Intricately Tops Tatts Mares Opener

Newmarket, UK–The four-day Tattersalls December Mare Sale got off to a strong start in Newmarket on Monday, with significant gains in aggregate and average. A total of 193 lots were sold from 228 offered, and despite 12 fewer being sold than last year the aggregate was up 35% at 15,474,700gns. The clearance rate was 85%, up a tick from last year. The average climbed 44% to 80,180gns, while the median dipped 10% to 36,000gns.

Trade was topped by last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1549), who was secured by John and Jake Warren on behalf of an undisclosed client for 1.7-million gns. That was the highest opening day price for the Mare Sale since Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) sold for 4-million gns during the same session in 2013.

An opening bid of 300,000gns began proceedings for Intricately, and the price swiftly went up in increments of fifty, which quickly increased to leaps of a hundred thousand. Badgers Bloodstock and Northern Farm were involved in the early stages, then John and Jake Warren stepped in. They looked to have secured the filly at 1,550,000gns, however, John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud came in with a single bid of 1,600,000gns. The Warrens replied with a final bid of 1,700,000gns, and the daughter of Fastnet Rock (Aus) was sold. After signing for an undisclosed client, Jake Warren said, “for us, she was the star of the show and we rated her very highly. She's a beauty, a Group 1-winning 2-year-old and from a fantastic family. Fillies like her hardly ever come along and she will be a foundation mare for a high-quality broodmare band that we are creating for a new client. We bought some yearlings earlier in the year, and there have been a couple of horses in training with William Haggas, but now we are stepping up to buy quality. There are no mating plans for her as yet, but she deserves to go to the best.” Not just a high-class performer on the track, where she beat Group 1 winners Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Rhododenron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. as a 2-year-old before finishing fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas this year, the elegant filly is regally bred, being the first foal out of a Galileo half-sister to champion Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill), Inner Realm (Ire). She was presented by Bill Dwan's Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of her owners John Murrell and Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez.

After being beaten for Intricately, Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm was successful later in the evening in the battle for last year's G1 Investec Oaks and G1 Irish Oaks third Harlequeen (GB) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) (lot 1573) at 400,000gns. The 4-year-old maiden daughter of the Rainbow Quest mare Aurelia (GB) is therefore headed to Japan.

Prize Booking For Churchill…

Dual Guineas winner Churchill (Ire) is a certainty to draw a good first book of mares at Coolmore for 2018, and another was added on Monday after David Nagle of Barronstown Stud went to 775,000gns to secure the four-time graded stakes winner Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) (lot 1543) at Tattersalls on Monday evening. Bought by trainer Jamie Osborne for just 28,000gns as a yearling, Prize Exhibit raced initially for a partnership including MV Magnier and Paul Shanahan before being sold privately to DP Racing and transferred to trainer Jim Cassidy in California. Prize Exhibit won the GII Senorita S. and the GII San Clemente H. in the summer of 2015 before finishing third in the GI Del Mar Oaks, and last January she added the GII Monrovia S. to her CV. Her last win came in the GII Megahertz S. at Santa Anita in January.

“She's a beauty,” said Nagle. “The race record is there. We just thought she was a beauty, and we could send her to anything. We just have to get lucky.”

John McCormack was underbidder on Prize Exhibit, and he made amends four lots later when signing for the G3 Prix de Cabourg winner Tourny (Fr) (Country Reel) (lot 1548) for 400,000gns. The 4-year-old is in foal for her first cover to Frankel (GB), and she heads to Japan, where that sire had his first Group 1 winner in Soul Stirring (Jpn), having been bought by Taihei Stud.

“She's carrying a colt by Frankel, who seems to be doing great,” McCormack said. “She's a pretty mare and was a good racemare. She's young, she has performance and was well mated and within a reasonable price level. She has a later service so she can still go to Japan and foal there, but she was a pretty mare.”

In addition to her Group 3 win, Tourney was third in the G1 Prix Morny, and is a full-sister to the listed winner Make It Reel (Fr). Initially sold for €32,000 as a yearling at Arqana, Tourney was a €400,000 buy at the Arqana Arc sale in 2015.

New Irish Farm Active…

Consigned by her trainer James Tate on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock, Urban Fox (GB) (Foxwedge) made 425,000gns towards the end of the session when sold as lot 1604. Patrick Wynn-Jones signed the docket, and he said, “She's been bought on behalf of a new stud in Tipperary, Barnane Stud Farm. It is owned by Wayne Kieswetter, who has Highlands Farm in South Africa. The filly will go back into training, and we'll have some fun with her, but we haven't decided where she'll go yet. She'll then become part of the broodmare band.” Wynn-Jones acts as stud manager at this newly established Irish farm for Kieswetter, whose son Craig has played cricket for Great Britain. He bought Highlands Farm in South Africa earlier this year. This attractive 3-year-old filly is a winner and multiple stakes-placed. She comes from the family of GI Oak Tree S. winner Arewehavingfunyet, and is out of the winning Nashwan mare Lomapamar (GB). She was bred by Mascalls Stud, who sold her as a yearling at Tattersalls Book 2 for 10,000gns.

