‘He has the pedigree of a stallion’ – Coolmore and Godolphin renew sales ring rivalry over €2,000,000 Frankel colt

Bidders practically queued up to throw their hat into the ring when Denis Brosnan’s Croom House Stud presented a highly touted Frankel colt on day two of the Goffs Orby Sale. Joseph O’Brien, BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe and US firm Legion Bloodstock all played their hand as the price inched its way through six-figure territory. 

But, as has so often been the case down the years, by the time the business end of proceedings were reached, the last two standing were the buying teams from rival powerhouses Coolmore and Godolphin. Anthony Stroud, standing outside the Godolphin office on the top deck of the auditorium, joined in at the million mark, and what had been a slightly cagey round of bidding suddenly descended into a seven-figure slugfest. 

After a flurry of €100,000 increases auctioneer Henry Beeby announced bidders were in the last chance saloon at €1,800,000. However, just before the hammer fell MV Magnier indicated another raise after a noticeably longer period of deliberation. But when Stroud wasted no time in returning a six-figure raise of his own, the Coolmore man turned away from his position to the right of the rostrum and exited the ring, leaving the hammer to fall at a cool €2 million. 

“He’s a lovely horse, a great first foal by Frankel,” said Stroud. “He moved extremely well and we, all of us in our team, liked him a lot. He’s from Croom House, who have bred a number of very good horses. We had to stretch a long way to get him but we’re very pleased to have purchased him for Godolphin. This horse will go to Charlie Appleby and hopefully he’ll go on.” 

Denis Brosnan of Croom House Stud after a seven-figure day at the Goffs Orby SaleCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Reflecting on the latest round of sales ring rivalry with Coolmore, Stroud said: “Coolmore are fantastic at what they do, they run a fantastic operation with a fantastic team of people. If we see a nice horse it’s always going to be tough to buy, and that’s the way it should be.” 

Asked whether the colt had the potential to make a Darley stallion of the future, Stroud said: “Who knows? We hope.” 

When Brosnan was quizzed over whether that price tag was in line with expectations, he calmly replied: “He was always going to be between one and two million, it’s just a case of the last few bids taking him there. We weren’t surprised when we saw him passing the one million mark.

“He was an outstanding foal and yearling all the way through. The pedigree is there, he has the pedigree of a stallion, so let’s hope he goes and does it on the track. I’m delighted Anthony Stroud bought the horse because they have missed out on some of our really good ones over the years. Let’s hope this is another good one.”

The colt is the second generation of the family bred at Croom House after grand dam Ashley Hall was picked up at Keeneland in 2007 at a cost of $825,000. The colt's dam, Loch Lein, is the best of seven winners out of the mare having won the Listed Prix Amandine, which was followed by third-place finishes in the Fairy Bridge Stakes and the Sceptre Stakes. 

A hush descends around the sales ring at Kildare Paddocks as Godolphin wins the €2 million battle for Croom House Stud's Frankel coltCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Brosnan revealed the daughter of Invincible Spirit had been due to continue her racing career at four until fate intervened. 

“It was interesting how this filly ended up with Frankel because our top mare, Sweepstake [dam of Broome, Diego Velazquez and Point Lonsdale], was supposed to go to him but that autumn we had to remove an ovary and she couldn’t make it,” he said. “Loch Lein was in training with Jessica Harrington at the time so I phoned her and said ‘You’re about to lose one of your top fillies, she’s going to Frankel.’ Jessie wasn’t happy because she’d been due to stay in training as a four-year-old. She was a Group winner in waiting.”  

Reflecting on his farm’s latest sales ring success, Brosnan said: “We’ve had some good times here and every now and then we come up with a touch like this. That keeps the fires burning for another while, and the team gives it everything so they deserve it. We have three more horses to sell today though so we’ll have to go back to the real job of selling cheaper horses now!”

