'I'm glad we came to public auction' - Balalaika proves worth the wait for Lady Ogden at 330,000gns

Bidders were quick out of the blocks on Thursday as the morning session of the Tattersalls July Sale welcomed a 330,000gns market leader before the clock had even struck 10am. 

Balalaika was catalogued as the winner of one race for Rebecca Menzies but had acquired another piece of important form since she was entered in the sale, having finished a keeping-on third behind Coppice in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

An opening offer of 20,000gns looked ridiculously optimistic but it wasn’t until the bid board trundled into six-figure territory that things began to gather pace. Gavin Hernon, Matt Coleman and Mark McStay were among those to take an early interest but matters ultimately wrested between Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, positioned on the stairs to the auctioneer’s left, and BBA Ireland’s Eamonn Reilly, who stood in his usual spot against the back wall. 

At 320,000gns Brown chanced his arm with a 5,000gns increase, prompting auctioneer Alastair Pim to exclaim, “Ah, will you stop!” It transpired Brown had run out of petrol as when Reilly returned fire with a 5,000gns raise of his own there was no further response from his rival, who could be seen scribbling down the final price of 330,000gns on the filly’s page. 

The daughter of No Nay Never was given a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 92 for her career-best effort last time out, and her form could receive a further boost on Friday with Coppice set to contest the Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes. 

Reilly said his purchase would get the chance to enhance her own race record too, saying: “She’s for an existing client. There are no plans but she will stay in training and, although no trainer has been decided, she will probably stay in Britain. 

"Her last run was very promising and she has been brought as a long-term broodmare prospect for the client. She’s a good-topped filly, has a good walk and behaved very well up here. There’s plenty happening with the pedigree too.”

Eamonn Reilly of BBA Ireland outlasted his rivals for the morning session-topperCredit: Laura Green

Balalaika was consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Lady Ogden, whose late husband, Sir Robert Ogden, bred the youngster from the unraced Frankel mare War And Peace. In turn, War And Peace is out of Emulous, a Juddmonte-bred daughter of Dansili who won the Group 1 Matron Stakes during her racing days. 

Balalaika wasn’t the only filly to boost the pedigree at Royal Ascot as Bluestocking, a daughter of Camelot and Emulous, finished third to Warm Heart in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes. 

This family has served Juddmonte particularly well in recent times as the pedigree also features Mandaloun, who was promoted to first in both the Kentucky Derby and Haskell Stakes. The son of Into Mischief now stands on Juddmonte’s US stallion roster. 

“I’m delighted with Balalaika,” said Barton’s Tom Blain. “She ran a great race in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot and has been beautifully trained by Rebecca Menzies. 

"She’s a lovely filly and I was pleasantly surprised by just how nice she is when she joined us. She’s unbelievably sound and appeals to a lot of markets and she’s been very busy up here. We brought her here three days early and she’s been showing non-stop."

He continued: “It’s nice for Lady Ogden, who’s dispersing over a number of years, and I think it’s a credit to Sir Robert Ogden and his legacy that these horses continue to sell well. There were a number of private offers for this filly straight after Ascot that were less than she made today, so I’m glad we came to public auction with her.” 

Duarte on the Whisky

Whisky On The Hill is set to leave Adrian McGuinness to continue his career down under after agent Armando Duarte secured the youngster on a bid of 135,000gns. 

Offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, the three-year-old son of Ribchester arrived at Tattersalls on a steep upward curve having won his last three starts over ten and 12 furlongs. His latest win at Roscommon was given an RPR of 84. 

Whisky On The Hill is bound for Australia after selling for 135,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

“He’s for the same team we bought Alenquer and English King for, Ballymore Stables and Paul Moroney,” said Duarte. “That’s the only horse we’ve looked at in this sale. We really liked him and he fits our profile.” 

The son of Ribchester, a €50,000 Arqana August purchase by Avenue Bloodstock, certainly has the pedigree to keep progressing as Turf celebrities like Opera House, Kayf Tara and Zee Zee Top appear beneath his third dam, the Meon Valley Stud blue hen Colorspin. 

“He’ll head down to Australia on the next shipment,” continued Duarte. “He fits the bill, he vetted well and he wasn’t over-expensive. He’s actually very similar to another horse we bought from Juddmonte a couple of years ago called Emissary. He won a Geelong Cup and was second in the Melbourne Cup. Let’s hope this horse is as lucky for them.”

