Highclere and breeder Sheikh Isa join forces to buy Coolmore partners out of Missrock colt
The first foal out of high-class Australian mare Missrock (Fastnet Rock) played a prominent role during yesterday’s opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, as Highclere and breeder Sheikh Isa bought out their Coolmore partners in the colt by Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) who brought 500,000gns (approx. AU$923,900).
The yearling sales season in Europe, which began in France with two €2 million lots at the Arqana Deauville August sale, has begun fervently, with vibrant sales staged at the Goffs Premier and Orby sales, as well as Tattersalls Ireland last month, and it took until just the second lot into the ring to break the seven-figure mark at Park Paddocks yesterday, with trade continuing strongly through the session.
It was racing powerhouse Godolphin which made their presence felt early, going to 1.3 million guineas (approx. AU$2.4 million) for the Meon Valley Stud-consigned Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) filly out of Jazzi Top (Danehill Dancer), a winner of a Group 2 in France and runner-up in the Prix de l’Opera (Gr 1, 2000m) – a race won by the filly’s second dam Zee Zee Top (Zafonic) – as fillies held court in the opening exchanges.
She was signed for by Anthony Stroud of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock on behalf of Godolphin’s Sheikh Mohammed, who was present at Tattersalls yesterday.
“It’s a good way to start the sale, isn’t it?” said Stroud.
“She’s an attractive filly from a very good farm. Dubawi is a fantastic stallion and the boss picked this filly out. He’s [Sheikh Mohammed] had a lot of success with this family before with Kayf Tara and Opera House.”
Godolphin later backed up the purchase of the Dubawi filly with a colt by their flagship stallion, as they purchased Lot 127 out of Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) winner Persuasive (Dark Angel) for 1 million guineas (approx. AU$.1.85 million).
Yet while the Dubai-based goliath once again took top billing, what may have been more noteworthy to the market was the return of Shadwell after a two-year hiatus at yearling sales, as the operation established by the late Sheikh Hamdan purchased a half-sister to Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) by Siyouni (Pivotal) for 880,000gns (approx. AU$1.62 million), outbidding Australia’s John Camilleri, who was stood with agent Hubie De Burgh.
Shadwell’s long-serving racing manager Angus Gold signed the docket for a purchase driven by Sheikh Hamdan’s daughter, Sheikha Hissa.
“Sheikha Hissa is very excited to have bought a filly with a pedigree like that,” said Gold. “There’s an awful lot going on in there and the first three dams are all Group winners, so it’s an incredibly strong family that’s been well nurtured by the Watership Down team over the years.
“We’re hoping to buy some pedigrees for the future and she has one of the strongest pages in the catalogue.”
Shadwell, buoyed by the success of multiple Group 1 winner Baaeed (Sea The Stars), have not bought at public auction in Europe since the Goffs November Foal Sale in 2020, after which the operation underwent a significant restructuring that saw the volume of stock scaled back.
Sheikha Hissa was among those in attendance at Tattersalls and was spotted inspecting yearlings during Monday’s day of showing, and met with Sheikh Mohammed prior to the start of the sale on Tuesday morning.
Gold added: “As far as I know [it’s her first visit to Tattersalls], and it’s certainly her first time coming around looking at horses but I think she’s really enjoyed it. People have been very kind around the sales ground and given her a big welcome. It’s lovely to be able to walk around with her.”
Although missing out on the blueblood filly, Camilleri is active on the selling side at Tattersalls this week, with four lots consigned under the Hazelwood Bloodstock banner of Adrian and Phillipa O’Brien.
Lot 101, a colt by Kingman (Invincible Spirit) out of One Last Dance (Encosta De Lago), was passed in yesterday, while a Dubawi colt out of Ring The Bell (Galileo) was due to sell late yesterday evening as Lot 167. Today, a Dubawi colt out of Via Condotti (Galileo), a sister to Group 1 winners Highland Reel and Cape Of Good Hope, will go through the ring as Lot 278.
Other Australian-based figures present in Newmarket this week are John Wheeler, owner of Russian Camelot (Camelot), John Foote and Brad Spicer.
John and Jake Warren made a splash on the Gold Coast in purchasing the multiple stakes-winning mare Missrock for $2.3 million from the Magic Millions sale and, along with breeder Sheikh Isa, showed their faith in her first produce in holding off Yulong to ensure the colt remained in their possession.
“This colt is exactly what we wanted when we went to Australia to purchase this mare, and that’s to produce Classic prospects,” Jake Warren said.
“He’s a lovely horse. A very strong, powerful horse. We bred him on the farm at home and loved him all the way through, so we were happy to buy out the foal share.
“The plan with the mare was always to breed her to the top–class European stallions to try and produce Classic horses and we hope we’re on the right track.”
Missrock, who earned just shy of $1.4 million in a career that saw her win stakes races at two and four, as well as posting three Group 1 placings, has a weanling colt by Kingman.
“She has a lovely colt on the farm at the moment who, again, is a very straightforward and correct horse with a lovely style about him,” Warren added.
“The mare’s in foal to Night Of Thunder, so we hope that if we stick by going to the best, we’ll be rewarded with a nice outcome.”
Missrock is a sister to this season’s AR Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Passive Aggressive, and from the family of Group 1 winners Mrs Onassis (General Nediym) and Lady Jakeo (Last Tycoon).
Highclere were also celebrating having bred a recent Group 1 winner in Australia, as Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) translated her two-year-old speed to three-year-old prowess in winning the Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 23.
“It’s a wonderful result. Mum and dad are the ones really spearheading the operation down there, but it’s been a tremendous success,” Warren said.
“I just want to thank Milburn Creek, who reared the filly on our behalf. It’s very exciting, she looks like a lovely filly and hopefully more to come.”