Sandrine's sibling causes a stir

Godolphin’s name also appeared on the docket of the second seven-figure lot of the day when Stroud bid a round €1 million for the Frankel filly out of Seychelloise from Kirsten Rausing’s Staffordstown. The April-born filly is a sibling to three winners, most notably Rausing's triple Group 2 scorer Sandrine. 

“She’s a delightful filly and it’s a great family,” said Stroud. “Ms Rausing and her team at Staffordstown do a brilliant job and have bred so many good horses. She’ll be a lovely filly when she finishes racing to go to our paddocks.” 

Godolphin were comfortably the sale’s leading spender buying seven for €5.27m, which is equal to ten per cent of turnover. 

Anthony Stroud was responsible for a big Godolphin spend at Goffs Orby Book 1Credit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

On the operation’s Orby spree, Stroud said: “There are some very nice horses overall, and if the horses are here, we will be here trying to buy. We’ve bought a range of horses but, needless to say, they’re all well bred and by mainline stallions, and they all come from very good farms. We’ll find out over the next two years how they work out, but at this stage we’re very happy.” 

The sale of the filly out of Seychelloise is unlikely to be the last time Rausing hits the headlines with a daughter of Frankel this sales season. She is also offering a full-sister to Arc heroine Alpinista on day one of Book 1 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Tuesday.

Early drama as Godolphin and Coolmore clash over €900,000 Sea The Stars colt

The €2m Frankel was not the first time Godolphin and Coolmore clashed on Wednesday. Earlier in the session the rival camps locked horns over a Sea The Stars colt from a deep German family who ultimately brought the hammer down at €900,000. 

Stroud, standing with David Loder in his usual position on the top deck of the auditorium, was responsible for pushing the price to €800,000 on Godolphin’s behalf. After a brief discussion with Paul Shanahan, Magnier paused before delivering the subtle nod that indicated the next €50,000 increase. But when Stroud swiftly returned another €50,000 raise, Magnier turned and exited the building. 

The colt, who was presented by Norelands on behalf of the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings, is the second foal out of Holy Amaretta, an unraced daughter of Holy Roman Emperor from a strong Gestut Schlenderhan German pedigree. 

“Sea The Stars speaks for himself, he’s a wonderful stallion,” said Stroud. “There was a very good Sea The Stars colt here last year [Coolmore’s The Lion In Winter] and this is another very athletic horse. Norelands are extremely good at breeding very nice horses and he’s an exceptional individual. He’s a lovely horse, and it’s always complimentary when the people who are recognised as being such good judges also participate in bidding. If you’re trying to find nice horses you expect that to happen, that’s all part of the auction process.” 

The Sea The Stars colt shows his photogenic side at Goffs Orby Credit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

The dam is out of Amarette, winner of the Group 1 Preis der Diana. This makes Holy Amaretta a sibling to the Group 3-winning Amazona and the dam of Criterium International scorer Alson and German 2,000 Guineas victor Ancient Spirit. Plenty has happened in the family this year as Holy Amaretta is also a sibling to the dam of Ralph Beckett’s Listed- and Group 3-winning River Of Stars and the dam of Amazonka, who in turn bred this year’s Coventry Stakes winner Rashabar. 

Holy Amaretta was added to the Sunderland Holdings string in 2019 when purchased at the Orby Sale for €130,000. She has visited Sea The Stars in each of the four seasons since she retired to stud and also has a two-year-old filly named Nuit and delivered a filly foal on February 24 this year. 

“We liked him a lot and he was very popular,” said Norelands’ Harry McCalmont. “All the right people were on him and we had a very strong purchaser and a very serious underbidder. He was bred by Mrs Tsui of Sunderland Holdings and we’re delighted for her because she keeps quite a lot of stock with us, so it’s lovely to produce a horse like that from the farm.” 

