A colt by Montjeu provided the highlight of the Tattersalls December Yearling
Sale in Newmarket Monday when selling for 150,000 guineas. The yearling was one
of only two lots to pass the six-figure mark Monday.
Bred by Mogeely Stud and offered from the Hillman family’s Castledillon Stud,
the colt — out of Group 3-placed Ghurra (War Chant) had been returned when
making €200,000 at the Arqana Yearling Sale
at Deauville in August. David Redvers, acting for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani’s Pearl
Bloodstock, struck the successful bid Monday after seeing off first trainer
Gerard Butler, standing with owner Alan Spence, and finally Anani Antoniadis,
who often acts for Russian-based Stud 711.
“I believe he had a throat infection, which was why he was returned at
Deauville, and he was a colt who just had a bit of quality about him,” Redvers
explained. “He’s the 33rd yearling we’ve got for Pearl now, but we’ve still to
finalize a trainer for him. We have bought a handful more horses privately this
year and are struggling to keep under a total of 50 horses in training. We may
have to sell a couple!”
M.V. Magnier of Coolmore was the day’s other six-figure spender, going to
110,000 guineas for an Acclamation filly sold from the Cashman family’s
Rathbarry Stud who had missed the Goffs Orby Sale.
“She was recommended by the Cashmans and I believe she had to miss Goffs
because she got a temperature,” Magnier said. “It’s still to be finalized where
she is going into training, but we’ll get her home and decide.”
Dream Ahead’s owner Khalifa Dasmal paid 80,000 guineas through his racing
manager Mark Crossman for an Oasis Dream filly out of a granddaughter of
champion Three Troikas (Lyphard) offered from Trickledown Stud.
“The idea is that she will eventually go to Dream Ahead at Ballylinch Stud
when he could need support in his third year,” Crossman said. “She was a correct
filly with a good page and is likely to go into training with (Dream Ahead’s
trainer) David Simcock.”
Figures were up all round Monday despite only two six-figure lots, with the
most startling rise coming in the median figure, which shot up by 128 percent to
a sales record 20,500 guineas. The December Sale resumes Wednesday with the
first of four foal sessions.