“It was all for luck, really, I think.” That was Jack Hanly’s reflection after Ballyhimikin Stud’s half-brother to Cheveley Park Stakes second Flotus sold to Richard Brown for 600,000gns, earning him top lot status at Monday's Book 2 opener at Tattersalls.
Hanly was referring to the Blue Point colt’s late entry in the catalogue after missing his Book 1 appearance due to a bout of travel sickness.
“There was a chance we could get him right for this sale and we took it,” Hanly explained. “Book 2 is obviously a very good sale with a big market, so we took a chance doing it and Tattersalls were very good at promoting the horse. I thought they did an exceptional job.
“He was obviously a very nice horse himself; I think he deserved to make what he made. The team at home did an absolutely super job with him and they’re the reason why we’re able to get these horses here and get them into the condition to sell.”
Unlike Ballyhimikin’s headline Book 2 graduate, Ombudsman – a homebred, Monday’s headliner was pinhooked by Ballyhimikin with McKeever Bloodstock. He cost 215,000gns on that occasion when sold by Norelands Stud, who have a City Of Troy half-brother entered in next month’s December Foal Sale.
His latest purchaser, Richard Brown, commented: He is a beautiful colt and I think he would have stood out last week, he certainly stood out today. I am a big fan of the stallion and the mare's obviously already produced a good one in Flotus. I am delighted to get him.”
On the price, the Blandford Bloodstock agent added: “I think that is his value – I do think that whatever sale a horse is in, they tend to make their value. We're the lucky ones as I do think he is a really smashing colt to get our hands on.
“He showed brilliantly right from the start, but it shows how much we ask the horses to do and how small the margins can be. It was just great plan by all parties that his sale could be accommodated this week rather than waiting through to December.”
Anthony Stroud paid tribute to the enthusiasm of Peter Harris after securing a Lope De Vega filly on behalf of his longstanding client for 550,000gns.
After seeing off the attentions of Amo Racing and an online bidder for Hillwood Stud’s late offering, the agent commented: “She was a lovely filly, we all liked her. It was a little bit more than I thought she was going to cost. She will be owned by Peter Harris; I’m very grateful for his involvement, enthusiasm and direction.”
Peter Harris’ enthusiasm was evident at Book 1 last week, when the one-time trainer and Butlins owner was present and bidding himself, successfully securing four. On the 92-year-old, Stroud continued: “He’s fantastic, he’s just an amazing man. He’ll hate me saying it, but he’s just a complete legend.
“I bought him horses when I was 22 – I’m a heck of a lot older now – I used to buy his jumpers. We bought a lot of jumpers and it’s fantastic it goes on. Words don’t really express what a great man he is.”
As with Hillwood Stud’s headline act at Book 1 – a 1,800,000gns Frankel colt – this Lope De Vega filly was the first foal out of recent broodmare buy. Hillwood Bloodstock gave 380,000gns for My Eyes Adore You after the Profitable mare had won a listed sprint for Fozzy Stack, Mrs Paul Shanahan, Cayton Park Stud and Craig Bernick.
On her first yearling, Hillwood’s Charlie Vigors said: “She's a lovely filly and she's just shown beautifully the whole time she's been up here. We are absolutely delighted. She's a very good first foal; she is incredibly well-balanced and she's always been very athletic.”
More Amo for Emmet Mullins
Hillwood made a strong start to proceedings when selling a Frankel colt out of Group 3-winning sprinter Kurious for 475,000gns.
The sole Frankel in the Book 2 catalogue will join Emmet Mullins’ growing string, after the new master of Coolcullen signed alongside Amo Racing for the Fortescue Bloodstock-bred colt, who benefitted from a timely update when his full-sister Probing was beaten just a neck first time out at Newmarket on Saturday.
The colt’s speedy page – his dam is a half-sister to Group 1-winning sprinters Alpha Delphini and Tangerine Trees – was the reason for him selling at Book 2, rather than Book 1, Hillwood Stud’s Charlie Vigors later explained.
“He's always been a nice colt,” he said. “He is probably slightly more precocious looking than a lot of Frankels and we wanted to hold him to this book because we felt he'd be a better fit. Last week, he would also have been stood up upsides the Frankel/ Get Ahead colt [sold for 1,800,000gns to Godolphin] in our own draft.
