Alcohol Free to race on in Australia after bringing 5,400,000gns at Tattersalls

Ever since the catalogue for the Tattersalls December Mares Sale was released, those in the orbit of the bloodstock world have been asking the same two questions: how much will Alcohol Free make and who will buy her?

Shortly before 6pm on Tuesday during the second Sceptre Session the answer was revealed when Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, sitting beside Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments, bid 5,400,000gns in front of an awe-struck Park Paddocks auditorium.

Coolmore’s MV Magnier, standing among the crowd in the packed gangway, filled the role of underbidder as the daughter of No Nay Never became the second-most expensive thoroughbred ever sold at auction in Europe.

It had been widely expected that Alcohol Free would be bought with a breeding career in mind, but the purchaser revealed ambitious plans to continue racing the filly before she heads to the paddocks.

“She’s been bought for a partnership and she’s going to race on in Australia,” said Donohoe. “She vetted extremely well for a filly who has plenty of miles on the clock, her reports were exemplary. The partners already have horses in training and breeding interests in Australia and obviously she’ll make a fantastic broodmare at the end of her racing career.

“I think there’s 87 races in Australia worth a million-plus, so the prize-money on offer there is big, and she’s that type of filly. She’s won the July Cup over six furlongs, then she stays a mile too, so there’ll be a lot of options for her. Fair play to Andrew Balding and the guys, they did a great job with her.”

Donohoe also indicated that Alcohol Free would likely be covered by Frankel following a southern hemisphere campaign.

On her seven-figure value, Donohoe added: “It’s impossible to value those blue chip fillies off the track, they’re collector’s items because they don’t come on the market very often. They’re like Picassos, they’re a rare commodity. I had a figure in my head and I was bidding pretty strong, so that might’ve indicated I had some petrol left in the tank!”

Alcohol Free ran 15 times for trainer Andrew Balding and Jeff Smith, winning six races and four Group 1s. Her top-level spree began at two when she landed the Cheveley Park Stakes before she returned at three to annex the Coronation Stakes, in which she defeated Snow Lantern, and then the Sussex Stakes when she had Poetic Flare a length and three-quarters in arrears.

She was dropped back to sprint trips during her four-year-old campaign and rewarded connections’ boldness by winning the July Cup by a length and a half from Naval Crown. That career-best effort earned her a peak official rating of 119, an identical mark to Marsha, who retains the title of the most expensive thoroughbred sold in Europe having cost Coolmore’s MV Magnier 6,000,000gns at the December Sales of 2017.

“It’s time for someone else to have a go with her and she’ll make a nice foundation broodmare,” said David Bowe, stud manager to the filly’s former owner.

“It’s a time thing; if it were five years earlier she would’ve never come to the ring and we’d have bred from her ourselves, but it’s the end of a wonderful journey. I can't thank everybody enough, from the Gaffneys who bred her, everyone at Park House Stables, the lads at home on the farm and everyone who's ever ridden her, it’s been just magnificent.

Alcohol Free made her second appearance at public auction far more fruitful than her first, as she was bought as a ten-month old foal by Bowe for €40,000 at Goffs in 2018.

On the experience of seeing Alcohol Free sell, Bowe said: “It was absolutely extraordinary. It was emotional from the point of view that I can’t quite believe it. It just goes to show that everybody on the sales ground, whatever sales ground, is trying to do the same thing. And sometimes it happens, and when it happens to the likes of us it’s absolutely extraordinary. It goes to show, if you keep plugging away it can happen.

“Jeff is not here, he would like to be, but it’s all down to him, he’s who let us go ahead and buy her [as foal] and then let Andrew Balding train her. Jeff was watching online but he said himself, him being here wasn’t going to make a difference to her price. It’s been a beautiful end of our chapter and I hope she goes on to be a wonderful foundation broodmare.”

Alcohol Free and groom Rachel Davies pictured earlier in the day at TattersallsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Bred by Churchtown House Stud, Alcohol Free is the fourth foal out of the Hard Spun mare Plying, who topped last year’s Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale when bought by BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments for €825,000. Plying has bred four winners, with Alcohol Free her second black-type performer after the Listed Prix le Fabuleux scorer Alexander James.

Plying, who won three races in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, is a half-sister to Flying Childers Stakes winner Kissing Lights. She left the Darley fold for just €12,000 at Arqana in 2013 when signed for by BBA Ireland.

Alcohol Free was one of 11 millionaire lots sold during a session that generated turnover of 54,005,000gns, making it the highest-grossing day in European sales history. The previous record had been set just last month when day two of Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale witnessed aggregate sales of 49,545,000gns.

Not only was turnover a record, but it rose by 29 per cent year on year. Fueled by the giddy highs of the Sceptre Session, the average rocketed by 50 per cent to 281,276gns, while the median was up by seven per cent at 112,500gns. The clearance rate was 83 per cent as 192 fillies and mares found a buyer from 232 offered.

