The final opportunity to acquire a son of Scat Daddy's ultimate crop in a sales ring materialised in a relentless duel between Nicolas de Watrigant and Jamie McCalmont, who was standing alongside Coolmore's Mathieu Legars, taking instructions over the phone. The former owners of the late stallion had the final say with a bid of €825,000 for a colt offered by Willie Browne's Mocklershill. He is from the family of US Graded winners ALLAMERICAN BERTIE, HURRICANE BERTIE as well as BEACH PATROL who ran 2nd in the Gr.1 Turf Classic after the catalogue was printed.
A delighted McCalmont commented:
This was the very last opportunity to buy a colt such a great sire, wasn't it? Scat Daddy was an outstanding racehorse who turned into an outstanding sire and is even turning into a sire of sires - No Nay Never had another winner this afternoon and seems to be really taking of. It is very sad that he is no longer around. This horse didn't look like he would go as fast as he did, which I think is a good thing. He's been bought for the Coolmore partners.
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Danish-based agent Morten Buskop fought hard to secure a colt by Kodiac from the coveted Grove Stud draft from the close family of black type winners SAN SICHARIA, TUCUMAN and SPINACRE. The grey will join the future string of trainer-to-be Gavin Hernon, who is planning to set base in Chantilly in the Summer after obtaining his licence from France Galop.
I am delighted to get this horse for Gavin, enthused Buskop. He is for an existing Scandinavian client who is thrilled to send Gavin his first horse.
The sole progeny of Frankel in the catalogue returned a whopping €770,000 for first-time vendor Ecurie La Frênée, run by Jennifer Pardanaud, a former equestrian rider who worked for pre-trainer Philip Prevost-Baratte and at Haras du Mézeray before setting up her own operation. The imposing colt is a half-brother to Gr.1 Garden City S. scorer BACKSEAT RHYTHM.
Phoenix Thoroughbred and Mark McStay locked horns and it was the latter who emerged as the winning bidder with a decisive bid of €770,000.
We he is a Frankel half-brother to a Group 1 winner, offered McStay. He is a great-looking horse who seems to have had a very decent prep. I have bought him for a new client who wanted a special horse and he definitely fit the bill. He didn't necessarily do a clock but he looks like a horse for the future and hopefully will make a lovely three-year-old.
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A dark brown son of Scat Daddy from Brendan Holland's Grove Stud had been the subject of a lot of talking on the sales grounds, and he lived up to expectations when selling to Phoenix Thoroughbred for €700,000. The striking colt is out of the dual Listed winner KALOURA, from the family of KALANISI and recent Gr.3 Prix Prix Penelope victrix LUMINATE. He had left the ring unsold at Saratoga for $195,000.
Will Johnson and Nicolas de Watrigant were quick to fire successive bids but they ultimately had to give way to Tom Ludt and Dermot Farrington who were acting on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbred.
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Anthony Stroud and David Loder were back to the fore to secure a son of Siyouni for the popular Mocklershill draft for €280,000. The bay is the second foal out of the Gr.2 Prix Corrida heroine GRACE LADY and his half-brother ALHADAB, already Listed-placed as a juvenile, placed in both the Prix Noailles and Prix Greffulhe after the catalogue was printed.
One of only two colts by the outstanding More Than Ready in the catalogue, lot 122 commanded a final bid of €525,000 from Matt Coleman with Godolphin as the underbidder. The Grove Stud offering is out of the American Stakes winner GENEROSITY, who has already foaled two black type performers.
I have bought him for a client in Hong Kong, said Coleman. The sire has had great success there so he is a horse who makes a lot of sense for them. He is a very straightforward, sound, fast horse. We've been lucky with this sale, buying the likes of Robin Of Navan, Pallodio, Maximum Aurelius, so we will keep our fingers crossed for more of the same.
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Mocklershill's lot 111 bore more than one ressemblance to Classic contender HOMERIQUE as a grey daughter of Exchange Rate offered at this breeze up sale. The former has gone on to win impressively first time out for Francis-Henri Graffard and taking 2nd in the Gr.3 Prix Pénélope on her following outing - connections will be hoping for the same destiny with her year-younger paternal half-sister after Kerri Radcliffe bought her for €400,000.
I have bought her for George Bolton and she will be trained in Europe with the dream that she can go on and run at Royal Ascot, said Radcliffe. She did a very good breeze.
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The sole War Front colt to go through the ring was a Wild Card addition to the catalogue from Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm. The strapping bay is out of the Listed winner VISIONS OF CLARITY, who has already produced a Group 1-winning juvenile in PATHFORK. Other close relatives to the Niarchos-bred include the Group 1 winners SPINNING WORLD, ALDEBARAN, GOOD JOURNEY etc.
