‘I was getting more nervous than I would before a Group race!’ - Half Sovereign transformed from 12,000gns yearling to €2,600,000 breeding stock sale star

Karl Burke has pulled quite a few rabbits out of the hat down the years. However, turning a 12,000gns yearling into a €2,600,000 filly in training surely rates a personal best, even by his lofty standards. 

That monster touch was achieved after the Group 3 Prix Miesque winner Half Sovereign was offered during day one of Arqana’s Breeding Stock Sale in Deauville yesterday evening. 

The seven-figure showdown boiled down to a straight duel between David Redvers, bidding in the ringside restaurant, and agent Henry Lascelles, who stood at the top of the stairs opposite the rostrum. 

Lascelles found himself in a similar position on Tuesday when Barnavara topped the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. On that occasion he filled the role of frustrated underbidder after the price reached 4,800,000gns, but he would not be denied for a second time in a week. 

Lascelles was unable to reveal the identity of his client, but said: “She’s a lovely filly and she’s going to go back to Karl Burke and hopefully be aimed at the French Guineas with a trial before. She was very impressive last time and, looking at her, she’s a big, scopey filly so you’d hope she’ll go on next year. 

“She’s a lovely looking filly and a very good racing prospect. When you’re buying race fillies with that sort of record, they can make that sort of money. We saw that on a couple of occasions in Newmarket earlier this week.” 

Half Sovereign was bred by Haras Des Trois Chapelles and was plucked from Petches Farm’s Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale draft last September. Burke said he was convinced he had snared a bargain even then. 

Karl Burke: 'She’s a lovely filly and she’s been very straightforward'Credit: Edward Whitaker

“It’s just brilliant, and she comes back to us as well, so it’s win-win,” he said. “I didn’t expect that. She was just a lovely model as a yearling. I worked the Somerville Sale with my wife, Elaine, and we just loved her. We couldn’t believe we got her for 12 grand. Literally before I’d signed the docket Mick Easterby came up and offered me a grand profit, and two or three other people came up as well. 

“Luckily for Adam [Spratt, co-owner] a friend of his came up and asked if I’d sell half. I hadn’t met Adam at that time but I said no problem. We would’ve sold half to someone and I’m delighted it was him.” 

The daughter of Ten Sovereigns has shown steady but sustained progress throughout her seven juvenile starts. She notched up novice wins at Ayr and Yarmouth before adding nursery victories at Newmarket and Doncaster. She then finished runner-up to Jel Pepper in the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes before taking the step up to Pattern company in her stride. 

“She’s a lovely filly and she’s been very straightforward,” said the trainer. “We didn’t rush her, she’s a big filly and we’ve given her lots of time. Given the size of her we’d always expected her to strengthen and we weren’t too busy with her early on. 

“Obviously we have a lot of nice two-year-olds this year and she was working nicely with them and she just kept progressing. It was always the plan to go to the sales race route for the prize-money, and we always had the Group race in the back of our mind.” 

The seven-figure filly was the sole offering in the catalogue by Consign, the up-and-coming operation run by Harriet Jones and Chloe Battam. 

“Harriet and Chloe from Consign do a great job, they’re very good and they’ll do very well in this business,” added Burke. “When I was watching the filly out there, I said to Harriet that I was getting more nervous than I would before a Group race! 

“When we first entered her in the sale I thought she might make six or seven hundred [thousand]. A few people said you’d make a million and I didn’t believe that. When I got here all the right people were on her and I thought we had a good chance of a million, but I certainly didn’t expect that.”

Consign boss Jones was among those receiving her share of plaudits in the aftermath, and she said of the sales-topping transaction: “It’s a dream come true, especially in just our second year. I’m so thankful for the support of Karl and Adam Spratt. These are the kind of guys that you need supporting you to show you’re capable of doing the job of producing the big results on the big days. 

