Bidders practically formed an orderly queue to take a crack at a well-related Havana Grey colt (Lot 650) as evening set in during Day 2 of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale Nov. 26.
High-rolling German pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg was among those involved in driving the price, as was agent Sean Grassick.
However, matters eventually boiled down to Haras de Meautry manager Nick Bell, standing in the bidding area to the left of the rostrum alongside Tina Rau, and Charlie Vigors, who was hidden away down the back stairs. After a sustained tussle, Vigors won out with a bid of 260,000 guineas (US$361,479, 1 guinea=US$1.39).
The Whitsbury Manor Stud-bred colt is out of Avengers Queen, a listed winner at 2 in Italy and a half sister to 2022 Sandy Lane Stakes (G2) scorer El Caballo, who now stands at Culworth Grounds Farm.
"We'll get him home and make a plan from there, but he could well be coming back next year," the Hillwood Stud man said. "To us, he has the pedigree to match the physical, and Havana Grey needs no introduction. Everything added up, so I'm delighted to get him. I was hoping not to (spend that much) and we were at our limit. It's strong, competitive trade here."
He added: "The stallion has been pretty good to us already, as he has everyone who's been involved with him. As the better books of mares come through, you'd have to think his profile is only going to keep improving. I hope so anyway!"
Another operation to take a sizeable punt on Havana Grey maintaining his upward trajectory was Tally-Ho Stud.
The O'Callaghan family secured two six-figure lots by the sire, including the 165,000-guinea colt out of a half sister to the classy sprinter Diligent Harry. He also came from the Whitsbury Manor draft, and was joined by a 105,000-guinea colt out of a half sister to Juniper Berries from Baroda Stud.
"He's a good-moving horse by a good stallion," Tony O'Callaghan said after signing for the former colt. "We've had bits and bobs by the stallion before. We've bought two by him today, but we just worry about the model. We had 150 (thousand) in mind going in there if we wanted to give ourselves any chance of getting him."
Few outfits work the sales harder than the O'Callaghan family, as evidenced by Tally-Ho's name appearing on the docket of 20 lots at the recent Goffs November Foal Sale. That €1,443,000 outlay was swiftly followed by the purchase of seven mares during the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale at a cost of €768,000.
While the O'Callaghans plainly are not afraid of putting in the hard yards, when Tony was asked if he looked forward to this time of year, he shook his head before questioning whether the sales schedule could be reworked to ease the burden for buyers and sellers alike.
"These sales are too compact altogether," he said. "This sale should be a week later, push it back into December. You've the same again all next week, and then into France. For the lads working, they're here at five in the morning and they're still here until 10 o'clock at night. All December is free and they should use a bit of it. I've been saying this for a few years. It's too crammed. December is idle, why can't we run up until later in the month?"
McStay Returns to Lush Pastures
One of the most active pages of the day belonged to Stringston Farm's Ten Sovereigns colt out of Lamyaa. The youngster is a brother to Lush Lips, whose last visit to the racecourse resulted in a breakthrough victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.
Added to that major pedigree, Lush Lips was last seen hitting the market at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was bought by Dixiana Farm for a cool US$3.7 million
That figure represented a major appreciation on the £82,000 (US$103,340) Lush Lips cost as a Doncaster yearling, where she was signed for by Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock. The same agent also was responsible for signing for her younger brother Tuesday, going to 150,000 guineas for the colt on behalf of one of Lush Lips' original owners.
"When breeders produce a horse like that they're entitled to get paid," McStay said. "Ten Sovereigns has been very lucky for me, and I've purchased this colt for Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds. He's been a really good client in recent years with Lush Lips and Porta Fortuna, amongst others.
"The colt will probably go from here to Luke Barry's Manister House, and Steve has the option to race or resell. This is a really nice colt and when I saw him I felt we had to have him. We'll make our plans further down the line and in the spring; it's a nice problem to have. Lush Lips stays training next season and all roads lead to the Breeders' Cup for her."
McStay added: "Lush Lips was an outstanding physical and this foal is a really good type, too. Fair play to the Pococks. It's not an easy game breeding racehorses, and that farm breeds winners. Let's hope this is another good one. I knew we'd have to pay for this colt and I could see some of my countrymen lurking on the rope, but we were keen to get the horse and I didn't underestimate the likely opposition."
Trade Wednesday was virtually unrecognizable from the opening session. The clearance rate closed at 86% as 219 lots sold from 256 offered. Those transactions meant turnover rose 15% year on year to 10,386,000 guineas (US$14,439,708). The average price increased 8% to 47,425 guineas (US$65,935), while the median rose from 34,000 guineas to 35,000 guineas (US$47,267), a gain of 3%.
The Tattersalls December Foal Sale continues Nov. 28 with the headline session beginning at 10 a.m. local time.
