‘We never in our wildest dreams thought this could happen’ - €200,000 Starspangledbanner colt tops record-busting September Yearling Sale

Newmarket trainers descended on Fairyhouse en masse for this year’s edition of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. George Scott duly ensured the raiding party was bringing the sales-topper back across the Irish Sea after bidding €200,000 for a son of Starspangledbanner midway through another lively session on Wednesday. 

The colt was bred by Hamwood Stud from Broderie Anglaise, a Galileo sibling to seven black-type performers, including Group 3 scorer Hearthstead Maison and the Group 1-placed Moth and Rave Reviews. Joey Logan was consigned to the position of underbidder.

“He’s for Gary White, who bought Command The Stars here last year,” said Scott, who signed alongside bloodstock agent Billy Jackson Stops. “He was at the sale but sadly he had to jump on a plane. We took him around ten horses and this was the one he really wanted. 

“He was quite an obvious colt. I think he’s been brought here to stand out, and he certainly stood out to us. He’s a big physical, by an excellent stallion and out of a Galileo mare, and from a really good consignment too. I thought he might make a little bit more to be honest, it just depended on whether two people really wanted him.” 

Scott has done his part to bring the sale to buyers’ attention, having sent out two stakes-winning graduates in recent weeks. The aforementioned Command The Stars was last seen landing a Listed contest at Craon earlier in the month, while Caballo De Mar won the Group 3 German St Leger less than 48 hours before trade got under way. 

“All credit to the sales company, they’ve got some really good stock here this year and it’s been a really successful sale,” said Scott. “They’ve really deserved these results. We could’ve bought a lot of nice horses here, it’s been a fantastic sale.” 

Those sentiments were echoed by Bill Dwan, whose Castlebridge Consignment topped the vendors’ chart with 37 sold lots generating receipts worth €1,933,000. 

“It’s been a superb sale,” he said. “From the first day we started showing, we were so, so busy. It’s carried right through to the end. We’re here late this evening and it’s still exceptionally strong. We sold three horses for over €150,000 today so you'd have to be over the moon. We always try to bring a few nice horses here and have been lucky here down through the years. 

“We brought a nice Sea The Stars horse here last year and he’s won a Listed race for George, so hopefully the Starspangledbanner will do the same. It’s relentless. Now, the one thing I will say is that there’s definitely a better standard of horse here this year compared to previous years – everyone has upped their game. Between Tattersalls Ireland and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, everyone has done a great job to get the buyers here.” 

Figures for the two-day sale posted some eye-popping returns. 

Turnover was up fully 51 per cent to €18,759,500, the average price rose 48 per cent to €42,635 and the median was up 54 per cent to €37,000. All three indices showed clear sale records. 

The financial details were underpinned by a rock-solid clearance rate of 93 per cent as 440 yearlings found a buyer from 474 offered. 

Rabbah bandwagon rolls on

The strength of trade owed plenty to the considerable involvement of Rabbah Bloodstock. By the close of play, the outfit had signed for 27 yearlings at a spend of €1,978,000, making the firm the leading buyer by clear water. 

Heading the lengthy list of purchases was a Blue Point filly from Monksland Stables who fetched €190,000. Charles Shanahan filled the role of frustrated underbidder. 

“She’s an absolute queen,” beamed David Ryan, who manages Jaber Abdullah’s stock at Kilfrush Stud. “She was high on the list. The boss has an affinity with Blue Point and she was the only one by the sire in the catalogue – she had it all to herself. He’s a very good sire and she comes from a very good breeder. Tom Hassett and his wife, Clodagh, do a very good job.

“She’s out of a Galileo mare, so it’s a lovely cross and a brilliant pedigree. Like all of them, she’ll come back to Kilfrush and we’ll have a look at them and we’ll see how they’re going before we decide on a trainer.”

Ryan added with a sigh of relief: “Are we finished now? Yes, finally!” 