“We had all the right people at her door and I felt fairly confident that we’d achieve the million mark. To exceed that is absolutely fantastic. Watching that felt pretty surreal and I did feel a bit emotional once it got going. I feel very proud of everyone who’s helped us out along the way. Mark Simms, who’s been a massive part of Karl’s operation for a long time, led her up today and it was great to have him working with us. This is huge for me and Chloe, and just shows we can perform as well as anybody on the big days.”

Talvard living the dream

The seven-figure mark was reached twice more during the marathon session, including when Haras du Cadran went to €1.05 million for Lily Hart. The four-year-old raced for a partnership of Masaaki Matsushima, Coolmore and Westerberg, and was presented in Deauville by La Motteraye Consignment. 

The daughter of Galileo was bred by Coolmore from the winning and Listed-placed Danehill Dancer mare Charlotte Bronte. Her five winning full-siblings include Munster Oaks third High Heels and the Listed-placed Facade. 

Lily Hart also did her bit to uphold family honour, winning two of her nine starts for Aidan O’Brien and signing off her racing days by finishing second in the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes. 

She was offered in foal to Wootton Bassett, meaning her first foal will be bred on the same cross as Group 1 stars Al Riffa, Hawk Mountain, Maranoa Charlie, Puerto Rico and Whirl. 

Lily Hart, who was offered in foal to Wootton Bassett, sells for €1.05 millionCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

“With horses, anything is possible,” said Cadran’s Pierre Talvard. “And with her, it’s a dream! When I saw the catalogue, I said: I want that one. When I saw her in the flesh, I knew I wanted her even more. I watched videos of her races. She was really tough. And then she’s in foal to Wootton Bassett. 

“For me, he’s a stallion who surpasses Galileo, Sadler’s Wells, and so on. And since I bred [Group 2 Futurity Stakes winner] Constitution River for Mr Laboureau, I wanted to be reunited with Wootton Bassett. It’s a dream! Now we have to think about next year’s mating plan. The possibilities are endless.” 

The other millionaire was the 11-year-old Margie’s Music. She fetched a round €1m from Ecurie des Monceaux and Broadhurst Agency. The Haras de la Cour Blanche-consigned mare is already the dam of the Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Mr Hollywood and the Group 3-placed Magical Beat. 

Not only was she offered in foal to champion sire elect Night Of Thunder, but her profile was enhanced further when her two-year-old Lope De Vega filly A La Prochaine made a winning debut at Newbury for Ralph Beckett and Wathnan Racing. 

“She’s a mare that seems to produce very well and her two-year-old obviously has a future,” said Monceaux’s Henri Bozo. “I love that bloodline of Hurricane Run and Montjeu. She’s in foal to one of the best stallions of the moment, and I just thought she had class. We were at the top of our budget but we’re happy to get her. We haven’t decided who she will visit next year, I have a bit of work to do next week!”

Nyra on the move to O’Brien

Before Half Sovereign hogged the limelight, the market was headed by Group 3 winner and German Oaks third Nyra. Dr Christoph Berglar’s homebred daughter of Isfahan was offered by Ronald Rauscher and went the way of David Lanigan at €875,000. 

“She’ll go into training with Joseph O’Brien and she’s been bought for Scott Heider,” said Lanigan, who signed alongside fellow agent Ted Durcan. “The big thing is that she’s a three-year-old turning four. There’s been very few of those on the market this year and it’s been hard to buy fillies privately that aren’t four turning five. 

“We tried to buy Lush Lips at Keeneland [made $3.7 million] but those fillies with that form are making top money. This filly will stay a trip so it probably makes sense to have her in Ireland to start with and see how she goes. We’ll leave the programme completely to Joseph.” 

David Lanigan: 'The big thing is that she’s a three-year-old turning four'Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

Nyra is out of Nightlight Angel, an unraced Manduro half-sister to Novellist. 

Asked about longer-term plans, Lanigan said: “Scott is very selective on the mares he keeps and he’s not afraid to put them back on the market when they’ve finished racing. On average he keeps between ten and 15 mares; we’ve got a lot of grass mares in Kentucky at the moment so he’d probably be more inclined to keep a dirt mare at the moment. It depends what she does going forward though. At that sort of price, if she could improve her race record you could put her back on the market once she’s finished racing and you could get your money back.” 

