Wings Of Eagles colt sells to Australia as Brummitt bemoans lack of support
There was understandable excitement when 2017 Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero Wings Of Eagles (Pour Moi) was retired to stand at his birthplace, the Haras de Montaigu.
A first Epsom winner to be bred in France since Sea-Bird (Dan Cupid) 52 years before him, Wings Of Eagles remained for just one season before Coolmore sent him to join his sire Pour Moi (Montjeu) on National Hunt duties.
That sole French crop are now yearlings and on day three of the Arqana October sale three breeders who chose to use him were well rewarded, while the calibre of agent that bought the trio should be a hint in itself.
Michel Zerolo gave €50,000 (approx. AUD$83,350) for a colt out of the Brazilian Grade 2 winner Notting Hill (Jules) bred by Haras de Bourgeauville.
Later in the session the Haras de Hoguenet sold another son of Wings Of Eagles from the family of Sagamix (Linamix) and Shastye (Danehill), with Tina Rau winning out at €60,000 (approx. AUD$100,000) .
That was also the price Jeremy Brummitt went to early in the day for a grey colt presented by the Haras des Granges.
He is out of the mare Mixfeeling (Red Ransom), whose two-year-old son by No Nay Never (Scat Daddy), Mexico City, finished third in the Killavullan Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Leopardstown last weekend.
“I think this colt would have stood out well on the first day and I don’t believe we’ve dropped our standards at all by taking him,” said Brummitt, who confirmed the horse had been bought to race in Australia. “I would have bought him even without the update.”
Brummitt said he had supported Wings Of Eagles in his only year at Montaigu and felt there was plenty of blame to go around the breeders that did not follow his example.
“I think it’s shameful that the stallion didn’t receive a better reception and more mares,” he said. “He won the Derby, he was the best racehorse standing in France and when you look at some of the sires here, breeders must be nuts if they don’t want to use a Derby winner. That’s my view and it’s not just France.
“I sent flat mares to him and if he can win the Derby he should be getting a good book of flat mares. Those people who don’t agree should try to win a Derby.”
France Galop currently list 40 yearlings from Wings Of Eagles’ sole French crop, which was conceived at a fee €12,000.
Out of the mare Ysoldina (Kendor), he won at Killarney at two before bookending his Epsom victory with placed efforts in the Chester Vase (Gr 3, 1m 4f) and Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f).