Lot 2207: Zurigha (Cape Cross) is signed for by Tom Blain under Blue Chip Bloodstock and he said: "We sold her two-year-old by Too Darn Hot now called Oversubscribed for 400,000gns to Mike Ryan – she is with Chad Brown who likes her.
"She is nice mare – she does have a patchy breeding record and is a bit of chancy one, but she is a long term project."
The 13-year-old mare was a Listed winner of the Rosemary Stakes, Group 2 placed in the Verdi Stakes and the Bslanchine Stakes and fourth in the Poule D'Essai des Pouliches (G1).
She is a half-sister to Lily's Angel, winner of the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies Stakes, and from the immediate family of the Group 1 siblings With You, winner of the Prix Rothschild, and the Prix du Cadran winner Call The Wind.
She was sold by Houghton BLoodstock. (11:14)
Lot 2163: Culworth Grounds Farm / El Caballo spend 10,000gns on the Sakhee's Secret mare Puzzled Look, a winner at two and dam of two winners, including Tough Enough (Showcasing), who was a winner at two.
Puzzled Look is a half-sister to Laugh A Minute (Mayson), winner of the Listed Cork Stakes and placed 20 times including in the Chipchase Stakes (G3) and the Prix de Meautry (G3), and to Funny Story (Havana Grey), the winner of four races at two and three, and this October's Boadicea Stakes (L).
It is the further family of the new Whitsbury sire and Commonwealth Cup (G1) and July Cup (G1) runner-up Dragon Symbol. (09:59)
Welcome to Day 4 and the last day of the December Mares Sale 2023 (09:32)
Day 3
Day 3 statistics: (+/- last year's session)
Catalogue: 301
Offered: 242
Sold: 188
Total: 3,650,500gns (-14%)
Median: 14,000gns (-7%)
Average: 19,418gns (-9%)
% Sold: 78%
Leading sires (by agg): 1. Sea The Stars, 2. Kodiac, 3. Dubawi
Leading sires (by av, two or more sold): 1.Aclaim, 2. Awtaad, 3. Showcasing
Leading purchasers (by agg, accum): 1. Katsumi Yoshida, 2. Juddmonte, 3. Narvick International
Leading consignors (by agg, accum): 1. Barton Sales, 2. The Castlebridge Consignment, 3. Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett)
Today's top five prices
Lot 2027: Mufeeda (IRE) 2020 Ch.F. BY No Nay Never (USA) EX Zoowraa (GB) >> Godolphin >> Lucky Vega >> 160,000gns
Lot 1920: Candle of Hope (GB) 2020 Br.F. BY Cable Bay (IRE) EX Good Hope (GB) >> The Royal Studs >> Shadai Corporation >> 100,000gns
Lot 2047: Malka (IRE) 2020 Ch.F. BY Nathaniel (IRE) EX Carisolo (GB) >> Newsells Park Stud Ltd >> Stroud Coleman Bloodstock 95,000gns
Lot 1955: Mariesque (IRE) 2018 B.M. BY Lawman (FR) EX Mireille (IRE) >> Ballygallon Stud (Ireland) Ltd. >> Naseby Bloodstock >> 80,000gns
Lot 2020: Lady's Slipper (FR) 2020 B.F. BY Frankel (GB) EX Golden Lily (FR) >> Godolphin >> JS Company >> 70,000gns (19:53)
Lot 2133: Passionately (Night Of Thunder), who is out of black-type winner Lexi's Love (Big Top Cat) and was sold by Amy Murphy Racing, makes 55,000gns. She is bought by Najd Stud, and is one of three bought by the Saudi Arabian farm this week.
The juvenile filly has won a second race since the catalogue was printed and is now BHA rated 77.
Lexi's Love had a filly this year by Ghaiyyath. (19:23)
Lot 2079: Dubawi Meeznah by Dubawi and out of Meeznah (Dynaformer) is heading to Turkey. She is an19th purchase so far this week by Suat Demiral's Turquoise Bloodstock Agency, which has been buying with a range of clients and has spent over 325,800gns.
This mare was bought with Seyda Ercan, and the pair have purchased five lots together this week.
Meeznah was a Group 2 winner of the Park Hill Stakes, and the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes and a dual Group 1 fourth placed in the Yorkshire and Irish Oaks.
Placed once at three, Dubawi Meeznah, who has had two foals, the oldest being the 2021 filly Lady Be Mine (New Approach), is in-foal to Cracksman and cost 62,000gns. (17:45)
Lot 2051: the 2012 bay mare Wanting (Acclamation) out of Bold Desire (Cadeaux Genereux) is bought by Shane Power of Tradewinds from Trickledown Stud for 52,000gns.
A three-time winner and dam of one winner, Wanting is an own-sister to the Prix Morny (G1) third-placed Parliament Square and was sold in-foal to Showcasing.
It is the further family of the Group 1 winner Garswood and Group 1 placed Infallible and Mutakayef.
At this year's October Book 1 Sale, Tradewinds sold a son of Teofilo out of Ejaazah (Acclamation) to Federico Barberini for 370,000gns, the highest price achieved by the team so far at Tattersalls. (17:21)
Lot 2048: the three-year-old winner Malka, sold by Newsells Park Stud for Normandie Stud, is purchased by Anthony Stroud for 95,000gns.
"She has been bought for Craig Mather, will be trained in France," said Stroud. " I am very pleased to have bought from the breeder, Malka comes from a good farm and is by a good stallion."
