Robust trade headed by Havana Grey colt

THREE lots selling for 240,000gns or more, and 11 selling for a six-figure value, were features of day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale which showed single-digit percentage increases in turnover, average and median.

The continuing success story that is Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Havana Grey had another chapter when his half-brother to the Group 1 July Cup and Commonwealth Cup runner-up Dragon Symbol was knocked down to Philipp Stauffenberg for 250,000gns. “He is a fine looking horse and is a brother to a horse who should be a Group 1 winner. I just loved him and he was the one I wanted today, so that is why I bought him!” smiled Stauffenberg.

The colt is out of the winning Arcano mare Arcamist and was consigned by Ed Harper who stands the first season sire sensation. “He has been nice all the way along,” Harper said. “He is probably a bigger model than Dragon Symbol, but Arcamist just keeps throwing lovely stock. Dad bought the second dam Good Enough in the US around 25 years ago.”

Rossenarra scores

John McEnery’s Rossenarra Stud sold a Mehmas full-brother to the US stakes winner Quattroelle to Ross Doyle for 240,000gns.

The agent said: “As always, it’s the physical, and it’s a huge bonus that he’s by Mehmas. He’s from a very good nursery and is closely related to a very good filly. I thought he was an absolute standout. He might come back for resale, but I’d say long-term they’ll race him.”

The colt’s dam Heavenly River was purchased at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for just 5,000gns. McEnery recalled: “I had to go home to Ireland and left my nephew Billy to look at a few pedigrees and he picked her up.” Heavenly River is a half-sister to the listed winner Katie’s Diamond, the dam of this year’s Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes winner and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Dramatised.

Ghaiyyath popular

The first foals by Dubawi’s four-time Group 1 winning son Ghaiyyath have been in great demand this week, and three of them sold for six-figure sums on Thursday. They included Ringfort Stud’s second produce of the stakes-placed Shenoya for 130,000gns, and Yellowford Farm’s colt out of a Sea The Stars mare for 110,000gns.

The best of his offerings on Thursday was a half-brother to the group-placed juvenile Harrow, and he realised 240,000gns to the bid of John Cullinan. “I saw the horse yesterday and loved him,” said Cullinan. “We were keen to buy a Ghaiyyath; he is one of the stallions who has been on our mind as a first crop sire. He looks to have very good stock, he was a brilliant racehorse and was the highest-rated racehorse in the world for a time, and he is by a sire of sires.

“We were at full stretch at that price, but nice horses are always hard to come by, and you have to pay a bit more for the ones you want.” The colt was consigned by Dermot Dwan’s Kellsgrange Stud in Co Kilkenny.

Of the pressure of buying top-quality foals, Cullinan continued: “You are up against the smartest people in the world at this job. There are not many jobs that you can be doing that, that when you get out of bed in the morning you are taking on the best in the world. That is a big throw for us, the biggest we have ever given for a foal.”

A memorable week

and year for New Bay

BALLYLINCH Stud’s New Bay had a phenomenal year on the racecourse with Bayside Boy, Bay Bridge and Saffron Beach all winning Group 1 races, and so it is no surprise that his progeny have been in great demand.

The Fagan’s Deerpark Stud struck gold on Friday with their New Bay colt out of the winning Teofilo mare Sar Oiche, from the top-class family that descends from La Meilleure. The colt was the second foal purchase of the week by Shadwell Estate and realised 210,000gns.

Friday saw a slew of six-figure lots by New Bay whose fee for 2023 has doubled to €75,000. Gay O’Callaghan’s Yeomanstown Stud spent 140,000gns to acquire the first foal of the stakes-placed Zoffany mare Ice Sprite, a daughter of the Galtres Stakes winner Queen Of Ice. Stroud Coleman Bloodstock spent 135,000gns on a New Bay filly out of a winning half-sister to three stakes winners from Castlefarm Stud, while Ringfort Stud’s half-brother to three winners, and a grandson of the multiple Group 1-placed Mona Lisa, cost Oaks Farm Stables 120,000gns.

Leading the way on Thursday for the sire was the Norelands Stud-consigned colt out of the Cheshire Oaks second Moorside, who was knocked down to Joe Foley for 150,000gns. Foley commented: “We were very keen to buy him obviously. He is a very interestingly-bred colt. The mother is by Champs Elysees and she stayed, but he has a lot of speed in his make-up and physically he looks a fast horse. He is a beautifully active colt with a great attitude and the one we focused on today, so we are very pleased to get him.”

Norelands Stud purchased the dam at the Tattersalls December Sale five years ago for 90,000gns. Harry McCalmont was delighted: “Moorside was a very good racemare and we bought her off Juddmonte. I have always been a fan of New Bay and we got in at the right time! He is going to be very expensive now.”

Another six-figure son of New Bay on Thursday was Tweenhills Farm’s son of the stakes-winning Mount Nelson mare Strawberry Martini. He cost Yeomanstown Stud 100,000gns.