'You don’t expect to sell a foal for that price' - Frankel colt fetches 1.15 million guineas as Coolmore and Juddmonte clash

Coolmore and Juddmonte traded seven-figure blows as a well-related son of Frankel fetched a cool 1.15 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Friday. 

Ed Sackville, standing in the bidders’ area with TBT Racing’s Simon Sadler, helped cut out the early running, but his every increase was swiftly met by Juddmonte’s Simon Mockridge, who was sitting in the seats by the exit. The outfit's general manager was flanked by colleagues Douglas Erskine Crum and Barry Mahon. 

No sooner had Sackville been seen off than MV Magnier entered the fray from the opposite side of the ring. Mockridge upped the ante from 900,000gns to a million guineas in one fell swoop, but the strongarm tactics did little to knock his rival off his stride. 

The 50,000gns raises kept coming from the Coolmore man, and Mockridge eventually gave a resigned shake of the head when Magnier signalled the decisive play. 

The youngster is the third foal out of Cloudy Dawn, a daughter of Kodiac who carried James Wigan’s silks to four victories, including in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey. The pedigree goes back to Prix du Moulin heroine Grey Lilas and her three-time Group 1-winning daughter Golden Lilac.

“It’s a great result for James Wigan, he’s one of the best breeders there is,” said Magnier. “They’ve a great farm and a great track record of raising good horses. Frankel is a very good stallion, as we all know, and a lot of Galileos’ sons are doing well at stud. 

“This is a very nice horse. We’ll get him back home and review what we’ll do with him after the summer, but I’d say the most likely outcome is that he’ll go to Ballydoyle. It’s a lot of money for him, but when you breed a horse like that, the Wigans deserve to get it.” 

The colt, who was sold through the Wigans’ West Blagdon Stud, goes back to second dam In The Mist, a daughter of Pivotal purchased through James’s London Thoroughbred Services for 110,000gns in 2006. She bred three winners, with Cloudy Dawn, who was bred in partnership with George Strawbridge, joined by the Listed scorer Iromea. 

“I didn’t have any sort of price in my head, I just thought he was a very nice horse and he deserved to make a good price,” said Wigan. “Frankel is a horse with great bone, great substance, and I think he suits a mare with speed; and she was fast. He’s always been a very nice horse with a very nice character. You don’t expect to sell a foal for that sort of price. I’m delighted that MV got him and that he’s gone to the best possible home.” 

Cloudy Dawn is back in foal to Camelot. When asked where she might head next year, Wigan said: “I might repeat this mating, if one’s allowed to!” 

Cloudy Dawn was a 90,000gns vendor buyback when offered in 2018, but her three foals have now generated receipts totalling 1,510,000gns. Her first offspring, a colt by Sea The Stars, has been named Windbreaker and is in training with William Haggas. 

The youngster became the second-most expensive colt in December Foal Sale history, and fifth-most expensive lot overall. The record was set 12 months ago when Amo Racing paid 2,500,000gns for a sister to Chaldean.

Lascelles lands 850,000gns Frankel filly

Juddmonte also finished runner-up when The Castlebridge Consignment presented the Frankel filly out of Tropbeau. The youngster was bred by Lady Bamford, and her racing manager Henry Lascelles went to 850,000gns to buy Juddmonte out of the foal share agreement. 

The filly is the third foal out of Tropbeau, who joined the Bamford fold in 2019 when she was purchased through Charlie Gordon-Watson at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale at a cost of €180,000. She went on to win four races, including the Group 2 Prix du Calvados, and also finished runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest won by Marianafoot. 

Henry Lascelles went to 850,000gns for a Frankel fillyCredit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

Her first foal, this filly’s two-year-old brother, has been named Tropbien and is in training with John and Thady Gosden. Being by Frankel and out of a Showcasing mare means the siblings are bred on the same cross as Irish 1,000 Guineas and Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Lake Victoria. 

“She’s a homebred filly who we really liked,” said Lascelles. “Her full-brother is a two-year-old with the Gosdens. We like him too and he’ll run in the spring next year, and we also have a Night Of Thunder filly who’ll go into training next year too. This filly is a credit to Lady Bamford, Chris [Lock, stud manager] and the whole team at Daylesford. She’s a lovely filly and we’re delighted to get her back. Tropbeau was a very good racemare, she was a Group 2 winner at two and Group 1-placed at three. She’s a really exciting mare.”

TBT Racing cap ‘perfect’ day with 700,000gns Frankel colt

Agent Ed Sackville was in the thick of the bidding on a host of Friday’s bigger lots, and finally got on the mark when landing the Frankel colt out of Sunday Star at 700,000gns. The colt was bred by David Ward and sold through Whatton Manor Stud. 

Not only was the dam a two-time winner and Group 3 placed, she is a Kodiac half-sister to this year’s leading first-season sire Starman. Her first foal, this colt’s two-year-old sister Sunday Girl, debuted with a promising third-place finish for Ed Walker at Newbury in late April. 

“He’s been bought for TBT Racing,” said Sackville, who was joined by owner Simon Sadler. “Simon came up to Newmarket today and went to Banstead Manor Stud to have a look at Frankel. Having seen Frankel, he wanted a Frankel. He’s a lovely horse and Ed knows the family better than anyone. Ed trains the full-sister, who we expect to win next time, and it’s a stallion’s page on both the sire’s side and the female side. He’s a lovely athletic colt who should hopefully make up into a very nice racehorse.” 

