Top Ten Lots so far by sire reads: DUBAWI DUBAWI GALILEO SEA THE STARS FRANKEL DUBAWI DUBAWI GALILEO DUBAWI FRANKEL 4 of the 5 Dubawi's have been bought by John Ferguson, 1 of the Galileo's has been bought by Coolmore.
Well not bad I suppose . I'm now waiting for my Arc winner 156. If he doesn't win the Arc as a 4yo I'll have him trained for the Champion Hurdle
Here's an advance on tomorrow's Lots to watch out for (Lots 184-367): Lot 187, a Lope De Vega half-brother to the Gr.1-winning juvenile Marcel, Lot 205, a Redoute’s Choice half-sister to the dual Gr.1-winning sprinter Regal Parade, Lot 232, a Medicean full-sister to Gr.1 winner Neatico, Lot 272, an Invincible Spirit half-brother to the dual Classic winner Dancing Rain, Lot 295, a Galileo half-brother to the dual Gr.1-winning juvenile Reckless Abandon, Lot 301, a Shamardal full-sister to the Gr.1-winning two-year old Lumiere, Lot 309, a Galileo full-sister to Group winners Secret Gesture and Sir Isaac Newton, Lot 320, a Pivotal full-brother to dual Gr.1 winner Immortal Verse, Lot 355, a Dansili three-parts-sister to the four-time Gr.1 victrix The Fugue, Lot 356, a Sepoy half-sister to the Gr.1 Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs,
A Teofilo colt went unsold at 25k. Offers sought. Looking at the pedigree it seems a cheap buy for someone
First season sires tend to get big books as they're "fashionable". Usually years one and two at stud are profitable, years three and four suffer downturn (as no runners yet and people's memories fade) and then after that it's all down to results on the track. These were Dubawi's book numbers for his first few seasons: Year 1 - 143 Year 2 - 143 Year 3 - 102 Year 4 - 72 Year 5 - 161
Even Frankel took a hit, he only just covered 100 this year I think, though I hear there were circumstances outside the studs control that led to fewer mares being covered.
Here's the write up from yesterday: NORMANDIE AND NORRISES ON A HIGH Sussex-based Normandie Stud made a momentous return to Tattersalls yesterday when reaping just over 3,000,000gns for a pair of colts at the opening session of the October Yearling Sale, Book 1, writes Carl Evans. The duo contributed almost 10% to the day’s takings, helping turnover reach 31,240,000gns, up 5% on the same day last year, albeit an additional 13 horses were offered. Despite the additions ,the clearance rate crept up a percentage point to 82%, although the average dipped 5% to 229,706gns and the median was down 9% at 145,000gns. With notable support from Sheikh Mohammed, Dubawi was the sire of the day (eight lots sold for 6,825,000gns) and it was one of his sons (Lot 39) that headed trade when knocked down to Godolphin’s John Ferguson for 2,600,000gns. Bred by Normandie Stud, he was followed moments later by another from the same farm, a New Approach colt (Lot 40), who fell to John Warren, buying on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing, for 420,000gns. This colt was out of the Brief Truce mare Fallen Star, whose Dansili daughter, Fallen For You, was dam of the sale topper. Fallen For You won the Gr.1 Coronation Stakes and was one of five winners produced by Fallen Star. The two sales were highs of unashamed joy for Normandie Stud boss Philippa Cooper, and also for consignors Liam and Jenny Norris of Norris Bloodstock. The couple need little introduction as buyers or sellers, but this was the first time they had traded in their own name at Book 1 following the sale of Clairmont Stud and the ending of their association with the Taylor brothers. Their previous auction-ring high, and still the most valuable, was their preparation of Gr.1 Oaks winner Dancing Rain ahead of her 4,000,000gns sale at the December Sale here three years ago. Disappointments are common in this game and, while the Norrises had to pick themselves up and go again, Cooper had to find the enthusiasm to return to the ring following a lengthy break. Having bought Normandie in 1997, she moved into selling her stock as yearlings, but found the cut and thrust of trading an alien experience, and her stoutly-bred stock of limited appeal. Duncan, who later won the Irish St Leger, was but one example of a Normandie yearling rejected by the market and taken home. Yesterday, happy to leave the trading side of things to the Norrises, Cooper looked happy and relaxed when saying: “I’m so proud and happy for Liam and Jenny, and also for my stud groom and the team at Normandie – all I did was the mating. “It is a lovely experience for me to be here with a horse that is here to be sold, and with no funny business