The three-year-old filly by Nathaniel is out of Carisolo (Dubai Millennium) the dam of seven winners. She is a daughter of Solo De Lune (Law Society), the dam of Cerulean Sky, winner Prix de Saint Alary (G1), runner-up in the E P Taylor Stakes (G1), third in the Prix Vermeille (G1) and dam of the champion three-year-old stayer Honolulu.
Solo De Lune is also dam of Moonstone, winner of the Irish Oaks (G1) and dam of US Army Ranger, who was a runner-up in the Derby (G1), and L' Ancresse, a European champion three-year-old of 2003, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the Irish Oaks (G1).
Carisolo was bred by Britton House Stud and sold for 1,000,000gns to Richard Frisby Bloodstock at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares Sale as part of the Britton House dispersal.
She was then bought by Stroud Coleman at the Tattersalls July Sale 2015 for 65,000gns when sold by Darley. (16:49)
Lot 2027: Mufeeda (No Nay Never), a three-year-old half-sister to Maamora, winner of the Atalanta Stakes (G3) and third in the Balanchine Stakes (G2), and to the dam of Hungry Heart (Frankel), winner of the Australian Oaks (G1), the Vinery Stud Stakes (G1) and a champion three-year-old filly in Australia, is bought online for 160,000gns by Lucky Vega.
It is a four-generation Darley Stud pedigree and she is out of the Radley Stakes (L) winner Zoowaraa (Azamour).
Marie O'Sullivan, bloodstock sales manager for Godolphin, said: "She is a long term pedigree of Sheikh Ahmed's. She really was the pick of our draft and is lovely filly, it is unfortunate that she has not made it to the track.
"Her dam Zoowraa is in-foal to Dubawi, her foal is by Too Darn Hot and she has a Night Of Thunder yearling, who is in training with William Haggas." (16:09)
Lot 2020: JS Company picks up a seventh lot this week – the Japanese organisation going to 70,000gns for the once-raced Lady's Slipper by Frankel.
She is a half-sister to Lily's Candle, who won the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) and from the pedigree of Liliside, the dam of Lys Gracieux, a champion older mare in Japan and Australia, the winner of four Group 1 races across both nations.
"She is for a client, she will ship to Japan now and will be retired to stud," said Keisuke Onishi, sales manager for JS Company.
The most expensive purchase by JS Company this week has been Nazanin (Lot 1810), a mare by Declaration Of War, from Car Colston's Farm's Ticker Tape family, and in-foal to Frankel. She was sold by Blue Diamond Stud Farm for 560,000gns through last night's Sceptre Session. (15:40)
Lot 2012: bred by Yeomanstown Stud, bought as a yearling by Kevin Ryan for 225,000gns, raced by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum – Elevenia is sold today by Godolphin and bought back by Yeomanstown for 60,000gns, Robert O'Callaghan signing the docket.
"We bought her dam Pixeleen at the December Mares Sale,"said O'Callaghan. "She has been lucky for us and paid us well. Elevenia achieved a good rating, she finished sixth in the Albany Stakes, is by Dark Angel who is a good broodmare sire, the family is active and she is a good-looking mare. Once we saw her in the catalogue we were keen to buy her."
Inquisitively, the Ten Sovereigns half-brother to Pixeleen, has won the Cornwallis Stakes (G3) since the catalogue was printed. He is now BHA rated 108. (15:20)
Lot 1955: Naseby Bloodstock buys the Lawman mare Mariesque from Ballygallon Stud. The daughter of the Listed winner Mireille (Dalakhani), and grand-daughter of the Group 3 winner Australie (Sadler's Wells), was sold in-foal on a March 11 cover to Earthlight.
The man behind the purchasing docket was Newsell Park Stud's Julian Dollar, who chatted standing in the winter sunshine outside the Newsells Park Stud draft in Highflyer DD.
"She is the mare of the day for me," he said. "After all the excitements of yesterday I hoped that the market would come down to something sensible, and that was basically all I had for her – I managed to get in one bid and got her."
When explaining what appealed, he added: "Some very good judges loved the Earthlights and thought they were outstanding, and with Blue Point [yearling half-brother] being so well liked I thought that was a good punt.
"Her two-year-old half-brother called Soldier's Empire is now a winner and he could potentially be quite useful, Mrs Strudwick has a lot of the family and it is being well bred. Mariesque is a very easy mare to breed being by Lawman and out of a Dalakhani mare so it made a lot of sense, especially to be able to get her on the one bid.
"I have not really thought on stallions, every option is open so from that point of view I am happy. And although Mariesque only won one race she was rated 92, so she had plenty of ability – I am trying to look for a level of ability and some black-type in the pedigree. Hopefully, we will be lucky."
Explaining the origins of Naseby Bloodstock, he said: "I set up Naseby Bloodstock about ten years' ago and it is a very small thing that operates very much on the side of what I do for Newsells, but I try and have a legs in a few mares and bits and pieces. We tend to get a walloping on some things and lucky on others, which is how it is. It is all good fun and certainly makes you concentrates the mind – there is nothing like spending your own money to learn how this business really ticks. I have so much respect to people who do their own thing rather than like us being paid employees!"
Of the name he explained: "My parents had a house they had just bought at Naseby and Dad was brought up very close to Naseby in a little village called Cold Ashby, and they partner with me in the business.
"They have recently been wondering why we were selling mares, wanting to know how much we were getting for them (very little) and when we were getting another one. They will be pleased we have bought, and especially today as they are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary."
