NEWMARKET, UK – There may be some pretty important racing going on across the Channel, but Sunday morning at the Park Paddocks it’s all business as buyers from around the world gather to evaluate potential stars of Book 1 of the Tattersalls Last October Sale.
Despite the stress of these final test days, one man who can allow himself a small smile of satisfaction is Hazelwood Bloodstock’s Adrian O’Brien.
The back cover of the Tattersalls catalog traditionally features photos of some of the store’s key recent graduates, and of the four shown this year, two are Hazelwood alumni: McKulick ( GB), winner GI Belmont Oaks (GB) (Frankel (GB)}) and GI Diana S. provided in Italian (GB). Sold at Book 1 in 2019 and 2020, respectively, the duo took top wins for consecutive weekends in July, underscoring the strong American theme that underpinned the sale for some time. years and is only increasing.
“It was amazing,” said O’Brien, beaming under his custom McKulick baseball cap as a handsome freshman’s son. Magna Grecia (Ire) walked up and down in front of him. pony [lot 200] is half brother to G2 winner Royal Lodge S. Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and bred by Emma Capon from a stallion Aga Khan Shaloushka (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}).
“We had McKulick and In Italian from previous drafts and it was unbelievable to win two Is in one week,” he continued. “Of our 10 ponies this year, which is our largest Book 1 manuscript to date, we’ve got four Dubawis, three ponies and a stout, and they’re all goodies. Quality animals, lovely. Then there was a pony and a dog that died by Kinga full brother of Frankel to Hans Anderson, a very good two-year-old pony in Ireland, a beautiful girl Siyouni colt, and representatives from the first crops of Too Darn Hot and Magna Greciaso we were loaded. “
The 26 sons and daughters of the powerful Darley Dubawi have graced the pages of Book 1, and as O’Brien outlined, he was lucky enough to be assigned a quartet that included a brother half-brother with Group 1 winner Barney Roy (GB) ({Ire} Celebration); son of Ring The Bell (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), sister of the Group 1 first prize winners Hydrangea (Ire), Hermosa (Ire) and The United States (Ire); another dam with a pony that is a sister to the Galileo brothers Highland Reel (Ire) and Idaho (Ire), and a bad guy who also comes from the Barney Roy family and is the first pony of his half-sister Wisdom Of Mind (Ire). ).
The only representative of Dubawi’s freshman son Too Darn Hot (GB) in the draft is a child from the famous Niarhcos family of Alpha Centauri (Ire), Alpine Star (Ire) and Discoveries (Ire) ), the three Group 1 winners that are half- her siblings Sellsabeel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Offered for sale on Wednesday as lot 194, she will be sold in five lots before her full brother to Hans Anderson (GB) hybrid Sun Bloodstock. The Frankel (GB) colt was bought for 450,000g by Coolmore last year and beat Al Riffa (Fr) when he broke his preliminaries in July before finishing second in G2 Futurity S.
“The conversation is becoming increasingly common when hearing about the power of stallions in the Newmarket area in particular, and elsewhere in the UK. We are blessed with high quality that is attracting breeders from all over the world,” said O’Brien, who runs Hazelwood Bloodstock with his wide Philippa from Red House Stud just outside Newmarket.
“The market looks very strong and I would like to think that the quality here this week underlines the strength of the market. I think it will be a blockbuster sale.”
Even with one of Europe’s most prestigious racing days on Sunday, the Park Paddocks courts were buzzing with activity from the early morning.
O’Brien added: “It’s been a great week and we’ve been very busy. “It’s always been a fun weekend for Longchamp and a lot of people with commitments there, but all the right people seem to be on the ground here and there’s a lot of interest abroad, as so it all looks like it’s going to be great. week.”
Just across from Hazelwood Bloodstock’s location on Highflyer’s K-court, you can see a strange new development on Solario’s yard. The old American barn was demolished to be replaced with regular ones and rubber stone walkways with a smart flint bridge to get in and out.
Clearwater Stud, Oaks Farm Stables, Shadwell and Book 1 newcomers Haras du Castillon from France, and Gestut Haus Ittlingen of Germany are among the shippers that will be housed in the new facilities that appear to be working good. It’s easy to feel a spring in one’s footsteps when the sun shines on an autumn morning, and Luke Lillingston is rarely found without a smile on his face, but when he does, he strides. purposeful in his morning test rounds, he comments on bluebloods assembled at Tattersalls for Europe’s top sale.
“You know what, I really think this is the best herd I have ever seen here,” said Mount Coote Stud master. By Tuesday, we’ll start to find out if he’s right, but all signs seem to be pointing in the right direction.
