Dubawi Colt to Godolphin After Spirited Bidding War

Not since the days of My Typhoon (IRE), the Giant's Causeway half sister to Galileo who sold in 2002, has the bid board at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale registered a price as lofty as 1,800,000 guineas (US$2,519,464). That was until about 4:50 p.m. on Nov. 26 when Godolphin's chief talent scout Anthony Stroud and Coolmore's M.V. Magnier renewed their sales ring rivalry, with the Dubawi (IRE) half brother to I Can Fly (GB) the offering in the crosshairs. Stroud played his hand to bid spotter Shirley Anderson-Jolag on the podium by the parade ring, as Magnier stood with Paul Shanahan and Jamie McCalmont in the second row of the bidders' area. After a protracted duel it was the Godolphin man who struck the 1,800,000 guineas bid that made the colt the joint second-highest priced foal in European sales history, behind only the Caerleon full brother to Generous who fetched 2,500,000 guineas ($4,424,438) from BBA Ireland in 1997. The colt was bred and sold by Michael Swinburn's Genesis Green Stud from the talented producer Madonna Dell'orto, a daughter of Montjeu who spent her time in training with the breeder's brother, Walter Swinburn. "I just wish Walter was here to see that," said an emotional Michael Swinburn. "He trained the mare and I Can Fly was the last one out of her that he knew, and he was absolutely over the moon with her. "Madonna Dell'orto was a mare that I'd always thought would suit Dubawi, being by Montjeu and given the shape of her. I've loved the stallion since his early days and when I Can Fly came up I approached Liam O'Rourke (Darley director) and asked if there was a chance of a foal share and he said he'd be delighted. I hope this colt is so lucky for Sheikh Mohammed." Madonna Dell'orto has foaled four winners, including two at black-type level, with Coolmore's Boomerang Stakes (G2) scorer I Can Fly joined by the listed-winning Viscount Barfield. The dam was bred from the Miswaki mare Sabria, who also produced group 1 winner Landseer and nearly caused a riot in the Swinburn household on the day she was purchased. "I bought the mare at the September Sale with Oliver St. Lawrence years ago," recalled Swinburn. "I went home and mum and dad obviously got wind that I'd bought a mare and they said, 'What the hell have you done that for?! As if we don't have enough money problems!' "And that was Sabria, the granddam. Walter bailed me out at 25,000 guineas and we've had the family ever since. This family has probably built Genesis Green. I'm just so happy for everyone at the farm because this is really what dreams are made of. The mare is back in foal to Fastnet Rock (AUS) and carrying a filly." Dubawi, who will stand his sixth consecutive year at a fee of £250,000 in 2022, recently provided the Godolphin team with a Breeders' Cup to remember as Modern Games (IRE), Space Blues (IRE), and Yibir (GB) landed the Juvenile Turf (G1T), Mile (G1T), and Turf (G1T) events, respectively. The colt is Godolphin's second seven-figure Tattersalls buy in recent weeks, as Stroud also signed for the Book 1 top lot, the Sea The Stars (IRE) filly out of Best Terms, at 1,500,000 guineas ($2,139,308). "He's a lovely horse who's well bred and from a great farm," said Stroud. "Dubawi is a very special horse, look what he achieved at the Breeders' Cup, so the boss said go for it. We have huge respect for the people who were underbidders and we're lucky to get the horse. As long as he's a good racehorse, that's all that counts." Coolmore Collects Pricey Frankel Colt Earlier in the day a subtle nod of the head from Magnier had profound consequences as Coolmore outbid the Juddmonte team at 675,000 guineas ($944,799) to secure the Frankel (GB) full brother to Royal Ascot winner Juan Elcano. The Park Paddocks gangway filled up as the colt, bred by David and Trish Brown of Furnace Mill Stud, took to the ring, with live bidders joined by a host of onlookers sheltering from the torrential rain. Several agents and pinhookers chanced their arm as the youngster's price quickly rattled through the lower six figures, but from around the 500,000 guineas mark ($699,851) matters wrested between Magnier, stood at the back of the gangway with Paul Shanahan, and Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge, sat opposite the rostrum with the operation's Barry Mahon. With the bid board at 550,000 guineas ($769,836) Magnier looked in auctioneer Ollie Fowlston's direction and mouthed a silent 'five seventy five.' Mockridge fired back immediately, as he did again at 625,000 guineas ($874,814), but when Magnier indicated the final 25,000 guineas ($34,992) raise the Juddmonte camp cried enough. "He's a very nice horse who's very good looking and a brother to a good horse as well," said Magnier. "David and Trish Brown are very good breeders and we've known them a very long time so I'm delighted to be able to buy this horse from them. Sadly David couldn't be here today but hopefully he'll be happy with that result." The colt is out of Whatami, a placed sister to James Garfield's dam Whazzat who was purchased by Furnace Mill for just 25,000 guineas ($40,935) in 2010. The daughter of Daylami has bred four successful sons and daughters, with Wolferton Stakes scorer Juan Elcano, himself a 360,000 guineas ($494,916) yearling, joined by Hoppings Fillies' Stakes (G3) winner Nkosikazi. An emotional Trish Brown said: "Fantastic, that's worth all the sleepless nights and trauma! He's been brilliant all the way through. He's a lovely horse with a great temperament and it's lovely to see him make so much money. "We bought the mare here as a 4-year-old from New England Stud—she's 15 now—and she's been a star. We had a good result with a yearling by Frankel that she bred and so decided to go back to him. We've had three horses by Frankel at home over the years and they all have the most wonderful temperaments. "She's back in foal to Sea The Moon and we have a lovely 2-year-old filly at home by Oasis Dream. David's legs aren't great and he finds it difficult at these busy sales, but he's at home holding the fort, and I'm sure he stopped to watch this one go through. He can just about manage to tune in!" Champion sire elect Frankel has enjoyed a hugely productive 2021 season, with Cazoo Derby (G1) and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) hero Adayar (IRE)heading a roll call of 20 group/grade 1 winners that also features the likes of Alpinista, Hurricane Lane, Inspiral, and Snow Lantern. The Banstead Manor Stud-based son of Galileo will stand for a career-high £200,000 in 2022. Sea The Stars Fillies in Demand Three daughters of Sea The Stars featured in the sale's top 10, headed by the filly out of Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3) runner-up Frankellina who was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock's Tom Goff at 625,000 guineas. The filly was offered by Hascombe & Valiant Stud, whose Anthony Oppenheimer confirmed Goff had been acting on his behalf as he bought out his partners in the foal share agreement. The other Sea The Stars fillies in the top 10 both fetched 350,000 guineas ($489,895), including the daughter of Incharge from Barton Stud who went the way of BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper. "She's been bought as a long-term breeding prospect and will eventually be going to trainer Ralph Beckett," said Cooper, who underbid the filly out of Frankellina. "We obviously missed the last one, but this one was coming along right behind—hopefully this one will be the fastest! "She's for David and Vimy Aykroyd and she will go from here to Copgrove Hall Stud. If you buy a yearling the horse goes straight to the trainer or the breaking yard, so the owner never really gets to know the horse. The Aykroyds live next door to Copgrove so they can spend a year getting to know the horse before she goes into training. They can get to know the individual and they will spoil her rotten!" The other 350,000 guineas Sea The Stars filly was sold by Marwell Park and boasts a particularly strong German pedigree, being out of a Monsun sister to Schiaparelli, Salve Regina, Samum, and Sea The Moon's dam Sanwa. The docket was signed by Andreas Jacobs' Gestüt Fährhof. Goff on Point With Blue filly While Frankel is riding the crest of a sizeable wave, Kildangan Stud's Blue Point (IRE) is taking his first steps up the stallion ladder as his debut crop of foals hit the market. Among the son of Shamardal (IRE)'s fans is Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, who went to 300,000 guineas ($419,910) for the filly offered by Ringfort Stud. The youngster is out of the listed-winning Sir Percy mare Indigo Lady, making her a sibling to two winners, most notably Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) heroine Indie Angel. "I can't say who she's been bought for but she's an absolutely gorgeous filly and I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her," said Goff. "She's an absolute belter and she's been bought as a racing prospect. "Blue Point wasn't just an older sprinter as he won the Gimcrack (G2) as a 2-year-old. He was the real deal and has to have a fantastic chance as a stallion. I've seen all of his foals here and at Goffs, but this was by far the best." On the other first-crop sires he was keen on, Goff said: "I think the Magna Grecias are very nice, as are the Too Darn Hots, there are some exciting young sires coming along." The 300,000 guineas mark was reached for the first time just a few lots earlier when Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland secured the Lope de Vega (IRE) colt out of Mayhem consigned by Knocktoran Stud. The colt's dam is a group 3-winning Whipper sister to Royal Bench whose two winners are headed by listed scorer Sky Angel. "He's been bought for a new client to me who's an end-user," said Donohoe. "He'll go back to Norelands Stud with the No Nay Never colt (100,000 guineas, $139,970) I bought earlier. We'll get him broken in next year and then have a think about a trainer. The sire has been lucky for me before and he's a beautiful colt from great breeders. "We've been following some of these nice foals through and if we think they represent value then we'll have a go. Compared to what some of the Lope de Vega yearlings were making, I thought he made good sense." The premier session of the December Foal Sale saw 183 lots change hands at a clip of 83%, which in turn brought receipts totaling 17,051,000 guineas ($23,866,327), a 4% year-on-year increase. The average rose by 8% to 93,175 guineas ($130,416) and the median climbed by 5% to 60,000 guineas ($83,982). The four-day auction concludes on Saturday with a session starting at 10 a.m.