Big Brothers Pride best of the rest as 35 million gns traded during frenetic day

As is so often the case during the headline session of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, huge sums were spent with rare gusto on Tuesday as 183 lots changed hands for turnover of 35,759,500gns.

Despite the frenetic levels of trade, and with catalogues open to variances in quality, the session failed to keep pace with the exceptional highs set 12 months ago, as the aggregate dipped by 16 per cent. The average was also down by ten per cent to 195,405gns and the median slid by 18 per cent to 90,000gns.

The December Mare Sale catalogue boasted a strong selection of wildcard entries, including Sands Of Mali, whose sale to the Cool Silk Partnership for 600,000gns provided a dramatic ending to day one.

Another was this year's Group 3 Prix Sigy winner Big Brothers Pride, who was knocked down to BBA Ireland's Eamonn Reilly at 975,000gns mid-way through Tuesday.

Eamonn Reilly: 'This family doesn't come on to the market very often'Credit: Laura Green

The three-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit is a sibling to four winners, most notably the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream and the Listed-winning Evaporation, while she is also out of another Listed scorer in Polygreen. Plans now call for the filly to begin her second career on the other side of the Atlantic.

"She's for an American syndicate," said Reilly. "She's very good looking. I don't think she'll race on, she'll probably head over there for breeding. The clients want to get into a good family - this family doesn't come on to the market very often and it's becoming harder to get into bloodlines like these. It's a great family."

Offered by Tweenhills on behalf of Kin Hung Kei and Qatar Racing, Big Brothers Pride had appreciated markedly in value since her last appearance at public auction, when David Redvers and Meridian International's Ghislain Bozo secured her at €400,000.

Old Mill on a spree

Rob Speers and owner Ibrahim Araci were active on many of the day's more sought after offerings, and walked away with four lots secured for a total of 2,167,000gns. The Turkish owner has recently purchased Old Mill Stud in Chippenham, which was listed on the Windsor Clive International website with a guide price of £1.8 million.

Heading the list of acquisitions was Guerriere, a Listed-placed daughter of Invincible Spirit bought for 825,000gns when offered by European Sales Management. The five-year-old, a sibling to the Group 3 Prix d'Aumale winner Soustraction and the Listed scorer Matematica, was sold carrying to Lope De Vega.

"We've taken time with the stud," said Araci's daughter Pinar. "We left it for nine months, did some renovations and gave the paddocks a rest. The horses moved in about a month ago. We've tried on a few here - we were underbidders on Thistle Bird yesterday - but managed to get three today."

Speers and Araci also went to 700,000gns for Butterscotch, a Group 3-placed Galileo half-sister to Coach House in foal to Justify, and 600,000gns for Predawn, a placed Fastnet Rock sister to Oaks heroine Qualify, who was offered in foal to No Nay Never.

View full Tattersalls December Mare Sale results and stats

Speers added: "Mr Araci is trying to build his portfolio of horses and we've bought what I hope are three young fantastic mares from wonderful families. Two are stakes horses and the other is a sister to an Oaks winner. And they're in foal to exciting stallions.

"Guerriere is a half-sister to two Group 1 fillies in Soustraction and Matematica and she herself was Listed-placed. Their dam has only had three runners so is three from three and she goes back to Green Valley, one of the best families out there.

"We also bought Butterscotch. She was very good herself, her brother Tiger Moth ran third in a Curragh maiden and looks like he'll improve and there are fillies producing throughout the page. And she's in foal to Justify.

"The other mare, Predawn, is a full-sister to Qualify, who has two Dubawis and a Shamardal coming through. Again, it's a very strong family and she came with a good cover in No Nay Never."

A Shambolic sale

One of the most highly touted broodmare prospects in this year's catalogue was Shambolic, a Listed-placed daughter of Shamardal bred and raced by the Duke of Devonshire and the late Duke of Roxburghe, who died in August aged 64.

Consigned by Highclere, the three-year-old is out of the Be My Chief mare Comic, whose nine winners include two-time Hong Kong Group 1 hero Viva Pataca and the Grade 1 Diana Stakes scorer Laughing.

After a host of interested parties played their hands, it was Gary Hadden, acting on behalf of Craig Bennett, who won out at 800,000gns.

"She's for Craig Bennett's Merry Fox Stud," said Hadden, "This was the only mare we were interested in - she's a stakes-performing daughter of Shamardal and there will not be many of those available in the future.

"Her purchase was a no-brainer; she's a half-sister to two Group 1 winners and she's a beautiful model. We have no plans as yet with regards stallions but she will be open to many options. Hopefully, we can continue with the pedigree."

The 800,000gns mark was reached a further two times during the session. It was Kern/Lillingston Association who secured the Listed-winning Onthemoonagain, while Reilly McDonald's Eaton Bloodstock landed the Listed-winning Easter from the Norelands Stud draft.

McDonald also signed for Snowy Winter, the rags-to-riches daughter of Elusive Quality who brought 725,000gns, having been bought by Boadicea Bloodstock for a mere €7,500 at Goffs in February 2017.

Snowy Winter ran 28 times for Archie Watson, winning six races, including a Gowran Listed event. She also gained a Group 1 placing when third in the Premio Lydia Tesio on her final outing.

"They're for Athens Woods Farm in Kentucky," said McDonald. "We're putting together a bunch of US- and European-bred mares. The yearlings will be bred for resale, they could be sold in the US or Europe, plans will be wide open. I used to say that every yearling had a sale in the US - I think that now every yearling has a sale internationally."

Of Easter, McDonald added: "She's by Galileo and I want to get as many mares by Galileo as I can."

Treve sister heads to Hillwood

Terre, the winning full-sister to dual Arc heroine Treve, is heading to Marlborough after Hillwood Stud's Charlie Vigors went to 680,000gns to secure the daughter of Motivator. He said: "She's been bought for an existing client who's looking to upgrade their stock - they've bought some very nice mares in the last few years. She'll be boarding with us and the progeny will be coming back for resale."

Terre was offered by the Head family's Haras du Quesnay in foal to Siyouni. Her illustrious sibling produced a filly by the same sire earlier this year and also has a two-year-old colt by Dubawi, named Qous, and a yearling filly by Shalaa, named Paris.

Vigors continued: "Obviously she's an own sister to one of the best mares we've seen in recent years and she was very attractively covered as well. It's a young and happening family and, as we all know, the Heads are fantastic breeders.

"What's on the page will stay there and what's to come is very exciting. We haven't thought as far ahead as a mating for next year but you can rest assured she'll be well covered - we've got lots of options."

Criquette Head-Maarek was quick to thank Vigors for his purchase, and she added: "We've got a lot of this family, including another sister who was born this year and Toride, who's breeding very nice foals. If you want to keep the show on the road you need to make a little money!"

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