Record-Breaking Rihaam Tops Tatts July Sale Opener

A protracted bidding duel over a promising producer resulted in a new Tattersalls July Sale record July 6 as the Shadwell-consigned Rihaam  was knocked down to Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock at 540,000gns (US$681,233).

Goff was positioned towards the back of a packed gangway and was taking instruction from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and Paul Shanahan, while his main rival lodged their bids online.

The 9-year-old Rihaam (Lot 179) did not make the track herself but has already made an impact at paddocks as she is the dam of the smart Ribhi , who has won two races for Marcus Tregoning and kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Bet365 European Free Handicap in April.

Rihaam's page is replete with black type as she is a sibling to five stakes performers, including the listed winners Ethaara , Mudaaraah , and Sudoor , while she is out of Wissal, a Woodman half sister to the champion miler Bahri. As well as Ribhi, Rihaam has produced the 2-year-old Invincible Spirit  filly Shaaden and has a yearling filly by Blue Point . She was offered in foal to Ribhi's sire Dark Angel .

"Of her age group she was the outstanding broodmare here," Goff said. "It's an absolutely fantastic Sheikh Hamdan pedigree that goes back to Bahri and there's numerous stars all over the pedigree. Ribhi is a good colt, he was rated 101, and she's carrying a full brother to him. The Invincible Spirit filly is with Marcus Tregoning and is apparently showing some speed, and the Blue Point yearling is reportedly a nice filly.

"It's a nice package and one that doesn't come along too often, which is why the Shadwell dispersal continues to be of interest. It was obviously a protracted duel but I'm delighted to get her."

Rihaam's price surpassed the previous high mark at the July Sale, which was set in 2010 when Kern/Lillingston Association gave 460,000gns ($580,131) for Business As Usual.

Wigan Wades In

The previous record was broken not once but twice during a red-hot session that saw an international cross-section of agents and breeders digging deep to add fresh blood to their broodmare bands.

However, the second-top lot is staying close to home as James Wigan's London Thoroughbred Services went to 500,000gns ($626,362) for wildcard entry See The Rose  (Lot 271A), winner of the 2020 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing (G3) during her time in training with Andre Fabre.

The filly won three races at 2 and was also fifth, beaten less than two lengths, behind Coeursamba  and Mother Earth  in the 2021 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1). The daughter of Kendargent , a sister to listed scorer Xaarino , and the group 3-placed Mont Kiara , switched from Fabre to Joseph O'Brien ahead of her 4-year-old campaign but didn't run for her new trainer.

She was previously owned by a partnership consisting of Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, Sue Magnier, and Linda Shanahan.

"She was bought for breeding rather than racing and she's a very nice, quality mare," said Wigan. "She's a nice outcross, has her group race win, group-placed form, and good form as a 2-year-old. She's staying in Europe."

See The Rose was making her third appearance at public auction, having twice been knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock. She fetched €180,000 ($199,638) when offered by Ballylinch Stud at the Arqana August Yearling Sale of 2019 before she brought 450,000gns ($629,161) at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Yulong On a Spree

Updates don't come much bigger than the one possessed by Lot 213, Shining Bright, a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo and Lady Lara  who was offered by Barton Sales in foal to Starspangledbanner .

This lineage makes the 4-year-old a sister to Changingoftheguard , who enhanced the page by winning the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot since the catalog's release.

After another lengthy sales ring tussle, it was BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe, bidding online on behalf of the Yulong Investments' Lucky Vega Syndicate, who emerged victorious at 450,000gns ($563,726).

The Yulong Investments' buying team was in prolific form throughout the session, with six lots signed for by BBA Ireland/Lucky Vega Syndicate for an outlay of 1,344,000gns ($1,683,660), while a further three lots were signed for by BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments for receipts totaling 373,000gns ($467,266), making for a combined spend of 1,717,000gns ($2,150,926).

"It's been a busy day but I'm really pleased with the mares we've got," said Yulong's chief operating officer Sam Fairgray. "They're by good stallions—Galileo, Siyouni , Kingman , and Exceed And Excel —and from nice families and physically we really liked them too so we're really happy with what we've got. Some will head to Australia, some will be bred up here to southern hemisphere time and then head down, and others will stay here and visit Lucky Vega .

"I'd imagine they'll all make their way down to Australia in time but we want to support Lucky Vega. He had a fantastic first season here and we want to continue that support. I'd imagine a couple will be covered by Frankel  before heading down but we haven't decided which ones yet. We'll sit down and work out where we go from here.

"Mr. Zhang (Yuesheng, owner) came to this sale a few years ago and purchased Harlech, the dam of Hungry Heart , so he saw that we should be back here and finding the mares that we like."

As the session entered the latter stages half of the day's top 10 had gone the way of BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments, with Shining Bright joined by the 340,000gns ($425,926) Footprints, an unraced Galileo sister to Armory  in foal to Wootton Bassett  consigned as Lot 271 by The Castlebridge Consignment; Sweet Whisper, a Dubawi  half sister to Farhh  who brought 260,000gns ($325,708) when offered by Godolphin; the WH Bloodstock-consigned Le Designe (Lot 33), a once-raced daughter of Siyouni and Park Express Stakes (G3) winner Oh Goodness Me  who fetched 180,000gns ($225,490), as did Lot 214, Wild Intrigue, a well-related daughter of Frankel descending from the influential Gryada who was offered in foal to Ten Sovereigns  by Barton Sales.

The sums brought by Shining Bright and Footprints were also among the 10 highest prices ever generated at the July Sale.