'The dream is always there' – Godolphin outlast Coolmore for €1.25 million Justify colt at Arqana August Sale

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Coolmore and Godolphin engaged in their first seven-figure clash of the new sales season when the rival camps squared up over a well-related son of Justify during the opening stages of selling in Deauville on Saturday evening. 

Coolmore’s MV Magnier, standing on the top deck of the auditorium with Peter Brant and Paul Shanahan, lodged his bids with a nonchalant wave of his iPad. However, the decisive play came from the corridor directly below, with Godolphin talent scout Anthony Stroud, standing beside Charlie Appleby and David Loder, signalling the raise that took the price to €1.25 million. 

The Irish-bred colt was bred by Eddie Irwin’s Rockhart Trading at Marlhill House Stud in County Tipperary and was sold through Charles Briere’s Fairway Consignment. 

Coolmore already know plenty about the pedigree as the youngster is the first living foal out of their homebred Joie De Soir, a daughter of Fastnet Rock who carried the Magnier silks to victory in a brace of French Listed races. She also ran second, beaten just a short neck, in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay won by Goya Senora in 2022. 

The dam was added to the Marlhill House broodmare band at a cost of 750,000gns in 2024. 

“He’s an extremely nice horse with beautiful conformation,” said Stroud. “He moved very well and he’s from an excellent farm in Marlhill Stud, who’ve produced many good winners. Of course, Justify is doing so well and he’s a wonderful stallion. We’re very glad to have acquired him.” 

Anthony Stroud: 'Whatever price the horse costs, you want them to be good'Credit: Melissa Delalande

On the seven-figure price tag, Stroud said: “I think you’re going to find strong competition for any horse you really want, especially when they have the pedigree and conformation to match. I thought the market looked good so far but it’s very difficult to value these horses when they get to a certain level; it’s really just a case of whether the principals have seen enough that they want to progress.” 

The Godolphin team have enjoyed some significant success with the progeny of Justify, notably landing the 2,000 Guineas with the star-crossed Ruling Court. The Classic winner was also sourced at Arqana, albeit at the company’s breeze-up sale, where he fetched €2.3 million. 

Stroud added: “Ultimately you want the yearlings you buy to develop into top-class Group horses. That’s the intention and the dream is always there when you come to the sales. Whatever price the horse costs, you want them to be good. It’s no different whatever the price tag.” 

The very next lot into the ring brought €800,000 when Ross Doyle secured Baroda Stud’s Wootton Bassett colt out of Just Pretending. The youngster, who was bred by Coolmore, is a sibling to two winners, both of whom boast black type, namely the Group 3-placed Persia and the Listed third Visage. 

Ross Doyle signs for the Wootton Bassett colt at €800,000Credit: Melissa Delalande

The dam also brings some significant stakes form to the equation, having landed the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial during her time in training, as well as running third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks. 

“He’s a very special physical and I know it’s easy to say now, but he was a bit of a standout,” said Doyle. “Our team has seen every single horse at the sale and he was up there in the top tier. He’s by a wonderful stallion, from a good family and everything just matched up. It’s very exciting. 

“We were very lucky that our clients were happy to push that far for him, we’re very appreciative. He’s been bought for Stall Perlen. They’ve had champion horses in Scandinavia for a long time, and they’ve moved into France over the last couple of years. They’re wonderful people, very game and very enthusiastic.”

Twomey strikes for Lightening filly

There was a second €800,000 lot later in the piece when Paddy Twomey struck the online bid that secured the Frankel filly out of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lightening Pearl. The trainer’s purchase was made on behalf of Bond Thoroughbreds. 

The six-figure youngster, who was bred by Qatar Bloodstock and sold through Ecurie des Monceaux, is a sibling to six winners, most notably her Frankel sister Lightening Quick, whose two victories include a strike in the Group 3 Athasi Stakes. 

“I think she makes great appeal for Bond Thoroughbreds being by Frankel and out of a Cheveley Park Stakes winner,” said Twomey. “It's a very fast family and it has been successful all around the world - there’s a strong Japanese aspect to it as well. 

“Charlie [Bond] is putting together a nice group of fillies between stakes performers and well-bred unraced horses. She suited the programme and Charlie is keen to support Maranoa Charlie in a big way so I’m sure she will get her date with him upon the completion of her racing career.” 

Abdullah on the mark  

Jaber Abdullah was among the leading owners on deck in Deauville and put up a determined display of bidding to land a well-bred daughter of Mehmas at €440,000. 

The filly was bred by Ecurie Des Charmes and sold through Haras de l’Hotellerie. She is the third foal out of the winning Shalaa mare Jalwa, whose first offspring is this filly’s sister Afandy, winner of the Group 3 Prix Djebel in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing earlier this year. 

There is international form further back on the page, with Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf heroine Zagora among the names beneath the third dam. 

Haras de l’Hotellerie's Mehmas colt sells for €440,000Credit: ZUZANNA LUPA

“The boss saw her himself on Thursday and thought she was a lovely filly,” said David Ryan, who manages Abdullah’s stock at Kilfrush Stud. “She reminded him a lot of Queen's Logic, who he bought here for €110,000 nearly 30 years ago. We were always going to have to give a bit more for this filly but she’s a real standout. 

“She’s a beautiful physical specimen for a Mehmas, she’s got a great hind leg, so let’s just hope she can run. The cross has worked already and there’s a lot happening in the family. There’s others by Mehmas under the second dam. She’ll go back to Kilfrush and we’ll have a look at her in January or February and she’ll tell us when she’s ready to go off into training.”

Lope De Vega filly makes immediate impact

Proceedings got off to a flying start when the very first lot in the ring, a striking Lope De Vega filly from Ballylinch Stud, fetched €420,000. The winning bid came from agent Hugo Merry, standing alongside Ben Gowans, a member of the bloodstock and racing team at the leading Kentucky farm Gainesway. 

The youngster is out of Fairy Dancer, making her a sibling to three winners. These include Jubilation, who also finished runner-up in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg, and La Fracas, who picked up black type in Listed company in Australia. 

In turn, the dam is a half-sister to seven scorers, most notably Brian Meehan’s Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Red Rocks, who also defeated Curlin in the Man O’War Stakes back in 2008. Group 1 winner Time For Sandals also appears further back in the family. 

Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega filly got the sale off to a strong start when selling for €420,000Credit: Melissa Delalande

“I’ve bought her for a partnership between Andrew Rosen and Anthony Beck of Gainesway Farm,” said Merry. “They actually have a runner [Luster] tonight in King's Plate Stakes at Woodbine, and we’re hoping she wins when she runs in about four hours’ time and pays for this filly! 

“I know the Acclamation filly [Jubilation] was very good but unfortunately she died while in training, but she probably would’ve been a Graded stakes winner. It’s a nice pedigree though and she’s a beautiful physical. We had Lady Boba, by Lope De Vega, a couple of years ago. This filly was a bit more robust but they’re similar, and we bought her for similar before selling her for 1,300,000gns last December. Hopefully we can do something similar. 

“The partners will sort out where she races, whether that’s in America or Europe, but she’ll stay here for the moment. Lope De Vega has done very well in the US so we have lots of options, but we didn’t know whether we’d get her or not so we’ll worry about plans afterwards.” 

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