What a great present to have had from their son, let's hope she is lucky. (14:24)
Lot 1943: Canonbury, a daughter of the champion Islington and from New England Stud's dispersal of Lady Ogden's stock, is bought today by Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock for 45,000gns.
Her two-year-old son Tchaikovsky won in October on a second racecourse start, and her foal by Too Darn Hot fetched 185,000gns at last week's December Foal Sale when bought by Grangemore Stud.
The mare's yearling of this year named Bali Hai (Too Darn Hot) was bought at the December Yearling Sale last week by JS Bloodstock / Rogue Gallery Racing for 50,000gns. The team will, of course, be hoping they get the same success as they have enjoyed with their Royal Ascot winner Rogue Millennium whom they bought for just 35,000gns at the December Mares Sale in 2021 and resold last night to Lanigan / Durcan Agent Heider Family Stables for 1,650,000gns.
"She is a daughter of a champion by a champion broodmare sire, she is now two from four and her foal sold well last week," said Boman. "She is not in-foal, she is open to a variety of stallions and will be bred in Europe." (13:04)
Lot 1921: also from The Royal Studs, the Frankel three-year-old filly Gentle Light and out of the Elusive Quality mare Light Music is bought by the Turquoise Bloodstock Agency / Seyda Ercan for 40,000gns and is bound for Turkey.
Gentle Light was placed this year and is an own-sister to the two-year older Light Refrain, winner of the Group 3 Summer Stakes and the Listed Kilvington Stakes. (12:29)
Lot 1920: Naohiro Hosoda of Shadai Corporation buys The Royal Studs-consigned three-year-old filly Candle Of Hope (Cable Bay), twice placed in Listed races and a two-time winner, for 100,000gns.
"She has black-type and a good race record, she had lots of speed, she is good-looking," said Hosoda. "I am a big fan of Green Desert, who is in the pedigree, we have not decided on her immediate plans."
Candle Of Hope is a grand-daughter of Fairy Godmother (Fairy King), the dam of Australian Group 1 winner Kingdom Of Fife, and a half-sister to the JockeyClub Stakes (G2) and Grade 1 third Blueprint.
The family traces to Highclere, grand dam of Wind In Her Hair, the dam of stallion Deep Impact, who has been such an influence in Japan. (11:49)
Lot 1899: Poonawalla Stud Farms purchases a fifth mare this week, this time going to 60,000gns for Act Of War (Mujadil), in-foal to Masar in a May cover, signing as Poonawalla Astonish Stud PVT.
She is the winner of four races, including the Premio Regina Elena (G3, the Italian Guineas). She is a half-sister to the multiple Italian Group race winner and performer Out Of Time (Sakhee's Secret).
Raunak Banerji, Poonawalla's general manager, is here at Tattersalls and, after concluding his bidding and docket signing, said: "Act Of War is going to India, we hope she does well for us and produce a Guineas for us as well!
"Italian mares often do very well in India, and we have had a lot of success in the past and so fingers crossed. We usually buy every year here at Tattersalls and it has been good for us."
The farm has an exciting new stallion currently on route to the farm: "Chindt is in quarantine in India at the moment, and he travels to the stud on December 10th."
The farm currently has 140 mares in its broodmare band, split between two farms – plenty of choice for a book for its son of Wootton Bassett – and its most expensive purchase this week has been the Dansili mare Riposte (Lot 1512) bought from Juddmonte for 160,000gns.
The farm then buys again in quick succession going to 12,000gns for the Azamour mare Encore L'Amour ( Lot 1907), runner-up in the Height Of Fashion Stakes (L) and from the Car Colston Hall-developed family of Brando, Ticker Tape and Reckless Abandon. (11:12)
Lot 1867: Alm Grove Girl (Almanzor), a daughter of the Listed winner and Listed producer Sweet Cecily, is sold by Byerley Stud to Burns Farm Stud for 30,000gns.
Sweet Cecily is the dam of Sweet Dragon Fly (Oasis Dream) the dam of Dragon Leader (El Kabier), a three-time juvenile winner, victories including this year's Redcar Listed Two Year Old Trophy for trainer Clive Cox. (10:48)
Good morning, selling is starting for Day 3's trade at 9.30am (09:32)
Day 2
Sceptre Sessions statistics (+/- last year's sessions)
Catalogue: 83
Offered: 72
Sold: 52
Total: 39,125,000gns (-15%)
Median: 752,404gns (+16%)
Average: 490,000gns (+15%)
Lots 1,000,000gns+: 10 (10)
% Sold: 72% (20:58)
Day 2 statistics: (+/- last year's session)
Catalogue: 274
Offered: 221
Sold: 175
Total: 48,167,000gns (-11%)**
Median: 92,000gns (-18%)
Average: 275,240gns (-2%)
% Sold: 79%
Lots 1,000,000gns+: 10 (11)
Leading sires (by agg): 1. Sea The Stars, 2. Kodiac, 3. Dubawi
Leading sires (by av, two or more sold): 1. Showcasing, 2. Zoustar, 3. Awtaad
Leading purchasers (by agg, accum): 1. Katsumi Yoshida, 2. Juddmonte, 3. Narvick International
Leading consignors (by agg, accum): 1. Barton Sales, 2. The Castlebridge Consignment, 3. Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett)
Today's top five prices
Lot 1786: Teona (IRE) 2018 B.M. >> Barton Sales >> Juddmonte >> 4,500,000gns***
Lot 1788: Via Sistina (IRE) 2018 B.M. >> Grove Stud, Ireland>> Evergreen Equine >> 2,700,000gns
Lot 1813: Get Ahead (GB) 2019 Ch.F. >> Whitsbury Manor Stud First Bloodstock >> 2,500,000gns
Lot 1811: Prosperous Voyage (IRE) 2019 B.F. >> Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett) >> Katsumi Yoshida 2,400,000gns
Lot 1776: Lezoo (GB) 2020 B.F. >> Kimpton Down Stables (R. Beckett) >> Narvick International >> 2,200,000gns
Lot 1799: Cachet (IRE) 2019 B/Br.F. >> Highclere Stud >> Katsumi Yoshida >> 2,200,000gns
** third highest turnover for a day in European auction history
*** third highest-priced mare to ever be sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale (20:03)
Lot 1811: Prosperous Voyage (Zoffany), winner of the Falmouth Stakes, is heading to Japan having been bought by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm for 2,400,000gns.
Bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud, she was bought by Badgers Bloodstock for €76,000 as a yearling. Trained by Ralph Beckett for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen.
She also finished second in the 1,000 Guineas (G1) and the Fillies’ Mile (G1) and fourth in the Sun Chariot Stakes (G1).
Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to Marc Chan, discussed the sale, as well as that of Lezoo (Lot 1776), also sold by the owner.
"I am very fond of both of them, they are lovely girls and they have given us some great days out," said McCalmont. "It is an expensive hobby owning horses in Britain and unless you have stallion income coming in you have to do this."
When asked if sale was always going to be the route taken, he added: "Yes, and no, we did consider breeding, we were looking for a bit more for Prosperous Voyage and we debated breeding her to a top stallion and bringing her back next year, but all the top buyers are here and Tattersalls has done a great job bringing so many different groups of people here, the market speaks for itself."
Shingo Hashimoto of Northern Farm said of the purchase of Prosperous Voyage: "We are happy that we were able to buy her at the end of the day. We will bred her next year and we will think about whether to keep her in Europe as there are some good stallions here at the moment.
"We are always trying to diversify the blood that we have and don't have all the eggs in one basket." (19:10)
Lot 1813: Get Ahead was bought by William Haggas, who was sat on the stairs and taking instructions over the phone, at 2,500,000gns buying on behalf of First Bloodstock.
She is a Showcasing half-sister to the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, champion two-year-old and 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean, who is now retired to stud Juddmonte.
Get Ahead is a Listed winner and was a Group 1 runner-up in the Flying Five Stakes and finished fourth in the Prix del’Abbaye. She was trained by Clive Cox.
"She is for a new syndicate and goes to Hillwood Stud to board, she will be bred to this coming spring," said Haggas.
Charlie Vigors added: "It is very exciting to have such good mares as Primo Bacio and Get Ahead coming to the farm, and that these top pedigrees are staying in Britain."
Suelita had a 2023 colt by Showcasing and was covered by Frankel this spring. Her 2022 filly by Kingman was bought by Juddmonte here at the December Foal Sale for 1,000,000gns. (19:02)
Lot 1800: the four-year-old Rogue Millennium (Dubawi), winner of the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (G2) and runner-up in the Matron Stakes (G1) when trained by Tom Clover, sells for 1,650,000gns, bought Lanigan / Durcan Agent Heider Family Stables.
Bred by Shadwell, she was bought from the stud's dispersal by JS Bloodstock for 35,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale 2021.
"She is the most wonderful filly and it is great to see her sell so well for a terrific syndicate who have been such fantastic supporters of mine and to see a syndicate win at Royal Ascot.
"We have sold two horses for seven figures between them that cost 80,000gns between them.
She has kept improving and it is nice for her to see that she might have the chance to win a Group 1next year for Joseph and I really hope she does as she is something special. She has been the most wonderful filly and is so great to do anything with, the Barton team have looked after her so well here.
"Hopefully she can win that Group 1 and be a lovely Mum for the future."
"She has put us on the map, I love her, I think she is a gorgeous looking filly and to have a first Royal Ascot winner with all the family there and it was plan that came together and it will be day I will always remember.
"I just loved seeing her train in the mornings. I think that is what I will miss most, watching the in the mornings, and just seeing her in the box and seeing her last thing at night. Fingers crossed she can go on and do well."
David Lanigan said: "She has been bought for Scott Heider and goes into training to Joseph O'Brien. She is the obvious filly in the sale, they have done a great job with her, she has a great temperament, she has been very sound to train and they have given good reports on her. Hopefully, she can be a filly for Saturdays and hopefull Group 1s.
"She was lightly trained as a two-year-old and is still improving. The races she has run below par the ground has bene too slow for her, the Matron was one of her best performances. She travelled in to the race very well and would have been a. very good winner. Hopefully, she can repeat those performances and step up again." (18:52)
Lot 1799: Cachet, winner of the 1,000 Guineas (G1), second in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (G1) and third in the Fillies’ Mile (G1) for trainer George Boughey, owner Highclere Racing, is bought by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm for 2,200,000gns.
She was a 60,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up purchase by Highclere Agency in 2021.
Out of Poyle Sophie, a half-sister to Whisper Not, winner of the San Franscio Mile Stakes (G3) and to the Group 3 placed Hong Kong runner Whoputfiftyinyou.
"Cachet is a 1,000 Guineas winner, we felt something special from her and we are really excited that she is coming back to Japan," said Shingo Hashimoto of Northern Farm. "She might be covered in Europe, plans are not final yet, but she definitely has speed."
