The extraordinary trade seen at Tattersalls during the October Yearling Sale and last week’s December Foal Sale suggested that something spectacular could be in the offing at the December Mares Sale and so it proved on a day where turnover of 55,168,500 guineas exceeded the previous record for the highest grossing day in European auction history, set at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Three lots sold for in excess of 3,000,000 guineas led by the 4,800,000 guineas top lot YOU GOT TO ME.
Amo Racing Strike for Irish Oaks Winner You Got To Me at 4,800,000 Guineas
Group 1 Irish Oaks winner YOU GOT TO ME was a rare commodity at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale as a Classic winning filly offered for sale in the year of her Classic triumph, the first in over forty years, and she duly lit up the Tattersalls sales ring when selling for 4,800,000 guineas to Amo Racing. Consigned to the sale by Newsells Park Stud, the price was the third highest ever realised at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
An opening bid of 1,000,000 guineas was quickly eclipsed and bids flew from all around the ring with US trainer Will Walden and Newsells Park Stud’s Graham Smith-Bernal among those to last longest, with the latter bowing out as an emotional underbidder following several football-related quips from auctioneer Alastair Pim.
A daughter of Newsells Park Stud’s top class sire NATHANIEL, YOU GOT TO ME was trained by Ralph Beckett for Valmont and Newsells Park Stud Bloodstock 24, and proved herself among the very best of her generation as a race filly with victory in a high class renewal of the Irish Oaks, defeating subsequent Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner CONTENT.
"We are trying to do the right thing. We have to compete, and we have been trying to compete for many years and have probably burnt so much cash by trying to do it, by trying to pick the next one - why try to pick the next one when you have the one here?" said Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian.
On future plans he revealed: "Obviously Ralph Beckett wants her back, and I said as long as he does not injure her he can have her back! I am thinking about plans. If she stays in training she is not a horse to take away from her current trainer, and Ralph has done a wonderful job with her."
Joorabchian added: "We were getting to a point that we were thinking she was overpriced but she could be very cheap in the long run. At least we know she is proven, she won the Irish Oaks amazingly, and I am so happy because the guys that owned her Valmont are dear friends of mine, we have partnerships together in other horses."
YOU GOT TO ME was bought for 200,000 guineas by Alex Elliott at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and previously by BBA Ireland at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 62,000 guineas from the National Stud.
Resolute Bloodstock Secures Group 1 Winning Two-Year-Old Vertical Blue for 3,200,000 Guineas
The wildcard entry VERTICAL BLUE was another rare prospect to come to market as a Group 1 winning two-year-old filly and realised a duly outstanding price, knocked down at 3,200,000 guineas to an online bid by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock with Newsells Park Stud’s Graham Smith-Bernal the resigned underbidder.
The highest rated two-year-old in France, VERTICAL BLUE won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac from the highly touted ZARIGANA for owners Gemini Stud & Argella Racing and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, and was offered by Graffard Racing.
US-based owner John Stewart announced himself as a major new player in the racing world with a significant investment in American bloodstock in recent years, and Resolute Racing has since expanded internationally with GOLIATH representing the burgeoning operation in November’s Japan Cup.
Stewart revealed: "Vertical Blue was my number one pick and I had targeted her. I know a lot about the filly as she is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, and he trains Goliath for me. She will be going back to France to be trained by him. I thought she would make that sort of money, premium horses generate that sort of price and there is a small group of people buying them."
Resolute Bloodstock purchased five lots in the session for a total outlay of 4,800,000 guineas, with Group 3 winner VILLAGE VOICE and Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas second A LILAC ROLLA two further six figure purchases at 1,300,000 guineas and 1,000,000 guineas respectively.
Regarding his other purchases, Stewart revealed: "The others will be coming to the US and will be staying in training. I want to dominate the turf racing at Keeneland, I want to do an Aidan O'Brien there, and around eighty percent of my horses are turf horses. The Keeneland track there is quite an anomaly in the US - most of the tracks are firm but the turf at Keeneland is on the soft. The horses I have bought will act on a soft track."
Of the process of buying online from the US, he said: "I have been very busy with work - the horses are something for the spare time - and was unable to attend in person, which I prefer to do. The Tattersalls staff have been very helpful, as well as my general manager Gavin O'Connor and Francis-Henri Graffard who has looked at the horses for me."
He concluded: "I am looking forward to coming to Europe next year."
Francis Graffard commented: "It has been a very interesting experience for me bringing a filly like this to the ring, preparing her for the sale, going through the bidding, but I am delighted with the result. The vendors are delighted and the new owner is very happy too!"
He added: "There is so much more to come from her, I am very pleased for the team at home as it is very difficult to see horses go, but hopefully she might be coming back."
A daughter of outstanding young sire MEHMAS, VERTICAL BLUE is out of a SEA THE STARS mare from the exceptional Aga Khan family of VADAMOS and VALIXIR.