Cumanis Add A German Gem…

A half sister to the G1 Prix Vermeille winner Baltic Baroness, Baltic Best (Ire) (King's Best) (lot 1403) was sold in foal to Ito (Ger) (Alderflug) for 380,000gns. The first filly out of her dam, Born Wild, to appear at public auction, she was consigned by Ronald Rauscher on behalf of her owner and breeder Gestut Ammerland, who also own the covering stallion. Henri Bozo of Haras de Monceaux made a determined effort to secure the 4- year-old mare but eventually had to concede to Luca and Sara Cumani, with the latter commenting, “her appeal is pretty obvious. It's a serious Group 1 family, she's a winner and a half-sister to a Group 1 winner. All her sisters all have been to really interesting stallions. I'm not sure what we are going to do with the Ito foal. She's a great physical and so it should be easy to pick a stallion for her but we haven't made any plans yet. We've had a good year, and we want to stay in so you need quality. I think that it's going to be very competitive here this week and we had to pay a bit more than we wanted for her.”

Baltic Best was a winner for trainer Peter Schiergen in Germany, and came here with a Mar. 16 maiden cover to the tough Group 1-winning Ito, who covered just 16 mares in his first season this year. By successful broodmare sire King's Best, she is a half-sister to five black-type horses, three of whom are fillies, now at stud. Baltic Baroness has a Golden Horn foal, and is in foal to Sea The Stars, and their dam Born Wild is carrying to Golden Horn. This blue-blooded family, developed by Gestut Ammerland in Munich, is one of the strongest female pedigrees in the catalogue. The third dam, Britannia, was champion older mare in Europe and one of Ammerland's foundation mares. Baltic Best descends from her most successful daughter, Borgia, herself champion 3-year-old mare in Germany and France, winning two Group 1s and being multiple group-placed, including a second in the Breeder's Cup Turf.

Unsurprising Appeal…

Kentucky-based agent Mike Akers described himself as “lucky” to secure the 4-year-old Galileo (Ire) mare Surprisingly (Ire) (lot 1528) for 340,000gns on behalf of a client late in the afternoon at Tattersalls on Monday. The three-times placed Surprisingly, in foal to Siyouni (Fr), is out of the G3 Ballyogan S. winner Lesson In Humility (Ire) (Mujadil), and is therefore a full-sister to this year's G3 Balanchine S. third Butterscotch (Ire) and a half-sister to the Listed Marble Hill S. winner and G2 Norfolk S. second Coach House (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

Akers said the mare is “most likely” to stay in Europe.

“There's a lot going on in the family as you can tell with the Galileos and all that,” he said. “The whole family is live. Siyouni is a proven stallion and it always depends on what's standing right in front of you, but she's a lovely mare.”

Akers said the client would be open to retaining or selling the resulting Siyouni foal, which is the mare's first.

“We'd take a look at the marketplace, but we're not scared to run one,” he said. “I think I was lucky to get this one today because I think it'll be much stronger tomorrow. A lot of times you're better off to snare one while you can.”

Galileo's profile as a broodmare sire grows by the day, and he has the likes of Group 1 winners Roly Poly (War Front) and US Navy Flag (War Front)–those being full siblings–as well as Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to his credit in that realm this year. Another daughter of Galileo to draw attention on Monday was Pandora's Box (Ire) (lot 1469). Stephen Hillen signed for the unraced half-sister to stakes winner Cold Cold Woman (GB) (Machiavellian) on behalf of an undisclosed client for 250,000gns.

Dark Angel Filly To Qatar…

Qatar interests are a dominant presence at Tattersalls' horses in training sales, and the nation made its presence felt on Monday as well when Qatari owner Adbullatif Saad A Al-Muslamani went to 320,000gns to secure the 2-year-old Dark Angel (Ire) filly Darkanna (Ire) (lot 1569). Purchased by the Cool Silk Partnership for £205,000 at the Doncaster Premier sale last year, Darkanna ran nine times this year for two wins, including the Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar when last seen on Oct. 7.

Al-Muslamani's racing manager Hilal Kobeissi said, “She looks small and speedy, which should suit the tighter tracks in Qatar. Depending how the season goes she might return to race in England next summer.”