“It has been such a journey, the whole thing has been extraordinary,” said Harry Herbert, manager of Highclere Thoroughbreds. “From Jake saying, ‘Uncle H, I’ve found this breeze-up filly and I can’t wait to show you', through to this whole process.”
Jake Warren added: “We just watched her being prepared to come into the ring and she stood like a rock and didn’t turn a hair. She was so cool in the ring and she’s been like that from day one. She’s been an amazing filly to be part of. She’s always had a special something about her and there was so much interest in her; she’s been run off her feet all week.
“For her owners, that’s special. She was £6,500 a share, and she was such a good two-year-old as well. It’s exciting, she was our first domestic Classic winner and the challenge is on, we’ve got to do it again now.”
He added: “This is how you get access to racing. The dream is real: when you take a share, you can win the Guineas, you can sell a multi-million-pound horse and you can be in it competing with the best in the world. And her share-holders have achieved that.”
George Boughey, trainer of Cachet and Via Sistina, said: "Both fillies came here in super condition – to have had Highclere's first Classic winner with Cachet was amazing, and for Steven and Becky Hillen to turn 5,000gns to 2.7 million guineas, it might not be done again for some time. I am just very proud to have bene a very small part of it.
"It is nice when a plan comes off. I think we were hoping they might aggregate four million and to basically make five, 25 per cent on what we thought, we are thrilled!" (18:50)
Lot 1797: the dual Listed winner and Round Tower Stakes (G3) runner-up Geocentric (Kodiac) from the The Castlebridge Consignment is bought by Charlie Gordon Watson Bloodstock for 1,200,000gns.
She is an own-sister to the Molecomb Stales (G3) third Tp Wafij and the Listed Rockingham Stakes runner-up No Leaf Clover.
Under the second dam are eight black-type winners, while the third dam is the three-time Group 1 winner Sonic Lady.
Gordon Watson bid on a number of the Sceptre Session lots and was successful on this mare in-foal to Frankel on an April cover. (18:45)
Lot 1788: Via Sistina, 2018 bay mare by Fastnet Rock is bought by Evergreen Equine for 2,700,000gns. She was consigned by Grove Stud.
Via Sistina, bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, was purchased here in at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in 2019 for just 5,000gns by Stephen Hillen.
Her subsequent price uplift is due to the form she has shown on the track which includes victory in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, the Dahlia Stakes (G2) and the Prix Fille De l’Air (G3). She was also twice Group 1 placed.
She is out of the unraced Galileo mare Nigh (Lot 1823), who is a half-sister to Kingsgate Native, winner of the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and the Nunthorpe Stakes and who was multiple Group race placed, including when runner-up in the Prix de l’Abbaye (G1).
Hillen, who was outside the ring and receiving congratulations from all, said: "It was amazing to watch! It has been tremendous from the day one – she was with Jamie Magee to be broken her in and he has a lot of good stock through his hands – he rang me in February and said she is the biggest but she gets up the gallop better than all anything else!
"She was just so big and he did say she could be breezed as worked so well, but I said that we needed to race her. She did not go into training until August because her pedigree said to wait."
Of the uplift in value, he said: "It has been a dream! I thought that she'd bring in 2,000,000gns plus, that cross is sensational. She was Group 1 winner, but arguably she ran great in the Champion Stakes and she was still improving all the time. It is nice now to see her almost certainly be retired sound and go to stud.
"I was fine watching her sell – I thought that if we don't get what we want for her, we can still race her so it was a celebration either way."
Recalling Via Sistina's 5,000gns purchase, he said: "I would have given a lot more for her at the time, she was a foal share and neither side wanted her. She needed a fair bit of imagination and often when you buy this sort, most of them turn out to be no good. But she always just had something, she was an unbelievable walker but was just a bit of a frame.
"I am always patient with my horses, any trainer will tell you that I never put them under pressure, I might have my opinions from time to time, but I will wait and wait and wait!" (18:12)
Lot 1786: consigned by Barton Sales for Rabbah Bloodstock, the Group 1 winner of the Prix Vermeille Stakes Teona (Sea The Stars) is bought by Juddmonte for 4,500,000gns. She also finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and was trained by Roger Varian for owner Ali Saeed.
She becomes the third highest-priced mare ever sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale
She was sold in-foal to Frankel on a March covering, her first pregnancy, and is out of Ambivalent, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) and the Middleton Stakes (G2), also placed three times in Group 1s.
Bids came from all around the ring, as well as online, with Charlie Gordon Watson involved early on, as well as Anthony Stroud, who was standing with David Loder taking things along to an advanced level in the bidding, but it was Juddmonte Farms who was successful with Northern Farm as the eventual underbidder.
"She is the best mare in the sale, she is a Group 1 winner out of a Group 1 winner, and they are very difficult to find," said Simon Mockridge of Juddmonte. "She is a beautiful addition for us, she has a great pedigree. She is by Sea The Stars, who has made a fantastic start as a broodmare sire and has had five Group 1 winners, she will fit in very well.
"She is an outcross to Frankel, which is ideal and what we are looking for. And, yes, she will be going back to Frankel!"
When asked if the final price was expected, he added: "You always have to stretch when you want to to buy the best, it is competitive. It was very strong bidding for her, I did think that around about 3,500,000gns to 4,000,000gns [we might get her].
