LOPE De Vega’s ascent to the top of the stallion ranks is well-established and this year’s crop was lighting up the Tattersalls sale ring time and again yesterday during the third session of the December Foal Sale.

An unusually early print deadline this week means that this report was penned with many of the day’s better lots still to make an appearance. However, most of the action at the upper levels of the market was being dominated by sons and daughters of established sires, with newcomer Saxon Warrior also grabbing attention from buyers.

Oneliner Stables’ Gerard Lowry was to the fore on Thursday and he made a splash again yesterday. He spent 300,000gns on the Lope De Vega full-brother to the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain, consigned by Sheila Grassick’s Newtown Stud on behalf of breeder Arild Faeste and his daughter Nina of Tourgar Bloodstock in Co Waterford.

Cathy Grassick of Newtown was pleased with the outcome. She said: “I would say there are a couple of very emotional people back in Ireland. Cherry [Arild’s wife] passed away in the middle of Phoenix Of Spain’s career and did not get to see him win the Guineas.”

Shortly after that sale the Ballylinch sire struck again, this time with a filly. The daughter of Galway Hurdle and Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes winner Missunited, now dam of the Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed Eagles By Day, was sold by Dan and Vanessa Hutch’s Whispering Grass Stud to Paca Paca Farm in Japan for 200,000gns.

Then it was the turn of Church View Stables, acting for Aston House Stud, and they sold a half-brother to dual stakes winner and Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes winner Khalidi to Yeomanstown Stud for 260,000gns. He entered the ring as Vinesgrove Stud’s Dark Angel half-brother to Group 1 runner-up Big Time Baby left, and the latter did so with a sold sticker on his rump for 220,000gns. He was yet another major purchase by Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm. That Irishman is president of Darley and Godolphin Japan’s operation.

The Lope De Vega bandwagon rolled on with Kiltinan Castle Stud’s son of the stakes-placed Hibiscus, herself a full-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup winner Line Of Duty, selling to Yeomanstown Stud for 220,000gns. He was sold on behalf of Floors Stud. Minutes later the stallion’s daughter of Sagaciously, a stakes-placed Lawman mare, was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock at 210,000gns.

Saxon Warrior popular as Ringfort Stud cashes in

A FILLY by first-crop sire Saxon Warrior, consigned by Norris Bloodstock, sold for 280,000gns, a pinhook purchase by Philippe Stauffenberg.

She was bred by Hunscote Stud and Humber Bloodstock. Hunscote’s manager Andy Lloyd said: “I am happy and sad; she is the most spectacular horse we have had. She is an absolute darling, the best foal we have had through our hands.”

Stauffenberg added: “She is a gorgeous filly, physically she is a standout. I am really happy to have bought her, and as a filly she has plenty of value. Her page is strong.” The filly’s dam is a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Prince Arch and a half-sister to Group 1 National Stakes winner Kingsfort.

That price was matched by the Belardo half-brother to this year’s Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Minzaal. He was bought by bloodstock agent Alex Elliott on behalf of Kia Joorabchian’s AMO Racing for 280,000gns as a racing prospect.

“We had Lullaby Moon, by Belardo, this year who won the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy and the Group 3 Prix Miesque. She will head to the Fred Darling next year and could be Guineas filly,” said Elliott. “I thought this colt was flawless, he vetted perfectly. We stretched to buy this foal, but if he had been here as a yearling he’d have made even more. It is great that we have got him. The dream when we buy anything is Royal Ascot, we hope in a few years he’ll be one for there.”

Veitch happy

The colt was sold by breeder Ringfort Stud’s Derek Veitch, who has enjoyed an unforgettable year on the track with the farm’s graduates. “It is brilliant for us. We have had a superb racing year, and this has just topped it all off,” he said. “It is nice to be able to have bit of success on the track and then bring a couple of nice foals here; and everyone sort of expects to see them now. It is nice when people support you, and some very good people did – I think Angus Gold was underbidder. I am very appreciative of everybody. It is a huge thing to get that sort of money for a foal.”

A couple of Frankels making their mark included a colt who sold for 260,000gns. He was bought by Juddmonte from Voute Sales. The colt is out of Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes winner Divine, a daughter of Dark Angel, and is from the family of Group 1 Prix de la Foret winner Caradak. Paca Paca Farm, a major buying force on the day, snapped up a daughter of Frankel, from the immediate family of Kingman, for 160,000gns. She was sold by New England Stud on behalf of breeder Countess De La Warr.

A couple of consecutive lots by Sea The Stars sold for almost similar amounts. A half-brother to stakes winner Ship Of Dreams cost Ross Doyle 195,000gns from the Church View Stables consignment, and minutes later Marwell Park’s own-sister to Group 3 winner Soudania, and half-sister to Group 1 winner Sortilage, cost Haras d’Etreham 200,000gns.