'She might be half price' - Hughes gives 160,000gns for Somerville Sale top lot

The yearling market bull run that began in Deauville, rattled through Doncaster and then Baden-Baden continued its momentum in Newmarket on Tuesday at a strong second edition of the Tattersalls Somerville Sale.

A lively day of trading was capped by the sale of a well-related Zoustar filly who went the way of Richard Hughes at 160,000gns, with the winning hand delivered from the back of the bustling bidders’ area opposite the rostrum. Hidden behind the partition to the auctioneer’s left was Louis Baudron, who filled the role of underbidder.

The filly was bred and sold by Plantation Stud, who failed to sell the youngster at last year’s December Foal Sale at just 18,000gns. However, she had plainly matured plenty in the intervening months, while her half-brother, Unanimous Consent, helped the page by winning the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct.

Hughes was hoping for further updates too as the Chad Brown-trained Unanimous Consent, a 150,000gns Book 1 buy, was set to contest the Grade 3 New Kent County Virginia Derby later on Tuesday.

“I loved her every time I saw her,” said Hughes. “She’s going to take a bit of time but we’ll see how the brother gets on tonight. If he wins she might be half price. I’d say he’s a 115 [rated] horse. She’s a very nice, clean filly with good movement. I haven’t had any by Zoustar before but he’s doing okay. She’ll go to Tony McCoy to be broken in, they don’t mess with him!”

Richard Hughes: 'I loved her every time I saw her'Credit: Laura Green

Hughes said he couldn’t name his client, but said with a smile “He’s a good one!”

The dam Fast Lily, who joined the Plantation broodmare band at a cost of €130,000 through Mags O’Toole, is a Fastnet Rock half-sister to Group 2 Lowther Stakes winner Silk Blossom and the dual Group 3 scorer Mashoora, both of whom are by Barathea.

Tweenhills’ Zoustar has sired eight European winners in his debut northern hemisphere crop, headed by the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes victress Lezoo.

The sale of the 160,000gns Zoustar filly was not the only good result the Plantation Stud team enjoyed at the Somerville Sale, as the operation also saw Archie Watson, bidding with Oliver St Lawrence from down the stairwell opposite the rostrum, go to 120,000gns for the Shalaa colt out of Dream Dana.

The youngster is a sibling to two 95-rated performers in Dynamic Force and Operatic and is set to sport the colours of Victorious Racing, which rose to prominence with the Coventry Stakes success of the Watson-trained Bradsell.

Archie Watson all smiles after bidding on the 120,000gns Shalaa coltCredit: Laura Green

“He’s a lovely big colt who stood out to us from the beginning,” said St Lawrence after signing the docket. “He appeared on a couple of trainers’ lists, including Archie’s, and he’s done okay for us this year with a Coventry winner! That price was at the top end of what we thought he was going to make but he’s a lovely horse.”

Dream Dana has bred two winners from as many runners and is out of Lidanna, who landed the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes during her time on the track. Lidanna bred eight winners, headed by City of York Stakes scorer Yaa Wayl, while another of her offspring is the Listed-placed Lidanski, who is better known as the dam of Prix de l'Abbaye heroine Wizz Kid.

Watson also provided an update on Bradsell, saying: “He’s okay, he’s still in his rehab but will be back in full training in the winter. We’ll go to a Commonwealth Cup trial and then the Commonwealth Cup, all being well,” before St Lawrence added: “And then conquer the world from there!”

James Berney: 'Today’s been a great day at the office'Credit: Laura Green

Like the Zoustar filly, the Shalaa colt was offered at the December Foal Sale but was retained at 20,000gns. Reflecting on a productive day at the sales, Plantation stud manager James Berney said: “They’re two very nice horses and the idea with both of them was that they’d stand out, but those prices exceeded our expectations.

“We knew the Shalaa colt was very nice and the Zoustar filly has been very popular up here, everyone who saw her loved her and she showed herself off. She has improved greatly through the year and her brother's form has helped as well. Both of them are homebred and were offered here as foals and we didn’t sell them but today’s been a great day at the office.”

St Lawrence finished the sale as the leading purchaser with five lots secured for an outlay of 364,000gns.

There was an unmissable level of competition on the vast number of lots, and by the close of play the clearance rate stood at 88 per cent as 255 yearlings from an offering of 290 had found a new home.

That helped generate some significant year-on-year gains across the other key indices, as turnover went up 56 per cent to 7,746,200gns, the average rose by 42 per cent to 30,377gns, while the median increased from 16,250gns to 26,000gns, fully 60 per cent.

This follows on from 2021's inaugural renewal when the corresponding aggregate, average and median figures rose by 112 per cent, 85 per cent and 103 per cent respectively. The top lot 12 months ago was 120,000gns.

More success for Mehmas

Mehmas added a third top-flight winner to his record when Minzaal ran away with the Haydock Sprint Cup on Saturday, and the sire’s popularity was in evidence at Tattersalls when Amo Racing went to 135,000gns for the colt out of Classic Image offered by Aughamore Stud.

Owner Kia Joorabchian did the bidding himself but left the docket to be signed by talent spotters Robson Aguiar and Ross Doyle.

