Lamont returns to La Teste Yearling Sale in search of another star

The Osarus La Teste Yearling Sale has been a happy hunting ground for breeze-up consignors in the past so it was no surprise that some of the leading practitioners of the art were in action in the French sunshine on Tuesday.

However it was Trotting Bloodstock which landed the biggest catch of the day on the French Atlantic coast, going to €45,000 for a daughter of Haras du Quesnay's Prix du Jockey Club winner Intello.

Consigned by Elevage de la Seguegne, the chestnut is a half-sister to Villa Anabaa, a winning daughter of Anabaa Blue, and is a granddaughter of the multiple black type winner Ethelinda by Indian Ridge.

A trio of yearlings by Haras de Grandcamp's Dabirsim were the only other horses to make at least €30,000.

Christophe Escuder went to €35,000 for Haras du Buff's granddaughter of the Group 3 May Hill Stakes second Everlasting Love, whose family traces back to the outstanding mare Dahlia.

La Motteraye Consignment sold the most expensive colt of the day, a son of the Listed Prix d'Automne winner and Group 3 Prix Fille de l'Air second Glowing Cloud, by Dylan Thomas. Bought for €30,000 by Damien de Watrigant, he is a full-brother to the dual winner Gilyana.

The same consignor also sold a Dabirsim filly, the first foal of the Group 2 Premio Lydia Tesio second Moonoon by Sea The Moon, for €31,000 to Code Agency 73.

Con Marnane unearthed the Group 1 Qipco British Champions' Sprint winner Sands Of Mali at this sale six years ago and the Bansha House Stables team was in action once more on Tuesday, signing for seven yearlings at a total cost of €68,000.

His most expensive acquisition at €19,000 shares his sire Panis with Sands Of Mali. The colt was consigned by Haras des Faunes, where the Miswaki stallion resides, and is out of Enough Paint, a daughter of New Approach who was successful as a juvenile.

Amongst the most active purchasers on Tuesday was Craig Lamont of the eponymous Lamont Racing. The Scottish syndicator bought four horses for a total €49,000, headed by a colt from the first crop of Listed winner and Group 2-placed Master's Spirit. The son of Mastrcraftsman stands at Haras de Mont Goubert.

Speaking on the France Sire livestream of the sale, Lamont revealed why he was so keen to return to La Teste to restock on yearlings.

"I bought Maifalki here in 2014 for just €11,000 and he won a Listed race at Craon for us four years ago. He's by Falco and is still racing and winning, Lucinda Russell trains him for us now and he won a handicap hurdle at Perth last month on his latest run," he said.

At €22,000 the grey colt cost double what Maifalki set Lamont back and was the most expensive of the quartet of horses he picked up at Osarus on Tuesday.

"He's a grey horse and I love a grey, his dam was a really good mare - she was a Group 1 winner at two and was third in the Prix de Diane. Maifalki brought us to Dubai and hopefully this horse will bring us as much fun as he has done," Lamont added.

The sale was slimmed down to just a single day for 2022 but managed to record an improved clearance rate and median from those of 2021.

A total of 88 of the 131 yearlings offered were sold for a clearance rate of 67 per cent. That yielded turnover of €947,500 which was down from last year's figure of €1,732,000 but that came from almost double the number of horses sold.

Tuesday's median of €10,000 grew 11 per cent year-on-year while the average showed a negligible dip of one per cent to €11,467.

Read more

Corniche to stand at Coolmore's Ashford Stud for 2023

'There was a notable hunger' - Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale key talking points (£)

James Thomas's Doncaster diary (£)

'I'm overwhelmed' - £230,000 Night Of Thunder colt tops day one in Doncaster