Orla Hassett, daughter of Tom and Clodagh, was the Monksland team’s designated spokesperson, and she reacted to the transaction by saying: “That has blown our expectations out of the water, as has this week. Dad bred this filly and he decided to come here – he eats, sleeps and lives horses. 

A filly by Blue Point was purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock for €190,000Credit: Equuis Phtography/Tattersalls Ireland

“I have to mention Adam Morgan, who preps all our yearlings; he’s the greatest horseman and it’s hats off to him. To see big players take each other on for her was fantastic. We never in our wildest dreams thought this could happen.”

Rabbah’s Wednesday spree picked up where it left off on day one, as the group outpointed breeze-up consignor Cormac Farrell for a well-bred daughter of Sea The Stars from The Castlebridge Consignment at €160,000 early in the piece. 

The filly is out of Vouchsafe, a three-parts sister to the brilliant Moonlight Cloud. 

“This filly could’ve been in Book 1,” said Ryan. “She’s a beautiful filly, has a serious pedigree and the physical is there too. Her x-rays and scope were brilliant; everything is there. She’s a foal share, we knew everything was okay there, so we were happy to give it a go. When the boss came in this morning he saw her and loved her.” 

Ryan said that no decision had been made with regards training plans, but added that the filly had been bought for her long-term potential. He said: “One of our best fillies is Star Of Mehmas and she’s out of a Sea The Stars mare. He’s a brilliant broodmare sire, we have four or five Sea The Stars broodmares now.” 

Eustace back for more

Harry Eustace has been something of a poster boy for this year’s September Yearling Sale, and with good reason having trained two Group 1-winning graduates in Docklands and Time For Sandals. 

The Newmarket-based handler will be hoping he has unearthed another significant talent having gone to €160,000 for the Kingman colt out of Banshee. The six-figure youngster, whose page goes back to the likes of Hector Protector and Bosra Sham, was another offered by The Castlebridge Consignment. 

Back to the well: Harry Eustace signed for three lots over the two days for an outlay of €267,000Credit: Equuis Phtography/Tattersalls Ireland

“He’s been bought for a couple of Aussie clients,” said Eustace. “I spoke to Will Bourne [Ciaron Maher’s head of bloodstock] and mentioned this horse to him as they’re always on the lookout for well-bred, nice horses. I don’t know whether I’ll be right or wrong but I thought it could be tough to buy in the next couple of sales, so let’s hope we look back and think he was well bought. 

“He’s got a nice pedigree and I thought the physical backed up the page. I hope he doesn’t change much because he’s big enough. He’ll start off with us and if he runs next year it’ll be at the back end, but he’s been bought to be a three-year-old. The ultimate aim is always Royal Ascot and then down to Australia, so there’s never a rush. I didn’t know where he’d fall but I’m delighted with the price because I thought he might get up to 200 [thousand].” 

Eustace signed for three lots over the two days for an outlay of €267,000. The trio included a €75,000 Minzaal filly bought on behalf of David and Lori Bevan, owners of Time For Sandals. 

“We’re lucky that we’ve bought some more expensive horses, although part of that is because the market has been so strong,” he said. “A 50 per cent increase in the median tells you everything you need to know.” 

Murtagh maxes out

Coolmore’s Starspangledbanner was responsible for a host of the session’s bigger transactions, including the €150,000 Johnny Murtagh paid for a colt from Mountarmstrong Stud. The youngster is the first foal out of Batz, a Group 3-placed daughter of Bated Breath. 

“I was close on a few yesterday and there’s some nice Starspangledbanners here today, and he was top of the list,” said Murtagh. “He’s a lovely horse; I liked everything about him and he vetted well. He’s come from a good home too. The rest of the sale will be quiet for me after that – we’re maxed out now! I don’t have an owner yet but a horse like him should be easy to sell.” 

