BBA Ireland were responsible for the session topper at the opening day of
Doncaster’s St Leger Yearling Sale when paying £120,000
for a son of Royal Applause (GB) Tuesday. Consigned as Hip No. 190 by Newsells
Park Stud, the February-foaled bay is out of Group 3-placed Statua (Ire) (Statoblest),
a half-sister to the sire Bluegrass Prince (Ire) (Bluebird) who has already
produced four winners.
BBA Ireland’s Eamon Reilly, who saw off Richard O’Gorman, revealed that the
colt had been bought on behalf of Mark Gittins, co-owner of this year’s Prix
Jean Prat (Fr-G1) hero Lord Shanakill (Speightstown) and another son of Royal
Applause (GB) in the Woodcote S. winner and Vintage S. (Eng-G2) third Corporal
Maddox, also bought here last year.
Despite losing out on the main draw, O’Gorman snapped up Croom House Stud’s
Hip 121, a daughter of Invincible Spirit who is a half-sister to the multiple
Group 1-placed Zamba Canuta (Unaccounted For) from the extended family of the
1988 Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) heroine Dark Lomond (Ire). The filly was knocked
down to the agent for £100,000.
With the sale cut from three days to two this year, comparative figures were
unavailable after the first session, where the clearance rate stood at 82
percent and average and median were £27,960
and £20,000, respectively.
Selling continues Wednesday. Full results are available on dbsauctions.com.