A FRANKEL colt became the highest priced yearling in Europe in 2023 when selling for 2,000 guineas on the second day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He was one of four seven figure lots for the session which also saw 15 lots sell for 500,000 guineas or more.
Hascombe’s Frankel Colt Sells for 2,000,000 Guineas
The top price on the second day of Book 1, and the highest achieved by any yearling in Europe in 2023, was the FRANKEL colt out of the LEMON DROP KID mare BIZZARRIA who realised 2,000,000 guineas. Consigned by Anthony Oppenheimer’s Hascombe & Valiant Stud, the colt was knocked down to MV Magnier & White Birch Farm after he saw off opposition from the Godolphin team and Juddmonte.
"He is a lovely horse and from a very successful stud in Hascombe, which has bred very good horses in the past and are very good breeders," said Magnier. "This is a well bred horse, Frankel is flying and everyone liked him - he goes to Ballydoyle."
The sale was vindication of the stud’s decision to sell its draft of yearling colts this autumn and Oppenheimer, who sat in the ring to watch his colt sell, commented: "So far we have done quite well and sold four, and we have more to sell. There were no regrets at all when he was going around the ring, I did not think we'd get as much as that but I know he is a very nice horse. It refuels the stud's finances and it can't do any harm!"
BIZZARIA is a half-sister to the three-time Group 1 and Classic winning filly STAR CATCHER, and an own-sister to the Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes winner CANNOCK CHASE and the Group 2 Prix Eugène Adam winner PISCO SOUR.
Godolphin Purchase Battaash’s Blue Point Half-Brother Sells for 1,500,000 Guineas
The BLUE POINT half-brother to BATTAASH, the European Champion older sprinter of 2018, 2019 and 2020, and to Group 1 Middle Park Stakes second THE ANTARCTIC realised 1,500,000 guineas to the bid of Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin. Bred and sold by Ballyphilip Stud, the colt was given the highest accolade by the farm's Paul McCartan when he reported that he thought this colt is the best individual that he and his wife Marie have bred.
"I have not said it to many people, but I think he is the nicest horse I have ever had anything to do with, I really think that," he affirmed. "I had always put Battaash number one, but when this colt got here and did everything right and everything came together... I think he is an absolute belter. I am delighted that Godolphin bought him and that Charlie Appleby will train him.
"He is the image of his father and his grandfather, Charlie loved him and could see that too."
Of the decision to send his brilliant broodmare ANNA LAW to the young stallion BLUE POINT, who recently sired his first Group 1 winner, McCartan said: "It was probably an act of lunacy to take such a risk with a mare who is so important to us - I probably should have sent her to a proven horse rather than a first crop horse.
"But I was there the day Blue Point beat Battaash in the King's Stand. I thought Battaash looked great that day but I saw Blue Point come into the parade ring and I had one look at him and one look at Charlie Appleby and I said, 'We are not going to be winning today!'"
McCartan was keen to thank his team for all the efforts at home and on the sale ground saying, "I want to pay particular thanks to all the people who work for me, everyone knows they are the best team on the sale ground. My head lad Denis Lawlor, he never comes to the sales, and Dinny McCarthy who led up, they have all done a fantastic job. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of this for me - that we can all share it, we are all good friends."
"She has been an incredible mare for us. She started off a pretty grumpy old girl, but now every time she sees me in the field she knows I always have a fistful of nuts for her so we are the best of friends!" Anthony Stroud, buying for Godolphin, said: "He was one that we wanted. Paul McCartan has had Tiggy Wiggy, Profitable, Harry Angel and so many more, it is a great nursery and they do a fantastic job. He is the horse that we thought would enhance Godolphin. I hope that we are standing here in two years' time and agreeing that this is one of the best that Paul has bred."