or running up.” Asked how she would feel at seeing the Dubawi run in Godolphin colours, Cooper said: “I’ll just be pleased that somebody else could risk it. I couldn’t afford to keep the horse and, while people will think I’ve made a lot of money, I have £1,100,000 to pay in stallion fees this week.” Describing her previous sales ring exploits when selling under the name of Normandie Stud as “a horrible experience”, Cooper looked back and said: “I hadn’t established myself or had any Group winners. People didn’t know us and the horses were probably too backward. I wanted to come back with horses people wanted to buy, but it took me ten years to pluck up courage, and I had to find Jenny and Liam. It was meant to be. We’re not consignors, we have mares, we’re a nursery.” Fallen For You is in foal to Dubawi and has a colt foal by Frankel, but he will race in Normandie Stud colours. “I deserve to race him,” said Cooper, and no one was going to challenge her. For Jenny Norris the opportunity to offer the two colts was a seminal moment in the rebirth of her consigning operation, which is now based on a 90-acre farm near Marlborough in Wiltshire. Norris said: “It was amazing when Philippa asked us to consign the yearlings. She rang us in November and asked if we would like to visit the farm and it went from there, but Anthony Stroud [who was with Cooper at the ring] has been a big help. “The colts came to us eight weeks ago for prepping, but the team at Normandie Stud had done a really good job. It has almost been a weaning process for Philippa to send them to us, because she is really passionate about her horses and has built these families up.” FERGUSON’S DUBAWI DAY Having landed the session-topping Dubawi colt, Godolphin chief executive Ferguson had little trouble gaining other sons of the Darley sire. Newsells Park Stud profited from Ferguson’s interest in their Dubawi colt (Lot 75) out of Giants Play, and he became the day’s second seven-figure horse when knocked down for 1,200,000gns. His half-sister, Playful Sound, is a three-year-old who is unbeaten in a trio of races and is entered to run in Friday’s Listed Severals Stakes at Newmarket for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. Julian Dollar, who manages the Hertfordshire-based stud, said of Playful Sound: “We decided to keep her, which is not our usual policy, and she’s now three from three. albeit they have only been handicaps. It’s a very progressive family and this colt has always been very nice and very straightforward. “Giants Play was knocked down to John Warren [for $850,000] at Keeneland and was one of the last horses bought by Mr Jacobs [Newsells Park’s then owner] before he passed away.” A Ballymacoll Stud-bred daughter of Dubawi (Lot 76) was next into the ring and Ferguson had remained at his post to secure her, too. Boasting a page that was classic Ballymacoll, the filly was produced by the Spectrum mare Gift Range, who is a sister to two of the stud’s top-class performers Golan and Tartan Bearer. David Egan, who prepped the filly from his Corduff Stud base, said: “We’ve had her since early August and she’s been a very nice, straightforward filly.” Other Ferguson purchases by the stallion on behalf Sheikh Mohammed, included a colt (Lot 110) from Lofts Hall Stud who made 575,000gns – he was a first foal of the multiple Gr.1 performer I’m A Dreamer – and a 550,00gns colt from the Swinburn family’s Genesis Green Stud (Lot 52). The Gr.2 Cape Verdi Stakes winner First City was the dam of this one. WATERSHIP DOWN UP Day one of this sale proved a happy occasion for Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber’s Watership Down Stud, which sold four of five horses for an aggregate of 1,847,000gns. Heading this strong draft was a first foal of the Danehill Dancer mare Strawberry Fool, a winner and Gr.3-placed, whose mating with Galileo resulted in a colt (Lot 85) that made a noteworthy 750,000gns. Potential buyers from around the world did their best to secure the youngster, who was bred by Greg Goodman’s Mount Brilliant Farm but, after interest from Richard Brown, David Ingordo and Australia’s Sun Stud, the hammer fell to Irish/South African interest. MV Magnier of Coolmore Stud signed the buyer’s list, but the names of Markus Jooste of Mayfair Speculators and Peter & Ross Doyle were added to the buying team. Breeder Philip Freedman of Cliveden Stud consigned a Dubawi colt (Lot 116) out of the [then Gr.2) Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Independence through Watership Down, and looked on as the yearling brought