Sheikh Fahad Intent On War

SHEIKH FAHAD INTENT ON WAR 
By Emma Berry 
On the eve of the first Classic of the British turf season, the Tattersalls Guineas Sale drew a decent crowd to Newmarket for a record-breaking day's action topped by a daughter of red hot sire-of-the-moment, War Front, at 270,000gns. 
Sheikh Fahad Al Thani is the proud new owner of the filly (Lot 233), a first foal for multiple winner and listed-placed Pastel Gal (Lemon Drop Kid), who was led out of the ring unsold at 85,000gns at Keeneland September and subsequently changed hands in a private transaction between Suzi Shoemaker and Jim McCartan of Gaybrook Lodge Stud. 
Buying on behalf of Sheikh Fahad, his racing and bloodstock manager David Redvers said: “Jim's horses go like rockets. We have Lightning Thunder running in the [G1] QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday and we bought her from Gaybrook Lodge last year. This filly did the quickest breeze and was by far the nicest filly at the sale. She's a bit up behind and a bit back at the knee but she clearly has a massive engine.” 
He added: “The fact that she's by War Front is a bonus. We locked on to him from the start and sent him mares when he was still standing quite cheaply.” 
Three six-figure transactions and solid trade with a 79% clearance rate throughout the breeze-up section of the sale led to the highest turnover in seven renewals of the auction, and at 3,271,800gns, the aggregate leapt up by 39% on the 2013 auction. The average of 32,718gns improved by 28% and the median, at 22,000gns, was up by 33%. 
Combined with the figures for the horses-in-training section, the aggregate for the day stood at 3,955,328gns (+43%), with the average at 27,278gns (+18%) and median at 16,000gns (+14%). 
“After the record-breaking Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale it has been encouraging to see the momentum continue to this week's Guineas Breeze-up and Horses-in-Training Sale,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “The 270,000gns top price was the highest price at the sale since 2010 and the second-highest price for a filly at this fixture.” 
The sales-topper provided yet another memorable moment in a highly successful breeze-up season for McCartan's Gaybrook Lodge Stud, which also consigned the day's second top lot (Lot 181) at 215,000gns, plus an 800,000-guinea High Chaparral (Ire) colt which returned the second-highest price at the Craven Sale. 
“I'm chuffed to bits, it's absolutely brilliant,” said McCartan, who sold four juveniles through the session for a total of 553,000gns to end the sale as leading consignor. “I love War Front. We've been successful with him right from the start. I bought this filly from Suzi Shoemaker, who's a very good breeder. It's just such a relief when it all works out like this–it's great for the team at home who have worked so hard.” 
Taking second billing during the session was another filly, this time a daughter of Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of the unraced Machiavellian mare Golden Flyer (Fr), who had been bought by McCartan for just €39,000 at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale last year. She will join Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's string of bluebloods after being knocked down to Ed Dunlop, who will train the filly in Newmarket. 
“We tried hard to buy a horse for Ed at the Craven Sale,” said Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold. “She looked sharp and did a really good breeze for her size. I doubt she'll be out too early but she vetted well.” 
Next into the ring waltzed an Acclamation (GB) colt out of the G3-winning sprinter Golden Legacy (Ire) (Rossini), and he went the way of Peter and Ross Doyle. Consigned by Mocklershill, Lot 182 will join Richard Hannon's stable after turning a nice profit for Willie Browne, who bought him during Book 1 of the October Sale for 62,000gns and resold the half-brother to dual juvenile winner Roachdale House (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for 125,000gns. 
The Doyles topped the buyers' table, signing for five youngsters to the tune of 340,000gns, while Rabbah Bloodstock was also active through its representative Jono Mills. The operation's five purchases included Tally-Ho Stud's wild-card entry Lot 97A, who sold for 87,000gns. Out of the Skip Away mare Skip A Dare, the Elusive Quality filly is a half-sister to Sooner Superstar (Ra Ra Superstar), a four-time winner in the U.S., and from the further family of Darley's Classic-winning young sire Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). 
“She's a well-balanced sort and by a fantastic sire who does well in Europe,” said Mills, who also went to 75,000gns to secure Lot 151, a racy son of Azamour (Ire) and the first foal out of the listed-winning Choisir (Aus) mare Choose Me (Ire). 
Late in the session, the 80,000gns given by Stephen Hillen for Lot 217, a first-crop son of Showcasing (GB), provided yet another pinhooking coup, this time for Windmill Stables, which bought the half-brother to Hong Kong listed winner Warden Complex (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) for a very reasonable 9,500gns at the December Sale. 
Lot 170, Kilminfoyle House Stud's strong son of Dutch Art (GB), is off to Hong Kong after being bought by Charlie Gordon-Watson for 78,000gns. The agent said: “He's going straight out to Hong Kong. He has plenty of size and scope which is what you need out there. We had a winner there this week by the sire– Formula One (Ire), who used to be known as Go Dutch (Ire)–and he's won his last two races.” 
The colt, out of the Highest Honor (Fr) mare Evasive Quality (Fr), is a brother to dual juvenile winner Able Dash (GB), who was also sold by Kilminfoyle House Stud's Michael Fitzpatrick when a yearling for 95,000gns. 
Con Marnane's Bansha House Stables was another with a notable pinhooking triumph on the day, selling the second breezer into the ring, a colt by Fast Company (Ire), for 72,000gns to Peter and Ross Doyle. Out of Red Titian (Ire) (Titus Livius {Fr}), he had been bought last September at Fairyhouse for €19,000. 

Great Buy for Quinn… 
The day's selling started with 52 horses in training offered, of which 44 changed hands for a total of 682,700gns and average price of 15,516gns. 
The 99-rated stayer Great Hall (GB) (Halling) (Lot 68) was knocked down to Sean Quinn at 140,000gns on behalf of Carl Hinchy, an owner with Yorkshire-based trainer John Quinn. 
“He'll stay on the Flat,” said the trainer's son. “Carl has mainly jumpers in training with dad, but we have followed this horse and when we saw he was entered for this sale, we both got on the phone. He has good form and is still lightly raced. He's has won over 1m6f and ran in last year's St Leger and I think he'll stay a bit further.” 
Promising 3-year-old Cape Cross colt Mindurownbusiness (Ire) (Lot 42) is returning to the yard of David Simcock after the trainer bought him for a new client at 77,000gns, with a future date at Royal Ascot in the Britannia H. in mind. 
With a quiet spell at Tattersalls now until July's mixed sale, Edmond Mahony reflected on the conclusion of another successful day at Park Paddocks, saying: “In addition [to the breeze-up], the 140,000 guineas for the 4-year-old colt Great Hall was a record for the horses-in-training section and another indication of the extra dimension that this recently introduced element has brought to the sale. In line with the Craven Breeze-up Sale, turnover, average and median have all risen significantly, and the clearance rate of 81% has also improved on last year's numerically smaller sale. 
“The two 2014 Tattersalls Breeze-up Sales have both produced positive returns with the feature being the sustained demand at the top of the market and the international participation which is the hallmark of so many sales at Tattersalls. Buyers from North America, the Gulf region, South East Asia, Australasia and throughout Europe have all made significant contributions to both parts of today's Guineas Sale and, as ever, we look forward to seeing graduates of the sale performing at the highest level on the global stage.”