IT was no doubt all smiles in the Lloyd Webber household at the weekend. At the 2019 Tattersalls December Sale they purchased, through Charlie Gordon-Watson, the Shirocco (Monsun) stakes winner Gale Force for 300,000gns.
At the time she was carrying a filly, now a yearling, by Australia (Galileo), and her first offspring, Frankel’s Storm (Frankel) had been placed in a listed race in Germany, her trainer Mark Johnston cleverly placing her to get blacktype. Frankel’s Storm sold last December, to Chasemore Farm, for 160,000gns, not much more than she cost as a yearling. Now she, like her dam Gale Force, looks very well bought.
Gale Force’s second produce, a colt by Frankel (Galileo), sold to Godolphin as a yearling for 200,000gns. He was bred by Philippa Cooper of Normandie Stud who had purchased Gale Force as a filly out of James Fanshawe’s yard for 270,000gns. Despite attractive matings with Frankel, she was not proving to be a money-spinner.
All changed
All of that has now changed. That second offspring is Hurricane Lane, winner of four of his five starts, the highlight coming when his finely-timed run at the Curragh saw him annex the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Successful also in the Group 2 Dante Stakes, he was an unlucky third at Epsom in the Derby.
There is much to look forward to, not only in Hurricane Lane’s career, but also in his immediate family. He has a two-year-old half-brother, Sweet William (Sea The Stars), in training for Cooper with Roger Charlton, while Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber have the Australia yearling. This year they, not surprisingly, sent Gale Force to Too Darn Hot (Dubawi), who carried Lord Lloyd Webber’s colours to three Group 1 victories – the Dewhurst and Sussex Stakes, and the Prix Jean Prat.
Vestey’s luck
Tim and Tessa Vestey have had some great days selling at Tattersalls, and a couple of lucky days when they failed to trade. Having bred Gale Force, they sent her to Book 2 of the Tattersalls Yearling Sale, retaining her for 15,000gns. She started her racing career as a three-year-old, didn’t win until four, but she closed that first career with a listed win in France. Hence she sold for 270,000gns!
Two years earlier the couple sent Gale Force’s half-sister Seal Of Approval (Authorized) to Book 1 in Tattersalls and James Fanshawe bought her back for 10,000gns. He trained her to win the Group 1 British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes.
Seal Of Approval’s group-placed daughter Promissory (Dubawi) was sold by the Vesteys for 1,100,000gns – incidentally through Watership Down Stud.
Gale Force and Seal Of Approval are two of seven winning offspring from Hannda (Dr Devious). Owned and bred by His Highness the Aga Khan, she placed on her debut at Cork, won second time out at Fairyhouse and was promptly sent to the Goffs November Sale where she sold for €275,000.
Hannda’s winning dam Handaza (Be My Guest) is a half-sister to the dam of dual Derby winner Harzand (Sea The Stars) who himself conquered all at the Curragh just five years ago. Hurricane Lane’s victory on Saturday was therefore a case of history repeating itself in this female family.
Frankel again
What is there to say about Frankel that has not already been said? He is the heir apparent now to his sire, the great Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), and the pair look set to go head-to-head for the sires’ championship this year. There is a long way to go, but this race could be one of the most exciting for many years. Presently, Frankel is a nose in front.
Two Derby winners this year has been a huge boost for the Banstead Manor-based Frankel, one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Adayar and Hurricane Lane were both recording their first top-level victory in their respective classic successes, and Frankel’s score now stands at 15 individual Group or Grade 1 winners. Five of his offspring have won at that level in 2021 alone.
Kerr purchases record classic success
THE 101st Ceske Derby in the Czech Republic was won at the weekend by the Irish-bred colt Hazarder.
Recording his third, and most important, victory in four starts, the son of Harzand (Sea The Stars) was bred by the Niarchos Family and sold as a foal for just €8,500 at Goffs through Norelands Stud to Peter Nolan Bloodstock.
He reappeared at the following year’s Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sale where Bert Kerr secured him on behalf of the leading Czech owner Dr Jiri Charvet for €22,000. The former president of the Czech Jockey Club had won this country’s Derby once before, and he entrusted the purchase of Hazarder to Kerr, whose purchases had won that classic on three previous occasions.
Kerr takes up the story. “The order was to buy two nice quality colts for export to race in the Czech Republic and beyond. Interestingly the other colt we bought, Petarda, a son of Free Eagle, also won a classic, having triumphed in the Slovakian 2000 Guineas last month. He cost €28,000. So within the space of a couple of hours not only were two quality colts purchased, but both who went on to become classic-winning three-year-olds.” Both colts come from strong blacktype pedigrees. Hazarder, the first foal of the unraced Kitoko (Montjeu), is from the immediate Niarchos family of Six Perfections (Celtic Swing.
Juddmonte family
Petarda was bred by Mags O’Donovan and sold as a yearling through the Hillman’s Castledillon Stud as a yearling.
He is the first foal of the Juddmonte-bred Peppard (Dansili) and her five winning siblings are headed by the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes winner Redwood (High Chaparral).
Peppard’s grandam Jolypha (Lyphard) won the Group 1 Prix de Diane-French Oaks and Group 1 Prix Vermeille, and she, in turn, is a full-sister to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Dancing Brace (Lyphard).
Staying with the European classic picture, Like A King (Kingman) won the Norsk 2000 Guineas last weekend, and he would not have looked out of place in the winners’ enclosure after the equivalent classic in Ireland, England and France. Bred by Denis Brosnan’s Epona Bloodstock, he cost Peter and Ross Doyle €260,000 as a yearling.
His older siblings, nine-time winner Daafr (Invincible Spirit) and the Hong Kong-based Formula Excel (Exceed And Excel) made €350,000 and €360,000 respectively as yearlings. They have all repaid Brosnan’s $145,000 investment in their winning dam Kitty Love (Kitten’s Joy), and she has nine winning siblings, the best being Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup and dual classic winner Order Of St George (Galileo).