3 minute read
Jim Bolger's dual Group 1 winning filly Saoirse Abu topped proceeding's on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale.
Trade was robust given market conditions and there was plenty of competition for the quality fillies and mares on offer.
The opening session saw 168 lots for a total of 11,469,500 guineas at an average of 68,271 guineas and a median of 16,750 guineas.
MR GREELEY's dual Group 1 winning filly SAOIRSE ABU looked one of the highlights of the catalogue with Group 1 wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Group 1 Phoenix Stakes as a two-year-old and a third in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this year behind NATAGORA.
Consigned from Jim Bolger's Glebe House Stables, the daughter of the FUTURE STORM mare OUT TOO LATE entered a packed auditorium early in the evening and interest in the three-year-old quickly saw her price rise past the 1,000,000 guineas mark.
Ballylinch Stud's John O'Conner and London Thoroughbred Services' James Wigan were both made the early running along before the Dublin based agent Peter Doyle and Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock advisor John Ferguson took over the reins.
Ferguson secured the filly when his bid of 1,950,00 guineas was not answered by Doyle and indicated that she would be retired and would probably visit AUTHORIZED, the 2006 Derby winner who stands at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket.
Another star attraction on the opening day was the Group winning three-year-old filly UNSUNG HEROINE who finished second in the Group 1 St Leger at only her third start.
The daughter of HIGH CHAPARRAL was a 5,000 guineas bargain purchase at Book 1 of the 2006 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when knocked down to Cormac McCormack Bloodstock.
Consigned from Tommy Stack's Thomastown Castle Stables, the filly out of the TENBY mare THERMOPYLAE attracted interest from agents Peter Doyle, Jamie McCalmont and Grant Pritchard-Gordon as well as Hubie De Burgh and Michel Zerolo.
As the price rose towards a million, the battle to secure the filly settled down to a head to head tussle between de Burgh and Oceanic Bloodstock's Zerolo, with de Burgh finally successful at 950,000 guineas.
De Burgh indicated that the filly was purchased on behalf of an existing client and would head to Australia and the stables of David Hayes where she would be prepared for next year's Melbourne Cup.
Another 1000 Guineas placegetter to be offered at the Tattersalls December Sale was the four-year-old ARCH filly ARCH SWING.
Out of the SLEW O'GOLD mare GOLD PATTERN, the four-year-old filly was knocked down to Shadwell Estates' Angus Gold for 600,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of Irish agent Hugo Merry.
Consigned from John Oxx's Currabeg Stables, ARCH SWING was twice a Group 3 winner, and also finished third in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and Group 1 Matron at Leopardstown, but perhaps her finest moment came when she finished second in FINSCEAL BEO'S 1000 Guineas in 2007.
Gold indicated that ARCH SWING would be retired with a suitable stallion to be decided at a later date.
Earlier in the day John Warren purchased the eleven-year-old mare OUR KING OF QUEENS for 500,000 guineas on behalf of the Jacobs family's Newsells Park Stud.
By ARAZI out of the PRINCE TENDERFOOT mare LADY BLACKFOOT, OUR KING OF QUEENS is the dam of the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes winner SPINNING QUEEN who created a record for a filly in training when she realised 3,000,000 guineas in at the 2006 Tattersalls December Sale.
OUR KING OF QUEENS was consigned to the sale from Lady Wellesley's Marston Stud and sold carrying a cover by Britain's leading stallion PIVOTAL.
The Tattersalls December Mare Sale continues at 9.30am on Tuesday, December 2nd
- Tattersalls Release
