Bloodstock Bites

Chris Hill brings us the latest bloodstock news and reflects on the action on track and in the sales ring

This year’s dual Derby hero Australia (Galileo) led home a one-two for the Classic generation and initiated a Group One York double for his sire when recording an impressive two-length victory for trainer Aiden O’Brien in the Juddmonte International Stakes ahead of the Kevin Ryan-trained French Derby hero The Grey Gatsby (Mastercraftsman).

Out of Ouija Board (Cape Cross), Lord Derby’s 2004 Oaks winner and seven-time Group One winning mare, Australia was purchased by Demi O’Byrne on behalf of Coolmore for 525,000 guineas at the 2012 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and is the fourth winner from four foals of racing age that the Champion European Three Year-Old from 2004 has produced to date.

A full brother to Filia Regina (Galileo), a winner over one mile six furlongs for Ed Dunlop who trained Ouija Board throughout her esteemed career and who has handled all of the great mare’s offspring prior to Australia, Coolmore’s three year-old colt is also a half-brother to the Australian Group Three Easter Cup winner Voodoo Prince (Kingmambo), who was successful on these shores for Dunlop and Lord Derby in Goodwood’s Listed Foundation Stakes, and the ten and twelve furlong winner Aegaeus (Monsun).

Tapestry (Galileo) completed the Group One double for Galileo when out-battling the hitherto unbeaten Taghrooda (Sea The Stars) up the York straight to secure the Yorkshire Oaks for O’Brien and Coolmore under jockey Ryan Moore.

Tapestry (Galileo) completed the Group One double for Galileo when out-battling the hitherto unbeaten Taghrooda (Sea The Stars) up the York straight to secure the Yorkshire Oaks for O’Brien and Coolmore under jockey Ryan Moore.

The third foal out of Rumplestiltskin (Danehill), winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac and Moyglare Stud Stakes in 2005 which led to the Coolmore-owned filly being crowned Champion European Two Year-Old that year, Tapestry is a full sister to three other winners including the exciting Aidan O’Brien-trained juvenile John F Kennedy (Galileo) a general 16/1 shot for next year’s 2000 Guineas following an easy four and three-quarter length victory at The Curragh in mid-August.

Rumplestiltskin herself is a half-sister to I Am Beautiful (Rip Van Winkle), winner of the Group Three Balanchine Stakes for the same connections in June, with both being out of Monevassia (Mr Prospector), a placed daughter of the great racemare and broodmare Miesque, dam of the three-time Group One winners Kingmambo (Mr Prospector) and East of The Moon (Private Account).

Richard Hughes steered an almost unbelievable course on the Eddie Lynam-trained Sole Power (Kyllachy) to get up close home and record a second Group One Nunthorpe Stakes for the Mrs Sabena Power-owned sprinter, all the more remarkable considering the seven year-old gelding was suffering until recently with ringworm.

Now a four-time Group One winner having also won consecutive renewals of the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot, Sole Power, who was bought by Lynam for £32,000 at the 2008 Doncaster St Leger Yearlings Sale, is the best of the three winners produced by the unraced mare Demerger (Distant View), the other two being the fifteen-time winner and Group Three runner-up Cornus (Inchinor) and the French winner and Listed race runner-up Sotka (Dutch Art), with the further family being that of Grade/Group Two winners Auction House and Tychonic.

Following a nine length winning debut at Ayr in May, the two year-old colt was purchased privately by Sheikh Joaan al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing operation with his next start in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot producing another impressive display.

Over at Deauville, British-based trainers secured both the Group One prizes on offer with John Quinn’s Coventry Stakes winner The Wow Signal (Starspangledbanner) securing a first top level success for his sire when victorious in the Prix Morny and James Fanshawe’s four year-old filly Ribbons (Manduro) taking the Prix Jean Romanet at the relatively unfancied price of 11-1 with Frankie Dettori piloting both to their victories.

Initially purchased by Lynn Lodge Stud for €13,000 at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearlings Sale, The Wow Signal (Starspangledbanner) returned to the sales ring earlier this year when bought by Sean Quinn, son of trainer John, for £50,000 at Ascot’s Select 2yo Breeze-Up Sale, since when his racecourse performances have belied his relatively inexpensive public sale prices.

Following a nine length winning debut at Ayr in May, the two year-old colt was purchased privately by Sheikh Joaan al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing operation with his next start in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot producing another impressive display.

The first foal out of Muravka (High Chaparral), an unraced half-sister to the dual-Listed Flat winner over a mile Tolpuddle (College Chapel) and the U.S. Grade Three-placed Prevalence (Cadeaux Genereux), The Wow Signal hails from the further family of 1996 French 1000 Guineas winner Ta Rib (Mr Prospector) so quotes of around 16-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas do not look too outlandish.

Having suffered from well-known fertility issues during his first stint at stud, Starspangledbanner has developed into a remarkably successful first season sire with his winners to runners ratio currently standing at close to 50%.