The Parent bound for Bahrain

The other six-figure lot sold on Thursday morning was The Parent, who fetched 105,000gns from Alastair Donald when offered on behalf of Godolphin by Richard Hannon’s East Everleigh Stables. 

The three-year-old son of Frankel won one of his seven starts for Hannon and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, with victory coming in a Goodwood novice stakes at two. He boasts some solid form in defeat at around a mile at three but was last seen disappointing over ten furlongs. 

The Parent: made 105,000gns at Tattersalls on ThursdayCredit: Laura Green

“He was the one horse we’d been waiting for in this sale,” said Donald. “He looks ideal for the Bahrain Turf Series as he’s a fast-ground horse, he’s cracking-looking too and he’s bred to be good. 

"He probably didn’t quite stay the trip on his last run but the form of his other runs is very strong, so hopefully he’ll do well in Bahrain. He’ll be trained by Allan Smith for an undisclosed client.” 

The Parent is the first foal out of Sophie P, a daughter of Bushranger who won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes during her time in training with James Cassidy. The colt had been offered at two past sales and was signed for by Peter and Ross Doyle on both occasions. He fetched 235,000gns when offered as a foal by Far Westfield Farm before realising 280,000gns when presented by Pier House Stud at Book 1. 

McGrath delves into Juddmonte draft

Jerry McGrath landed the most prized offering among the 14-lot Juddmonte draft when the agent bid 100,000gns for the Dermot Weld-trained Tiverton. 

The three-year-old son of Expert Eye, who shares the further reaches of his page with the brilliant Enable, broke his maiden at two and also ran to an RPR of 91 when runner-up to Proud And Regal on debut. 

Tiverton's future lies in the United States after his 100,000gns recruitment at Tattersalls on ThursdayCredit: Alisha Meeder

“He’s going to the US and has been bought on behalf of an owner,” said McGrath. “As a young man I worked for Dermot Weld. I still have a few contacts there and they told me how highly this horse was regarded, particularly as a two-year-old.”

Juddmonte's 14 lots sold for a combined 595,000gns.

Grassick sees Immortal appeal

A brace of lots brought 95,000gns a short while later, including the smart Immortal Beauty, who was knocked down to Cathy Grassick. The three-year-old Cotai Glory filly won two races for Hannon and the Magnier, Magnier, Shanahan and Maclennan partnership, and also finished fourth, beaten under two lengths, in the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes. 

“She’s for Yvonne Jacques of Carisbrooke Stud,” said Grassick. “Yvonne’s always in the market for a well-bred filly and she wanted something that was very commercial to breed something sharp and fast. 

"She’s a standout physical and has an outstanding pedigree. It remains to be decided whether we’ll race her on but we’ll get her back to the farm, give her a couple of weeks’ break and then make a plan.” 

Cathy Grassick: taken by Immortal Beauty and secured her for 95,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

Immortal Beauty, a 130,000gns Book 1 purchase by Peter and Ross Doyle, is a sibling to three winners, including the Listed-winning Mehmento, who also finished a neck second to Chindit in the Greenham Stakes. 

Grassick referenced the son of Mehmas as she discussed potential mating plans, saying: “There’s a very obvious stallion in the pedigree but we’ll get to know her a bit before making a decision. There’s still a bit of time before the breeding season starts but I suppose being a half-sister to Mehmento makes Mehmas a very obvious choice. 

"It’s such a fast, commercial pedigree and that’s really what we were looking to add to the broodmare band.” 

The 95,000gns mark was also hit by rookie Italian trainer Pierantonio Convertino and agent Alessandro Marconi, who teamed up to secure the dual winner Starnberg. The 101-rated son of Clodovil, another to hail from the East Everleigh Stables draft, looks set for an international campaign. 

“He’s been bought for a syndicate to race in Italy and the Middle East," said Convertino, a former jockey who has spent time in Bahrain and Qatar. "His profile will suit the Middle East, he goes on fast ground and he has a good rating.” 

Starnberg, who carried the black and yellow colours of Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi, had changed hands at public auction on one previous occasion, when signed for by Peter and Ross Doyle at £42,000 at last year’s Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale. 

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