Kia Joorabchian phones a friend as Amo Racing go to record-equalling 2,500,000gns for Chaldean's Frankel sister

Amo Racing principal Kia Joorabchian picked up where he left off at Book 1 with the 2,500,000gns acquisition of a Frankel sister to Chaldean during a dramatic evening’s session of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. 

Whitsbury Manor Stud’s filly had been widely expected to prove the headline act of the four-day sale, and auctioneer Alastair Pim ensured proceedings passed with a degree of comedy as well as seven-figure theatrics. 

The man with the gavel went in search of an opening bid of 3,000,000gns and proceedings never dipped below seven-figure territory as Philipp Stauffenberg, standing at the back of a packed entranceway, got the ball rolling at 1,000,000gns with a wave of his catalogue. 

Richard Brown was also involved in cutting out the early running before the bidding became a straight joust between team Amo Racing, standing in their now familiar position in the bidders’ area, and trainer Paddy Twomey, taking instructions on the phone by the far exit. 

“She need never look through a bridle,” said Pim as the price continued to climb. “All she needs is a pair of covering boots!” 

Twomey delivered the raise to 2,400,000gns, at which point Joorabchian appeared to be feeling the pinch. 

“You’ve rarely let me down before,” Pim said looking directly at the Amo man. “This isn’t the time to start!”

After laughing off the auctioneer’s quip, Joorabchian picked up the phone and seemingly called for back-up. After a long and expectant pause, Joorabchian struck the telling bid. 

“I don’t know about you but I’m sweating!” Pim said, having diverted his attention back to Twomey. But the trainer gave a resigned shake of the head and turned to leave the auditorium as the gavel fell in Amo Racing’s favour.

The filly’s price equals the European record set in 1997 when Satish Sanan, bidding through BBA Ireland, landed Padua's Pride, a full-brother to dual Derby winner Generous. 

Kia Joorabchian was active in a big way once again at TattersallsCredit: Laura Green

“What is there to say?” said Joorabchian’s bloodstock agent Alex Elliott. “We gave 4,400,000gns for a Frankel filly out of a Group 2 winner [at Book 1] and now we’ve bought a sister to a Classic winner for 2,500,000gns. 

“Her half-sister [Get Ahead] was a good race filly and made 2,500,000gns last year, so I knew we had to be there or thereabouts. At those levels you just never know, but I think it’s a good move by Kia and it’s a great statement of intent.” 

Elliott continued: “To come into the yearling sales and blow it up is one thing, but to continue it into foals is a real statement. It’s a good sign moving forward that Amo are making these long-term moves. I was willing Kia to make that last bid. 

“He had to make a phone call, he said he had to phone a friend! I said don’t ask the audience because they’ll definitely tell you to bid! I was willing him along and I’m absolutely over the moon that we got her. 

“It’s very hard to get into that kind of pedigree, but we’re there now. The mare is unbelievable, the farm is unbelievable and the sire is unbelievable. 

“She’s a lovely filly too, she had a great action, and she put her head down, as Alastair Pim said. It’s a long project but it’s great to see that and we’ve come a long way from thinking about early Ascot two-year-old races. The whole thing has developed. I’m delighted Kia made that last bid. Sometimes I’m a bit on the fence but I’m delighted with that.” 

Suelita, dam of the seven-figure filly, has proved one of the most inspired broodmare purchases of recent times. She was bought by Whitsbury Manor’s Chris Harper for 21,500gns at the end of her four-year-old campaign in 2013. She won four races in Italy during her time in training but has completely eclipsed those achievements at paddocks. 

Her seven winners include the Listed-winning The Broghie Man and the Listed-placed Gloves Lynch. Things got even better when she was mated to Showcasing in consecutive years, first producing the Mill Reef Stakes winner Alkumait, who now stands at Capital Stud, and then the Listed-winning Get Ahead, who also ran second in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes. 

The Frankel filly out of Suelita equalled a long-standing European record at Park PadddocksCredit: Laura Green

Get Ahead changed hands at last year’s December Mares Sale when First Bloodstock, a group comprising Tony Bloom, Ian McAleavy and Patrick Veitch, struck at 2,500,000gns. She visited Frankel for her first mating earlier this year. 

Suelita went to a whole new level when she visited Frankel for the first time in 2019. The result of that tryst was, of course, Chaldean, who joined the Juddmonte fold at a cost of 550,000gns at the foal sales in 2020.

His five victories for Andrew Balding included the Dewhurst Stakes and the following year’s 2,000 Guineas. He retired to Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud for the 2024 breeding season and duly served a debut book of mares numbering 173. Friday’s transaction took receipts for Suelita’s Whitsbury Manor-consigned youngstock to 5,137,000gns. 

Amo Racing has invested heavily in blue-chip stock in recent months, most notably when spending 22,940,000gns with a range of partners during a bumper renewal of Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale. The operation is also being heavily linked with the purchase of Sir Michael Stoute’s Freemason Lodge stables.

Moreover, the sister to Chaldean was not Amo’s only involvement on Friday, as the upwardly mobile outfit also secured a brace of 850,000gns foals, including the Frankel colt out of Audarya from Genesis Green Stud. 

“He’s by Frankel out of a Breeders’ Cup winner, it doesn’t take too much explaining,” said Elliott.

“I think he’ll go back to Tally-Ho Stud. Roger O’Callaghan was a huge fan of the horse and rang Kia about him a few days ago. They work very closely, so he’ll go back there like the Kingman [three-parts brother to Dragon Symbol] did last year, then he’ll go into the programme in the autumn. He could be a racehorse, which would be lovely!”

The other 850,000gns lot was the Frankel filly out of Auria, a half-sister to Beat The Bank, from Hazelwood Bloodstock.

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