Yeomanstown Riding On Angel

Dark Angel (Ire) is a sure-fire ratings hit, the Yeomanstown Stud's star burning brighter than ever in 2017 with six-figure sales on the European circuit so far and sizzling son Harry Angel (Ire) burning away the fastest of sprinters. Unlike the television series with which he shares his name, the 12-year-old stallion has made the leap from cult classic to network stalwart, a hit with critics and viewers alike.

The success of Harry Angel in winning the G1 Darley July Cup and G1 32red Sprint Cup, adding to last season's G2 Mill Reef S. triumph for trainer Clive Cox, alongside the emergence of another hotshot son of Dark Angel in Battaash (Ire), also bred by Philip and Marie McCartan at their Ballyphilip Stud in Co Tipperary, has ensured that demand for offspring of Yeomanstown Stud's flagbearer is at a fever pitch.

The O'Callaghan family of Yeomanstown's select draft of nine yearlings for the Goffs Orby Sale includes some choicely bred progeny of their grey wonder.

“We have put together another strong draft for the Goffs Orby Sale this year, a mix of homebreds and pinhooks, fillies and colts. Dark Angel out of Secret Key (Ire) is a lovely colt and a full- brother to the smart Ger Lyons trained Exoegenesis, who won at Group 3 level as a 2-year-old. He is a late foal but looks sharp and moves well,” said David O'Callaghan of lot 181.

Another son of Dark Angel who catches the eye on pedigree is lot 354 out of Capulet Monteque (Ire), a winning daughter of another smart Yeomanstown sire in Camacho (GB). The pedigree boasts a number of star sprinters under the second dam Family At War, including champions G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and Lethal Force (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) as well as Classic-winning filly Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast). There could be further updates to come with a 2-year-old full-sister to this colt due to tackle the G2 Rockfel S.

O'Callaghan describes the colt as “an absolute belter. A big, strong, mature colt and a full-brother to Juliet Fair (Ire) and Juliet Capulet (Ire), who was second in the G3 Sweet Solera S. for John Gosden and Cheveley Park on her latest start and will step up to Group 2 level next time.”

A pair of well-related Dark Angel fillies are among the draft Yeomanstown will be selling at Kildare Paddocks. The first of these is lot 86 out of Muzdaan (Ire) a daughter of Exceed And Excel (Aus) out of Ireland's joint champion juvenile filly in 1994 Belle Genius, winner of that year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. Belle Genius is also the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her full-sister Northern Angel (Ire) was set to run in Saturday's G3 Firth of Clyde S. at Ayr before that meeting was abandoned.

“She is a very racy filly. She oozes quality and we'd hope she attracts plenty of attention,” said O'Callaghan.

Lot 238 is a full-sister to Perfect Angel (Ire), placed in the G2 Mill Reef S. and the G3 Hackwood S for Andrew Balding, and to Where's Sue (Ire), also a winner. Their dam The Hermitage (Ire) is a half-sister to listed winners Alboostan (GB) and Crown Of Light (GB), who in turn is the dam of listed winner Balkan Knight (GB). O'Callaghan said he thinks this filly has all the right attributes to succeed on the track.

“The Dark Angel filly out of The Hermitage is very sharp looking, she looks like she'd run through a wall for you and I just love her,” he said.

The O'Callaghans are responsible for the first yearling by three-time Group 1 winner Charm Spirit to sell at the Orby Sale, in the shape of lot 18, a colt whose half-brother helped establish Dark Angel's reputation.

“The Charm Spirit colt out of Kelsey Rose (GB) is very smart and a ringer for his sire, whom we had been keen to try and buy and stand ourselves, but having failed to get him, we sent Kelsey Rose to him instead,” O'Callaghan said. “This colt is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Sovereign Debt (Ire) (Dark Angel), Puff (Ire) (Camacho {GB}), who won the G3 Fred Darling S., and several other smart winners.”

Capla Temptress (Ire) provided her sire Lope De Vega (Ire) with a timely boost during yearling sales season with her success in the GI Natalma S at Woodbine on Sept. 17, and at Orby Yeomanstown offers a filly by Ballylinch Stud's Classic-winning sire. Lot 153 is the first foal of Relation Alexander (Ire), a daughter of Dandy Man (Ire) who won twice as a 2-year-old.

“She is a very strong, good-moving filly from a smart family, so I would hope she will prove popular especially following on from the success of Capla Temptress recently,” O'Callaghan said of the chestnut filly.

Yeomanstown Stud will also sell the only yearling in the sale by Whitsbury Manor Stud's Foxwedge (Aus), a pinhooked colt who has strong connections to the farm.

“We have plenty more including a great-moving son of Foxwedge from the family of Showcasing (GB) and our own Camacho (GB). He is a wonderfully topped colt and just floats across the ground,” O'Callaghan said of the colt out of an unraced half-sister to the aforementioned stallions.

A busy week at Goffs awaits the O'Callaghans and all the team at Yeomanstown Stud, but it is one they enjoy.

“We always like selling at Goffs, it is a great venue to show horses and the team work hard to attract a wide range of both domestic and international buyers,” said O'Callaghan. “So they deserve to be supported by Irish breeders and vendors.”