Lot 932: the Frankel colt out of Sunday Star sold for 700,000gnsCredit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

Sadler has emerged a significant new investor in the sport, a trajectory that has been underpinned by a highly productive time on the track. TBT Racing’s blue, orange and white silks have been carried to notable victories by Noble Champion (Jersey Stakes), Qilin Queen (Prix de Malleret) and Ten Bob Tony (John Of Gaunt Stakes). 

Reflecting on the campaign, Sadler said: “It’s been fantastic, really enjoyable. I never really anticipated getting three Group winners like we did, and a Listed winner, so I’m ecstatic. This really rounds it all off. Today’s been a great day, going to the stud and seeing Frankel and then buying a Frankel that’s related to Starman. Perfect. I’m already very much looking forward to next season.” 

Asked about his broader ambitions within the sport, Sadler said: “To win as many Group 1 races as TBT Racing can, and to breed our own.”

Godolphin get into blue-chip German family

Godolphin came late to the party when going to 625,000gns for the Kingman filly out of Gestut Rottgen’s classy Dubawi mare Well Disposed. The dam won three races in Germany, including a pair of Group 3s. She also finished second to Torquator Tasso’s half-brother Tunnes in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Bayern. 

The page is replete with black type, not least as Well Disposed is out of Wellenspiel, making her a sibling to the Group 1 winners Weltstar and Windstoss. 

“She’s a lovely filly with a very good pedigree,” said Godolphin talent scout Anthony Stroud. “After she’s been to the races we’ll be able to breed her to quite a lot of stallions, like Frankel. If you’re thinking long-term she’ll be a good addition to the stud. She’s the only one we’ve bid on today. It’s a fantastic page full of champions.”

Anthony Stroud: 'She’s the only one we’ve bid on today. It’s a fantastic page full of champions'Credit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

Rottgen manager Frank Dorff, who entrusted consigning duties to Galloway Stud, was among those watching on during the six-figure bidding battle. 

“She’s very typical of the family, she looks just like her mother,” said Dorff. “I’m very happy she made a very good price. She’s gone to a very good home, let’s hope she is a Group 1 winner in Britain. She’s a special one and we were very tempted to keep her, you don’t often breed one with that quality. The market recognised that and sometimes you have to sell.” 

He added: “The mare is in foal to Frankel, and if that foal is a colt he will be a stallion prospect. We haven’t sold many from the family, we’re not a commercial stud, we breed to produce good racehorses and later good broodmares. We decided to go to Kingman because it was the dream to breed a valuable broodmare prospect. I hate close inbreeding and she’s open to nearly everything.”

Bond back for more Bassett action

The Bond Thoroughbreds silks have already been carried to Group 1 success by one son of Wootton Bassett in Maranoa Charlie, and the upwardly mobile operation can look forward to another after Paddy Twomey signed for the catalogue’s sole offering by the late, great stallion at 550,000gns. 

The colt was presented by Baroda Stud having been bred by US outfit Diamond Creek Farm. The dam, the unraced First Flower, is by Galileo and out of Beauty Is Truth, making her a sister to the top-level winners Hermosa, Hydrangea and The United States. 

Paddy Twomey and Bond Thoroughbreds paid 550,000gns for Baroda's Wootton Bassett coltCredit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

“He’s a homebred for Diamond Creek Stud,” said Baroda’s David Cox. “They asked me what I thought he was going to make, and I said ‘I hope he’s going to make between 400,000gns and 600,000gns.’ He took a bit of time to get there but then it got rolling. I wish the best of luck to Paddy and Bond Thoroughbreds. From when he arrived he was totally chilled out and showed himself well, and obviously they’re not making any more by the stallion. Typically they all have good minds, and this lad ticks a lot of boxes.” 

Maranoa Charlie has retired to Tally-Ho Stud, where he has been introduced at a fee of €20,000.

First Flower is entered in next week's December Mare Sale, where she will be offered by Glenvale Stud in foal to Camelot.

Norris bags Night Of Thunder filly at 400,000gns

There was plenty of backslapping going on after Liam Norris secured the Night Of Thunder filly out of Fast Lily from Plantation Stud at 400,000gns. The filly is a sibling to three winners, including the US stakes scorer Unanimous Consent and the Oh So Sharp Stakes third Star Music. 

“I didn’t think I’d get her for one minute, I honestly thought she’d make a fortune,” said the delighted purchaser. “She’s the best here, she’s absolutely beautiful, she had everything. She has a fantastic shape to her and she looked fast, I thought. I went to see her about an hour ago and she showed the same as she did three days ago. She just kept on walking, has a beautiful eye, she’s a fabulous filly.” 

Plantation Stud's Night Of Thunder filly during her 400,000gns saleCredit: Laura Green/Tattersalls

He added: “I’m very lucky that I’ve bought her for Ben Speers, who I’ve bought foals for for the last two years and we’ve had a nice little touch each time. The pressure was off this time because he said he’ll race her if we can’t resell her next year. He’s a really good guy and believes in me, which is great. I’m absolutely delighted. She’ll probably go to Newsells Park to board. The last four did. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to buy her.” 

The dam, who was bought by Mags O’Toole for €130,000 in 2018, is a sibling to five winners, most notably the Lowther Stakes scorer Silk Blossom, the dual Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Mashoora, and the Listed-placed Complimentor. The mare’s offspring have now netted Plantation Stud 970,000gns in Tattersalls receipts.

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