IT took a private sale to determine the top-priced lot at the BBAG Yearling Sale last Friday in Baden-Baden. The subject of the deal was a colt by New Approach, the first foal of the stakes-winner and classic-placed Waldraut, a daughter of Oasis Dream.

Bertrand Le Metayer was underbidder on the colt in the ring but he stepped up afterwards and concluded a sale at €400,000. The colt will be trained in France. His dam is a half-sister to the multiple group-winner Wiesenpfad and their dam is a full-sister to the dam of St Leger winner Masked Marvel and a half-sister to the German Derby winner Waldpark.

The sole representative in the catalogue by Redoute’s Choice proved popular and the half-brother to this year’s Group 3 winner La Saldana was purchased by trainer Andres Wohler for €210,000. The colt’s dam is a half-sister to dual champion racehorse and champion sire Lomitas. He was one of three six-figure lots sold by Gestut Fahrhof.

The other pair were a son of Shamardal for €140,000 and a colt by High Chaparral for €130,000. The Shamardal is a half-brother to the American graded stakes winner Ten Meropa, out of a half-sister to Champion Stakes winner Pride and to the dam of 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa. He will head to the USA after Fred Seitz’s Brookdale Farm purchased him.

Heading to more familiar territory is the High Chaparral colt and he will be trained by Richard Hannon after Middleham Park Racing acquired him through Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock. This is the last crop by the dual Derby winner and leading international stallion and his new owners hope he can emulate one of his sire’s great winners trained by the Hannons, Toronado.

Five of the top dozen lots sold were by Soldier Hollow, the four-time Group 1 winning son of In The Wings and among whose leading runners to date have been Ivanhowe and Pastorious. The most expensive of the quintet was a full-brother to this year’s stakes-winner and classic runner-up Nymeria at €200,000 and he was sold to Horst Putwill. The colt is also a half-brother to stakes winners Narrow Hill and Namibia.

Gestut Park Wiedingen sold him and they were also responsible for a daughter of the same sire that realised €120,000 and was sold to Rudiger Alles. Her dam is a winning daughter of Platini.

JOHN McCORMACK

The top-priced filly in the sale was Gestut Haus Ittlingen’s Soldier Hollow half-sister to Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Calyxa. She will race in Europe after John McCormack signed the docket at €160,000, and he doubled up when buying another daughter of the stallion, and from the same vendor, at €120,000. That filly is also well bred, being a half-sister to group-winner Daytona Bay and out of the French and German stakes winner Daytona.

Newsells Park Stud stands Nathaniel and his first crop also sold well at Arqana and DBS. His half-brother to the Dubai Group 1-placed Kassiano obviously impressed the stud’s owner Andreas Jacobs and he paid €140,000 for this relation of the Italian Derby winner Kallisto.

Another sire with his first crop of yearlings is Excelebration and his sole representative in the catalogue was knocked down for €120,000 to Gestut Winterhauch.

A smaller offering and a reduced clearance rate led to a 23% drop in turnover and a 10% decline in average. The median remained at €30,000.