Wertheimer move for Paraiba

The Wertheimer brothers’ racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau came up against a huddle of bidders, including Newsells Park Stud’s Graham Smith-Bernal and Sara Cumani of Fittocks Stud, when the lightly raced Paraiba took to the ring. Bureau emerged successful following a bid of €810,000. 

The four-year-old was sold by the Channel Consignment on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Al Shahania Stud. The daughter of Soldier Hollow was presented carrying her first foal, who is by Siyouni. 

Paraiba only ran three times during her stint with Francis Graffard, but slammed subsequent Prix Saint-Alary scorer Birthe on debut and was even deemed good enough to take her chance in the Prix de Diane on her third and final outing. 

Paraíba, a winning daughter of Solider Hollow, was bought for €810, 000 Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

“I think she’s our first daughter of Soldier Hollow,” said Bureau. “She was a good racehorse but she picked up an injury. It’s a nice page and she was one of the few mares that ticked most of the boxes. It’s no surprise that several people were interested in her.” 

Paraiba is out of the Listed-winning Pearls Or Passion, making her a sister to the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont scorer Pelligrina and a half-sister to the Listed placed Podemos. In turn, Pearls Or Passion is out of Group 1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells, who bred the likes of Haras De Saint Pair’s Pearl Banks, dam of Group 1 Matron Stakes winner Pearls Galore. 

Fittocks get back into familiar family

It was not long before the vanquished bidders on Paraiba got on the scoresheet themselves. First Cumani went to €560,000 to secure the well-bred Arandu from Barton Stud. The unraced three-year-old may not have a race record to recommend her but she does boast a blue-chip pedigree. 

She is by Wootton Bassett and out of Alexandrov, who completed the Anglo-Irish Oaks double in 2006, a brace she followed by landing the Yorkshire Oaks. 

Alexandrova has developed into a producer of significance, with her five winners at paddocks including Group 2 Dahlia Stakes scorer Somehow, who also ran second to Decorated Knight in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Group 2 Prix Kergorlay victor Alex My Boy, and the Group 3 Athasi Stakes-winning Happen. 

Alexandrova’s daughters have also done their bit to enhance the pedigree. Her second foal, Bella Qatara, bred Aspetar, who won the Group 1 Preis von Europa, while Happen produced the Group 3 Prix La Rochette winner Houquetot. 

The Fittocks team already know plenty about this pedigree as the page goes back to the Cumanis’ Souk, matriarch of a dynasty that now includes the likes of Chiquita, Magic Wand and Diamond Necklace. 

Sara Cumani: 'I thought she was a beautiful individual, she’s gorgeous to look at and she’s got the page'Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

“It’s a family we’ve always been very interested in, we go right back to the beginning of this page,” said Cumani, pointing at the filly’s third dam. “I thought she was a beautiful individual, she’s gorgeous to look at and she’s got the page. Obviously she wasn’t much good herself but there’s plenty that aren’t much good that become good broodmares, and this family has done everyone well all along the way, so let’s hope that carries on.” 

She added: “At the minute she’s just ours. The only plans we’ve made are that she’s going to get covered. We now just have to work out where we’re going to send her. It’s very exciting and there’s plenty of options. There were very few on our list but we thought everybody would be on the same ones.” 

New blood for Newsell Park

Newsells Park also got on the board when the Wertheimers’ homebred Rooba was secured at €520,000. The winning daughter of Dubawi was purchased with Gary Hadden, who was representing Craig Bennett's Merry Fox Stud. 

The page is littered with top-level form, including from Rooba’s dual Group 1-winning half-brother Double Major. 

“She was a decent horse but we’ve worked out an interesting pattern in terms of the nicks in the pedigree,” said Smith-Bernal. “We’re going to send her to Frankel, which might look like an over-cover for a filly with her rating, but this pattern goes all the way back to the third dam.” 

