FITTINGLY, it was a member of the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal who emerged as the standout foal of this year’s sale when going to Shadwell’s Stephen Collins for €775,000.
The second produce of a stakes-placed runner and grand-daughter of the outstanding multiple Group 1 winner Aquarelliste, this filly attracted an opening bid of €100,000.
For a period Tom Goff was involved in the exchanges but it was ultimately left to Stephen Collins to outlast the attentions of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.
At the Orby, White Birch Farm picked up a number of Wildenstein yearlings and the American outfit struck for several of the best foals from the dispersal, which was managed by Bill Dwan’s Castlebridge Consignment. The most expensive White Birch purchase was a €450,000 daughter of Dansili and the former French 1000 Guineas heroine Beauty Parlour. This filly is a half-sister to the €1.4m Dubawi colt who topped the Orby Sale.
Dansili was also responsible for a €320,000 colt out of the Group 2-winning racemare Pacific Rim and he too was bought by White Birch. Of the 17 Wildenstein foals that were offered on Thursday, seven reached six figures.
KING FOR A TIME
The sale contained just one foal hailing from the first crop of the outstanding multiple Group 1-winning miler Kingman and he too will carry the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum after going to Stephen Collins for €320,000.
The half-brother to the Group 2 scorer Breton Rock was sold by Ballybin Stud on behalf of breeder George Kent.
Other Shadwell purchases included a €120,000 son of Dutch Art out of a half-sister to the Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Bethrah. Just a few minutes earlier, Collins signed for a €100,000 colt from the first crop of the top-class French miler Charm Spirit.
STARS TO THE FORE
A feature of the final day of the sale was the demand for the progeny of Sea The Stars and Harzand’s sire supplied several of the day’s major lots. These included a €240,000 half-brother to the dual Group 2 winner Here Comes When, who was sold by Old Carue Stud.
This colt represented a rare foray into the foal market by Rabbah Bloodstock, who also picked up a €180,000 son of Sea The Stars belonging to Nuala Lynch. This colt is out of a half-sister to the dam of the high-class Banimpire, who topped the November Sale at €2.3m in 2011.
LEADING ANGEL
The demand for Dark Angel’s progeny was in evidence at every juncture during the later stages of the sale and the Yeomanstown Stud resident’s top-priced representative was a €230,000 filly who was bought by Mountarmstrong.
This filly is a half-sister to the stakes-winning juvenile Mind Of Madness and she was sold by Jockey Hall Stud. At the 2010 edition of November Sale Jockey Hall picked up the filly’s dam, Sioduil, for €21,000.
OASIS APPEAL
Both Oasis Dream foals on offer fetched good prices and the first of these to come under the hammer was a half-sister to the Matron Stakes second Lily’s Angel, who was bought by Philipp Stauffenberg for €220,000.
This filly’s dam, Noyelles, is another who has provided her connections with a succession of good dividends having initially been purchased by Alice Nugent for €22,000 at Arqana in December 2007. The other Oasis Dream was a daughter of the listed scorer Boastful and she went to Joe Foley for €160,000.
OLDHAM LEGACY
Another notable dispersal to have taken place in recent years was that of the late Gerry Oldham and the hugely successful owner-breeder’s legacy was ably represented by a €185,000 daughter of Acclamation who went to Ghislain Bozo.
She is out of a winning Whipper mare who has the likes of Most Improved and Ectot amongst her immediate relations.
PINHOOKERS
The last day of the sale saw pinhookers having to dig deep to fend off those buying to race and among those purchased for resale was a €150,000 son of Dark Angel, a half-brother to the Listed National Stakes winner Sweepstake.
He was bought Ciaran Conroy, who will reoffer his purchase, and a return to the sales ring is also on the cards for the Abbey Farm-purchased €150,000 Invincible Spirit own-brother to the Group 1-placed Lottie Dod.