WHITSBURY Manor Stud have developed a reputation for developing successful stallions from often modest beginnings. Of course, the most recent flagbearer is Havana Grey, , but prior to that it was Showcasing who proved his worth at a fee and soared to .

Their CV has earned them a loyal fanbase of commercial breeders, which is integral to their success in launching the careers of new recruits. Their supporters have been rewarded in the sales ring – oftentimes on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, with Sergei Prokofiev a recent example three years ago, when his first foals sold for up to 72,000gns.

Dragon Symbol continued the tradition on Tuesday when a colt from Norris Bloodstock shared top light status at 75,000gns. His 15 foals sold on the day averaged 27,300gns, from a covering fee of £8,000.

The top lot was bred by Bridget Drew’s Mildmay Bloodstock out of the Showcasing mare Perfect Showdance, whose Sergei Prokofiev three-year-old Itsatenfromlen finished fourth in last year’s Blenheim Stakes, earning him a rating of 94.

On the prized colt, Mildmay Farm manager Olly Nash commented: “At home he has been really straightforward, and we knew he was a nice sort, but it was quite difficult to gauge what he was going to make here.

“Whitsbury does such a great job with those fast sires. We are exactly an hour away and we have a lot of confidence in the farm; they have always worked really hard for their breeders and we had a package that year that included some Showcasings, some Sergeis and some Havana Greys, so it felt like the right thing to do.”

All speed

Bidding online, as has become their norm, Paul and Marie McCartan’s Ballyphilip Stud saw off the attentions of Matt Coleman to secure the March-born bay. “He is a lovely individual,” Paul McCartan remarked. “The sire was a very fast horse and the Showcasing mare is a young mare who has bred a horse rated 94 already. It is all two-year-old speed and that will do anyone.”

Dragon Symbol himself did not race until he turned three but made up for lost time by winning his first four starts in the space of two months. Subsequently beaten a nose in the Sandy Lane Stakes, he finished first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup but was demoted to second following a stewards’ enquiry.

Runner-up to Starman next time out in the July Cup, he gained further Group 1 blacktype in the Nunthorpe Stakes. Bred by Whistbury Manor Stud, the son of Cable Bay is a half-brother to this year’s Sandy Lane Stakes victor Symbol Of Honour.

Other notable sales for the grey on the day included Feargal Hogan’s Apollo Bloodstock giving 58,000gns for a colt and Newnham Lodge Farm spending 42,000gns on another. Grove Stud, Weir View Stud, Egmont Stud and Moanmore Stables were others to pinhook his first crop.

FIRST crop sires are always popular with the pinhooking fraternity, with no chance of their statistics dipping or popularity fading, so it was perhaps unsurprising that a filly from the first crop of Shaquille shared top billing on Tuesday, though purchaser Luke Barry insisted it was the physical that he focussed on.

After providing the final bid of 75,000gns for Petches Farm’s offering, he said: “She is very dear, but she is very nice! There are some very nice fillies tomorrow, but she stands up well against them.

“It is all about the individual for me, but I also like the idea of the sire. I have a nice one by him at home – he is a boy and this is a girl! He is stamping his stock, he is getting some very nice horses, he is a very good-looking horse himself.”

The object of Barry’s affections is the second foal out of Baileys Accolade, whose Havana Grey filly grew in value from 38,000gns to €135,000 for pinhookers Sherbourne Lodge. Tuesday’s price marked a fine return on Shaquille’s debut fee of £15,000, when he stood under the Dullingham Park banner, and has since dropped to £10,000 at Ace Stud.

Trained by Julie Camacho, the son of Charm Spirit won seven of his nine career starts, progressing to land back-to-back Group 1 wins in the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup. Crowned Champion Sprinter in 2023, he covered a first book of 158 mares.

NATIVE Trail was the other first crop sire to make an impression at the opening session, with four foals commanding an average price of 36,875gns. Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm gave 68,000gns for Kirtlington Park Stud’s colt who gained from a Group 1 update when Evolutionist, out of his group-placed half-sister Model Guest, finished third in the Fillies’ Mile.

Both the update and the mare’s latest foal make Kirtlington Park Stud’s 35,000gns spend on Looks All Right look alright, to say the least. Kirtlington’s Charlie Budgett later relayed: “We bought the mare to go to Showcasing, to get a filly so we had an own-sister to Model Guest, we got a filly and she is with Hugo Palmer.

“I always wanted to use Native Trail, and I am thrilled with the colt; he is absolutely strapping colt and did not miss a beat up here. All the people I respect here were on him, which was rewarding in itself, and I think Native Trail is one of the best prospects amongst the new stallions.”

On-trend sire

Fellow Kindangan Stud resident Ghaiyyath sired his first Group 1 winner earlier this month, much to the delight of those selling his fourth crop of foals. Two fetched €200,000 at Goffs last week, and the theme continued at Tattersalls, with Altenbach Bloodstock’s colt bringing 68,000gns from JC Bloodstock.

“He is a well-developed colt, and from the Whiteheads who are very good breeders,” Michael Fitzpatrick said of his purchase. "The sire was popular at the yearling sales, I don't think there is a lot of them around, and he is on an upward trend. This colt should be an October Book 1 or Book 2 type.”

The December Foal Sale opener posted positive gains across the board, from 10 less foals offered. The turnover grew by 26%, while the average price increased by 22% to 14,774gns. At 9,750gns, the median price experienced a smaller increase of 8%. The clearance rate improved five points to 66%.