Hadden added: “She’s a lovely looking mare and for a Dubawi she walked quite well. She’s a half-sister to more staying horses but she had speed herself. Dubawi is a very good broodmare sire and we liked the total package with the long-term view of Frankel, which is a mating we’ll probably try and do a couple of times.”

Newsells Park and Fittocks joined forces later in the session when the superbly bred With Stars was landed at €870,000. Badgers Bloodstock signed the ticket for the Barton Stud-consigned four-year-old, who was presented in foal to Zarak. 

Newsells Park and Fittocks joined forces to buy With Stars for €870,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

With Stars won one of her eight starts for owner-breeder George Strawbridge and trainer Victoria Head, although Smith-Bernal said the depth of her pedigree more than made up for her run-of-the-mill race record. 

She is by Sea The Stars out of Prix Rothschild heroine With You, who is one of four Group 1 winners out of Strawbridge’s blue hen In Clover. This means her dam is a sibling to top-level talents Call The Wind, Friendly Soul and We Are. 

“Luca [Cumani] was absolutely determined to have her so she’ll be owned in partnership,” said the Newsells Park man. “She’s a lovely mare and she’s in foal to Zarak, and the other thing we’re hearing is that there’s some very interesting things happening with the fillies on the page. There’s a Siyouni half-sister they really rate and another Sea The Stars. 

“You have to spend quite a bit more than you think if you want to buy them. It was a bit dubious at times but Luca was very keen to have her and we liked her a lot as well. You’ve got to go the extra yard. We already had four in partnership and we’ll have another two following this year’s sales. This one will probably come to Newsells, we get first dibs this year!” 

The Fittocks-Newsells Park partnership enjoyed a red letter day at Book 1 earlier this year when Godolphin paid 2,200,000gns for the Frankel colt out of Innevera. 

Al Shira’aa adds Pretty Milanova at €470,000

The fine run of sales ring form for Baroda Stud continued when Al Shira’aa Racing went to €470,000 for Pretty Milanova, who was offered in foal to Lope De Vega. 

The mare, who belonged to SF Bloodstock, is an American Pharoah half-sister to six winners, most notably the top-class Peeping Fawn, who struck in the Pretty Polly Stakes, Irish Oaks, Nassau Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. 

Peeping Fawn’s progeny have added their own notable form to the pedigree, as she is the dam of Chesham Stakes winner September, who also reached the podium in the Fillies’ Mile, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and Moyglare Stud Stakes, and the Listed-winning Willow. 

“She’ll come home to Ireland,” said Al Shira’aa’s Kieran Lalor. “It’s a family that’s typically been in America so I’m delighted to have one from it back home, especially because of the first dam, but I spent a lot of time in the US and the second dam is just as extraordinary. Peeping Fawn was a brilliant mare and she’s developed into a fantastic producer. Lope De Vega is an absolutely incredible sire too, so it all made sense. She’s a lovely mare, what’s not to like?” 

Lalor said no decision had been reached over who the six-year-old will visit next year, but he added that her pedigree left connections with plenty of options. 

Al Shira’aa Racing went to €470,000 for Pretty Milanova, who was offered in foal to Lope De VegaCredit: ZUZANNA LUPA

“American Pharoah is a sire that I loved too; we’ve bought yearlings by him and we’ve bred to him as well,” he said. “He’s a fabulous sire and I’d love to see him in Ireland at some stage. I had an early night last night and ran a lot of crosses on her and she suits a lot of stallions. We have a good few sires in mind, and the great thing about her is her pedigree means we have lots of options. I’ve just got to nail one down now.” 

Baroda Stud enjoyed a banner moment on Tuesday when topping the Tattersalls December Mares Sale with the 4,800,000gns Barnavara. The operation has also been a key ally to Al Shira’aa, with David Cox assisting Lalor at the sales as well as selling the stock the outfit sends to market. 