Wootton Bassett Brother to Golden Horde Sells for 1,250,000 Guineas
Early in the evening Clara Stud’s WOOTTON BASSETT half-brother to the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup winner GOLDEN HORDE lit up the ring when selling for 1,250,000 guineas to MV Magnier & White Birch Farm. The son of the PIVOTAL mare ENTREAT, whose siblings also include the Listed winners EXHORT and LINE OF DEPARTURE, was knocked down to Magnier after a prolonged bidding duel with Qatari Mohamed Al Mansour.
Breeder James Cloney was at Tattersalls to see the colt go through the ring, he was consigned by his family's Clara Stud which is run by his father-in-law Micheal Nolan and is in County Kilkenny.
"The horse really sold himself, he is a lovely horse," said Cloney. "It is a once in a lifetime to have such a beautiful horse, he is the right shape, the right size, has the right walk and the right pedigree."
Cloney purchased ENTREAT for just 14,000 guineas at the 2016 Tattersalls July Sale where she was sold in foal to LETHAL FORCE, a covering that produced GOLDEN HORDE.
"Entreat is a special mare and just really produces top quality stock. We all have the same dream, thank god has it come through!" laughed Cloney.
Sumbe Strike for Ballylinch’s Lope De Vega Colt at 1,100,000 Guineas
Ballylinch Stud’s LOPE DE VEGA colt out of the Listed winning mare BELLA ESTRELLA was one of four lots to realise 1,000,000 guineas or more on the second day when bought for 1,100,000 guineas by Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe. The Normandy based operation secured the Ballylinch-bred colt, whose granddam is the Grade 2 winner UNCHARTED HAVEN, the dam of Group 3 winner HIGH HEELED and granddam of the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner JUST THE JUDGE.
The farm's owner Nurlan Bizakov and general manager Tony Fry were bidding from the right stairwell and are hoping to have purchased a future stallion prospect for the farm.
"He is a lovely horse, a lovely model. He is by a lovely sire, he is out of a lovely mare and, if he is good enough, he is potential stallion," said Fry. "That is what we are hoping for. No one needs a pat on the back now, that can come in two years' time - if it all works out. We have no plans as yet for this horse, whether he goes to France or elsewhere."
Explaining the decision to try and purchase a stallion as a yearling and before he has raced, Fry added: "It is not easy to buy one and they are owned by people not keen to sell. And ideally you like to be involved in from day one - to have bred them yourself, raced them and then stand them."
Newsells Park Stud’s Brother to Without Parole to Oliver St Lawrence for 900,000 Guineas
Local agent Oliver St Lawrence went to 900,000 guineas to secure the regally bred KINGMAN half-brother to the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes winner WITHOUT PAROLE and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner TAMARKUZ who was consigned by Newsells Park Stud. St Lawrence purchased the son of the LEMON DROP KID mare WITHOUT YOU BABE on behalf of Bahraini owner Fawzi Nass and team.
"The Kingman colt is just a lovely model and I loved him from the first time I saw him," said St Lawrence. "He is a half-brother to a Group 1 winner and a Grade 1 winner. Hopefully he can take us to the 2,000 Guineas and we can have a bit of fun, and he has an international profile. Hopefully he can be a stallion one day - that's the dream!"
Breeder John Gunther and daughter Tanya Gunther were at Tattersalls to see the sale, and it was a poignant moment as dam WITHOUT YOU BABE has died.
"It was sad losing the mare and this was her last foal," said Gunther Snr. "It was a tough decision to sell, he is such a fantastic yearling and it is a real heart breaker. Newsells has given him a tremendous start and he looked incredible here, he has gone to some very good owners and I am sure they will make us proud in future."
Expanding on the decision to sell, he said: "It was sort of like a flip of a coin really. We weren't going to let him go unless we got a good price for him, and it has turned out very well. We get to watch him run and we have his full-sister She's Got You, so we can still carry on the family."
The Listed winner and Grade 3 placed SHE'S GOT YOU had a filly by FRANKEL this spring.
Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues at 11am on Thursday, 5th October with the third and final session.
