Dark Angel Offspring in Demand at Goffs UK
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Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate continued its summer shopping on opening day of the Goffs UK premier yearling sale Aug. 23, buying 12 lots, including a Dark Angel colt who was the day's top price at £250,000 ($329,759).
Yeomanstown Stud resident Dark Angel accounted for four of the day's top 10 horses, including the second- and third-highest prices. The stallion, a son of Acclamation who had 26 individual group and stakes horses in 2015, currently ranks fourth among England and Ireland's leading sires.
Shadwell was the top buyer earlier in August at the Arqana Deauville yearling sale, spending €2.97 million for eight horses, and kept the buying spree going at Doncaster Tuesday as racing manager Angus Gold outlasted the Hong Kong Jockey Club to land Manister House's session-topping Dark Angel colt.
"Interestingly, he wasn't the most fluent walker, but he trotted beautifully," Gold told Racing Post about the colt, the first foal from his dam, the German-bred Oasis Dream mare Diva, who is a half sister to the Preis der Diana (Ger-I, German Oaks) runner-up Dominante. "A lot of trainers liked him very much, and Sheikh Hamdan wants me to buy for the trainers.
"He's bred to be decent, in terms of sire and damsire, although it's not a pedigree we know terrible well. But if he runs like he trots, we'll be OK," Gold said, noting that Shadwell has had good success with Dark Angel's offspring, having raced three group winners.
Goffs reported 200 of 226 horses offered changed hands for total sales of £8,739,000 ($11,530,006), up 6% on last year's corresponding session. The average price rose 12% to £43,695 ($57,649) and the median grew 17% to £36,000 ($47,496).
The clearance rate came in at 88%, and a total of 15 horses surpassed the six-figure mark, up seven from Day 1 last year, including the top three-priced Dark Angel, the only offerings to break £200,000.
Shadwell was the leading buyer with dozen purchases Tuesday, totaling £1,515,000 ($1,999,146). Ireland's Yeomanstown Stud was the top consignor, with seven sold for £635,000 ($837,778).
The day's second-top price was Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel—Cover Girl filly bought by BBA Ireland Cover Girl, by Common Grounds, was a stakes winner in Norway. The mare has produced five winners, including Irish group I winner Sudirman U.S. stakes winner Shermeen, who is group/graded placed, and Mister Manannan.
Bringing the day's third-highest price was Mountarmstrong's Dark Angel filly, who is the first foal of stakes-placed Jadamma. She sold for £205,000 ($270,616) to Stroud Coleman. Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel colt out of winning Verglas mare Cut No Ice also was a top-10 seller, going to SackvilleDonald for £165,000 ($217,813),