Bloodstock industry digs deep to support charity auction

The bloodstock industry came together to raise a significant sum of money for two pressing global concerns on Tuesday through an online auction of stallion nominations, which was initiated by bloodstock agent Oliver St Lawrence and Stephen Byrne, an equine osteopath.

With the final total still to be tallied, the auction is expected to generate a substantial six-figure sum from the sale of nominations to 79 European stallions and that money will benefit two separate fundraising efforts. 

"We are still working very hard to finalise the details but we are really pleased with the generous bidding throughout the auction," commented St Lawrence. "It has been a lot of work from everyone involved and for this time of year, many of the stallions sold very well."

Originally conceived as a method of raising vital money for the Giving To Ukraine Appeal, a charitable mission that Byrne and others from the racing and equestrian communities established to bring humanitarian aid to displaced people affected by the war in Ukraine, the endeavour was broadened to include the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria earthquake appeal.

Tattersalls Online hosted the auction on their portal with Katherine Sheridan lending her and the team's expertise.

Some of Europe's leading stallion farms supported St Lawrence and Byrne's efforts by donating nominations to their stallions for the auction and that generosity was reciprocated by the many bidders.

Oliver St Lawrence has worked tirelessly to assemble lots for the auctionCredit: Laura Green

While individual prices matter a lot less in this type of auction than in the more usual bloodstock sale, a nomination to Showcasing generated the highest price when it was purchased for £35,000 by Turquoise Bloodstock. The nomination, which is worth £45,000 and was the most expensive item in the catalogue, was donated by Whitsbury Manor Stud, where the sire of four Group 1 winners resides. Showcasing's most recent top-level winner, Belbek, was successful in last season's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

A nomination to Showcasing's young stud mate Sergei Prokofiev was also among the donations and Adrian O'Brien secured the coveted lot at £5,000. 

Coolmore Stud, who auctioned a nomination in Camelot at last week's Arqana February Sale to raise funds for victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, donated breeding rights to two of their up-and-coming sires for this sale.

In conjunction with White Birch Farm, in whose silks he raced, they donated a nomination to Prix de l'Arc and Prix du Jockey Club winner Sottsass and in a wonderfully symmetrical outcome, that was bought for £22,000 by Ecurie Des Monceaux, breeders of the son of Siyouni and Sistercharlie, his seven times Grade 1-winning half-sister.

Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud was the most prolific of the buyers listed, purchasing three nominations including one in Time Test, for £8,500. 

O'Leary's operation also bought Coolmore's nomination to Magna Grecia, the 2,000 Guineas and Vertem Futurity winner who is one of the leading contenders for the first season sire title this year. The operation went to £13,000 for the nomination to the half-brother of world champion St Mark's Basilica, who stands for an advertised fee of €15,000 this year.

Showcasing: a nomination to the Whitsbury Manor sire was the most expensive lot sold in the auctionCredit: Whitsbury Manor Stud

Earlier in the sale, Lynn Lodge went to the same figure to secure a nomination to Kodi Bear, who also has an advertised fee of €15,000. The Group 2 winner and Dewhurst runner-up stands at Rathbarry Stud, who donated the nomination, and is the sire of six stakes winners from his first three crops which were bred from lower fees.

Kodi Bear's own sire Kodiac brought one of the highest bids in the auction, with a nomination to Tally Ho's kingpin making £30,000 to the La Australiana Partnership. The lot was donated by a breeding right holder in the 22-year-old who is the sire of six individual Group 1 winners.

Bloodstock agent and breeder Luke Lillingston secured for £11,500 a nomination to Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man, the son of Deep Impact who stands at Lanwades Stud and awaits his first runners this year. The nomination was donated by the Study Of Man syndicate.

Not all buyers have been identified publicly but of those who were St Simon Bloodstock went to £10,500 for a place in the second book of July Cup winner Starman, who stands at Tally Ho Stud while Stroud Coleman paid £10,000 for a nomination to 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko, who is embarking on his third season at Tweenhills Farm and Stud.

Haras d'la Riviere went to the same figure for the nomination in Haras de Boquetot's Prix Jean Prat winner Zelzal by Sea The Stars, donated by Al Shaqab Racing while Kirtlington Stud's bid of £10,000 secured a nomination to Cheveley Park Stud's Juddmonte International and Eclipse winner Ulysses, which was given to auction by the farm.

Michael Grassick was also among the buyers to purchase multiple lots; he went to £2,000 to secure a nomination to Kuroshio who stands at Starfield Stud, which was donated by Al Rabban Stallions, and a bid of £1,800 gained a nomination to Rathasker Stud's Gregorian, which was donated by Tom Goff.

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