“I’ve got a great relationship with David and Tamso and they’ve been a big help to us at various times,” said Lalor. “They have a top-class team and I’m thrilled to see them doing so well. It’s nice to be able to finally buy one off them as David’s often asked me when that would happen!

“I don’t like bidding in general, I prefer to think while the odds are going up on the bid board, but David usually does that job for me – he was the vendor this time! I rely on him a lot so it's great to finally get a mare from Baroda. It’s a great connector as the last mare I bought from Tom [Ryan, SF Bloodstock] ended up breeding Arabian Lion. Tom’s a good friend too.

“Arqana provide a nice relaxing place for me to do that business without David and I’m extremely happy to add this mare to our portfolio for the boss. 

“She loved the page, loves that it’s such a classy family, loved the physical and that she’s in foal to one of the best sires in Europe. It’s just up to David now when we have to sell a colt out of her!”

Global gathering

There was a distinctly international flavour to the opening stages of the session as a diverse cross-section of global buyers drove the early market. 

Japanese powerhouse Shadai Farm dipped into the part dispersal of stock from Al Shaqab’s Haras de Bouquetot as Balsam brought a final bid of €480,000. The four-year-old daughter of Wootton Bassett won the Listed Prix des Reves d’Or at two and was offered having been covered for the first time by Starspangledbanner. 

Chantilly based trainer Satoshi Kobayashi was on bidding duty on Shadai’s behalf and indicated that Balsam could be covered in Europe before heading east. She is the eighth foal out of the Group 3-placed Doyen mare Bea Remembered, making her a sibling to six winners. 

The dam has bred three black-type performers by three different sires, with Balsam a half-sister to Ed Walker’s popular campaigner Stormy Antarctic, a five-time Group winner, and Al Johrah, who finished runner-up to Tis Marvellous in the Prix Robert Papin and filled the same position behind Lady Aurelia in the Queen Mary Stakes. 

Al Johrah has quickly made up into a smart producer having bred this year’s Prix de l'Abbaye second Jawwal and the Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg-winning two-year-old Afjan. 

It took just ten lots for the €400,000 mark to be reached as US trainer Philip Antonacci secured Ashikidah from the Aga Khan Studs draft. The three-year-old daughter of Belardo won two minor races for Francis Graffard and was last seen adding black type to her profile when runner-up, beaten just a head by Medusa Merger, in the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr. 

Lot 37: Poonawalla Stud snapped up the high-class Donjah for €400,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

“She’s a nice filly who showed a big turn of foot,” said Antonacci. “She looks like she could be progressive at just the right time. She’ll suit those mile races in the US. We’re looking for quick fillies who can compete in New York and Kentucky and she fits that profile. 

“There’s some real upside to her and it looks like her best racing is her most recent, and she was very impressively visually watching her replays. Those were the things that attracted us to her.” 

Antonacci added: “I actually wasn’t here myself last year but we were underbidder on a few of the big horses. We came back this year to try to find more. She’ll head to Florida now and have an easy time for a couple of months then we’ll gear her up for Saratoga and try to make her into a stakes horse.” 

Leading Indian outfit Poonawalla Stud made its presence felt when racing and bloodstock manager Raunak Banerji and agent Ajay Anne went to €400,000 for the high-class Donjah. The nine-year-old daughter of Teofilo won the Group 1 Preis von Europa during her time on the track and was offered by Haras de Montaigu carrying to the champion miler Charyn. 

“We've got two new stallions in Territories and Economics this year, so we’re trying to improve the quality of stock that we've got in India,” said Banerji. “We feel a mare like this will definitely improve the stock of India and our farm, and will definitely be competitive internationally as well.” 

Donjah was bred by Gestut Karlshof and ran in the colours of Darius Racing for trainer Henk Grewe. Her most recent visit to the sales saw her change hands for €250,000, with a buyer signing at Avatara branding the docket. Avatara has bred two foals from the mare; an unraced two-year-old Zarak colt named Promesse Sincere and a filly foal by Ghaiyyath, who was purchased by Belmont Bloodstock and Melbourne Cup-winning trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy for €100,000. 

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