Fierce Competition as Juddmonte Secures Kingman Colt

There was more fierce competition on day two of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket on Oct, 12, and proceedings reached boiling point shortly after 3 p.m. when Hazelwood Bloodstock brought the Kingman  colt (Lot 895) out of Reem to the packed Park Paddocks ring.

Alex Elliott, positioned on the rope by the entrance, took an interest and was soon joined by Anthony Stroud, who was stationed over his rival's shoulder against the back wall. However, as the half a million mark loomed large those early front-runners had to give way to a pair who know a thing or two about Kingman's prowess.

The Juddmonte Farms team of Simon Mockridge and Barry Mahon stood front and center in the bidders' area, while John Gosden played his hand from a partly concealed position high on the back stairs to the right of the rostrum.

When Mockridge signaled a bid of 525,000 guineas (US$751,077) Gosden cried enough and disappeared from view altogether as the gavel came down in Juddmonte's favor. The six-figure colt joins the three yearlings Juddmonte purchased during Book 1, a trio that cost a combined 1.23 million guineas and was headed by the 800,000 guineas ($1,143,079) Dubawi  filly (Lot 127) out of Longina .

The Kingman colt was bred by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum under the Essafinaat banner and is out of Reem, an Australian-bred daughter of Galileo  who won at listed level at Meydan, where she also ran second in the Balanchine Stakes Sponsored by Emirates NBD (G2) in 2011.

This lineage makes the youngster a brother to the classy King Leonidas, who topped Book 2 in 2018 when sold to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum through Stroud Coleman Bloodstock at 750,000 guineas ($1,034,933).

"Physically he's a very, very nice horse," said Mockridge. "He's got size, scope, a very big hip, and he's a very good walker. Overall I think Adrian O'Brien and his team have done an excellent job. He could have been a Book 1 horse but they've brought him to Book 2 and he's a standout here."

O'Brien, who reported that Reem is in foal to Too Darn Hot , added, "What more is there to say other than, in a nutshell, we're delighted. The full brother topped the sale three years ago and it's clearly a cross that works. I'm very flattered that Juddmonte have bought a horse of this quality from our farm, and I'm delighted for the breeder and for everyone involved."

Doyle Finds a Way

A couple of hours later Ross Doyle won out with a bid of 450,000 guineas ($643,780) to secure the No Nay Never  colt (Lot 944) out of Seatone from Camas Park Stud. The colt was bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park out of the Juddmonte-bred daughter of Mizzen Mast  .

The dam's page has been significantly upgraded in recent weeks by her 2-year-old Zoffany  filly Prosperous Voyage , who has finished second to Inspiral  in the Cazoo May Hill Stakes (G2) and bet365 Fillies' Mile (G1) on her last two outings.

"He's a very nice horse by a top-class sire and comes from a very good home," said Doyle. "He's a very good mover and I thought he was a bit of a standout here today. I'm not 100% sure who'll train him yet or where he'll go to be trained."

Stroud on the Late Shift

The session's third-highest price came just five lots from the end of the day when Anthony Stroud of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock saw off Dermot Farrington with a bid of 350,000 guineas ($500,718) to secure the Gleneagles  half brother to Unibet Richmond Stakes (G2) scorer Asymmetric .

Bred and consigned by Jimmy Murphy's Redpender Stud, the colt (Lot 1036) is out of Swirral Edge, a dual winner by Hellvelyn . Asymmetric is the mare's first foal, and Murphy was in no doubt that the exploits of the group 2-winning son of Showcasing , a 65,000 guineas ($90,726) yearling who fetched 150,000 guineas ($216,589) at the breeze-ups, was the reason behind Tuesday's six-figure transaction.

"Well thanks be to God!" said Murphy. "It's the 2-year-old that's the reason for that. He's been marvelous all year, although this is a lovely horse himself. The mare is in foal to Mehmas ."

Explaining how he got into the family, Murphy said: "John Ellis, a man who was friendly with PJ Foley, Joe Foley's father, used to race those horses (Wunders Dream  and Firebolt under the third and fourth dams) years ago.

"I've followed the family ever since and this was the only way I could get in with a good line when I bought Swirral Edge off her trainer David Brown."

McElroy Makes Campanelle Connection

The participation of U.S. interests proved pivotal in underpinning the market during Book 1 of the October Sale, and a handful of transatlantic talent searches were still ongoing deep into Book 2. Among those on the hunt was Ben McElroy, who went to 340,000 guineas ($486,412) to secure the Kodiac  filly out of Shehila offered as Lot 961 by Tally-Ho Stud.

McElroy has enjoyed some big results from his previous raids on Tattersalls, most notably finding 2020 Darley Prix Morny (G1) and 2021 Commonwealth Cup (G1) heroine Campanelle  at Book 1 in 2019. That group 1-winning daughter of Kodiac was sourced on behalf of Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables, and the agent confirmed his purchase would also carry the same yellow and maroon silks.

"I saw her two or three days ago and saw a lot of likeness with Campanelle," said McElroy. "She stands over a lot of ground, she looks quick, she has a lot of presence, and exudes class, everything you want to see in a filly.

"Her siblings are all well related and obviously Kodiac is a top sire of fillies. We've already had a lot of luck with him so I hope that continues. She'll go back to America, most likely to Wesley Ward."

The filly, who was bred by Sandra Russell, is a sibling to three winners, including Ventura Diamond, a listed-winning daughter of Dandy Man .

A New Star for Zoustar

A striking member of Zoustar's debut Northern Hemisphere-bred crop rocketed to the head of his sire's European sales results when Demi O'Byrne gave 310,000 guineas ($443,493) for the Yeomanstown Stud-consigned colt (Lot 918). O'Byrne signed the ticket alongside Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.

The March-born colt was bred by Michael O'Leary's Plantation Stud from the Exceed And Excel  mare Rue Cambon, whose five black-type siblings include the grade 1-winning Gorella and group 2 scorer Royal Intervention .

The colt was pinhooked by Yeomanstown Stud at 110,000 guineas ($154,575) at last year's December Foal Sale, and the operation's David O'Callaghan said, "He's big and strong and I'm delighted that Demi O'Byrne has bought him as he loved him. I thought he was a very good foal out of an Exceed And Excel mare, so he had that speed influence to back him up and I was happy to take a chance last year."

Desmontils Dives In

Sebastien Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine and Jamie McCalmont clashed over the Sea The Moon  half brother to listed scorer Romsdal, with the former party bringing the hammer down at 300,000 guineas ($429,187).

The colt (Lot 869) was consigned by Newsells Park Stud on behalf of William and Robert Barnett, the team who combined to sell the 1.5 million guineas ($2,139,308) sales-topping Sea The Stars  filly (Lot 411) at Book 1 last week.

"He's going to France and will be trained by either Fabrice Chappet or Henri-Francois Devin," said Desmontils. "He's a very correct horse who vetted well, and he's by Sea The Moon, who's done really well and has very good stats.

"The dam is producing some very good horses too and it's great to get one of the lots my client had on his list. It's been very tough to get these horses and we've been outbid quite a few times, but the client really liked the horse and the pedigree so we're very pleased to get him."

The Sea The Moon colt is out of Pure Song, a daughter of Singspiel  and 1995 Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks Stakes (G1) and Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks Stakes (G1) heroine Pure Grain . The 16-year-old has produced five winners from seven runners, with 888sport Magnolia Stakes scorer Romsdal joined by the listed-placed Pure Art.

Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale concludes on Wednesday with a session starting at 10 a.m. local time.