The start of the New Year is always a quieter time for a Flat agent than of recent months. There is lots of clearing-up of unfinished business left over from the busy sales season; I do quite a few end of year valuations of clients bloodstock; there are still stallion nominations to be advised on and booked at the best possible deal.
Having done a fair bit of pheasant shooting during January, I did attend the Tattersalls February sale where I bought 3 mares for Newsells Park Stud to go to their exciting young sire Mount Nelson. I think it is commendable that the stud are supporting the stallion so much especially as he’s already got over 80 mares booked to him – a good number for a 4th season sire – and they’re still getting contacted by breeders. I also bought recent winner Sujet Bellagio for new connections that are sending him back to trainer Brian Meehan.
At the Goffs February sale I bought two mares. I thought that 4yo Refuse To Bend filly Be Amazing was good value at €18,000 and she’s already been covered by Holy Roman Emperor since the sale. She’s a half-sister to Gr.1 placed Asset from the great Icing family. I was equally delighted with the purchase of Blue Beacon – this daughter of Blue Duster was carrying to the great Acclamation and could be a good commercial buy.
KRYPTON FACTOR is really starting to get his act together in Dubai for owner/trainer Fawzi Nass. In 2011 there were few races for a 3yo like him there, but now in 2012 he has good opportunities over 6 furlongs on either Tapeta or grass. Having been second on his seasonal debut, he won a handicap on his next start and then was narrowly denied a win when a fast finishing second by a diminishing short-head in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint. He will take-on the winner again in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal to try and book his place in the field for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on World Cup night. He is fast improving and is one to note.
STRAWBERRYDAIQUIRI had her first start for Californian trainer Ben Cecil and was a commendable fourth in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Handicap at Santa Anita. A program of a Grade 2 followed by another tilt at a Grade 1 is planned before she visits Street Cry later this Spring – she will then be brought back to join the Aislabie Stud broodmare band, which is increasing and rising dramatically in quality.
Aislabie Stud, at which I am Manager, is in full flow with foals being born, mares arriving in from English, French and Irish breeders to visit Newmarket stallions, and mares being taken to be covered. We’ve already had a few mares scanned in-foal, so the breeding season is going well so far. The lack of real rain will soon be an issue for all stud owners, but luckily our land bares-up better than most being on clay – so we have grass when others are struggling. Even so, we could do with doing a few rain-dances for all of our wellbeing!
Future Sales –
Goffs – Breeze-Up Sale at Kempton – Breeze & Sale Tuesday 3rd April – 100 lots catalogued. In 2011 – 65 2yos sold for a median of £20,000.
Tattersalls – Craven Breeze-Up Sale – Breeze Tues 17th April; Sale Wed 18th & Thurs 19th April – 183 lots catalogued. In 2011 – 112 2yos sold for a median of 60,000 Guineas.
DBS – Breeze-Up Sale – Breeze Sun 22nd April; Sale Monday 23rd April – 192 lots catalogued. In 2011 – 109 2yos sold for a median of £20,000.
DBS April Horses-in-Training Sale – Tuesday 24th April – In 2011 – 108 HIT sold for a median of £4,500.
Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up & Horses-in-Training Sale – Thursday 3rd & Friday 4th May – New sale for 2012.
Arqana Breeze-Up Sale at Saint-Cloud – Friday 11th & Saturday 12th May – 165 lots catalogued. In 2011 – 111 2yos sold for a median of €50,000.