‘You can’t be a stallion mistress!’ - Buckley gets busy with December Foal Sale shift

Few, if any, at Tattersalls were as busy as Sophie Buckley was on Wednesday as the Culworth Grounds frontwoman filled a variety of roles towards the head of the December Foal Sale market. 

Buckley first made her presence felt when outbidding Michael Fitzpatrick at 135,000gns to secure the Sioux Nation half-brother to the Group 3-placed Oneforthegutter who was bred by Michael Wates and sold through Langton Stud. 

“The plan is to bring him back, maybe to Book 1,” said Buckley. “The main thing is that I thought he had a fabulous walk, he’s a good size, by a solid stallion, I just thought he was very athletic, essentially. Sioux Nation has had a good year, his strike rate is good and he’s had around five per cent black type winners to runners, which I like. Hopefully a few of them will go on next year as well.” 

When asked about investing such a hefty sum at a time when the market is softening, Buckley said: “It’s all about having the right horse because the right horse always sells. Whether he turns out to be the next right horse, time will tell. But I think it’s safer to buy these very solid horses - solid sire, solid mare, solid page - and hopefully that will roll into next year.” 

A short while later Buckley turned consignor as Culworth Grounds offered the Havana Grey colt out of Diva D bred by Five Gates Stud Farm. The youngster had an eye-catching update with the mare’s first foal, Showcasing filly Purple Star, opening her account for Jean-Claude Rouget.

That boost in the pedigree helped encourage Jimmy Murphy’s Redpender Stud to bid 85,000gns for the colt, who is from the family of Dream Ahead and Fairyland. 

As well as buying and selling foals, Buckley was also spreading the word about Culworth Grounds’ newest resident, El Caballo. The winner of the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes, who shares his sire, Havana Gold, with Havana Grey was reported to be making himself at home at the Banbury farm, where he will stand at a fee of £6,000. 

“He’s going down very well, which is exciting, and he’s settled in well too,” said Buckley. “He’s going to be showing at Tattersalls during the Mares Sale. He’ll be at Crockfords Stud on Sunday through to Wednesday. I hope he’ll appeal to everybody because he’s a good size, has plenty of substance but he’s not too big, not too small, not too light and not too heavy. Hopefully he’ll suit lots of mares.”

Buckley added: “I’d always thought about standing a stallion but the right opportunity had to come up, and I felt like he was the right opportunity and the right horse to start with. We’re selling breeding rights and they’re going well so it’s very exciting.” 

The new venture has posed one head-scratcher, however, and that is what title Buckley should take now that she is standing her first stallion. “Somebody told me that apparently I’m still a stallion master because you can’t be a stallion mistress!” she said.

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