Believing Sells for 3,000,000 Guineas to MV Magnier
The third filly to realise 3,000,000 guineas was the outstanding sprint filly BELIEVING, consigned by Highclere Stud. The bidding opened at 500,000 guineas and developed into a duel between Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and a persistent online opponent, before MV Magnier joined the fray with a bid of 2,700,000 guineas and offering the final successful bid.
The brilliant daughter of MEHMAS was trained by George Boughey for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and proved both tough and consistent with five Group and Listed victories including the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes, and multiple placed efforts in Europe’s top Group 1 sprints.
It is not the first spectacular result for Highclere Stud and Highclere Thoroughbred Racing at the Sceptre Sessions with 1000 Guineas winner CACHET selling for 2,200,000 guineas in 2023, and Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s managing director Harry Herbert commented:
"It is unbelievable, there was some chat before that she might make more than Cachet and I thought that was ridiculous! But hearing from Jake [Warren] and the stud before that all the key people were on her - there can be so many disappointments in the ring, both buying and selling, but when it happens - the journey her twenty owners have enjoyed from a breeze up filly of 115,000 guineas to three million here.
"She is staying with George, which is fantastic and is a wonderful bonus. It is so incredible to have a filly looking like that - she has an incredible will to win. Consistent, with speed, she is a dream down the road. We look forward to following her future career."
BELIEVING’s trainer George Boughey added: "I had a suspicion that she could make what she did, but it is great for Highclere to have such good fillies to race and the shareholders are a great group of owners who have travelled around the world with her. It is a perfect ending for them and us.
"We have had a few horses lately for Coolmore connections and we are delighted to have a filly to race at a high level for such a great operation. She will be back with us in her own stable, she will have a break now and then we will sit down and make a plan."
BELIEVING was bought by Highclere Agency’s Jake Warren for 115,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale from Kilminfoyle House Stud, who had bought her at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from Baroda Stud for 70,000 guineas.
River of Stars to Oakley Creek for 1,650,000 Guineas
The fourth highest priced price of the session was realised for the Group 3 winner RIVER OF STARS, second in the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu on her most recent start. Consigned by trainer Ralph Beckett’s Kimpton Down Stables on behalf of Woodford Thoroughbreds, Gary Hadden made a determined effort to secure the daughter of SEA THE STARS but had to give way to the online bid of Oakley Creek at 1,650,000 guineas.
RIVER OF STARS is a half-sister to two black type fillies and to the dam of this year’s Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner and Group 1 Prix Morny and Jean-Luc Lagardere second RASHABAR. She was bought by Woodford Thoroughbreds for 400,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale from Castletown Stud.
Ralph Beckett said: "She has been a joy to train and campaign thanks to her robust constitution, and you’d be very hopeful she’ll make a terrific broodmare."
Woodford Thoroughbreds Secure The Palace Girl for 1,550,000 Guineas
Woodford Thoroughbreds were also active as purchasers securing the exciting prospect THE PALACE GIRL, consigned to the sale as a wildcard lot by her trainer Kevin Coleman’s Slievebrook House on behalf of Atomic Racing. The Coolmore team made a strong play for the once-raced two-year-old but Woodford Thoroughbreds, frustrated underbidders on several occasions at the December Mares Sale including for the 1,800,000 guineas Monday Sceptre Session top lot CAUGHT U LOOKING, were not to be denied at 1,550,000 guineas.
A delighted Kevin Coleman joked:
“Look, it’s only money! It still doesn’t beat the buzz of winning a Class Five maiden at Southwell! It’s different. We were offered a lot of money privately, not that much, but I turned down a lot. I thought she was worth more, but did I think she was going to make this? No. It was on me coming here but I just knew that when people saw the physical, it was going to happen.
“She’s beautiful. She had to be to make that. The pedigree update, what she’s done herself, the company she was in that day, and what she’s done here this week. She’s a very nice filly and everyone’s going to be delighted.
“It means we can pay for the yearlings we bought this year! It’s all back in again. We have about 35 in and we’re maxed out at this. We haven’t had anything like this one and we knew that long ago. I just hope to God she goes on and does what we think she can do."
Owner Sean Grassick said: “She was just a lovely filly, she had a great presence. The pedigree was quite light at the time but she was lovely, a very good mover. It’s been a nice journey to be on and we’ve enjoyed riding it out with Tamfana as well. We think a lot of her and all I can say is that we hope she’s very lucky for her new owners and thanks to the underbidders as well. I’m sure she’ll be a superstar.”
An eye-catching second on her debut at the Curragh behind subsequent Group performer GISELLE, THE PALACE GIRL is a half-sister to this year’s brilliant Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes winner TAMFANA, also third in the Prix de Diane and an unlucky fourth in the 1000 Guineas.
The Tattersalls December Mares Sale continues on Wednesday, 4th December at 9.30am with the third session.