"You have to make that extra stretch – that is something we have learnt, it is all very well trying to value them before but when you come to the moment you have to be a little stronger." (17:38)
Lot 1784: the four-year-old filly Poptronic, winner of the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (G1), also winner of the Lancashire Oaks (G2) and the Hoppings Stakes (G3), is bought for 1,400,000gns by Sanctuary Lodge, bidding online.
She was bred by David and Yvonne Blunt having been trained by Karl Burke.
Her dam Alpine Dream had a filly by Zoustar this spring and was covered by Too Darn Hot, while her second dam is Infamous Angel, winner of the Lowther Stakes (G2). (17:30)
Lot 1776: the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and Princess Margaret Stakes (G3) winner Lezoo, trained by Ralph Beckett and owned by Andrew Rosen and Marc Chan, and by Zoustar, is bought for 2,200,000gns to an online bid from Narvick International, who out-battled two separate parties of Japanese.
The three-year-old filly is out of the Group 3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes winner Roger Sez and a half-sister to the Naas Juvenile Sprint Stakes (G3) runner-up.
Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International said: "She is going to be kept in Europe to be bred. She was a top class two-year-old, we were looking for two-year-old form, she is a beautiful type. Good two-year-old form is so important." (16:44)
Lot 1771: Primo Bacio is bought by Charlie Vigors, who was sat in the seats, outbidding Charlie Gordon Watson at 1,100,000gns, the latter standing by the back door and who shook his head when offered an extra bid.
He said: “She is a beautiful mare, she has lovely movement, and loved her when I first saw her. She has been bought for an existing client, the Frankel covering was hugely attractive. She was a very good race mare herself and rated 112. It is a very active family and, it is a shame to use the old cliche, but she ticks a lot of boxes.
"She comes back to us and, hopefully, her progeny will be coming back here to sell as well, she is a commercial purchase. She is an exciting addition to the broodmare band at Hillwood – we have not thought of future stallions yet." (16:37)
Lot 1770: My Asteria (Lope de Vega), a daughter of the multiple black-type producer My Titania (Sea The Stars) is sold by The Castlebridge Consignment, bought by Rabbah Bloodstock for 550,000gns.
Jono Mills, who was sat by the auctioneer's rostrum, said: "She is for a client of Rabbah's. She is a lovely mare, she is in-foal to a lovely stallion and we loved her." (16:30)
Lot 1765: the second lot in the ring for the second Sceptre Session makes the first of the session's six-figure sum.
Sold by Belinda Strudwick's Ballygallon Stud, Lyrical Poetry (Lope De Vega) sells for 260,000gns having opened up at 100,000gns.
She was a Group 3 winner of the Balanchine stakes at Meydan and the Gallinule Stakes (G3) at The Curragh.
She is from the family of the dual US Grade 1 winner Aragorn. (16:11)
Lot 1750: Helenium by Frankel is bought by Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International for 625,000gns. She is sold in-foal to Kingman on a first pregnancy.
She is from the Juddmonte draft and is an unraced daughter of Helleborine, winner of the Prix d'Aumale (G3) and dam of the Coventry Stakes (G2) winner Calyx.
The further family features African Rose, winner of the Sprint Cup (G1) and the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1), the champion two-year-old, Dewhurst Stakes (G1) and Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) winner Native Trail, and Distant Music, also winner of the Dewhurst Stakes (G1).
Helleborine had a filly by Kingman in 2022 and was covered by the sire again this spring. (15:41)
Lot 1729: Golden Pelican (Galileo) is bought by Pursuit Of Success for 600,000gns, Roger O'Callaghan signed the docket and was standing with Chris Budgett.
"She is a lovely mare and is for an American client," said Budgett. "She will come back to Kirtlington and we settle her in. Roger recommended her to the team especially after he saw her Kingman colt foal, who was bought last week by Juddmonte and is a lovely sort. We are very happy to have got her."
A daughter of the Nassau Stakes (G1) runner-up Cassydora and a grand-daughter of Claxon, she was sold by Hazelwood Bloodstock in-foal on a March covering to Lope De Vega. (15:19)
Lot 1678: Alalcance, the Mastercraftsman three-year-old filly from the amazing family of Albanova (second dam) and last year's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomophe winner Alpinista, is bought by McKeever Bloodstock / Waterhouse Bott Racing for 240,000gns.
The filly has won since the catalogue was published – successful at The Curragh over 1m4f for trainer Jessica Harrington.
After the Harrington reported: "Alalcance deserved that. This galloping track suited her much better. She is a lovely big filly and will be a lovely four-year-old. She found a lot and quickened up well on that ground." (14:46)
Lot 1671: the three-year-old Kodiac filly Le Mans is bought by the Melbourne-based MG Price Racing & Breeding with Dermot Farrington for 250,000gns, sold by WH Bloodstock.
"She is very good looking filly, I could not believe it when I saw her," said Farrington. "She has a good level of form, will be syndicated by Mick Price and will race on for him. She has speed, a good turn of foot, acts on fast ground and could get a bit further in Australia. she has a good pedigree, too."
When asked how the filly was found, he explained: "They provide me with a list based on form, and then I go around and take a look at the physicals. Mick was on the phone when she went through the ring."
Le Man is a half-sister to Lusail, winner of the Gimcrack Stakes (G2), the July Stakes (G2) and placed in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) and the Prix Jean Prat (G1).
Dam Diaminda (Diamond Green) is a half-sister to Fayr Jag, winner of the Golden Jubilee Stakes (G1). (13:53)
Lot 1666: from Imperium, La Isla Mujeres sells for 330,000gns and is bought by trainer Paddy Twomey and Jason Kelly as a racing prospect .
