Shining stars - six lots to watch at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale on Tuesday

The top-class breeding stock sales are coming thick and fast at the moment with the next stop on the circuit the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, which gets underway on Monday morning. Here are six lots to watch during the first two sessions of the sale.

Cachet
4yo b f Aclaim - Poyle Sophie (Teofilo)
Highclere Stud
Lot 1799, Tuesday evening 

Last year's 1,000 Guineas heroine is the first Classic winner to be offered as a horse in training at the Tattersalls December Sale since Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Ravinella in 1988. She therefore rates a standout on her racecourse achievements alone. 

The daughter of Aclaim has been through the sales ring at Tattersalls before, making 60,000gns to Highclere from Hyde Park Stud at the Craven Breeze-Up, but she should command a far higher price this time around. George Boughey's filly was her sire's first winner when a five-and-a-half length scorer in a Newmarket novice, while she went on to place several times in black-type company that season, including when third to Inspiral in the Fillies' Mile. 

George Boughey and Cachet at homeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Her first Group win came in the Nell Gwyn Stakes the following spring and she duly followed up in the 1,000 Guineas, beating subsequent Falmouth Stakes winner Prosperous Voyage, who also sells at Tattersalls on Tuesday (1811), into second ahead of Oaks and Breeders' Cup victress Tuesday. The tough performer nearly completed a Classic double when just edged out in the French equivalent by Mangoustine two weeks later. 

Fellow Group 1 winner Via Sistina (1788), a winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and an unlucky second in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, is another top-class mare on offer. Bred on the proven Fastnet Rock-Galileo nick, the George Boughey-trained five-year-old cost just 5,000gns from the December Yearling Sale in 2019. 

Rogue Millennium
4yo b f Dubawi - Hawaafez (Nayef)
Barton Sales
1800, Tuesday evening 

What a difference two years can make. A 35,000gns purchase by JS Bloodstock from Shadwell at this sale in 2021, Rogue Millennium has proven quite the buy with a Royal Ascot victory and a second in the Matron Stakes to her name. 

The daughter of Dubawi was unraced at two, but won her first two starts at three, including the Lingfield Oaks Trial, and was also second to fellow entrant Poptronic (1784) in the Hoppings Fillies' Stakes that year. Like so many by her famed sire, she came into her own as an older performer when winning the Duke of Cambridge Stakes in June, while she was also second to champion filly Tahiyra in Ireland to boot. 

Rogue Millennium strikes in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot in JuneCredit: Edward Whitaker

As befitting a Shadwell-bred filly she has a deep pedigree, one which includes the top-class Generous and the Group winner and Group 1-placed juvenile Wedding Bouquet. She is out of the Group 3 winner Hawaafez and is also a half-sister to the smart Awtaad filly Naomi Lapaglia, who picked up black type in November when third in the Listed Prix Ceres at Fontainebleau. 

Get Ahead
4yo ch f Showcasing - Suelita (Dutch Art)
Whitsbury Manor Stud
1813, Tuesday evening

A smart performer for Clive Cox and Hot To Trot Racing with a Listed score and Flying Five Stakes second to her name, Get Ahead looks an immensely exciting prospect for her new connections whether it is to continue racing or to start her breeding career.

The four-year-old was a debut winner at two and she gradually climbed up the ladder into black-type company at three. She was Listed-placed twice last season, while this year she struck at Haydock in the Cecil Frail Stakes. A neck second in the Prix du Gros-Chene was then followed by a half-length second in Group 1 company at the Curragh, behind Moss Tucker and in front of Bradsell and Highfield Princess. 

Get Ahead: Listed winner and Group 1-placed performer has plenty going for herCredit: Edward Whitaker

Her pedigree has been given two big boosts over the last year and a bit. Firstly her Frankel half-brother Chaldean struck in the Dewhurst last October, following on from wins in the Champagne and Acomb Stakes, before victory in this year's 2,000 Guineas. Get Ahead is also a Showcasing sister to Mill Reef Stakes winner Alkumait, whose first foals have been well received, while their Kingman half-sister sold to Juddmonte for 1,000,000gns at the December Foal Sale in 2022. 

A 200,000gns purchase from Book 1 when sold from breeder Whitsbury Manor Stud to Creighton Schwartz Bloodstock, she rates an exciting addition to anyone's racing or breeding barns. 

Polly Pott
3yo b f Muhaarar - Must Be Me (Trade Fair)
Barton Sales
1817, Tuesday evening 

An emotional winner of the May Hill Stakes for the retiring Harry Dunlop, Polly Pott is another high-class performer who hails from an excellent family. 

The 21,000gns Book 2 graduate rose up the ranks - and then some - when rising from a Class 5 nursery at Nottingham to Group 2 success at Doncaster in 2022, while she was also a fine fourth to the unbeaten Commissioning in the Fillies' Mile. 

Polly Pott: May Hill Stakes winner hails from the family of MohaatherCredit: Edward Whitaker

A sibling to two winners, Polly Pott is out of the Italian winner Must Be Me, a half-sister to Shadwell's Sussex Stakes hero and first-crop yearling sire Mohaather. The pair are out of Roodeye, the Johnson Houghtons' wonderful broodmare who is also responsible for American Grade 2 scorer and Grade 1-placed Prize Exhibit. 

That Showcasing mare has produced the Group-winning Galileo filly History, a 2,800,000gns purchase by MV Magnier from Barronstown Stud at Tattersalls Book 1 in 2020. Polly Pott has a top-notch pedigree and she should prove a valuable asset for someone in her second career at paddocks. 

Zain Claudette
4yo ch f No Nay Never - Claudette (Speightstown)
Barton Sales
1820, Tuesday evening

A speedy and precocious juvenile, this daughter of No Nay Never heads to market as a winner of the Lowther and Princess Margaret Stakes for Ismail Mohammed and owner Saeed H Al Tayer. Just a £20,000 purchase by Rabbah Bloodstock from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, it will be odds-on that she makes a tad more than that at Park Paddocks. 

Zain Claudette after victory in the Lowther Stakes at YorkCredit: Grossick Racing

The four-year-old was a narrow second on her juvenile bow and followed up an easy Newmarket maiden score on her second start. Her two Group-race victories swiftly followed and she defeated Royal Ascot winner Sandrine in the York Group 2 as well as subsequent Rockfel Stakes scorer Hello You.

Zain Claudette's dam was a winner in Poland and is out of an American Grade 3 scorer in Tippity Witch, an Affirmed half-sister to another stakes winner in Senor Benny.

Kensea
13yo ch m Kendargent -  Sea Island (Gold Away)
Ballyhimikin Stud 
1825, Tuesday evening 

A Listed-winning daughter of Haras de Colleville's stalwart stallion Kendargent, wildcard entry Kensea has to rate one of the most intriguing additions to the December Mare Sale ranks.

The Guy Pariente homebred has already produced two individual Group 1 winners at the relatively young age of 13. Sealiway, standing at Haras de Beaumont, won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere by eight lengths as a juvenile and followed up the next season when defeating Dubai Honour, Mac Swiney, Mishriff and Adayar in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. 

Sunway: one of two Group 1-winning sons for KenseaCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sealiway's Galiway full-brother Sunway provided another mighty boost when winning the Criterium International in October, sporting Pariente's silks but also in the joint ownership of Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing. He will look to add further lustre to his and his family's record when going in search of Classic honours in 2024. 

Kensea is also the sole mare at the auction in foal to Zarak, Haras de Bonneval's exciting young son of Dubawi and Zarkava. She produced a Galiway sister to Sealiway and Galiway last year who made 260,000gns to KPF Bloodstock at Book 1 in October.

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