A YEAR ago Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables consigned the €1.4 million sale-topper at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in France and the Co Tipperary vendor repeated the trick in Paris on Saturday night when selling a Scat Daddy colt for €825,000 to Coolmore.

The colt, from the family of Beach Patrol and other American graded race winners, was the subject of a relentless duel between Nicolas de Watrigant and Jamie McCalmont, who was standing alongside Coolmore’s Mathieu Legars, taking instructions over the phone.

It was Coolmore who had the final say at €825,000.

A delighted McCalmont commented: “This was the very last opportunity to buy a colt by such a great sire, wasn’t it? Scat Daddy was an outstanding racehorse who turned into an outstanding sire and is even turning into a sire of sires - No Nay Never had another winner this afternoon and seems to be really taking of. It is very sad that he is no longer around.

"This horse didn’t look like he would go as fast as he did, which I think is a good thing. He’s been bought for the Coolmore partners.”

Mocklershill ended the day as leading vendor, selling 20 juveniles for a total of €4 million.

The one-day sale returned figures largely on a par with last year’s record-breaking renewal. A slightly bigger catalogue brought an increased turnover of €14,766,000 (+14%) while the average price was down 5% at €130,673.

Earlier a dark brown son of Scat Daddy from Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud had been the subject of a lot of talking on the sales grounds, and he lived up to expectations when selling to Phoenix Thoroughbred for €700,000.

The striking colt is out of the dual listed winner Kaloura, from the family of Kalanisi and recent Group 3 Prix Prix Penelope winner Luminate. He had left the ring unsold at Saratoga for $195,000.

Will Johnson and Nicolas de Watrigant were quick to fire successive bids but they ultimately had to give way to Tom Ludt and Dermot Farrington who were acting on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbred. The pair had earlier spent €320,000 on a colt by the same sire from Jim McCartan’s Gaybrook Lodge Stud. The colt’s dam was a stakes winner in the US and is a half-sister to the Prix Morny winner Elusive City.

“He is a big nice horse, and obviously this is the last chance to buy the progeny of Scat Daddy”, explained Farrington. “We will take both colts home before deciding on a trainer.”

FRANKEL PURCHASE

The sole progeny of Frankel in the catalogue returned a whopping €770,000 for first-time vendor Ecurie La Frênée, run by former equestrian rider Jennifer Pardanaud, who worked for pre-trainer Philip Prevost-Baratte and at Haras du Mézeray before setting up her own operation.

The imposing colt is a half-brother to Grade 1 Garden City Stakes winner Backseat Rhythm.

Phoenix Thoroughbred and Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock locked horns and it was the latter who emerged as the winning bidder with a decisive bid of €770,000.

“Well, he is a Frankel half-brother to a Group 1 winner,” offered McStay. “He is a great-looking horse who seems to have had a very decent prep. I have bought him for a new client who wanted a special horse and he definitely fit the bill. He didn’t necessarily do a clock but he looks like a horse for the future and hopefully will make a lovely three-year-old.”

McCALMONT BUSY

Agent Jamie McCalmont was active from the word go, although not always for Coolmore.

Acting for a different client, he paid €400,000 for a handsome filly by Sea The Stars brought to the ring by Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud. The chesnut is out of a half-sister to Hong Kong superstar Pakistan Star, who won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes after the catalogue was printed.

“She is for [prominent New York owner and fashion magnate] Andrew Rosen, and will go into training with Roger Charlton. Andrew has a similar filly called September Stars, who won in the UK and was three from three last season in the States. This filly won’t be running in the next couple of months but she is a very nice individual with a strong page. My client also liked the fact that she is in-bred to Urban Sea.”

GODOLPHIN UNDERBIDDERS

One of only two colts by the outstanding More Than Ready in the catalogue commanded a final bid of €525,000 from Matt Coleman with Godolphin as the underbidder. The Grove Stud offering is out of the American stakes winner Generosity, who has already foaled two black type performers.

“I have bought him for a client in Hong Kong,” said Coleman. “The sire has had great success there so he is a horse who makes a lot of sense for them. He is a very straightforward, sound, fast horse. We’ve been lucky with this sale, buying the likes of Robin Of Navan, Pallodio, Maximum Aurelius, so we will keep our fingers crossed for more of the same.”

Earlier in the day, the second lot in the ring kicked off the bidding in style when selling to Anthony Stroud for €385,000. The son of Siyouni was offered by Mick Murphy and Sarah O’Connell’s Longways Stables. He is the first foal out of the Wertheimer-bred Nayara, from the family of Trumbaka, Russian Blue and Spirit Of Dubai.

He breezed well and I just thought he would be a nice horse to have,” offered Stroud. “My client hasn’t decided on a trainer yet."

RADCLIFFE'S ROYAL PLAN

Lot 111 bore more than one resemblance to classic contender Homerique as a grey daughter of Exchange Rate offered at this breeze-up sale. The former has gone on to win impressively first time out for Francis-Henri Graffard and take second in the Group 3 Prix Pénélope on her following outing - connections will be hoping for the same destiny with her year-younger paternal half-sister after Kerri Radcliffe signed the docket at €400,000.

“I have bought her for George Bolton and she will be trained in Europe,” said Radcliffe. “She did a very good breeze. We hope she can run in three weeks' time, and then Royal Ascot is the plan.”

GODOLPHIN PURCHASES

Godolphin, represented by David Loder and Anthony Stroud, paid tribute to their late stallion Poet’s Voice by parting with €380,000 to buy a colt out of a half-sister to the Hungarian sprinting sensation Overdose. He was offered by Mocklershill.

The boys in blue also secured the only daughter of Scat Daddy in the catalogue (lot 51) who was brought to the ring by Yeomanstown Stud, with a closing bid of €360,000.

HERNON TO TRAIN

Joe Hernon’s son Gavin won’t be a registered trainer until next month but his future Chantilly stable already counts an inmate in a colt by Kodiac who was bought by Danish-based agent Morten Buskop from the coveted Grove Stud draft. He is from the close family of blacktype winners San Sicharia, Tucuman and Spinacre.

"I am delighted to get this horse for Gavin,” enthused Buskop. “He is for an existing Scandinavian client who is thrilled to send Gavin his first horse."

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