"She is a nice filly, there is a good race programme in Ireland for fillies such as her," said Twomey. "Ralph has done a good job with her, she came recommended and she is for an existing client."
A dual winner at three, the daughter of Lope De Vega is rated 91 and has run in one Listed race when fifth in the John Musker Fillies' Stakes.
She is out of the Listed winner Honor Bound (Authorized), a half-sister to the Irish Derby (G1) and Secretariat Stakes (G1) winner Treasure Beach. (12:30)
Lot 1626: "She had ability, she has a great page," reported Barry Lynch after going to 160,000gns for Lose Yourself (Lope De Vega) sold by Imperium Sales.
"She is for a commercial client in Ireland and is likely to head to Mehmas – he has a good record with mares by Lope De Vega, Persian Force was bred on the cross."
Trained by Ralph Beckett, Lose Yourself, who is out of the Group 3 winner Stellar Path, finished second in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes. She was sold by Imperium Sales that had such a good time of things at the Autumn Horse-In-Training Sale with a turnover in excess of 2,200,000gns. (11:55)
Lot 1619: the juvenile winner and Listed-placed Magical Journey (Night Of Thunder) is bought by Margaret O'Toole and Plantation Stud for 210,000gns from Houghton Bloodstock
She had a colt by Invincible Spirit last year, who was sold at October Book 3 for 70,000gns to Avenue Bloodstock. Sadly, the mare lost this year's foal, but she was covered by Baaeed in April and is in-foal. (10:57)
Morning and welcome to Day 2, featuring the second Sceptre Session: Lots 1764-1824
Follow all of today's stories and results here at sales day live (09:17)
Day 1
Day 1 statistics: (+/- last year's session) Offered: 298
Sold: 242
Total: 15,477,300gns (-30%)
Median: 43,000gns (-22%)
Average: 78,168gns (-22%)
% Sold: 82%
Leading sires (by agg): 1. Galileo, 2. Fastnet Rock, 3. Dubawi
Leading sires (by av, two or more sold): 1. Golden Horn, 2. Showcasing, 3. Fastnet Rock
Leading purchasers (by agg, accum): 1. Badgers Bloodstock, 2. Lake Villa Farm, 3. C Gordon Watson Bloodstock
Leading consignors (by agg, accum): 1. The Castlebridge Consignment, 2. Godolphin, 3. Barton Sales
Today's top five prices
Lot 1534: Callisto Star (IRE) 2015 B.M. >> Ballybin Stud, Ireland >> Badgers Bloodstock >> 675,000gns
Lot 1535: Mauiewowie (GB) 2020 Ch.F. >> Norris Bloodstock >> Lake Villa Farm >> 625,000gns
Lot 1531: Authoritaire (IRE) 2019 Ch.M. >> The Castlebridge Consignment >> C Gordon Watson Bloodstock >> 525,000gns
Lot 1546: Wonderful Times (IRE) 2019 B.F. >> Barton Sales >> Kia Ora Stud >> 460,000gns
Lot 1533: My Eyes Adore You (IRE) 2019 Ch.F. >> Thomastown Castle Stables, Ireland >> Hillwood Bloodstock >> 380,000gns
Lot 1544: Aussie Girl (IRE) 2020 Ch.F. >> Thomastown Castle Stables, Ireland (J. A. Stack) >> Woodford Thoroughbreds >> 380,000gns (20:51)
Lot 1546: Wonderful Times (Golden Horn), winner of the Prix Urban Sea (L), is heading to the southern hemisphere bought by Kia Ora Stud for 460,000gns. She is out of Wonderfully, placed fourth in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile and an own-sister to black-type winners Gustav Klimt, Cuff, Blissful and a half-sister to Nayarra, a champion in Italy and winner of the Premio Gran Criterium (G1).
Third dam is Rafha, dam of Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.
Shane Wright from the her new farm said: "We had quite a lot on our list and we were making our way through, but she has such a deep page and she offers something that does not come our way too often. She has black-type by her name, but she has a page of champions, it is so full. When you come to a place like this you really come for the big families like this.
"She will be coming straight home, it is tempting with her form [to race], she would be very competitive down our way in anything over mile or 2000m plus, but she has black-type already. We will see how she travels down and we may give her time in the breeding barn next season, that decision will be made.
"We have done some work in the US as well, but the Tatts catalogue and especially the Sceptre Session with so many quality mares in there – you have to come here if you want to be competitive internationally. We found some lovely mares and, hopefully, we can pick out one or two tomorrow as well.
"Kia Ora has been very successful boutique farm in Australia for a number of years it is only in the last few years that we have revolutionised what is going on. We have got quite a big racing syndicate now and we stand some good stallions – in our first year of stallions we got a Golden Slipper winner which is the pinnacle and what you want. It is very exciting times and it is great to be able to come over here to buy beautiful mares to send home to our stallions."
Om the Sceptre Session, he said: "Getting all these mares in together in one helps to gets your eye in on values, I suppose, and what is going on rather than if they are being offered sporadically through a sale, but when there is a quality bunch of mares offered in small amount of time over a couple of days it is very easy to get caught up in the hype... I reckon the vendors do better than the buyers!" (20:44)
Lot 1534: Callisto Star (Fastnet Rock), dam of the Grade 1 American Oaks winner Rhea Moon (Starspangledbanner) and There’s The Door (Starspangledbanner), second in the Cheshire Oaks (L), is bought by Badgers Bloodstock for 675,000gns.
