INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
MAY 27, 2014
Frankel filly to highlight JRHA Sale
by Michele MacDonald
The first foal by Frankel to be offered at public auction is set to step into
the Japan Racing Horse Association select sale ring at the Northern Horse Park
on July 15. A chestnut filly born March 18, the foal is a half-sister to Hong
Kong-based star Gold-Fun (Le Vie Dei Colori), an earner of more than $2.8
million who finished second in last year’s Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) and won the
Jockey Club Mile (HK-G2).
Produced by Goodwood March (Foxhound), the foal also is a half-sister to Body
and Soul (Captain Rio), winner of the Totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy in England
and $560,040 to date.
Qatar Bloodstock has consigned the foal through Japan’s Mishima Farm,
according to the JRHA, which has published the catalog index online and will add
pedigree details for each offering on May 30. Qatar Bloodstock was formed by
Sheikh Fahad al Thani, who bought horses at last year’s JRHA sale, and his
brothers.
“She’s a stunning foal,” said Sheikh Fahad’s bloodstock advisor David Redvers.
“All the reports are that she is an excellent filly.”
Goodwood March was reported sold to Newsells Park Stud for 650,000 guineas
($1,116,229) at the 2013 Tattersalls December sale, when she was consigned by
Redvers through his Tweenhills Farm & Stud. However, Redvers said the mare was
not actually sold and was sent to Japan, where she delivered the filly and now
is in foal to Deep Impact.
Sheikh Fahad and Redvers attended last year’s JRHA sale and bought five
horses, two yearlings and three foals.
“Loved it,” Redvers said when asked about Sheikh Fahad’s experience in Japan
and his interest in sending the Frankel filly to this year’s sale. “Never been
looked after better anywhere. The whole experience was invigorating and we’re
looking forward to going back again.”
The Frankel foal undoubtedly will be the marquee star of the sale, but there
are more horses cataloged this year with international appeal than perhaps ever
in the history of the JRHA sale, which began in 1998. The sale has yielded many
prominent runners, including Just a Way (Heart’s Cry), currently rated the
leader on the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings after a record-breaking win in the
Dubai Duty Free.
Also included in this year’s JRHA sale will be five colt foals from the first
crop by dual American classic winner I’ll Have Another, who stands at Big Red
Farm on the island of Hokkaido; the first foal at auction by Gainesway Farm’s
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Tapizar; a colt out of American Grade 3-placed
Bluegrass Chatter (Bluegrass Cat); a Sea the Stars colt foal out of Ballroom
(Storm Cat), and other foals by Distorted Humor, Speightstown, Empire Maker,
Awesome Again, Candy Ride, Street Sense and Johannesburg.
The sale will begin on July 14 with a yearling session featuring 260 in the
catalog prior to the next day’s session of foals with 231 cataloged.
Some of the yearlings of note are a filly by King Kamehameha out of Beverly D
S. (G1) winner Gorella (Grape Tree Road), and a filly by Dubai World Cup
(UAE-G1) winner Victoire Pisa out of Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) winner Seazun (Zieten).
For Japanese buyers, the offspring of Deep Impact — the world’s top sire by
progeny earnings with $28.7 million to date this year including the $3 million
banked by champion daughter Gentildonna when she won the Dubai Sheema Classic
(UAE-G1) — will be highly coveted. Deep Impact has led all sires at the sale
for the past several years.
The catalog index lists 13 yearlings by Deep Impact, including a filly out of
Ashland S. (G1) winner Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley), and a colt out of
Fillies’ Mile (Eng-G1) winner Listen (Sadler’s Wells), and 21 foals, including
colts out of American Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter) and multiple Grade 1
winner Weemissfrankie (Sunriver).
A foal full brother to the Azeri colt topped last year’s JRHA sale at