ON Monday and Tuesday, July 13th and 14th, the JRHA Select Sale will take place at Northern Horse Park. With 270 yearlings due to sell at the first session, and 252 foals at the second, this is one of the biggest catalogues compiled for the sale, and all eyes will be on the first 14 yearlings to be offered by the highest-rated horse in the world in 2023, Equinox (Kitasan Black).
Twice voted Horse of the Year in Japan, Equinox’s victories at Group 1 level comprised two editions of the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Arima Kinen (Grand Prix), Japan Cup, Takarazuka Kinen and the Dubai Sheema Classic. His sole defeats in a 10-race career came at three when he was runner-up in the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown. In addition to his yearlings for sale, he has 16 foals entered.
The buying power of the Japanese when it comes to acquiring breeding stock is substantial, and this year’s catalogue (which can be viewed online at jrha-selectsale.com/) is filled with progeny of top-class racemares from around the world. It includes stock by a number of the best sires in the USA (Constitution, Curlin, Good Magic, Into Mischief and Not This Time among them), while the European stallions with foals and yearlings are Ace Impact (Cracksman), the first foals by Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact), Baaeed (Sea The Stars), Kingman (Invincible Spirit), No Nay Never (Scat Daddy), Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact), St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) and Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj).
I will take a spin through all the lots on offer by the European stallions.
Auguste Rodin
Pride of place must go to Auguste Rodin who has three colt foals from his first crop for sale. It was inevitable that this dual Group 1 Derby winner, also successful in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, would appeal to the Japanese, being a son of their outstanding sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence). His first produce to be offered at auction will be a son of Lake Illawarra (Australia). The dam was a Dundalk winner at three for Johnny Murtagh and is a half-sister to the Listed Queen’s Vase winner and Group 1 Racing Post second Aloft (Galileo).
Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm consign the first foal of Silvaplana (Adlerflug), a placed half-sister to the Group 1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks winner Salomina (Lomitas). The latter found her way to Japan where she has been a very good broodmare, her winners including Group 1 winner Salios (Heart’s Cry). The third colt for sale by Auguste Rodin is the first-born of the unraced Compagnoni (Lope De Vega), an €80,000 purchase at Goffs in November. His third dam bred Attraction (Efisio), winner of 10 of her 15 starts, and a five-time Group 1 winner.
Ace Impact
The unbeaten Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact (Cracksman) is represented by his first crop of yearlings, among them a son of the winning Le Havre (Noverre) mare Dream Of Deauville. Her full-sister, the Gavin Hernon-trained Dare To Dream won the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux. Their dam is a stakes-placed half-sister to another winner of the Arc in Danedream (Lomitas).
The first crop by the brilliant Baaeed (Sea The Stars) are two-year-olds, and his sole offering in the sale is a yearling filly, the first offspring of the Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg winner Lady Hollywood (Havana Grey). She gained her first stakes win at two in the Listed Marwell Stakes at Naas, and Lake Villa Farm bought her for €400,000 in Arqana when she finished racing.
Lumiere Rock (Saxon Warrior) was trained by Joseph O’Brien for Michael O’Flynn, and she won just two of her 16 starts over three seasons. However, those victories were in the Group 3 Silken Glider Stakes at two and the Group 2 Blandford Stakes the following year. She was runner-up in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, third in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera and fourth in the Irish Oaks. She sold for 1.3 million guineas and was sent to be covered by Kingman (Invincible Spirit). Her first produce is a colt foal, now for sale.
Aga Khan Studs
No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) has a single yearling colt for sale, yet another first foal of his dam. That mare, Rariyda (Roaring Lion), an Aga Khan Studs-bred, was sold for €220,000 carrying this colt at Arqana, and she is a placed half-sister to Group 2 winner Raydara (Rock Of Gibraltar), and to the dam of classic winner Rouhiya (Lope De Vega).
Northern Farm consign a yearling son of Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact), and the first foal for German Group 3 winner Wagnis (Adlerflug) who was second in the Group 1 Preis de Diana-German Oaks. Fellow Coolmore stallion St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) has a yearling colt out of the US stakes-placed Noble Ready (More Than Ready). He is a half-brother to four winners, notably the Japanese Group 3-winning colt Noble Roger (Palace Malice).
Finally, and most importantly, there are two yearling sons by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj). First up will be a son of Unless (Justify), a stakes winner at the Curragh for Team Coolmore. She is a daughter of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Clemmie (Galileo), a full-sister to Churchill. He will be followed by the first foal of Insinuendo (Gleneagles), a €560,000 purchase out of training at Goffs. Trained by Willie McCreery, she was a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed. This yearling colt is her first produce.