“He's got plenty of presence, and two-year-old full-sister was a very encouraging second first time out on Saturday in the maiden at Newmarket. She is with Ralph Beckett, looks very promising and that performance been very timely to help the page.”
Earlier in the session, Emmet Mullins gave 100,000gns for Knockainey Stud’s Camelot colt out of the listed-winning Sixties Icon mare Iconic Choice. Watership Down Stud’s Wootton Bassett colt out of stakes winner Maleficent Queen later joined Mullins’ string at a cost of 90,000gns.
The trainer’s name appeared alongside four yearlings during Book 1 last week, with a Siyouni colt bought with Joey Logan for 280,000gns, while a Nathaniel colt bought with BBA Ireland cost 135,000gns.
Emmet Mullins was the sole name down for a Blue Point filly and Mehmas colt, bought for 390,000gns and 300,000gns respectively.
The successful buyer appeared to be as important as the price for Yvonne Jacques, when it came to the Night Of Thunder filly sold by her Carisbrooke Stud to Cheveley Park Stud for 450,000gns
“I'm extremely delighted to see who has bought her,” she said of Carisbrooke’s first offering of the week. “She has gone to a great home, will end up going to a top trainer, she is staying in England and hopefully will eventually be a broodmare for Cheveley.”
The chesnut was conceived when Night Of Thunder stood for €100,000 – he commanded €200,000 in 2026 – but Monday’s filly came from relatively humble beginnings, as her dam was sourced by Cathy Grassick as a yearling for €40,000.
The daughter of Footstepsinthesand later earned blacktype, while her relation Perdika has since added Group 1 blacktype beneath the second dam.
“She is the sweetest mare you could imagine with just a lovely temperament. This filly has that as well, and she just is just beautiful, too,” Jacques reported. On the decision to use Night Of Thunder, she continued: “"We always try to do the best we can to our mares stallion-wise, and I was dead lucky to get him when I did.
“I love my horses deeply, so does the staff at home, and for us it is always difficult to sell, but we do run a commercial operation. The Carisbrooke Stud team has done a great job and I can't thank them enough.”
New blood
Carisbrooke’s offering became Cheveley Park Stud’s sixth purchase in the space of a week, having bought five yearlings at Book 1 for a total of 2,150,000gns. On their latest selection, Cheveley’s Chris Richardson commented: “She’s a lovely, athletic filly with a wonderful mind, and Night Of Thunder is a sire who’s had a phenomenal year. For us, she ticked all the boxes and we’re prepared to give her a bit of time.
“Mrs T (Thompson) will be discussing training plans at lunchtime, but nothing has been decided as of yet. Several trainers have approached us already asking if there’s a chance. We bought four fillies last week and Mrs Thompson is enjoying the sales and getting some new blood in.”
Cheveley Park Stud have previously enjoyed success with the sire, thanks to their 425,000gns Book 1 buy Estrange. On the Kildangan Stud stallion, Richardson said: “Night Of Thunder is doing really well and we’re fans. We’re looking forward to a few homebreds that we’ll be putting into training.
“He looks like he’s probably going to fill the shoes of Dubawi and I’m sure the nomination price will go up again, so I think this was a good time to invest.”
Later in the session, Cheveley Park Stud gave 375,000gns for a full-sister to four-time stakes winner Shouldvebeenaring. Whitsbury Manor Stud bred and consigned the daughter of Havana Grey, whose sibling also twice placed at Group 1 level.
Fillies, who accounted for 99 of the 270 lots catalogued on Monday, sold for an average of 127,724gns and 95,000gns, compared to overall equivalents of 114,900gns and 85,000gns respectively.
Both figures marked declines from last year’s opening session, with the average price falling by 2% and the median price falling by 6%. However, the clearance rate was a strong 88% - up one point from last year.
Another positive was that two more lots sold for 300,000gns or more this year – 14 to be precise, while 33 sold for at least 200,000gns, three more than last year.
Godolphin was the leading buyer on Monday, spending 1,455,000gns on five yearlings, led by a Starspangledbanner colt bought for 400,000gns. Glenvale Stud consigned the chesnut, bred by Ben Sangster out of an unraced half-sister to Dancing Rain.
Stroud Coleman was hot on Godolphin’s heels with their own quintet worth 1,420,000gns, followed closely by Blandford Bloodstock’s spend of 1,345,000gns for another five lots.