Harry McCalmont was delighted to see middle-distance pedigrees being appreciatedCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

McCalmont continued: “It’s nice to see people really appreciating the middle distance horses that some of us are trying to breed. This colt is from a very good German family, which I think probably should be appreciated a bit more than they are. I think a lot of people are going for sharp, early two-year-olds, but we mostly try to breed the later-maturing, middle-distance horses who can run over a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half because that’s really where the big races are and the big money is. As an industry I think we need to concentrate on that.” 

Godolphin also went to €600,000 for the Wootton Bassett colt out of Pussycat Lips, another who hailed from the Croom House draft. The dam gained black type when second in the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes during her time on the track and has gone on to breed four winners at paddocks, including two stakes performers. 

Her best runner on Racing Post Ratings is Roulston Scar, an eight-time winner who also ran third in a Meydan Listed contest, while Special Purpose followed novice victories at Lingfield and Beverley with a third-place finish in the Dick Poole Stakes.

“He’s a lovely colt from a very good stud,” said Stroud. “Wootton Bassett has had a tremendous year this year and is a very good stallion. This colt looked an earlier sort, I thought. He’s a nice horse, a very good mover with a good pedigree, so he was one of the horses we felt we really needed to have a go on.” 

Reflecting on trade over the two days, Stroud added: “Like a lot of markets, I think it seems very selective. People are here to buy the top horses and all things considered I think it’s going very well. The median was down two per cent on day one, which in a rather volatile economic world is a good result. I think the weak Euro encourages people too.” 

YuLong make some Thunder

Another major operation to make a noteworthy recruit was Zhang Yuesheng’s YuLong outfit who went to €600,000 for the Night Of Thunder filly out of Sweet Solera Stakes third Model Guest. The filly was sold by Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud. 

After signing the docket, Vin Cox, general manager of YuLong, said: “When you pay that sort of money they should be nice! She's a very racy filly by an outstanding stallion. We’re here trying to buy racehorses, and she fitted that criteria well and truly. She’s the best of the week so far for us. It’s been a good week, we have bid on a lot of horses, stopped on a few, and bought a few, and we have sold a few.” 

Vin Cox paid a visit to Ireland on behalf of YuLongCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

YuLong occupied a prominent position on the buyers' table with five lots bought for an outlay of €1.310m.

Regarding training plans for the filly, Cox added: “We haven’t got that far ahead. Until you get them in your back paddock, you don't make any decisions like that. We got here on Sunday when we saw her for the first time. We have been back to see her three or four times. She's a beauty and we are very happy to get her. We hope she looks this good this time next year.” 

Watson returns to the well

Wells Watson was among a strong American presence on the ground at last year’s Orby, when he spent €585,000 on three yearlings. The Louisiana-based attorney was back in business this week and added to his string with the €460,000 acquisition of a Sea The Stars filly out of Miss Aiglonne from Norelands. 

“Last year was our first at Goffs, we enjoyed it thoroughly, bought three and we’re proud of them, so we came back again this year,” said Watson. “This Sea The Stars filly was the one we wanted. Andrew Cary of Cary Bloodstock is the brains, and I’m the brawn! He loved her, and that’s enough for me.” 

The Sea The Stars filly, whose dam is a half-sister Mekhtaal, will join Watson’s other Orby purchases at the yard of Joseph O’Brien. Last year’s recruits include Celtic Motif, who was last seen finishing a luckless third behind O'Brien's Apples and Bananas in the Goffs Million. 

Although Watson is based in the US, he explained why his focus was on European pedigrees and racing. “I have horses in America but we’re really concentrating on the Europeans,” he said. 

“It’s kind of a cool story actually, we bought a horse at Keeneland and her half-sister was running there on the turf. She was out in front, looking good, we think she’s going to cruise home. All of a sudden this gorgeous Irish filly mows her down, so Andrew says, ‘Let’s go to Ireland!’ If you can’t beat them, join them. We actually ended up buying the Irish filly, Flirting Bridge, when she retired. She’s in foal to Wootton Bassett carrying her first foal and plan is to sell her at the moment.”