Saffron Beach heading to Saudi Cup after selling for 3,600,000gns at Tattersalls

Tranquil Lady joins Godolphin at 2,700,000gns

The third top-lot joins the Godolphin fold after Anthony Stroud went to 2,700,000gns for Tranquil Lady, who was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of owner Teme Valley Racing.

The three-year-old filly makes plenty of attraction on pedigree as an Australia half-sister to globetrotting Group/Grade 1 hero State Of Rest, who joins the Rathbarry Stud roster in 2023, and she enhanced her appeal with a significant racing update having won her second Group 3, the Prix de Flore, on her latest outing.

“I thought she was a very nice filly and Joseph O’Brien really recommended her, and he’s done a great job with her,” said Stroud. “Physically, she’s a very nice model and you can go two ways: we could keep her in training or she could retire. The decision will be made in due course. There’s plenty going on in the family and it’s a family that seems to improve.”

The filly ran nine times for O’Brien, with her other victories coming in the Blue Wind Stakes and a Galway maiden. She was added to the Teme Valley string when Richard Ryan signed for the Tinnakill House-bred youngster at the 2020 Goffs Orby Sale at a cost of £160,000.

Reflecting on the transaction, Ryan said: “It was a bittersweet situation really. It’s so hard to acquire something at this level, with these credentials - that clean, that sound, and her best year is next year - but we knew there was an incredible desire at this moment and you don’t know how long those windows stay open. We were pretty brave for quite a long way ourselves to make sure she wasn’t going to be undersold, and Joseph had a team very keen to try to retain her, but this is a fabulous result. There’s a lot more to come from her.”

O’Brien also had a hand in another of the session’s seven-figure lots, the 1,250,000gns Jumbly, but this time his role was as buyer as his name appeared alongside MV Magnier on the docket of the Barton Sales-consigned three-year-old.

The Emily Rothschild-bred filly acquired plenty of smart form during her time in training with Harry and Roger Charlton, with her four wins including victory in the Group 3 Valiant Stakes and an impressive success in the Listed Radley Stakes. The daughter of Gleneagles was also beaten just two and a quarter lengths into eighth in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

She is the fourth foal out of the Selkirk mare Thistle Bird, who rounded out her own racing career with a win in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes. Jumbly is a sibling to four winners, most notably her two-year-old half-brother Epictetus, who was last seen finishing runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.

O’Brien said: “She’ll race on next year. She’s a beautiful filly and we’ve been very lucky with the sire. Her sibling looks like he’s a very good horse and we’re hoping that she’ll progress like most of her family have done to date. She’s an exciting filly for next year.”

Ville De Grace upholds family honour

Archangel Gabriel brought the leading price during the opening Sceptre Session when Hunscote Stud went to 800,000gns to buy out their partners in the high-class producer. On Tuesday her daughter Ville De Grace brought more than double that sum when knocked down to the Harris family of Lordship Stud, who signed as One Agency at 2,000,000gns.

The Norris Bloodstock-consigned four-year-old won three of her 11 starts for Sir Michael Stoute and the partnership of Chris Humber And Hunscote Stud, with her CV headed by her half-length success in the Group 3 Pride Stakes.

“It's an amazing feeling,” said Andy Lloyd of Hunscote Stud. “She’s a filly that we’ve absolutely loved since day one, she had her little quirks on the course this year and her biggest setback was when she didn't go in the stalls in Deauville [in the Group1 Prix Jean Romanet] because she would’ve had a big chance that day.

Trevor Harris, the head of Lordship Stud, acquired Ville De GraceCredit: Laura Green

“Everybody has done a great job with her and Sir Michael has trained her beautifully. We have all contributed; Chris Humber and Steven Smith of Hunscote Stud, we’ve minded this horse and we knew that she was good from the start, but we never thought she would make two million this evening.”

He added: “We bought back the mum last night and perhaps that was a good buy now! Mum is in foal to a nice stallion [St Mark’s Basilica] and it’s always sad to see a horse like this go, but it’s a lot of money and it was the right thing to do. I’m sure she will be a fantastic broodmare for Lordship Stud.”

Magnier moves for Desert Crown's dam at 1,900,000gns

Strawberry Fields Stud’s remarkable journey with Desert Berry came to a close when the dam of this year’s unbeaten Derby hero Desert Crown was bought by Coolmore’s MV Magnier for 1,900,000gns. She was offered in foal to Nathaniel, meaning she is carrying a full-sibling to the Epsom winner.

“From our point of view the Derby is everything,” said Magnier. “It’s the most important stallion-making race and it’s the holy grail of racing really. She’s bred a Derby winner and she’s carrying a full sibling to a Derby winner so she’s a good mare. There’s a lot things we can do with her, she can go to any of the sons of Galileo, there’s plenty of options there like Churchill and Australia. It’ll be something along those lines.”

Magnier added: “I heard yesterday that Desert Crown is back in training and will run next year, so hopefully he can improve the situation too.”

