Torquator Tasso’s promising start the talk of BBAG as Baden-Baden becomes the centre of the breeding world

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The small, sleepy village of Iffezheim on the edge of the Black Forest in Germany is set to be descended upon by hundreds of racing and bloodstock industry members from across Europe and even further afield on Thursday, as it provides the picturesque setting for the BBAG Yearling Sale, which takes place from 10am local time (9am BST) on Friday.

The grounds were a comparative haven of tranquillity on Wednesday, which might have been considered alarming when the auction was only 48 hours away, were it not for the fact that a change in the schedule of the “Grosse Woche” festival at the adjacent Baden-Baden racecourse meant that there was no racing that day, and so many domestic trainers had returned home to check on their charges ahead of the weekend’s big races.

Furthermore, a large number of international visitors were not due to arrive in Germany until Thursday, after the conclusion of the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale in Newmarket.

“It’s going to be chaotic on Thursday,” said one vendor with their head in their hands. “Hopefully next year it can be organised so that more buyers are here to inspect on the Wednesday too.”

Jeremy Brummitt – the Kaiser of advisers when it comes to German yearling sales, having bought top-notchers Tamfana and Lazy Griff from them – has been in town since Monday and was at least enjoying the chance to view the lots at his own pace and in peace.

“Everyone is coming,” said BBAG managing director Klaus Eulenberger, as he co-ordinated Thursday’s arrivals into local airports and train stations across three computer screens in his office like a scene in Minority Report. “All the German trainers and owners will be here – they’re very enthusiastic about buying yearlings – and syndicates are working well in Germany now.

“We’ve also had a lot of interest from international buyers. We’ll have representatives of Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte here, along with many other horsepeople from Britain, Ireland, France, Italy and central and eastern Europe.

“Pierre Gasnier from the Aga Khan Studs has made his first visit to Germany, let alone BBAG, so we were particularly pleased to welcome him, and Tony Fry from Sumbe will also be making his debut appearance here. We also have quite a few people returning after a long absence, including Anthony Bromley and his team.”

Jeremy Brummitt has enjoyed enormous success sourcing yearlings at BBAGCredit: Laura Green

Visitors to BBAG will be greeted by a catalogue comprising 227 lots. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso, a precious son of Germany’s late champion sire Adlerflug, is the most represented stallion in the book, with 23 of his second-crop yearlings on offer before withdrawals.

Being a later-developing middle-distance specialist based in Germany, where few two-year-old races take place before the summer, Torquator Tasso was always highly unlikely to throw a first-crop Group winner in time to boost his next generation at the sales.

However, he has at least shown distinct promise, by delivering his first three winners in recent weeks – Laveran at home in Munich, Nakila Sun in Britain and Otonosama in France.

“Three winners in three different countries: what more could you ask for at this stage?” enthused Eulenberger. “Laveran looks high-class and he beat into second a Torquator Tasso filly from Gestut Rottgen called Westana, who ran an excellent race in defeat and will, I think, be very good when she goes up in trip. 

“Nakila Sun also looked exciting when he won by a wide margin at Windsor for Andrew Balding the other day. He was bought here last year by Richard Venn for just €8,000.”

It is precisely that sort of outstanding value for progressive horses that keeps people coming back to BBAG.

Torquator Tasso himself was recently purchased outright by this sale’s perennial leading vendor Gestut Brummerhof in an important deal that guarantees the stallion’s future in Germany.

Torquator Tasso is the most represented stallion in the catalogue with 23 of his second-crop yearlings on offer Credit: Frank Sorge

“His racing owners are both quite old, over 80, and there was the risk that he might one day be sold abroad, so we had to save him for German breeders and the German bloodstock industry,” said Gregor Baum, who runs the operation in north Germany with his wife Julia. 

“It’s so important that he stays here. This was one deal that wasn’t about the money. If it was, I’d simply sell him abroad for profit now. 

"Germany has had plenty of sires who have got Group 1 winners in recent times but only three who had international cachet and brought people to Germany to buy their stock. They were Monsun, Adlerflug and Soldier Hollow, and they are all gone.

“We have to find something new, and quickly. Torquator Tasso might just be the last chance for German bloodstock.”

Julia added: “Torquator Tasso’s three recent winners before the sale have been a gift. It has given us confidence that we’ve done the right thing. He produces good stock – he puts in more quality than his sire Adlerflug did – and the trainers genuinely seem to like the two-year-olds."