up 575,000gns. Independence was a very good racehorse, but proved an even better broodmare, foaling the sires Mount Nelson and Monitor Closely. Freedman said: “I’m thrilled with the price and hope the family gets some more black-type on Friday – the full-sister, [Godolphin’s] Easy Victory, is entered in the [Gr.3] Oh So Sharp Stakes and [Gr.1] Fillies’ Mile. “I have an Iffraaj filly out of Independence’s daughter Singsongwriter due to sell at Book 2, but I think she’ll be withdrawn now and go into training with Ed Dunlop.” Freedman, who lives next door to Watership Down, said of the yearling: “He was in a field at the bottom of my garden all summer. It was a bit nerve-wracking every time I took the dogs for a walk!” STARS AROUND THE WORLD The international nature at this level of the bloodstock world could be seen throughout the day, as foreign investors piled in to secure Europe’s best-available bloodlines. Hubie de Burgh touched on that subject after joining forces with Australian agent James Harron to secure a Galileo full-sister (Lot 109) to this year’s Gr.1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Highland Reel, who did not let the yearling down when second in Sunday’s Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. De Burgh’s 625,000gns bid secured the filly, a May foal produced by the Antipodean-born Danehill mare Hveger, whose matings with Galileo bring together a mix of Australian and European bloodlines. De Burgh, who said he was buying for a Southern Hemisphere client, said: “She’s from a lovely family and hardly needs to race to become a broodmare. Galileo is an outstanding broodmare sire, which is incredible for a horse that is still alive, and it is so hard to get into these proper global families. This filly is from a top European and Australian family, and it’s still working – it could look even better in a couple of years.” Continuing this international theme was a colt (Lot 87) by Sea The Stars, who is owned by the Hong Kong-based Tsui family, out of the French-bred mare Gotlandia and offered by Ireland’s Mount Coote Stud. A 700,000gns bid by Britain’s Charlie Gordon-Watson secured the yearling’s passport, which will be heading to the office of Barbadian Sir Michael Stoute, who will train the colt for Emirati racehorse owner Saeed Suhail. Earlier Gordon-Watson had secured a 400,000gs Dark Angel full-sister (Lot 58) to top sprinter Mecca’s Angel, although he said training plans for the yearling were to be decided. GOFF GOES WITH THE BEST If Galileo is the best sire in Europe, and Dubawi number two, why not buy one very good yearling by each stallion? Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock managed to pull off that happy double when paying 525,000gns apiece for two fillies by the sires. The Galileo (Lot 47), a half-sister to Classic winner Just The Judge, was offered by Ballylinch Stud, while the Dubawi (Lot 72) was produced by the Listed-winning Galileo mare Gemstone and consigned by Highclere Stud. Of the Galileo, Goff said: “She’s a gorgeous filly, not the biggest, but she is a May foal. She moved fantastically and had a great outlook – we’ve been chasing this pedigree for a long time and tried to buy the mare from her owner [Joan Dempsey], but she decided to keep her.” PANTILE IN A HURRY Colin Murfitt and Bo Hicks-Little of Pantile Stud had their running spikes on while selling a Champs Elysee half-brother to this year’s Gr.1 2,000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold. The hammer’s fall was the equivalent of the starter’s gun, and they were off and running towards the television in the bar to see Choumicha, a Paco Boy full-sister to Galileo Gold, make her racing debut at Leicester. Every puffed breath proved worth it, as Choumicha duly scored for Hugo Palmer’s stable, bringing a smile for the Pantile Stud duo, and also to Tony Nerses, who bought her for £280,000 when she topped Goffs UK’s Premier Sale last year. She carried the colours of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar at Leicester. Tom Goff bought the latest family member (Lot 71) with a bid of 220,000gns after he had been put through the ring by Robin Sharp and Malcolm Bryson’s Houghton Bloodstock. Galileo Gold has been a star for his dam, Galicuix, who is herself a half-sister to the dual Gr.1-winning sprinter Goldream, and the cross that produced him is being tried again by the Pantile Stud team. Galicuix had a Champs Elysee colt foal this year, but she is now in foal to Oasis Dream, the sire of Goldream. The yearling is set to be trained by John Gosden, who, with