walker, but she is a cracking big strong mare. When we bought her, we put her into training with Willie Mullins but she did not race. As it is such a lovely page we decided to breed from her."

Of her breeding operation, she explained: "We keep most of our 30 broodmares in France, but we have half a dozen with the Irish National Stud, they are mainly jumping mares."

Fitzgerald has a number of horses in training and confessed that she was "very tempted" to keep this colt, but said: "We need to keep moving some on, and unfortunately you have to sell your nicest!"

Jose Mourinho need not worry that Fenerbahce winger Ryan Kent is not fully attuned to preparations for the team's opening Europa League clash with Union Saint Gilloise on Thursday evening. 

Daniel Creighton, accompanied by Katie McGivern, signs for the Saxon Warrior colt at Tattersalls IrelandCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

The former England under-20 international entrusts bloodstock agent Daniel Creighton with purchasing his turf stars and with no major international tournament next summer, Creighton is ensuring that Kent will still have considerable sporting interests in the shape of a two-year-old capable of taking him to the next level as an owner in 2025, with the €100,000 purchase of a Saxon Warrior colt on Tuesday.

Ridge Manor Stud consigned the bay, who was doubling the €50,000 investment of Archersgrove Bloodstock in him at the foal sales.

A half-brother to five winners, he is out of Ihtifal, who is a Dansili full-sister to the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey winner Zibelina, dam of Group 3-winning half-brothers Royal Fleet and Royal Crusade.

Ihtifal is also a half-sister to the Listed Doncaster Stakes winner Floristry and that mare has produced Group 2 winner Lazuli and Listed winner Inspiriter, in turn the dam of the Meydan Group 3 winner Leading Spirit.

"He will go back to England to be pre-trained, and most of Ryan's horses are trained by Karl Burke," remarked Creighton. 

"I loved this horse's pedigree, especially the Deep Impact influence from Saxon Warrior, and she is by Dansili, who is such a good broodmare sire. Everything the mare has produced has been rated well and she herself was unlucky not to be black type."

The fifth of the quintet to break €100,000 was the beneficiary of a perfectly timed pedigree boost when his half-brother, Rebel Diamond, claimed the Listed Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse, across the road from the sales complex on Monday evening.

From the second crop of Shaman, he was consigned by Guy and Serena O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud, who know all there is to know about the colt's sire and produced the pinhooking success of the day, turning their €16,000 foal purchase into a €110,000 yearling.

Natalia Lupini trains Rebel Diamond, who is the first foal out of Periwinkle, an unraced daughter of Teofilo and the Listed Platinum Stakes winner Royal Blue Star, by Dalakhani.

Lot 244 from the first crop of Lucky Vega made €80,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling SaleCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

Alex Elliott bought her second foal at Tattersalls Ireland on Tuesday but although he will race in the colours of Gary Gillies, no trainer has been alighted upon as yet for the Shaman chestnut.

Elliott laughed: "The update killed us a little bit, we were hoping to pay a bit less! He was on our radar very early yesterday as he is out of a Teofilo mare and they are like gold dust. It is great for Barry [Lynch, breeder] as the first foal out of the mare is now a Listed winner."

Shaman, who stands at the O'Callaghan family's Yeomanstown Stud, was bred and raced by the Wertheimers and is a son of Shamardal from an outstanding family that includes Group 1 winners Intello, Mondialiste, Occupandiste, Ribchester, Elnadim and Mehthaaf.

"The stallion is a being a bit slow in getting there, but they are getting there now and he had the favourite for the Mill Reef Stakes in Brian," Elliott added.

Brian, who is trained by Sylvester Kirk, was third in the Sirenia Stakes earlier this month and is one of two black-type performers from Shaman's first crop. The other is Archie Watson's Listed Ascendant Stakes third Eternal Elixir.

Elliott continued: "This horse has size, scope, strength, great action, comes from a very good home and a great touch for them – but they kind of deserved a good touch with everything lining up, he is a beautiful horse."

The Grangemore team, represented by Guy O'Callaghan, were delighted with the outcome, particularly for Shaman.

"It is great for Shaman, he has had a good start to his career and it is great to see a horse of this calibre sell so well," O'Callaghan remarked. 

"We are delighted to see him getting the support from such good buyers. This colt was a big, strong man of a horse as a foal, and he has come back a bigger and more powerful version."

Five six-figure sales on the opening day bettered the tally of the entirety recorded at the sale last year and, despite a cooling of buyers' ardour, the clearance rate on Tuesday was still a very healthy 86 per cent, compared with 88 per cent on the equivalent day in 2023.

A slightly larger number of horses were offered on Tuesday – 253 as opposed to 238 – than on last year's opening day and seven more were sold than 12 months ago, to give turnover of €6,489,500, which was a decrease of four per cent on last year's total of €6,795,000.

Tuesday's average came in at €29,906, which is a drop of eight per cent year-on-year, while the median fell by 17 per cent to €25,000.

The second session begins at 10am on Wednesday.

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