'I want to do an Aidan O'Brien' – Resolute Racing on a roll as John Stewart spends 6,265,000gns at Tattersalls

High-rolling US owner John Stewart secured five lots during Tuesday evening's chapter of the December Mares Sale, with his haul headed by the 3,200,000gns Vertical Blue. The Resolute Racing man’s quintet of signings brought receipts totalling 6,265,000gns. 

Wildcard entry Vertical Blue was last seen winning the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac for Francis Graffard, and Stewart said the two-year-old daughter of Mehmas would remain with the upwardly mobile French trainer. 

“Vertical Blue was my number one pick and I targeted her,” said Stewart, speaking by phone from the US. “I know a lot about the filly as she’s trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, and he trains Goliath for me. She will be going back to France to be trained by him. I thought she would make that sort of money, premium horses generate that sort of price.” 

Vertical Blue was bred by Haras Du Mont Dit Mont and sold to Paul Nataf for €50,000 at the Arqana August Sale before running in the colours of Gemini Stud and Argella Racing. 

“It’s a beautiful sale and I’m very pleased for the owners,” said Graffard. “They’ve had a lot of fun with this filly and I think they are delighted with the price. It’s very good for the whole team at home to have her back because she’s a great filly and a great prospect.” 

Graffard said he would consult with Stewart before mapping out Vertical Blue’s three-year-old programme, although he suggested the Classics were very much an option. “She’s for a new owner so I will discuss [next year] with him but I don’t see why she couldn’t challenge for the Guineas and then I think she can stay the ten furlongs of the French Oaks,” he said. “Maybe he would like to send her to America to race also, so we have plenty of options.” 

Francis-Henri Graffard: "I don’t see why she couldn’t challenge for the Guineas"Credit: Laura Green

Graffard is already among the roster of Resolute Racing trainers after Stewart bought a 75 per cent stake in stable star Goliath, who was last seen finishing a creditable sixth in the Japan Cup in the owner’s black and blue silks. 

On his association with Stewart, an emerging powerhouse in the sport, Graffard said: “It’s fantastic. He’s a great owner and a fantastic man. He has a very different view of racing and it’s very positive. He has a great attitude, which makes it exciting. I hope we can bring him some big results.” 

Stewart also went to 1,300,000gns for Village Voice, a Group 3-winning daughter of Zarak trained by Jessica Harrington. He also bid 1,000,000gns for the high-class A Lilac Rolla and 650,000gns for the Group 3-placed juvenile Tales Of The Heart, who was consigned by WH Bloodstock on behalf of Andrew Rosen and Mark Chan.

He also purchased the more modestly priced It Ain't Two, who fetched 115,000gns having won the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes on her final outing for Hugo Palmer. 

Of his other acquisitions, Stewart said: “The others will be coming to the US and will be staying in training. I want to dominate the Turf racing at Keeneland, I want to do an Aidan O'Brien there. Around 80 per cent of my horses are Turf horses. The Keeneland track is quite an anomaly in the US – most of the tracks are firm but the Turf at Keeneland is on the soft side. The horses I have bought will act on a soft track.” 

A Lilac Rolla, who was offered by Paddy Twomey’s Athassel House Stud, showed a marked appreciation in value having first changed hands for €40,0000 when signed for by Amanda Skiffington at the September Yearling Sale in 2022. 

A Lilac Rolla: Group winner and Classic-placed performer takes her turn in the Tattersalls ringCredit: Laura Green

The daughter of Harry Angel won three times for Twomey, landing a Cork maiden on debut, a conditions race at the Curragh and the Group 3 Priory Belle Stakes on her three-year-old bow. She then showed even better form when second to Fallen Angel in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and third behind Porta Fortuna in the Falmouth Stakes. 

“She was a great filly to train,” said Twomey. “She was a €40,000 Fairyhouse yearling and she’s been a pleasure to have. She was unbeaten at two, won her Guineas trial and then was second in the Guineas and ran a great race in the Falmouth. I’m delighted that Resolute Racing bought her, and I must thank the underbidder too.” 

Twomey has proved particularly adept at enhancing the value of the fillies in his care, and he reflected on the seven-figure trade by saying: “I I have a peculiar background for a trainer I suppose as I was a pinhooker and trader before I took out a licence. I have an understanding of the market and I enjoy training horses with a view to them appreciating in value. Anyone who follows me knows I train a lot of fillies, generally with good pedigrees, and try to put stakes form on them with a view to increasing their value. 

“Tattersalls put on a great session here so someone like me can train horses all year, bring them here and get very well rewarded. Just like the O’Callaghans did with their filly [Caught U Looking] last night. We’ve done it before with horses like Sonaiyla, Rosscarbery and La Petite Coco. It’s been fantastic, every year we’ve been very lucky in the Sceptre Sessions.”

A Lilac Rolla was bred by leading pinhooker John Cullinan from Mejala, a daughter of Red Ransom bought from Shadwell for 12,000gns in 2020. The dam has bred six winners, including the Listed-placed Mutaaqeb, and is a sibling to five black-type performers, notably the Listed scorers Ethaara, Mudaaraah and Sudoor, the latter of whom is also the granddam of back-to-back Group 1 Jebel Hatta winner Alfareeq.  

A Lilac Rolla’s second dam is Wissal, an unraced sibling to Bahri and Bahhare.

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