Having now been responsible for a first Group One winner as well as a Group Two double at Royal Ascot thanks to The Wow Signal and Anthem Alexander,  the four-time Group One winner currently stands at Rosemont Stud in Australia but is due to return to Coolmore next year to stand the Northern Hemisphere covering season in Ireland.

Owned and bred by the Elite Racing Club who have experienced plenty of success already with the close family, Ribbons (Manduro) is the second foal – and first to have raced – out of Sister Act (Marju), a winning full sister to Fanshawe’s five-time Group winner Soviet Song (Marju) and half-sister to the Alan King-trained winner of the 2004 Triumph Hurdle, Penzance (Pennekamp).

For Manduro, a three –time Group One winner and Champion European older horse in 2007 for trainer Andre Fabre, Ribbons’ victory was a third at the highest level following the 2011 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victory of Mandaean and last year’s Premio Lydia Tesio success of Charity Line. Other notable performers for the Darley stallion who stands at Haras du Logis in France include this season’s Group Three Schwarzgold-Rennen winner Meerjungfrau and the Listed Feilden Stakes winner – and narrow runner-up to Al Kazeem (Dubawi) in Saturday’s Group Three Winter Hill Stakes – True Story.

Sadly, last week brought the tragic news from Cheveley Park Stud that their fourteen year-old broodmare Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo), winner of the 1000 Guineas in 2003, had to be put down due to the effects of colic.

The DBS Premier Yearlings Sale saw 418 lots change hands for a total of £15,512,500, an improvement of 14% on the 2013 renewal, with the average price of £37,111 and median of £27,000 being increases of 14% and 8% respectively on last year’s figures.

With 21 lots going for six-figure sums it was a grey son of Starspangledbanner (Choisir), fresh from being represented by his first Group One winner at Deauville the previous day, who topped the two-day sale when purchased by David Redvers on behalf of Qatar Racing for £230,000.

The first foal out of the twice- placed mare Ultimate Best (King’s Best), a half-sister to the Group Three Chipchase Stakes winner Barney McGrew (Mark of Esteem) and the Listed winning pair National Park (Common Grounds) and Film Script (Unfuwain), the sale represented a great pinhooking success for vendors Castletown Quarry Stud as they had purchased the colt in a partnership for just 13,000 guineas at last year’s Tattersalls December Foals Sale.

There were joint second top lots with a son of Acclamation (Royal Applause) and daughter of the five-time Group One winner Canford Cliffs (Tagula) both making £180,000 whens selling to Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock and Tony Nerses respectively. The Doyle’s and Nerses were particularly busy at the two-day sale with each signing for three of the six-figure lots and Nerses  purchasing a colt by first crop yearling sire Canford Cliffs, offered by Biddestone Stud , for £140,000.

The £180,000 Canford Cliffs filly bought by Nerses is set to join trainer Roger Varian and is the first foal out of the two-time winner Decorative (Danehill Dancer). She hails from the family of Group Three Flat winner and Grade Two winning hurdler Forgotten Voice and further back that of multiple Group One winners Arcangues and Aquarelliste.

The Acclamation colt is the first foal out of the one-time winner and Listed- placed mare Bahati (Intikhab), a half-sister to the Hong Kong Listed winner  Solid Approach (Definite Article) from the further family of the 1991 Racing Post Trophy winner Seattle Rhyme and the 2006 Group Two Ridgewood Pearl Stakes winner Pout.

Sadly, last week brought the tragic news from Cheveley Park Stud that their fourteen year-old broodmare Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo), winner of the 1000 Guineas in 2003, had to be put down due to the effects of colic.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute to four Group One victories in all including in the 2004 Lockinge Stakes on her final start, Russian Rhythm has produced two winners to date, the two-time handicap winner Russian Realm (Dansili) and the one-time winner and Listed Sandringham Handicap third Safina (Pivotal), and it is now particularly apt that her final foal, born in 2013, has been named Russian Finale (Dansili).

Mickley Stud in Shropshire also announced the sad news that their leading British jumps sire Overbury (Caerleon) was put down at the age of twenty three.

The winner of four races on the Flat when trained by David Loder and Saeed bin Suroor, including the Grade Two American Derby at Arlington and Listed Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin, as a stallion he will be remembered as sire of David Pipe’s 2013 Grade One Punchestown Champion Bumper winner The Liquidator and Willie Mullins’ triple Grade One jumps winner Missed That as well as the Group Three Park Express Stakes winner Ardbrae Lady, who was also runner up to Nightime in the 2006 Irish 1000 Guineas.

Chris is a Pedigree Researcher for Weatherbys Ltd, the company that provides the majority of pedigrees for thoroughbreds sold at public auction in Britain and Ireland and who offer a range of products and services to suit your Bloodstock needs.

For further information please visit http://www.weatherbys.co.uk/bloodstock