A significant addition to the Tattersalls December Mares Catalogue is the wild-card entry of Kensea (Fr), the 13-year-old daughter of Kendargent (Fr) who has the rare distinction of being the dam of two Group 1 winners.
That notable duo consists of the full-brothers Sealiway (Fr) and Sunway (Fr). One of the sons of Galiway (GB) was the busiest stallion in France this year during his first season at Haras de Beaumont, while the latter is a serious Classic prospect for 2024 on either side of the Channel.
Guy Pariente, who is never far from the top of the breeders' stable in France, bred Kensea and her sons, as well as her two other winners to date. He has two of her daughters, both also by Galiway, one already in the broodmare band at his Haras de Colleville and another about to join Sunway at David Menuisier's Sussex stable.
Kensea, now in foal to the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak (Fr), joins Tuesday's Sceptre Session, and is the last to go through of that elite bunch, as Lot 1825, consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud.
“It's a first for Haras de Colleville to send a mare of her calibre and to sell in the Sceptre Session as well,” says Sally Ann Grassick, the stud's international representative. “It's a really exciting prospect. She's the dam of two Group 1 winners. She's also in foal to Zarak and she's the only one in the catalogue in foal to him.
“She's been a wonderful mare for us. She's also only 13 years of age, so she's still got plenty of breeding years ahead of her. And she's an exciting prospect for anyone to buy anywhere in the world, being by Kendargent, who is proving his worth as a broodmare sire.”
It was the 20-year-old Kendargent and his rags-to-riches climb through the French stallions ranks who really put Haras de Colleville on the map. He is about to embark on his 16th covering season at the Normandy farm, where he stands alongside his son Goken (Fr) and the up-and-coming Galiway, in whose career Kendargent has so far also played a fairly significant role. Location plays its part, of course, as so often happens in the case of apparently successful nicks, but Galiway and daughters of Kendargent have also combined to produce the Group 3 and treble Listed winner Kenway (Fr) and Listed winner Gregolimo (Fr), as well as the dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Gala Marceau (Fr). The latter, like Galiway's Group 3 Flat winner and Grade 1 hurdler Vauban (Fr), has found her way to the powerful stable of Willie Mullins.
Returning to the subject of Kensea's top offspring, Grassick says, “Both of them won Group 1s at two. Sealiway won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in impressive fashion by eight lengths and then followed it up the following year by winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot, so he's well known on the international stage. She then went and produced Sunway, who was placed in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, ran a really good race that day and then went and won the Criterium International.”
She continues, “David Menuisier has said he's his colt for the Classics next year. He's made no secret that he always thought that Sunway would be a three-year-old. So whatever he's done at two has just been a bonus, and to win a Group 1 is a pretty big bonus.”
It is a bonus also for his dam and his young sire, both of whom have continued to shine a light on the breeding exploits of Pariente.
“The stud's only been in operation for about 15 years and he's managed to not only create a top-class sire in Kendargent but also his son Goken, who we have coming along behind, and now Galiway as well,” says Grassick of the owner of Haras de Colleville.
“Galiway has produced Sealiway and Sunway, and he's also got Gala Marceau and Vauban as well as from his his early crops. He's still a young sire, so it's great to be able to promote that on an international stage at Tattersalls. We're very grateful that they accepted Kensea as a wild card so late in the game. And James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud has been very good to accept her under his draft and look after her for us.”
It is not the first time that this particular family has been represented at Tattersalls as the mare's current yearling, also by Galiway, went through the ring for in Book 1 of the October Sale this year and was retained at 260,000gns.
Grassick says, “Guy Pariente had his first ever visit to Newmarket when we presented the full-sister to Sealiway in Book 1 and he was blown away by it. We went around a few of the farms and they were all really welcoming. Tattersalls went out of their way to welcome him and he just had a really good experience, and that was part of the reason that he wanted to come back and present a mare of her calibre there.”
She adds, “Although we're offering Kensea for sale we still have two of her daughters, both by Galiway. Seagala was in training with David Menuisier and she's home on the farm and will be covered in 2024 for the first time. And then we also have the the yearling filly that we presented in Book 1. Mr Pariente has kept a share in her with some of his friends. She she'll go to David Menuisier to be trained. So we still have two daughters of hers to breed from in the future and that was why he felt that now was the time to put Kensea on the market.”
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