The 11-strong Brummerhof draft contains three lots by Torquator Tasso as well as progeny of major sires Ace Impact, Blue Point, Sea The Stars, Too Darn Hot and Zarak – not to mention a daughter of Siyouni and German 1,000 Guineas heroine Novemba, making her a half-sister to the Sea The Stars filly who topped last year’s renewal when sold to Godolphin for €750,000. She is widely expected to play a leading role in Friday's sale.

Another clear standout on pedigree in this year's BBAG Yearling Sale catalogue is Gestut Rottgen’s Frankel half-brother to four Group winners – namely German Derby heroes Windstoss and Weltstar and Group 3 scorers Weltbeste and Well Disposed.

“He’s a very special horse with a stallion's pedigree,” said Rottgen manager Frank Dorff. “He’s developed well in recent months, and made into a striking individual. He wouldn’t have looked out of place in any premier yearling sale in the world, but we're a German farm and people come here to buy German bloodstock, so this was the right place for him.

“His dam Wellenspiel is our own personal blue-hen mare: she just produces extremely tough, honest and high-class horses. Her daughters are breeding well, too. We sold a Kingman filly out of Well Disposed to Godolphin for 625,000gns last year, and they are apparently very happy with her, and Weltbeste is in foal for the first time to Kingman.”

Lot 161: the Siyouni half-sister to last year's €750,000 top-seller is expected to be popularCredit: BBAG

Rottgen – based in Cologne and founded by the Mulhens family, which gave the world the famous 4711 eau de cologne – is set to offer 14 lots in total in Iffezheim on Friday, with progeny of Nathaniel, Sea The Stars and Study Of Man also included in the consignment.

The second-largest draft at BBAG this week, behind only Gestut Westerberg, comes from Hetty Spencer, who was set to oversee the sale of 17 lots before withdrawals. 

It has been a remarkable rise for the British-born, Irish-based horsewoman, as she made her debut here just two years ago with only two yearlings – one of whom turned out to be this summer’s German Derby runner-up Chiefland, a Study Of Man colt who was sold on behalf of his breeder Stephen Lanigan O’Keeffe.

“It’s grown very quickly,” acknowledged Spencer. “But I made a concerted effort to drum up business in the winter and Chiefland’s success over the past year has encouraged a few more people in Ireland to think that selling the right sort of horse in Germany might not be a bad idea. 

“Chiefland has definitely put me on the map. It doesn't get much better than selling a runner-up in the German Derby.

“I’ve also got to thank Klaus Eulenberger and Michael Andree for supporting me as they’ve put me in touch with a few German breeders who needed consignment services.”

Spencer is a walking advertisement for German bloodstock and not just because she is selling plenty of horses with a GER suffix this week. She and her partner JD Moore have also been busy investing in mares from the land of later-maturing, stronger-staying stock.

“I wish more people would cotton on to German horses – they’re just so sound, they train on and they practically last forever,” she said. “Happily, I spoke to a lot of people in Doncaster last week who said they were coming to this sale, some of whom haven’t been here for a long time. 

Hetty Spencer: 'I wish more people would cotton on to German horses – they’re just so sound'Credit: Alisha Meeder

“There’s just a good vibe generally about this sale and I think people will be pleased with what they see here. I arrived on Sunday so I’ve managed to get around and see quite a few horses, and it’s the strongest bunch of physicals I’ve seen since I’ve been coming.”

New arrivals in Baden-Baden on Thursday are advised to bring a hat, shades and sun lotion, as the recent European-wide heatwave has not yet abated in this part of Germany.

Heavy rain apparently fell on the sales complex for several days last week, which revived the well-manicured lawns a little, but not enough to hide some scorch-marks caused by the intense temperatures felt across the continent since May. The mercury is set to hit 31 again on Friday.

A trip to the Brummerhof hospitality box is therefore also recommended, as it is serving a spectacularly refreshing soft-whip with a range of toppings that would put an ice cream parlour to shame.

BBAG September Yearling Sale Factfile

Where BBAG sales complex, Baden-Baden

When Selling begins on Friday at 10am local time (9am BST)

Last year’s stats From 198 lots offered, 153 sold for a clearance rate of 77 per cent, turnover of €8,548,100 (up 15 per cent), an average price of €55,870 (up 16 per cent) and a median of €56,070 (up 16 per cent) 

Notable graduates Gaelic Warrior (sold by Gestut Fahrhof, bought by PB Bloodstock for €9,000); Lazy Griff (sold by Gestut Westerberg, bought by Jeremy Brummitt for €75,000); Palladium (sold by Gestut Fahrhof, bought by Liberty Racing for €80,000); Tamfana (sold by Gestut Etzean, bought by Jeremy Brummitt for €20,000); Chiefland (sold by Spencer Sales, bought by Liberty Racing 2024 for €50,000)

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