The 13-year-old daughter of Green Desert has enjoyed a remarkable journey of her own, having once run loose through the centre of Newmarket before crashing into the window of a Turkish restaurant during her time in training with Chris Wall.

While she overcame that incident to win a Lingfield maiden in the colours of Basil White, a close friend of Strawberry Fields’ owner Gary Robinson, it is since being retired to the paddocks of the Teversham-based nursery that Desert Berry has really flourished.

Her five successful sons and daughters have all won multiple races, including Flying Thunder, who struck as Archie McKeller while trained by Ralph Beckett before switching to Hong Kong where he won the Group 3 Premier Cup.

“Job done,” said Robinson. “It’s definitely a problem, losing a mare like that but we’ve got all the family behind her. It’s like being with a beautiful woman - they leave you, but she’s left me with her children! Everybody’s done well out of her, she’s done well for us and given us a name.

"I’ve got the brother [to Desert Crown] at home and the important thing is to create those family lines. He’s spot on and is exactly the same as Desert Crown. She’s a good mare and she teaches her offspring because she’s got that character, she’s an individual. She’ll have a great life now as she’s gone to a proper place.”

Robinson added: “I did tell everybody that I’d breed the Derby winner and they didn’t listen!”

The breeder still has plenty of the family among the Strawberry Fields fold, including an unraced two-year-old filly by Al Kazeem, a yearling colt by Study Of Man and a brother to Desert Crown who was born on April 15 earlier this year.

Yoshida collects The Platinum Queen

Prix de l'Abbaye heroine The Platinum Queen became the first Group 1-winning two-year-old filly to be offered at public auction this century and the daughter of Cotai Glory brought a bid of 1,200,000gns from representatives of Katsumi Yoshida when presented by Musley Bank Stables.

“We haven’t decided yet, but there is a possibility that she will race on,” said Northern Farm's Shingo Hashimoto. “She can’t race in Japan so if she’s going to race she’ll stay in Europe. She’s a good horse, she’s a fast horse and her results are very good. She’s one of the best two-year-olds in the world so she’s very attractive. With her speed she might suit a stallion like Lord Kanaloa.”

The filly first appeared in the Park Paddocks ring just seven months ago when Tally-Ho Stud offered her at the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale, where Richard Fahey and Middleham Park Racing signed the ticket at 57,000gns. She went on to win four of her eight starts and also ran second to Highfield Princess in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

She is the second foal out of Thrilled, a Tally-Ho bred daughter of Kodiac who was sold to the Niarchos Family’s Flaxman Stables Ireland for 460,000gns at Book 1 in 2014. The dam failed to cut much ice during her time in training with David Lanigan and was reoffered at the Goffs November Sale in 2016, where the O’Callaghan family bought her back for just €15,000.

Thrilled is a half-sister to the smart The Gold Cheongsam, while the page goes back to Jeff Smith-owned celebrities like Barshiba and the Juddmonte International heroine Arabian Queen.

Gan Teorainn begins seven-figure frenzy

The sales-topping Alcohol Free was far from Donohoe’s only purchase during a breathless session as he also landed the first lot to head into seven-figure territory, the two-year-old Gan Teorainn, at 1,000,000gns.

The daughter of Saxon Warrior won one of her seven starts for Jim Bolger and Ennistown Stud but a significant chunk of her appeal hung on her second-place finish behind Blue Rose Cen in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

The filly was offered by Bolger’s granddaughter Clare Manning through her Boherguy Stud. The consignor reflected on the transaction by saying: “It’s absolutely unbelievable. She came here and did everything right. She’s a Classic prospect for next year and then there’s her broodmare potential. I wasn’t surprised but at the same time, you don’t know whether it will all come together on the day.

“It did and it’s just brilliant, and best of luck to Mr Zhang. He’s been a big supporter all year and many thanks to Ennistown Stud for entrusting her to me. She has loads of scope and loads of size. When you see her, she looks like a three-year-old so what she did at two is all the more impressive.”

Gan Teorainn is a sibling to nine winners, three of whom have black type, namely the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes scorer Puncher Clynch, Fred Darling Stakes runner-up Jellicle Ball and the Listed-placed Aquilla. Her page goes back to third dam Sarah Siddons, winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Yorkshire Oaks.

While the anticipated headline act from Paddy Twomey’s Athassel House Stud draft, the Group 1-winning Pearls Galore, was retained by Haras de Saint Pair at 2,100,000gns, the consignment produced two seven-figure lots in the shape of La Petite Coco and Rosscarbery, who brought 1,000,000gns apiece.

The former, winner of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, was knocked down to Hugo Merry, who signed the ticket on behalf of the Wertheimer brothers. The latter, whose Group 3 victories came in the Munster Oaks and Stanerra Stakes, went the way of Charlie Gordon-Watson.

More sales news:

Archangel Gabriel brings 800,000gns as Rothschild mares in high demand

'He was a very special horse' - Shadwell move for 110,000gns Mohaather colt

Chaldean's half-sister creates a 1,000,000gns spectacle at Tattersalls