Final figures

With two seven-figure headliners and a whole host of six-figure trades, day two was the more lively of Book 1 sessions. Wednesday saw 220 lots offered and 184 found a buyer at a clip of 84 per cent. Aggregate sales hit €25,631,0000, which was down 11 per cent compared to day two 12 months ago. The average was €139,300, a three per cent rise, and the median was down nine points at €80,000. 

As is always liable to happen when so many horses are being offered, trade ebbed and flowed over the two days. But by the time the last of 466 offered lots had left the ring the whole-sale figures made pleasing reading, particularly when set against a somewhat gloomy backdrop painted not only by the wider economic landscape, but earlier European yearling sales too. 

Turnover from the two days reached €51,051,500, which was down five per cent, albeit with 36 fewer yearlings changing hands. The average price increased by five per cent to €128,595, while the median was clipped by six per cent to €80,000, having been €85,000 in 2023. A total of 397 yearlings found a new home for a clearance rate of 85 per cent. 

In his end-of-sale statement, Goff chief executive Henry Beeby said: “‘Bring us your best and we will deliver’ is our cry and I think it’s fair to say that we have proved that point yet again over the last two days. Orby Book 1 is a world-class sale with world-class yearlings and attracts a truly global buying bench that is the measure of any yearling sale anywhere. As such it exists to provide the best possible marketplace for Irish breeders, and it gives us enormous pleasure each time we deliver for them.

Henry Beeby of Goffs, seen presiding over the auction's top lotCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

“Top prices of €2 million and €1 million are, of course, true highlights and we are indebted to Denis Brosnan and Kirsten Rausing for entrusting such spectacular yearlings to us and the Godolphin team for the confidence they have shown with their winning bids, not forgetting the ever important underbidders. The top lots were not one-offs though, and we have been delighted to see double the number making €750,000 and over, the same for €500,000 plus, and more for €250,000 or above compared to last year. Those numbers have driven an average price that has grown by five per cent to build on the huge gains we have recorded in recent years.

“‘We are nothing without the horses’ is another oft repeated Goffs phrase but it is as sincere as ever and we send our thanks and appreciation to every single vendor for each lot. We believe that increasing numbers are making Orby Book 1 their first choice for more of their elite yearlings as a result of the hard-earned results of the last few years and it was gratifying to hear so many noted judges agree. Add to that the undeniable USP of the Goffs Two Million Series that has so caught the imagination of buyers, particularly as it continues to evolve with another €500,000 of UK bonuses next year to go with the €500,000 on offer in Ireland, and you have the setting for a really strong sale."

Beeby continued: "As the Irish national yearling sale, Orby traditionally caters to home grown yearlings, but it is gratifying to see a few ‘swim against the tide’ with increasing numbers of UK vendors choosing Orby as well. The numbers are not big yet, but we are enthused by those that have made the trip and can only encourage more to come and experience the unique Goffs service especially with those that may be a little bit different. Competition is the driver of all vibrant markets and Goffs will continue to work tirelessly and with absolute integrity for the bloodstock industry. 

“If the number of overseas vendors is small, that could not be said of our purchasers and we have been so pleased to welcome another international group, including several new faces to Kildare Paddocks. The Goffs buyer attraction team, together with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, have done another mighty job and we wish every buyer success with their Orby purchases wherever they race.

“While we reflect on what one industry leader told me he viewed as a ‘very solid sale’ there is no escaping the tightening of trade at a level, and it was very evident that the market is unforgiving of yearlings that do not have it all. An 85 per cent clearance rate down by three points and a drop in the median equivalent to one bid at the level is a clear indicator of the reality of 2024 which has been the case at each sale thus far this year and we all have work to do to minimise the impact of whatever slow down is here so that we navigate our way through as best we can. Whatever happens, Goffs will continue to work with and for every client, however big or small, with enthusiasm, passion and drive; that’s all we know.”

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