“Robson, Richard [Hannon] and Kia all thought he was very nice,” said Doyle.

Kia Joorabchian: Amo Racing man was busy buying on TuesdayCredit: Laura Green

“Mehmas obviously needs no introduction and the lads have done a great job prepping him as he looks fantastic. Mehmas has been a good friend to a lot of people and I’m sure he’ll keep being a good friend. He’s been an unbelievable racehorse and stallion. You couldn’t get enough of them.”

While Mehmas stood 2022 at Tally-Ho Stud at an upgraded price point of €50,000, Aughamore Stud, which is run by brothers Laurence and Michael Gleeson, bred this six-figure colt when the stallion stood at just €7,500. Moreover, the dam, a winning daughter of Exceed And Excel from the family of Serious Attitude, was sourced for just 6,500gns.

Lot 163: the Mehmas colt out of Classic Image brings 135,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

“He’s the best the mare has produced and it’s worked out well with Mehmas having Minzaal win recently,” said Laurence Gleeson. “We sent the mare to him when he was just about to have his first two-year-old runners and we’d heard a good word for him from the people preparing breezers so we took a punt.

"This horse has been a star here and everyone was saying he’s a standout, which is great. You don’t want to get your hopes up too much but it all worked out in the end.”

Ryan lands six-figure strike

The first six-figure lot of the session arrived when Richard Ryan outbid Ed Sackville at 130,000gns to secure Ballyhimikin Stud’s Starspangledbanner colt. The agent revealed the youngster was set to sport the colours of Teme Valley Racing, who enjoyed plenty of success with another son of Starspangledbanner in the recently retired State Of Rest.

“He’s a slightly unexpected horse to find in this sale but I thought he was a different ball game to the rest of the field,” said Ryan. “He’s a good, strong Starspangledbanner colt with a great backside on him and from a real speed family.

Richard Ryan: 'He’s a proper horse'Credit: Laura Green

"He’ll make a lovely two-year-old and has been bought for Teme Valley Racing. He’ll probably go into training in Ireland. He’s a proper horse and would’ve been a proper horse in any sale, he just happened to be here.”

The colt is out of the winning Black Rodded, a daughter of Bahamian Bounty who has bred three winners from as many runners. The dam is out of five-time Listed scorer Palace Affair, whose record includes back-to-back renewals of the Summer Stakes in 2001 and 2002. This means Black Rodded is also a sister to Bosra Sham Fillies' Stakes winner Queen's Grace, while another sibling is the dam of this season’s Group 3 Coral Charge winner Raasel.

Lot 147: the Starspangledbanner colt sells to Richard Ryan for 130,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

"It’s a strong market and I’m very pleased with that price,” said Ballyhimikin’s James Hanly. “The sire has had such a good year, there has been a big uplift in the stallion. Let's hope this colt goes on and wins lots of good races.”

Hanly also gave the Somerville Sale his seal of approval, adding: “It’s a good way to start the yearling sale season. They’ve been getting so many good winners out of this sale. It’s a great venue and everyone’s here. It’s a very good format as a one-day sale; people can get in and have plenty of time to see them over the weekend.”

Brookhouse continues to stock up

Ben Brookhouse, son of prominent owner Roger Brookhouse, continued to stock up ahead of taking out his training licence with Knockatrina House’s Footstepsinthesand colt secured at 90,000gns.

The March foal is out of the Listed-placed Galileo mare Dubai, whose four winners at paddocks are headed by the Listed scorer Alakhana. In turn Alakhana bred Grade 3-winning hurdler Malakahna, who Brookhouse knows from his current role as assistant trainer to Ian Williams.

“He’s a good walker with good scope, he’s not too big and not too small and has a lovely attitude,” said Brookhouse. “I work with Ian Williams and we had Malakahna and she’s a hardy mare. If he’s half as good as her he’ll be alright. He’ll get whatever he needs with me, either time or pressure, whatever he wants. He’s a nice horse and I really like him.”

Brookhouse was also busy at the Goffs UK Premier Sale, where his £293,000 haul was topped by a £150,000 son of Too Darn Hot. The budding trainer added: “I’ve bought five yearlings this year; colts by Too Darn Hot, Profitable and Phoenix Of Spain from Doncaster, and an Invincible Army [colt, 25,000gns] and this lad, who I love. I had a dabble on another filly earlier but Anthony Bromley took her off me so I’d say that’s probably enough for now as I’ve got plenty to start with.”

Middleham Park on the mark

The back cover of the Somerville catalogue was emblazoned with a picture of Eddie’s Boy winning the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes in the familiar colours of Middleham Park Racing.

The son of Havana Grey was sourced at last year’s Somerville Sale with Blandford Bloodstock at 45,000gns, and the syndicate can now look forward to repeating the trick with a daughter of the leading first-season sire after the filly out of Springing Baroness was secured on a bid of 85,000gns in partnership with Ed Sackville.

“Clearly Havana Grey is a more established sire than he was this time last year so we’ve had to pay a bit over what we would have done this time 12 months ago,” said Middleham Park’s Tom Palin. “But it’s a family we’ve followed and we’ve bid on a couple before and I think she’s a standout at this sale and from this pedigree.”

