With a vital international contingent in play, Monday’s BBAG Spring Mixed
Sale reported a record aggregate of 1,155,700 alongside a steep drop in average
and median. Despite this, the sales company was in positive mood.
“The catalog sadly missed a real standout,” Managing Director Verena Gang
commented. “However, the solid quality was very pleasing and led to a further
increase from the year before.”
Buyers from the Czech Republic, Ireland and France graced the auction, which
featured a draft from Con Marnane’s Bansha House Stables. It was that consignor
who sold the topper when Hip No. 20, a two-year-old Inchinor (GB) filly, reached
64,000. The granddaughter of the champion juvenile and champion producer Ma
Biche (Key to the Kingdom) was knocked down to the top German trainer Mario Hofer, acting on behalf
of an undisclosed owner. Marnane was again responsible for the highest-priced
colt when Hip 127, a juvenile by one of the sires of the moment Danehill Dancer,
was purchased by Litex Commerce AD for 49,000. His dam is a daughter of the
smart Kolner Sprint-Preis winner Mirage (Waidmannsheil) from the family of the
Queen Anne S. (Eng-G2) second-placer Swallow Flight. To compound a highly
successful evening for Bansha House, the sole Sadler’s Wells offering in the
catalog made 46,000.
Hip 9, who was secured by the Czech trainer Zdeno Koplik, is a two-year-old
half-brother to the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) runner-up Tamburlaine (Ire).
Of the horses in training, Hip 97, last year’s Premio St Leger runner-up
SIMONE BOCCANEGRA (Perugino) achieved the highest price when going to the Irish
Callas Stables for 50,000. The four-year-old was from the large consignment of
opera director Alexander Pereira.
Full results can be viewed on www.bbag-sales.de.