New Stars Step Up at Tattersalls December Foal Sale

The Tattersalls December Foal Sale, which starts a four-day run Nov. 23, is billed as Europe's premier auction of its type, with its long roll of honor including the winners of this year's Dewhurst and Middle Park Stakes. Last year's renewal produced the highest-priced foal in Europe since 2002 as Genesis Green Stud's Dubawi (IRE) colt out of Madonna Dell'orto sold to Godolphin for 1,800,000 guineas (US$2,518,009), while the sale could boast of 14 of the 15 most expensive foals sold in Europe in 2021. The Whitsbury Manor Stud-bred Chaldean (GB), a son of the mighty Frankel (GB), has not looked back since his debut at Newbury, with a novice strike at the track and then wins in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (G3), Coral Champagne Stakes (G2), and Darley Dewhurst (G1) placing him firmly in the reckoning for next year's QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1). The chestnut was a reasonably rare Juddmonte auction purchase, having been bought by the Abdullah family's operation for 550,000gns ($771,324) here in 2020. And he was not the only group 1-winning juvenile from the 2022 season to have been sold there. Blackbeard (IRE), now retired and standing at Coolmore alongside his sire, No Nay Never, was picked up for 270,000gns ($378,650) by Jamie McCalmont from Norelands Stud. It was money very well spent as the colt won five black-type races this year, namely the Juddmonte Middle Park (G1), Darley Prix Morny (G1), Darley Prix Robert Papin (G2), GAIN Marble Hill Stakes (G3), and GAIN First Flier Stakes, in an eight-race campaign. A trio of 2018 graduates also struck in group 1 races this year. Betfair Sprint Cup (G1T) winner and new Derrinstown Stud sire Minzaal (IRE) was sold by Ringfort Stud to Peter and Ross Doyle for 85,000gns ($114,133); Prix Rothschild (G1) winner Saffron Beach (IRE) was a 55,000gns ($73,851) purchase by Liam Norris and Lord Huntingdon from Ballylinch Stud; and Prix Ganay (G1) and Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) winner State of Rest (IRE), now at Rathbarry Stud, was a 45,000gns ($60,424) pick-up by Diamond Bloodstock from Tinnakill House. This year Whitsbury Manor not only has the first foals by its young sire Sergei Prokofiev to sell, as the Harper family's operation also offers a Kingman (GB) half sister to Chaldean (Lot 1025) and a Frankel filly out of a stakes-placed Showcasing (GB) half sister to Queen Mary (G2) winner Heartache (GB) (Lot 1024). The Friday session in which they feature looks a belter, with Hyde Park Stud's sole offering being a Mehmas (IRE) half brother to this year's QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) heroine Cachet (IRE) (Lot 1033), while Kirsten Rausing's St Simon Stud sells a Lope de Vega (IRE) half brother to Cazoo St Leger (G1) winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (1027). Acorn Stud's Invincible Army (IRE) colt was another to receive a group 1 update this year as his half sister Lezoo (GB) struck in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) (Lot 1013), while Yellowford Farm's consignment includes a Sea The Stars (IRE) half sister to runaway Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (G2) winner Sakheer (IRE) (Lot 1052). Frankel has eight lots on offer, including Trinity Park Stud's half sister to Queen Anne (G1) winner Accidental Agent (GB) (Lot 1051), while champion sire-elect Dubawi's sole lot is Hazelwood Bloodstock's filly out of Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (G2) winner Sans Equivoque (GER) (Lot 1065). Last of the Galileo foals to sell will be from The Castlebridge Consignment, a colt out of Bahamian Bounty mare Bounce (GB) (Lot 1038). There are also sires with their first crop of foals selling, namely Circus Maximus (IRE), Earthlight (IRE), Ghaiyyath (IRE), Golden Horde (IRE), Hello Youmzain (FR), Kameko, King of Change (GB), Mohaather (GB), Persian King (IRE), Pinatubo (IRE), River Boyne (IRE), Sands of Mali (FR), Sottsass (FR), and Without Parole (GB). Speaking upon the release of the catalog, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: "The Tattersalls December Foal Sale has enjoyed a banner year, with group 1-winning 2-year-old colts Chaldean and Blackbeard burnishing its reputation as the showcase for the cream of the British and Irish foal crop. "As well as consistent racecourse success, the sale has been the source of spectacular pinhooking triumphs, and we have some truly outstanding foals cataloged this year, with the quality and diversity to appeal to buyers from throughout the world at all levels of the market." Selling starts at 10 a.m. (local time) each day.