The striking Havana Grey filly fetches 85,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

The striking grey filly, bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud and offered through Hillwood Stud, is a sibling to one winner in the four-time scorer Show Me Show Me, who also ran third in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at two. There is more high-class juvenile form further back in the pedigree as Springing Baroness is a half-sister to Mill Reef Stakes winner Toocoolforschool.

“She’s a solid, good-moving filly and she’s probably the nicest Havana Grey we’ve seen here. We saw her on our own and then Ed put her up to us so it felt like the stars were aligning really. We’ll send her to Hugo Palmer, who can clearly train sprinters and I think she’ll be a fast horse. I can just see her winging around Chester in something like the Lily Agnes and hopefully she can give us something to look forward to at Royal Ascot.”

Tim and Tom Palin of Middleham Park RacingCredit: Laura Green

Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Havana Grey has carried all before him in this year’s first-season sire standings, with 30 European winners on the board and three black type scorers, including the recent Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg heroine Lady Hollywood.

“The Havana Greys all seem to run with their heads down and their ears back, and they’re sound horses who just keep running,” added Palin. “We’ve been really taken by them and probably got a bit lucky that we stumbled on him at the right time. We threw plenty of Havana Grey darts at the board and thankfully we’ve come up with 180. They’re good honest horses and have a lot of creditable traits and we’re delighted to get another.”

Cullinan collects

The strength of the market meant plenty of pinhookers endured a trying day in Newmarket, but the breeze-up fraternity enjoyed some success when John Cullinan of Horse Park Stud landed the catalogue’s only lot by Blue Point at 78,000gns.

Offered by Danesrath Stud, the colt is out of Aspasi, a winning daughter of Dalakhani and E.P Taylor Stakes heroine Insight, who has bred four stakes performers. The colt also supplied connections with a tidy profit having been sourced as a foal by Springfield House Stud at €18,000.

“The sire’s exciting,” said Cullinan. “He’s a dual Royal Ascot winner and was a very fast son of Shamardal, so he ticks a lot of boxes for me. This individual is fantastic, he looks like a real rocket.

John Cullinan: 'This individual is fantastic, he looks like a real rocket'Credit: Laura Green

“I wanted a Blue Point at last year’s foal sales but didn’t get one so I’m delighted to get him. The Craven Sale will be the aim as he looks a real early season type and there’s an emphasis on speed and Royal Ascot at that sale. He’ll come back to me before going to Roger Marley in the spring.”

Kildangan Stud resident Blue Point is best remembered for winning the King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee Stakes during a memorable Royal Ascot in 2019. The son of Shamardal covered his debut book at a fee of €45,000.

Doyle sees Tiggy Wiggy similarities

Adrian Whittingham of Australian operation Honeycomb Stud had ventured to Europe to watch Verry Elleegant, who he part owns, contest the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday. The owner made the most of his trip as he also accompanied Ross Doyle when the agent secured the Kodiac filly out of Anything Goes from Tally-Ho Stud at 70,000gns.

The youngster is a half-sister to one winner in the smart Native Tribe, who reached a rating of 97 before meeting an untimely demise at the age of four. There is black type high up on the page courtesy of the second dam Winona, who won the Irish Oaks.

Ross Doyle: big fan of KodiacCredit: Laura Green

“She’s a lovely filly and physically there are a lot of similarities between her and Tiggy Wiggy,” said Doyle. “She’s athletic and a very easy mover. The half-brother was a talented horse but unfortunately his career was cut short, although we know the pedigree is working. The stallion needs no introduction, he’s been very lucky for us, and Tally-Ho is a great nursery.

“She’s been bought to go to Richard Hannon for a partnership of Honeycomb Stud in Australia and one of our clients will take half with them. Honeycomb Stud is run by Adrian Whittingham and his son Darcy. They haven’t had horses with Richard before but they’ve had others in Britain in partnerships. They’re involved in Verry Elleegant with Francis-Henri Graffard.”

At the close of trade, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony commented: "Last year’s inaugural Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale proved to be an immediate success and today’s second renewal has made further significant progress with wide-margin gains in all the key indicators of average, median and turnover, as well as a new record top price for a Somerville yearling of 160,000gns.

“It was very apparent as we were inspecting yearlings in the spring that there was genuine enthusiasm for our newest yearling sale from both British and Irish consignors and they have supported the fixture with exactly the profile of sharp, precocious and commercial yearlings which we were looking for.

"To see the average and median prices both rise by more than 40 per cent and the sale turnover increase from under five million guineas to well in excess of seven million guineas demonstrates a sale of real vibrance from start to finish. Equally impressive has been a clearance rate nudging 90 per cent and the number of yearlings selling for 50,000gns or more, which has risen from 17 to 39, while six-figure transactions have increased from one to four."

He added: “The sheer number of buyers here at Park Paddocks over the past few days is also a reflection of the racecourse success enjoyed by so many graduates of last year’s sale, most notably the Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner Bradsell, and we look forward to similarly impressive results next year as well as to sustaining the momentum of today’s sale into Books 1 to 4 of the forthcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale."

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