Al-Muslamani has had prior success purchasing the progeny of Dark Angel in this ring, having bought Bronze Maquette (Ire) for 120,000gns at the Autumn Horses-In-Training in 2014. That one is now a multiple winner in Qatar.

Miesque Daughter Heads Home…

The Niarchos Family and their champion mare Miesque are inexorably linked in racing history. A phenomenal racemare and foundation broodmare, bred by Stavros Niarchos, her descendants have continued to bring huge renown to one of the most successful and influential racing operations in the world. Her daughter Ama (Storm Cat) (lot 1513) has passed through the sale ring twice, firstly when she was sold in 2007 by the Niarchos family for 1,800,000gns, and today when she was bought back by them for 160,000gns, exactly 10 years later to the day. Racing manager to the Niarchos Family, Alan Cooper, standing with Elektra Niarchos, signed the docket. It was an emotional moment for the team, as Cooper explained, “She's exceptional; any daughter of Miesque is a rare pearl. This is a family that is very close to us all. It's wonderful. The family is very active still, her full-sister has a Deep Impact 2-year-old in training, Study of Man, with Pascal Bary who won his debut, and he looks smart. She could possibly go to be covered by Ulysses. We bought in Fasig-Tipton and we'll look at some more mares here for him, although there are plenty of nice mares at home.”

Ama has produced three winners from four foals of racing age and has a New Approach (Ire) yearling and a Dubawi (Ire) foal coming behind. She was sold here by Godolphin, and they retain the yearling and foal fillies, as well as the Dubawi 2-year-old Lunar Maria (GB), who was a respectable third on her racing debut for Charlie Appleby in September. They also sold her daughter Mirror City at this sale last year for 170,000gns.

The Niarchos Family were back in the ring just a few lots later, this time selling through their Normandy base, Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard. A daughter of War Front, who stood at a fee of $250,000 in 2017, Dilmun (lot 1536), was knocked down to Adrian Nicoll of BBA Ireland for 280,000gns. The 3-year-old filly was trained by Joseph O'Brien in Ireland for the Niarchos family, and won her maiden in July this year before a few attempts at stakes level, which proved unfruitful. She is a half-sister to the 2-year-old Liquid Amber, who won a Group 3 at The Curragh this summer and is quoted at 25/1 for next year's Guineas. Nicoll said, “There's just so much going on in the page. The yearling full-sister is going to Andre Fabre, and there is an American Pharoah foal. She'll come back to Ireland.” Her dam, the tough racemare Pachattack (Pulpit), won six races including two Grade IIIs, and was Grade I-placed for Graham Motion. She was bought by Flaxman Holdings at Fasig-Tipton in 2011 for $1,200,000.

Railton Reflects On Champion Filly…

Tuesday's second session of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale will see a plethora of star mares pass through the ring, and one of the standouts of even that select group will be Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), the Cartier champion sprinter of 2016. The dark bay was a listed winner in her third start at two and took the G3 Cornwallis S. next out. She kept the stakes-winning streak alive at three, opening that campaign with three straight black-type victories culminating in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Third when facing elders for the first time in the G1 July Cup, Quiet Reflection bounced back to best subsequent G1 British Champion Sprint S. and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. winner The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) in the G1 Sprint Cup. Quiet Reflection ran just three times this year for trainer and part owner Karl Burke, taking the G3 Renaissance S. at Naas in September.

Consignor Jamie Railton finds himself reunited with Quiet Reflection, having sold her as a yearling to Geoffrey Howson for £32,000 at Doncaster in August of 2014. Quiet Reflection was pinhooked at the following April's Doncaster Breeze-Up Sale, where Burke picked her up for £44,000.

“We know her from old, having sold her as a yearling, so it's what you always want when they go on and become a champion and you get a chance to sell them again,” Railton said. “She's always had the most fantastic temperament, which is surely going to be a help for her future career. She's still a racing prospect if someone wants her to be. There is that option, her racing isn't done with, but I think most people are looking at her as a breeding prospect.”

“She was a beautiful yearling and she was bought by a good judge and went to a good trainer, so everything worked in her favour,” Railton added. “She's come here in magnificent shape, a great advert for her trainer as well. She does look quite spectacular. If you want to advertise someone's skills as a trainer, for a filly to show up in December looking like she does, is very, very impressive.”

The consignor said the feedback from potential buyers has been equally upbeat.

“There's positive feedback, she's got an awful lot of class to her,” he said. “That seems to be a universal view of buyers looking at her.”

Also popular from Railton's consignment was another daughter of Showcasing in Prize Exhibit (GB), who was bought by David Nagle of Barronstown Stud for 775,000gns on Monday evening. The 5-year-old maiden mare won four graded stakes in America and was third in the GI Del Mar Oaks.