Murtagh added: “Yesterday was very competitive. There’s a lot of nice horses here and when you think they’re going to make 40 [thousand] they’re making 60. I thought last night, let’s try and get one that we really like. I hope he’s lucky.” 

Johnny Murtagh: "There’s some nice Starspangledbanners here today, and he was top of the list"Credit: Equuis Phtography/Tattersalls Ireland

The transaction provided an immediate windfall on the €150,000 Mountarmstrong’s Noel O'Callaghan paid for the dam through bloodstock agent Ted Durcan. 

O’Callaghan said: “Very happy. Ted Durcan bought the mare; he's a good judge and he buys a few mares for me. It’s been a good sale. I’ve been coming here a long time, but this week’s sale has been very strong. Then again, you’re never surprised with anything in this industry. This industry is resilient, isn’t it?”

Second time lucky for Logan

Joey Logan may have missed out on the sales-topper but he managed to secure another son of Starspangledbanner later in the session when going to €130,000 for the colt out of Entendue, a daughter of Frankel and the Listed winner Evita Peron, from Church View Stables. 

“We missed one earlier on that made €200,000 but this is a very nice colt,” said Logan. “To be straight, I think he’ll be a horse for the Craven Breeze-Up Sale. He looks very athletic, he looks a runner. The stallion had another Group 1 winner at the weekend and he’s out of a Frankel mare from a lovely family.” 

Logan signed for three breeze-up recruits at a cost of €163,000. He added: “We’ve bought a few but we've been getting beat the whole time. Obviously the stock is fantastic and there’s a big crowd here. Tatts have done a wonderful job so we’ll just keep trying. They’re not going to get any cheaper! It’s great for the industry that the demand is there.” 

Owen gets to work, work, work 

Ed Sackville and Hugo Palmer were among the busiest buyers across the two days, with nine recruits picked up for a combined €495,000. The priciest of the bunch was secured early in Wednesday’s session, with a bid of €110,000 required to land the Mehmas colt out of the Group 3-placed Adaay To Remember from Tally-Ho Stud. 

“It’s a lovely, fast female family and he’s by a proven stallion who needs no introduction,” said Sackville. “He comes from a great nursery that we’ve had a lot of success with over the years.” 

Palmer added: “We nearly pulled up but Ed said ‘We’ll have to give twice this in Book 2’ so we went again.” 

Sackville was another industry name to credit Tattersalls Ireland for putting on such a vibrant event, saying: “I think there’s been some really nice horses here at Fairyhouse, I think there’s been a real improvement on the last couple of years. We’ve always been supporters, we’ve always been strong here, and it’s good to see a good quality of horse here.” 

The agent and trainer were joined by Manor House Stables owner Michael Owen, who has been on hand throughout the sales season. The team also made 14 purchases at a spend of £750,500 in Doncaster and gave 100,000gns for two lots at the Tattersalls Somerville Sale. 

Michael Owen: "I love the sales and always have done"Credit: Equuis Phtography/Tattersalls Ireland

“I try not to miss a sale,” said Owen. “I love the sales and always have done. It’s nice to be there at the start of the journey and the business needs us here, really, as we’re in touch with owners and piecing together the budgets we’ve got. 

“We all have our little role within the team, and mine is the selling of the horses. I don’t tend to look at masses of horses but once we’ve got a shortlist, we’ll all group together and me and Hugo will try to put figures on and look at the owner base we’ve got and start trying to match the right horse to the right person. It’s a real team effort.” 

Sackville interjected to remark that Owen’s primary role was as the group’s ’social secretary’, to which the former England international said: “Obviously we enjoy it and it’s sociable as well, we’ll have a couple of drinks in the evening and it’s a good laugh. 

“For the main part it’s quite serious business, and if you’re going to have a good season next season then doing the hard work now gives you that foundation. It’s a serious business but it’s nice to have a bit of fun too.”

He added: “I hope my missus doesn’t read this because she thinks it’s all work, work, work!”

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