A 450,000 guineas filly from the first crop of champion Sea the Stars starred
at Tattersalls last night when topping the penultimate session of the December
Foal Sale in Newmarket. Offered from Harry McCalmont’s Norelands Stud for a
partnership, the filly is a half-sister to the Group 1-placed Surfrider
(Dansili) and was bought by Angus Gold as a long-term racing prospect for Sheikh
Hamdan Al Maktoum. The February 5-foaled bay, catalogued as Hip No. 1012, is a
daughter of the Rahy mare Ecoutila.
Few of Friday’s dearer lots are scheduled to see a sale ring again before
they run, and several foresighted breeders were chasing fillies with eventual
paddock potential. Though all manner of would-be buyers tried to get a bid in
for the session topper, including John Clarke, racing manager to Sea the Stars’
owner Christopher Tsui and his mother Ling. Cathy Grassick, standing with Yvonne
Jacques, Turkish-based owner Ibrahim Araci and underbidder Hugo Lascelles were
others to make a play for the filly. Angus Gold said the initial signs are
positive for Sea the Stars.
“I’ve been impressed by everything I’ve seen by the stallion, like most
people,” Gold said. “We’ve got five of our own Sea the Stars foals at home, and
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better lot of foals by a first-season sire in
terms of quality.” Gold added. “We tend to buy five or six foals each year, and
this filly has a great temperament and was a bit of a no-brainer for a racing
operation like ours.”
Sea the Stars’ owners, who trade as Sunderland Holdin, paid 340,000 guineas
for a colt by the European Horse of the Year out of Ripples Maid (Dansili) sold
by Tweenhills Stud on behalf of Qatar Bloodstock. John Clarke saw off the likes
of Hugo Merry, Ibrahim Araci, Chris Wood and Willie Browne for the colt.
“Ling and Christopher Tsui want to help the horse, and felt that if breeders
were using him at stud, they should show their appreciation by buying some of
his foals. Their purchases will go to Gilltown Stud,” said Clarke, who added the
early commercial success of the Tsuis’ champion is to be expected. “Sea The
Stars was one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest racehorse, he has a
fantastic physique and a wonderful pedigree. If you add it all together, then
it’s not a surprise that there is such interest in him.”
David Redvers of Tweenhills Stud, which consigned the colt as Hip 939, was
delighted with the result.
“He was slightly unusual among the Sea the Stars foals here because he is
from a speed family, and while he could be a Royal Ascot two-year-old, it was
hard for buyers to know where to place him,” Redvers said. “I believe he will be
trained by John Oxx, and I’d be surprised if he is not his first two-year-old
winner in 2013.”
Sea the Stars’ prominence extended further Friday. James Wigan of London
Thoroughbred Services paid 280,000 guineas for one of the sire’s best-bred
fillies in the sale, a three-parts sister to Group 1 Irish One Thousand Guineas
winner Nightime (Galileo). But Wigan said the sire did not influence his
purchase.
“Obviously I like Sea the Stars, but it almost counted against this filly for
me because I don’t like buying unproven sires,” Wigan said. “It was the fact
that she was a sibling to a classic winner that appealed She was a very nice
filly with a great page and has been bought to race.”
One Sea the Stars foal who didn’t find a new home was a half-brother to Group
1 winners Youmzain (Sinndar) and Creachadoir (King’s Best). The colt, offered by
the Castlebridge Consignment, was led out unsold at 590,000 guineas.
The pick of the foals by Sea the Stars’ half-brother Galileo was a
375,000-guineas full brother to Group 3 Lillie Langtrry Stakes winner
Gravitation sold from Plantation Stud to Demi O’Byrne. Charlie Gordon-Watson was
underbidder on the colt, for whom Ibrahim Araci also made a play. The colt is a
son of Guaranda (Acatenango) and sold as Hip 799.
“This was a grand colt, and I’d imagine he’ll be kept to race. I don’t need
to tell anybody about Galileo,” said O’Byrne, whose purchase will run the usual
triumvirate of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier.
Tom Goff, acting for an unidentified client, fought off Richard Frisby for a
300,000 guineas Oasis Dream colt out of a full sister to Group 1Prix Marcel
Boussac winner Sulk (Selkirk) and Group 1 Hong Kong Cup victor Eagle Mountain
(Rock of Gibraltar).
“She’s a lovely, athletic filly who’s been bought for an old longstanding
client. It’s all there to see on her page, and her full sister is nice with
Henry Cecil,” Goff said.
The December Foal Sale finishes Saturday. For catalog and results, visit
www.tattersalls.com.