SALES TOPPERS AND SUMMERHILL CONNECTIONS

Mullins Bay
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

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MULLINS BAY : ONE OF THE FINEST PEDIGREES ANYWHERE

The racing world held its breath as the Tattersalls October sale approached last week, but it needn’t have done so. Instead, fans of our sport gasped at the game’s ongoing attraction to the high-rollers, as the numbers emerging from the auction held their own with last year. Deservedly, two of the top horses in the sale were the progeny Europe’s standout stallions, Galileo and Pivotal, both of them making 650,000gns. The latter of the two fell to the bid of Sheikh Hamdan’s Angus Gold, after a protracted duel with one-time worldwide manager of Sheikh Maktoums Gainsborough Stud, Michael Goodbody. These two men were the initiating catalysts in the now twenty year old association of the Maktoum family with Summerhill, and it’s a tribute to their skills and longevity as relevant horseman that they should’ve remained central to the drama which unfolded at Park Paddocks this past week.

The third top lot of the second day will have warmed the hearts of those associated with the Summerhill stallion, Mullins Bay, and in particular those breeders who’ve seen the light. Sire of one of the best first crop foals we’ve seen at Summerhill, Mullins Bay’s family was twice up in lights in the top ten, with Coolmore buying the Montjeu colt out of the remarkable mare Colorspin, no doubt as a prospective stallion for their already dazzling line-up, while yet another, a Dubawi filly out of a sister to Mullins Bay, made 460,000gns to the bid of John Ferguson, acting for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed.

As a descendant of one of the most successful families in European history, if for no other reason than the fact that he sports one of the finest pedigrees anywhere, the daughters of Mullins Bay are bound to be in big demand when they eventually get back to the paddocks themselves.

OASIS DREAM TOPS TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE

Left : Lot 545 Oasis Dream  Right : Lot 499 Galileo
(Photos : Tattersalls)

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TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE BOOK 1

Tattersalls’ Book 1 October Yearling Sale finished in Newmarket last night with figures marginally down on 2008. The final session’s 116,138gns average dropped by 11 percent and the 76,500gns median fell by 15 percent. The day - and sale - were topped by a 700,000gns Oasis Dream (GB) colt out of Maganda (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). Marcus Tregoning and Kazakhstani owner Nurlan Bizakov made a bold play for the colt, but it was Coolmore boss John Magnier who signed the buyer’s ticket after seeing off Sir Robert Ogden.

The colt, selling as hip 545 from John Deer’s Oakgrove Stud in Wales, had been bought in utero by agent Amanda Skiffington for 320,000gns at the 2007 December Sale.

“I’d imagine he’ll be going to Ballydoyle and race for the usual partnership,” said Magnier. “Paul Shanahan and Demi O’Byrne liked the horse, and that was it really.”

Magnier had earlier outbid BBA Ireland agent Eamonn Reilly, standing with Jim Bolger, for a 600,000gns Galileo (Ire) colt sold from Michael O’Flynn’s Co Cork-based Rockfield Farm. The yearling, hip 499, was out of G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas second Kitza (Ire) (Danehill), who had been bought for 550,000gns at the 2006 December Sale. It was the second highest price on the day.

Tattersalls October Yearling Sale - Book 1 Day Three Top 10 Lots

Lot	Sex	Sire	Dam	Vendor	Buyer	Price (gns)
545	C	OASIS DREAM	Maganda	Oakgrove Stud	Demi O’Byrne	700,000
499	C	GALILEO	Kitza	Rockfield Farm	Demi O’Byrne	600,000
523	C	GALILEO	Lila	Tullamaine Castle Stud	Sir Robert Ogden	550,000
600	F	MEDICEAN	Musical Treat	Rathbarry Stud	John Ferguson	500,000
676	C	GALILEO	Puce	Newsells Park Stud	Blandford Bloodstock	475,000
516	C	ELUSIVE QUALITY	Last Second	Denford Stud	John Ferguson	425,000
582	C	DANEHILL DANCER	Miss Honorine	Glenvale Stud	Sir Robert Ogden	370,000
571	F	GALILEO	Mermaid Island	Ashtown Stud	Demi O’Byrne	360,000
597	F	OASIS DREAM	Much Faster	Watership Down Stud	Cheveley Park Stud	350,000
599	C	CAPE CROSS	Murrieta	Trickledown Stud	John Ferguson	350,000

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

GALILEO AND PIVOTAL TOP TATTERSALLS OCTOBER DAY TWO

Left : Sheikh Mohammed and John Ferguson
Right : Old Summerhill stalwart Michael Goodbody and Patricia Thompson
(Photos : Tattersalls/TBA UK)

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE BOOK 1

Yesterday’s penultimate session of the Tattersalls Book 1 October Yearling Sale again produced a trade on a par with 12 months ago, with two lots matching the 2008 sale-topping price of 650,000gns (approximately $1,085,175).

