Huge result for Gigginstown House Stud as Kingman filly fetches 1,450,000gns

Gigginstown House Stud is a name more closely associated with success at Aintree and Cheltenham but Michael O'Leary's operation made an almighty impact at Book 1 on Thursday having bred the Kingman filly out of Sante who became the session's second seven-figure lot at 1,450,000gns.

There was a protracted three-way bidding battle for the well-related filly, with Anthony Stroud, acting for Godolphin, getting the better of Tammy O'Brien, sat with Demi O'Byrne, and the Coolmore team.

The filly, consigned by O'Leary's brother Eddie of Lynn Lodge Stud, is the first foal out of Sante, a winning daughter of Dream Ahead who was third in a Baden-Baden Listed contest for trainer Jean-Pierre Carvalho.

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She joined the Gigginstown broodmare band having been signed for by Mags O'Toole at 310,000gns at the 2018 Tattersalls December Sales, carrying the Kingman filly in utero.

Sante is one of six black-type performers out of Knocktoran Stud's remarkable producer Zeiting, whose brood includes the Group 2-winning Combat Zone and Group 3 scorers Royal Empire and Scottish. Zeiting also bred Zut Alors, dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Precieuse, and Bikini Babe, dam of Godolphin's unbeaten Group 3 winner La Barrosa.

Eddie O'Leary: 'She was always a queen and she made a queen's price'Credit: Laura Green

"It was the physical and that great pedigree," said a delighted Eddie O'Leary when asked what had appealed about Sante. "Those two things and the Kingman cover was what we wanted.

"This filly has been a star since the day she was born. She was always a queen and made a queen's price. The mare has a Kodiac colt foal and is in foal to Invincible Spirit. I hope she's very lucky for Sheikh Mohammed."

Earlier in the session Godolphin went to 800,000gns for the Dubawi colt out of Provenance offered by Cheveley Park Stud. The youngster is bred on the same cross as Ghaiyyath, as his dam is a daughter of Galileo and the Group 1-winning Echelon.

"He's a smashing horse, one of the best I've ever brought here as a physical," said Cheveley Park's managing director Chris Richardson. "He ticked all the boxes and I'm delighted Sheikh Mohammed managed to secure him.

"It's nice that Mr and Mrs Thompson [Cheveley Park Stud owners] have been rewarded; we'd have loved to have raced him but the policy is to offer the colts. It's a foundation family for the Thompsons and one that keeps evolving.

Provenance's first foal, the Dutch Art gelding Cruyff Turn, did his bit to upgrade the pedigree by shedding his maiden tag in a Redcar maiden last month.

Godolphin finished clear at the head of the leading buyers’ chart with 22 new recruits picked up at a cost of 16,430,000gns.

Mike Ryan lands Dream Of Dreams sibling

US-based agent Mike Ryan was also among the most prolific purchasers across the three-day auction and saved his biggest involvement for late in the final session, going to 1,400,000gns for the Galileo half-sister to Dream Of Dreams offered by Old Mill Stud.

"She's an exceptional filly by an exceptional sire and out of a terrific family," said Ryan from his position on the back stairs. "She was absolutely gorgeous and looks like a runner.

"I knew she was going to be expensive, you know what it takes to buy Galileos, but I'm delighted we got her as I waited all day. How many more years are we going to be seeing Galileo's progeny? He's the greatest sire of my lifetime, and probably anyone's lifetime for that matter.

Mike Ryan after purchasing the Galileo half-sister to Dream Of Dreams on the final day of Tattersalls Book 1Credit: Laura Green

"She'll go back to the States, have some time out and we'll then break her in. She'll be on a flight to Florida in ten days' time."

The filly is out of Vasilia and boasted a Group 1 update to her pedigree after Dream Of Dreams won the Haydock Sprint Cup last month. She was bred by Vefa Ibrahim Araci after Rob Speers secured the dam for 160,000gns in 2015.

The daughter of Dansili is a sibling to the high-class Airwave, granddam of Churchill, and Jwala, and has bred five winners herself.

Ryan, who spent 4,340,000gns on 16 yearlings across the entirety of Book 1, added: "I've been runner-up to Shadwell, Godolphin and Roger Varian, we've run hard on some horses and we've bought some very nice yearlings."

Change of fortune for Redvers

Having underbid the two priciest lots at this year's Book 1, Qatar Racing's David Redvers eventually got on the scoresheet on Thursday when giving 825,000gns for the Lope De Vega colt out of Starlet offered by Highclere Stud.

Bred by the Earl of Halifax, the colt is a half-brother to the Group 3 scorer Love Locket and the Listed-winning Raakib Alhawa.

Starlet raced in the colours of the late Marguerite Weld and the mare's early progeny were bred by the Weld family's Springbank Way Stud, but the daughter of Sea The Stars was bought through John and Jake Warren for 160,000gns in 2017.

Qatar Racing's Sheikh Fahad on the Tattersalls sales ground on ThursdayCredit: Laura Green

"This colt has a stallion's pedigree and the mare has a 100 per cent record of breeding stakes horses, so he's exactly the sort of thing we're looking to add to the team," said Redvers.

"We've a lot of homebreds going into training this year and we've been trying to add to the broodmare band too. It's been a frustrating day but full credit to Tattersalls for putting on a show and the market for being as resilient as it is for the top-end stock."

More Book 1 news:

Galileo sister to Japan becomes world's most expensive yearling at 3,400,000gns

Frankel half-brother to Marsha sold to Juddmonte in private deal for 850,000gns

Godolphin's seven-figure spree continues as 1,100,000gns Dubawi tops day two

Late drama at Book 1 as Galileo Gold's half-brother brings 2,700,000gns