I am heading away for a few days as of tomorrow (travelling to York, naturally), so thought I'd post this while I had the chance. Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, August 29-30 The Doncaster Premier sale has long been seen as a good source of relatively cheap, speedy two year old types. Graduates of the 2011 sale include RECKLESS ABANDON (£24,000), SENDMYLOVETOROSE (£5,000) and OLYMPIC GLORY (£65,000). Whilst you will not normally find outstanding bloodlines at this sale, there is a good cross section of stallions represented, including: Acclamation (14) Bahamian Bounty (9) Champs Elysees (3) Danehill Dancer (1) Dubawi (2) Dutch Art (14) Exceed and Excel (4) Henrythenavigator (1) Invincible Spirit (4) Medicean (3) New Approach (1) Pivotal (3) Royal Applause (10) Speightstown (1) The pick of the lots to watch out for are: Lot 10 – colt Pastoral Pursuits/Delphic Way – Dam winning half-sister to G1 winner Sakhee’s Secret Lot 29 – filly Shamardal/Excellent – Dam half-sister to G1 winner Echelon and G2 winner Chic Lot 56 – filly Holy Roman Emperor – Dam half-sister to dam of Dream Ahead Lot 72 – colt Kyllachy/Greenmeadow – Dam half-sister to dam of Strike Up the Band, Fire Up the Band and Sampower Star Lot 78 – filly Tobougg/Happy Lady – full-sister to G2 winner Penny’s Gift Lot 86 – filly Pivotal/Heavenly Bay – family of sire Exchange Rate Lot 104 – colt Kheleyf/Innocency - Dam out of a half-sister to New Approach and Dazzling Park Lot 172 – filly Major Cadeaux/Miss Poppy – dam half-sister to Kyllachy Lot 218 – filly Dutch Art/Park Law – dam out of half-sister Indian Haven, Count Dubois, etc. Family of Daggers Drawn Lot 222 – filly Jeremy/Passionforfashion – dam out of a half-sister to Hasili, dam of Dansili, Cacique, Banks Hill, etc Lot 228 – filly Dutch Art/Penchant – dam half-sister to G1 placed Infallible Lot 267 – filly Excellent Art/Bordighera – dam half-sister to George Washington and Grandera Lot 268 – colt Dubawi/Ronaldsay – half-brother to G2 placed Gale Force Ten Lot 280 – filly Rock of Gibraltar/Samorra – dam half-sister to G1 winner Zahrat Dubai Lot 343 – colt Winker Watson/Tamara Moon – half-brother to G3 winner Chilworth Icon Lot 347 – filly Royal Applause/Tart and a Half – half-sister to Boogie Street and Assertive Lot 361 – colt Medicean/Tiger’s Gene – dam half-sister to G1 winner and sire Tiger Hill You can view the catalogue online here.
There's a very good write up on Lot 268 in today's Racing Post. The dam was sold as a yearling, but the buyer returned her to her breeder after finding a fault with her (can't remember if it was a breathing issue or a limb problem). The breeder - Bob McCreery - then offered a % of her to his stud manager (who foaled her) and Simon Tindall. The mare went on to win them over £100,000 in prize money, including a Listed race and placed in 5 other Listed races, and her first foal was the sale topper at this sale last year, making £280,000. Named GALE FORCE TEN, he finished second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, behind Reckless Abandon.
Lot 56 (as flag up in my original post) is currently topping the sale at £120,000, sold to Tony Nerses who purchased and raced, amongst others, Authorized.
Day One finished with lot 268 (your favourite Jeff!) topping the sale at £185,000, sold to John Ferguson.