The first to earn the distinction was Lot 282, a filly by Pivotal (GB), who was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s racing manager Angus Gold. Out of listed winner Briolette (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), a half-sister to champion Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent), she was sold from David and Diane Nagle’s Barronstown Stud. Michael Goodbody, acting for a new client, was underbidder to Gold on the filly. “She comes from a very good stud, and is a lovely big scopey filly whose family keeps on producing,” explained Gold. “Sheikh Hamdan was very keen on her, and we’ll decide on a trainer once the sales are finished.”

Shortly after, a full-brother to 2006 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), bred by Dermot Weld’s mother Gita and consigned through the Castlebridge Consignment, realized a 650,000gns final bid. Owner Sir Robert Ogden had to outbid, first the BBA Ireland’s Eamonn Reilly, and finally John Magnier to get the Galileo colt.

Tattersalls October Yearling Sale - Book 1 Wednesday 7 October 2009

CUMULATIVE	2009	2008
Catalogued	452	406
No. Offered	407	351
No. Sold	320	279
RNAs	87	72
% RNA	21.4%	20.5%
No. 500K +	4	5
High Price (gns)	650,000	650,000
Gross	36,111,000	32,511,000
Average (% change)	112,847 (-3.2%)	116,527
Median	80,000	n/a

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

GALILEO HEADS TATTERSALLS OCTOBER BOOK 1

Top Lot 118 by Galileo
(Photo : Tattersalls)

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TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE BOOK 1

An opening day on a par with last year was a satisfactory result when Tattersalls’ October Sale Book 1 opened in Newmarket yesterday.

In the ethereal world of upper-tier yearling sales any outcome was possible, so turnover of 16,840,000gns, up 12% on last year, albeit from a slightly bigger catalogue, a median of 80,000gns to match the 2008 figure, and an average of 111,523gns, down 2%, have to be classed as rather good, although a glance at the results showed once again that Maktoum and Coolmore money is king and crucial – Darley’s John Ferguson became the day’s top buyer when purchasing 16 horses for 2,710,000gns. The clearance rate of 67% was also marginally up on the same day 12 months ago.

Backed by support from Coolmore chief John Magnier, there were notable results for Galileo, Sadler’s Wells and Holy Roman Emperor.

Tattersalls October Yearling Sale - Book 1 Day One Top Lots

Lot	Sex	Sire	Dam	Vendor	Buyer	Price (gns)
118	C	GALILEO	Tadkiyra	Croom House Stud	John Magnier	550,000
121	C	MEDICEAN	Tariysha	Corduff Stud	Shadwell Estate Co	450,000
103	F	HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR	Starlight Dreams	Ashtown House Stud	Demi O’Bryne	350,000
68	F	SADLER’S WELLS	Shastye	Newsells Park Stud	Jeremy Noseda, agt	330,000
79	C	SADLER’S WELLS	Smart ‘n Noble	Ballykillbride Stud	PFI Cole	320,000
186	C	DANSILI	Wrong Key	Castlemartin Stud	Shadwell Estate Co	300,000
39	F	MONSUN	Royal Dubai	Newsells Park Stud	John Ferguson B/S	300,000
221	C	SADLER’S WELLS	Ange Bleu	Watership Down Stud	Pegasus Farms	300,000
207	C	GALILEO	Alleluia	Airlie Stud	MH Goodbody	300,000

Extract from European Bloodstock News

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE KICKS OFF

(Photo : Tattersalls)

TATTERSALLS OCTOBER YEARLING SALE
2009

News from Newmarket yesterday was that the presence of both Sheikh Mohammed and his brother Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum had vendors heartened ahead of today’s Tattersalls’ October Yearling Sale.

The Thoroughbred Daily News reports that John Magnier and the Coolmore team were also in evidence, along with buyers from Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey and the U.S. Also on the sales grounds were representatives of the likes of Sir Robert Ogden, Thomas Barr and Dubai-based Dr. Jim Hay, who have been among the biggest non-Maktoum or Coolmore spenders at the British and Irish sales over the last couple of years. This year’s 676-lot Book 1 catalogue - running from today through Thursday - has 65 more yearlings listed than 12 months ago, and has the added attraction of a series of eight attached sales races worth £1.75 million, something which sales company officials hope will bolster buyers’ enthusiasm.

“One thing everyone agrees on is that this is the strongest Book 1 since we went to this format in 2004,” said Tattersalls Marketing Director Jimmy George. “We’ve got own or half-brothers to 65 Group 1 or Classic winners, which is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the world’s leading buyers. One can also draw a certain amount of cautious optimism from some of the sales that have gone before us.”