his wife Rachel, keeps broodmares at Pantile Stud. Based at Soham near Newmarket, the farm is home to 24 mares, of which ten are owned by Murfitt. SPEEDY START TO THE SALE Sheikh Hamdan made an early appearance by the ring, but he was not alone in showing an interest in a half-brother to Sunday’s Gr.1 Prix de l’Opera winner Speedy Boarding. If that was not enough of an incentive to view the yearling, he was further enhanced by being a son of Frankel (Lot 5), and it took a bid of 500,000gns by Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager Angus Gold to take him into the Shadwell fold. A chesnut with white socks, he had walked the ring with a bouncy air of enthusiasm for life and Gold said: “He’s athletic, but immature and will need a bit of time. He’s by a stallion that everyone wants at the moment and so was obviously going to make a fair bit, and Sheikh Hamdan liked him very much. As a vendor it is wonderful to have a recent Gr.1 winner like that.” Speedy Boarding’s victory, which followed one in the Gr.1 Prix Jean Romanet in August, was another superb result for trainer James Fanshawe, and also for her breeders at Hampshire’s Meon Valley Stud. It offered Speedy Boarding at the October Sales in 2013, but took her home when her valuation failed to pass 95,000gns, from such twists of fate are fortunes made, and when Frankel’s first crop of juveniles started winning races for fun, the half-brother was always like to leave with a ‘sold’ sticker on his bottom. Shadwell has other Frankels on its books and, while most are said to be backward, the Owen Burrows-trained Alfawaris made a good impression on his debut when third of eleven to his paternal half-brother Swiss Storm at Newbury recently. Sheikh Hamdan made a bigger contribution to the day’s turnover when Gold returned to the ring and scooped up a Shamardal colt (Lot 102) from James and David Egan’s Corduff Stud. A bid of 725,000gns headed interest from Hanako Varian, who had been underbidder on the session-topping Dubawi colt, gaining the Shadwell team a March foal out of the winning Galileo mare Hikari, who raced for television and radio broadcaster Brian Gleeson. He sold the youngster to the Egans at the December Sale for 220,000gns – the start of a lovely pinhook for them – and will be offering a Lope De Vega half-brother to the same horse at the next rendition of that auction. Gleeson will also be selling, through Yellowford Farm, a Sea The Stars colt out of Hikari’s dam, Something Mon, who died earlier this year. Mrs Varian was joined by her husband, trainer Roger, later in the session, when he successfully hauled in two high-value colts just before close of play. Varian’s stable has enjoyed great success with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Postponed this year and it would be no surprise if his colours were carried by a Dansili colt (Lot 166) and a son of Dark Angel (Lot 168). The Dansili, from the fabulous Jude family that is choc-full of outstanding racehorses and broodmares, made 650,000gns, another excellent sales result for his breeders at Newsells Park Stud, while the Dark Angel completed a profitable pinhook for clients of Ballyhimikin Stud. He had been knocked down to Ballykeil Stud for 185,000gs as a foal at the December Sale and made 300,000gns yesterday. FRANK ASSESSMENT Joe Foley and racehorse owner Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics was another combination who left with a piece of Frankel’s legacy. Sitting in the seats opposite the auctioneer’s rostrum, Foley, of Ballyhane Stud, raised a bid of 675,000gns that proved one nod too many for American Barry Irwin. Auctioneer Edmond Mahony had tried to encourage the underbidder with the prescient comment, “The Dollar’s strengthening all the time, Sir”, but even that incentive had to be rejected. Parkin’s purchase was foaled by Diary, the Green Desert filly whose daughter Total Gallery won the Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye and was then sold by Seamus Kennedy for 1,300,000gns in this ring at the December Sale. David Redvers, acting for the Al Thani family’s Qatar Bloodstock, was the buyer on that occasion. Foley said Parkin has an unraced Frankel filly in training with David O’Meara and he bought another, out of Gr.1 Oaks winner Ramruma, for €225,000 at Goffs’ Orby Sale last week. He added: “Frankel is putting an engine into them like something we’ve not seen before – apart from his sire [Galileo].
Lot 229 makes 2,100,000gns sold to John Ferguson. The colt by Dubawi (surprise, surprise) is from the family of Hernando.
