While Kia Ora Stud hit the leaderboard, Ridgmont Farm / Clarke Bloodstock, Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, and Australian Bloodstock played supporting roles on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
Lot 1546 Wonderful Times (IRE) (Golden Horn x Wonderfully by Galileo) Purchaser: Kia Ora Stud 460,000 gns
This is a huge result for Barton Stud, which plucked Wonderful Times out of the same sale twelve months previously for 85,000 gns when consigned by Newsells Park as part of the Normandie Stud dispersal.
At the time she had one win and was placed four times in six starts.
Switched to Mario Baratti to campaign in France, Wonderful Times played her part by winning a Listed race over 10f at Le Lion-D'Angers in May.
A 350,000 gns Tattersalls October yearling, Wonderful Times is out of the Group III winning Galileo mare Wonderfully a sister to Group/Listed winners Gustave Klimt, Friendly, and Blissful and a half-sister to Group 1 winner Nayarra.
Wonderfully’s stakes-winning dam, Massarra, is a sister to Kodiac and half-sister to Invincible Spirit out of the French Oaks winner Rafha.
Lot 1426 Many Tears (IRE) (Showcasing x Just One Kiss by Cape Cross) Purchaser: Ridgmont Farm / Clarke Bloodstock 300,000 gns.
The rising 4-year-old daughter of Showcasing will be sent to James Ferguson to continue her race career after finishing the season strongly in Ireland for Ger Lyons.
The winner of three of eight starts, Many Tears opened her stakes account in a Listed race over a mile on the all-weather at Dundalk on November 10.
She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Intello Kiss (Intello) and stakes-placed Bell'imbusto (Helmet) from the family of St Leger winner Sixties Icon.
Lot 1416 Youngest (GB) (Dubawi x Sheikha Reika by Shamardal) Purchaser: Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock / Badgers Bloodstock 160,000 gns.
A rising 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi, Youngest (GB) created a big impression when winning on debut at two at Leicester, then failed to run a place in her next six starts for owner/breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.
She is a sister to this season’s smart 2-year-old Arabic Legend, who won at Newmarket on debut before finishing second in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury behind Arabian Crown, who closed out his campaign with a five and a half length romp in the Group III Zetand Stakes.
Arabic Legend disappointed as favourite for the Group III Autumn Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Youngest is a daughter of the Group 1 EP Taylor Stakes winner Sheikha Reika, a sister to the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lumiere.
Lot 1397 Guinevere's Spirit (IRE) (Camelot x American Spirit by Rock Of Gibraltar) Purchaser: Australian Bloodstock / Ronald Rauscher 30,000 gns
Second on debut to the promising Earth Dance over 10f at Navan on September 2, Guinevere's Spirit was well supported to win a maiden at Killarney three weeks later when weakening in the last bit on a heavy track.
The 3-year-old daughter of Camelot (IRE) is out of an unraced half-sister to Epsom Derby winner and successful stallion Authorized (Montjeu).