Bids sparked from all corners of the sales pavilion until Justin Casse offered a deal-closing €250,000.
He will return to America and race for a regular client of mine. He has a stallion's pedigree and is a beautiful mover with length, size and scope. The family has also produced many stallions and my client has had luck with War Front.
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A son of Haras du Quesnay's Motivator offered by Mocklershill caused a protracted bidding battle between Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock and Charles Gordon Watson, with the latter finally emerging on top courtesy of a €280,000 bid. The bay was also bred by Quesnay out of the black type TREASURE, a Listed winner and multiple Group performer as a juvenile. Alex Elliott paid €60,000 for him at the August Yearling Sale.
He is a lovely colt out of a very good mare and who breezed very well yesterday, said Gordon-Watson. He is for a British client and will be trained in Newmarket by Charlie Fellowes.
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The only daughter of Scat Daddy in the catalogue was brought to the ring by Yeomanstown Stud and attracted strong interest from a variety of bidders, finally headed by Godolphin with a closing bid of €360,000. David Loder and Anthony Stroud signed the docket before commentating:
She is by a wonderful sire and they don't make any more of them. She will head home like our other purchases before we finalise training plans.
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A daughter of Arch from a solid American family attracted interest from all around the ring before being knocked down to Jeremy Noseda for €270,000. The Powerstown Stud offering will carry the colours of Paul and Susan Roy, who are familiar with success at Shalfleet Stables, having notably been carried to victory by the great stayer SIXTIES ICON.
Michael Roy inspected the horse with me and he has been bought for his father, said Noseda. He breezed great and we are thrilled to have him.
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Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency was busy buying juveniles to extend Al Shaqab's amunition, and he notably secured a flashy colt by Lope de Vega for €300,000. The Star Bloodstock offering is the second foal out of the Gr.3 Prix d'Aumale SINGLE, who is a half-sister to two Group-winning juveniles in KENYA and ZANTENDA.
He is a gorgeous horse and a great mover, said Watrigant.
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Mocklershill was back at it with a colt by Haras d'Etreham's Wootton Bassett, who went the way of Charles Gordon-Watson for €240,000, having been picked up for €85,000 at the V.2 Yearling Sale.
He is for a Hong Kong owner and will go to Ed Dunlop, explained the agent. He is a great individual by a seriously good stallion, and Willie Browne produces horses so well that it is a pleasure to buy off him.
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Willie Browne's Mocklershill started off the sale on a strong tempo with their first three lots through the ring all commanding six-figure price tags. The dearest of the trio was a colt by the recently deceased Poet's Voice out of a half-sister to he Hungarian sprinting sensation OVERDOSE. Anthony Stroud, bidding alongside David Loder, sealed the deal with a bid of €380,000 and commented:
He is for Godolphin, by one of their stallions who recently died. He did a very good breeze from a good consignor. We will now take him home to the UK and the boss will decide who trains him.
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Tom Ludt and Dermot Farrington were on buying duty for Amer Abdulaziz's Phoenix Bloodstock and spent €320,000 on a colt by the late Scat Daddy from Jim McCartan's Gaybrook Lodge Stud. The colt's dam was a Stakes winner States side and is a half-sister to the Prix Morny winner ELUSIVE CITY.
He is a big nice horse, and obviously this is the last chance to buy the progeny of Scat Daddy. We will take him home before deciding on a trainer.
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Brendan Holland's Grove Stud brought to the ring a handsome filly by Sea The Stars out of a half-sister to Hong Kong superstar PAKISTAN STAR, who won the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes after the catalogue was printed.
Despite being from a family replete with middle to classic distance performers including Deutches Derby scorer NEXT DESERT and Oaks d'Italia heroine NIGHT OF MAGIC, the chesnut turned many heads during her breeze and Jamie McCalmont had to go to €400,000 to have the final say.
She is for [prominent New York owner and fashion magnate] Andrew Rosen, and will go into training with Roger Charlton. Andrew has a similar filly called September Stars who won in the UK and was three from three last season in the States. This filly won't be running in the next couple of months but she is a very nice individual with a strong page. My client also liked the fact that she is inbred to Urban Sea.
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The second lot in the ring, a son of Siyouni offered by Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell's Longways Stables, kicked off the bidding in style when selling to Anthony Stroud for €385,000. The first foal out of the Wertheimer-bred Nayara, the bay hails from the family of TRUMBAKA, RUSSIAN BLUE and SPIRIT OF DUBAI.
He breeze well and I just thought he would be a nice horse to have, said Stroud. My client hasn't decided on a trainer yet.
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