THE freshman sires championship race of 2015 promises to be an interesting one, and if the prices their first yearlings made at the sales in 2014 is going to prove an accurate guide, then Poet’s Voice (by Dubawi) is the one most likely to wear the crown.
Dalham Hall Stud’s Group 1-winning miler had 57 yearlings sold, achieving the highest average (€121,180) and the highest price (700,000gns) of any of his cohorts.
The top lot was in Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket and the filly, named Perfect Voice, is a half-sister to the pattern winner Perfect Tribute (by Dubawi). Her grandam is a half-sister to the classic-placed pattern winner, and sire, Enrique (by Barathea), and her third dam is the Group 1-placed Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Gwydion (by Raise A Cup).
Lane’s End Farm stallion Twirling Candy (by Candy Ride) ranks second by average but had just one yearling sold in Europe, a €115,000 Fairyhouse colt from the family of the Group 1 mile star Bigstone (by Last Tycoon).
Three of his US yearlings made at least $100,000, with a top price of $180,000 for a colt out of the listed scorer Cinnamon Charlie (by Indian Charlie).
The Irish Derby hero and multiple Group/Grade 1 star Cape Blanco (by Galileo) spent his first three seasons at Ashford Stud in Kentucky but is now due to start his first term at the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association.
EUROPEAN
His 11 European-sold yearlings averaged over €108,000, with a top price of 340,000gns for a Tattersalls October Book 1 colt from the family of El Gran Senor (by Northern Dancer). His top US yearling was a $450,000 colt out of the Grade 1-placed Belterra (by Unbridled).
The fourth highest average was just under €92,000 from 44 Pour Moi (by Montjeu) yearlings sold. The top price for Coolmore Stud’s Derby hero was the 350,000gns paid for his daughter of Sistine (by Dubai Destination), a mare closely related to the pattern-winning dam of the Guineas and dual Derby hero Camelot (by Montjeu).
Ballylinch Stud’s outstanding sprinter Dream Ahead (by Diktat) was next and his average of just under €88,000 was well in excess of that of his closest pursuers.
He had a string of six-figure yearlings among 76 sold and his top price was 400,000gns in Newmarket for a half-sister to the Group 1-winning sprinter G Force (by Tamayuz).
That colt’s pattern-winning half-sister Louvain (by Sinndar) is the dam of the classic star Flotilla (by Mizzen Mast) and they come from the family of the dual Group 1-winning sprint champion Lethal Force (by Dark Angel).
Two achieved an average price of just over €60,000 from very large numbers sold: Coolmore Stud’s pair Canford Cliffs (by Tagula; 95 sold) and Zoffany (by Dansili; 97 sold).
Canford Cliffs’s list of six-figured sales was headed by a 270,000gns Newmarket colt whose grandam Jewel In The Sand (by Bluebird) won the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes.
For Zoffany the best price was 475,000gns, also in Newmarket, for a grandson of the Group 1-placed, Group 3 Lancashire Oaks winner State Crystal (by High Estate), who is a half-sister to the classic-placed Group 1 winning miler Crystal Music (by Nureyev).
Three others achieved a mean price of at least €30,000, and the highest was Wootton Bassett (by Iffraaj) who averaged just over €47,000 from 10 sold. The Haras d’Etreham stallion’s top price came in Deauville, a €130,000 filly out of a winning full-sister to the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera heroine We Are (by Dansili).
AVERAGE
Lilbourne Lad’s (by Acclamation) average of just over €40,000 was commendable given he had 83 sold, and his best price was a 140,000gns grandson of the Grade 1 Beverley D Stakes heroine Snow Polina (by Trempolino) sold in Newmarket, one of five of the Rathbarry Stud stallion’s yearlings to fetch at least 100,000gns.
Ballyhane Stud’s classic-winning miler Roderic O’Connor (by Galileo) was the other stallion whose average passed at least €30,000, and his four six-figure colts were headed by a top price of 170,000gns, in Newmarket, for a son of the Group 2-placed stakes winner Lucky Pipit (by Key of Luck).
Two others stand out among the rest, one because he got a top price of 110,000gns and the other because, from a €1,000 stud fee, he had a top price of €50,000.
Frozen Power (by Oasis Dream), who is a half-brother to Finsceal Beo (by Mr Greeley), stands at Ballyhane Stud and his 110,000gns colt was one from the family of Rainbow Quest (by Blushing Groom), sold in Newmarket.
Elusive Pimpernel (by Elusive Quality) is the €1,000 sire, and the Irish National Stud-based horse is a Group 1-placed dual pattern scorer from the family of Snow Fairy (by Intikhab) and Big Bad Bob (by Bob Back).
His €50,000 lot was in Fairyhouse, and that colt comes from the family of the Group/Grade 1 stars Spanish Fern (by El Gran Senor), Heatseeker (by Giant’s Causeway), Lord Shanakill (by Speightstown), Hearts Of Fire (by Firebreak), Al Bahathri (by Blushing Groom), and Haafhd (by Alhaarth).