The mare, carrying to Starspangledbanner, was sold by Ballybin Stud. She is out of Livia Gallilei, a Galileo an own-sister to Eye Of The Storm, winner of the Ballyroan Stakes (G3), and a half-sister to Satchem, winner of the Joel Stakes (G3) and the Sirenia Stakes (G3).
“She’s to stay here in Europe,” said Tom Pritchard Gordon, whose purchase was made on behalf of an existing client. “She’s a beautiful mare and has already produced a Grade 1 winner with her first foal. She’s carrying a full-sibling to that Grade 1 winner inside her, too.
"Fastnet Rock is as good a broodmare sire as there is and her dam is by Galileo so it’s all the bloodlines you want. She’s the whole package. I haven’t decided who she’ll be covered by next year but Starspangled is an obvious target. Fastnet mares work with so many different bloodlines that she could go anywhere.”
Callisto Star was bred and owned by Kevin Molloy, who was at Tattersalls to watch his mare sell.
"We bred Mohican Princess, her grand mother," said Molloy. "Callisto Star was injured and so did not race, we always liked her as an individual, she has a lovely head, very compact and very strong. We wanted to get her a faster horse and so we used Starspangledbanner. Rhea Moon was amazing – last St Stephens night the whole family watched the American Oaks, she had this incredible speed. She has gone to Japan.
"It was a big decision to sell today, but we have a lot of the family – we still have the mother and she is in-foal to Starspangledbanner, and we have a half-sister by Zoffany." (19:58)
Lot 1535: By Night Of Thunder and out of the Holy Roman Emperor mare La Chapelle, Mauiewowie was the winner of two races as a juvenile including the Listed Curragh Stakes. She is a half-sister to the Listed winner Something Enticing (Fascinating Rock).
She was bought by the Japanese commercial breeders Lake Villa Farm, which has a broodmare band of 50 and is based in Hokkaido.
"She is going to Japan, and to stud. She is a strong mare, we love her conformation and we love her attitude," said Yoshihisa Iwasaki, stud manager and the farm's representative at Tattersalls this week. "We have not made covering plans yet, but she will go to one of the very best stallions in Japan."
Mauiewowie's dam La Chapelle is a half-sister to Ghaiyyath, the champion older horse, the winner of nine races, including the International Stakes (G1), the Eclipse Stakes (G1, the Coronation Cup (G1) and the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) Ghaiyyath. And to Zhukova, winner of the Man O War Stakes (G1).
Their dam Nightime won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and Maueiwowie’s third dam Caumshinaun was a champion older mare in Ireland in 2001.
Consignor Jenny Norris said: "She came to me through Katie Walsh, who recommended us to owner Eleanora Kennedy, who is the US. It is great to have mares of that calibre, and to have mares in the Sceptre Session and for a small consignor.
"She has behaved like an absolute dream and it did not take much imagination to think what she will look like when she lets down as a mare. She has some different markings [patches of white on her stomach] and her Japanese buyers loved her markings and were very keen and were determined to get her.
"She had a lot of lookers, 87 shows on the first day and every time she just came out and marched up and down. It was great to see all the connections who have been involved with her through her career to date and will be interesting to see how she gets on in the breeding shed.
"You never know what is going to happen in the ring, but it is always nice when they are in the Sceptre Session, you kind of think they are special." (19:16)
Lot 1531: Authoritaire offered by The Castlebridge Consignment is bought by Charlie Gordon Watson Bloodstock for 525,000gns.
Afour-year-old mare by Tamayuz, Authoritaire is a daughter of the champion older mare Aquarelliste, winner of the Prix de Diane (G1) and dam of two black-type winners, including the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet runner-up Ame Bleue, and two black-type placed horses.
Her second dam is the Prix de Psyche (G3) winner dual French Classic placed mare Agathe, the dam of Artiste Royale, winner of the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1) and the Clement L Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1).
Under the third dam Albertine, who finished third in the Prix de l'Opera (G2), is Arcangues, winner of the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan, and more distantly the three-time Group 1 winner Luxembourg and the Beverly D Stakes (G1) and Diane Stakes (G1) winner Angara.
"It is one of the great families, she is in-foal to Night Of Thunder and she is a mare who will suit him, and it all makes good sense," said Gordon Watson. "She will be going to Ireland. (19:12)
Lot 1509: bred and owned by Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd, leading consignor at this year's October Book 1 Sale, Sous Les Etoiles makes 210,000gns, sold today with Barton Sales.
The Sea The Stars four-year-old was a winner at three, trained by Charlie Fellowes, and is in-foal to Night Of Thunder. She is a half-sister toToken Of Love, winner of the Listed Dick Hern Stales and dam of the Mighty Ulysses, winner of the Sovereign Stakes (G3).
Sous Les Etoiles descends from one of the farm's leading pedigrees – her Listed-placed dam Nyarhini (Fantastic Light) is a half-sister to the Coronation Stakes (G1) winner Rebecca Sharp. (18:10)
Lot 1481: Repole Stables spends 220,000gns on the Siyouni ex Angel Falls (Kingmambo) three-year-old filly named Faial from The Castlebridge Consignment.
She is a half-sister to four black-type horses, including the French champion two-year-old colt National Defense (Invincible Spirit), winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
It is the extended family of Adayar, winner of the Derby (G1) and a European champion three-year-old colt. (17:12)

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