Five lots sold for 100,000 guineas or more on a strong third day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale with the Godolphin consigned BRIDESTONES leading the way at 280,000 guineas. The turnover, average and median all showed significant increases whilst the clearance rate was 86%.
Valmont Secures Godolphin’s Bridestones for 280,000 Guineas
The top lot on the third day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale was Godolphin’s four-year-old TEOFILO filly BRIDESTONES who realised 280,000 guineas to the bid of Alex Elliott, buying on behalf of Anthony Ramsden of Valmont.
"She is by Teofilo out of the Dynaformer mare, which I like," outlined Elliott. "I like that she is a two-year-old winner and has black type too. We will try to breed her to Lope De Vega, who works very well with Teofilo mares, I might have to buy Jock a cup of tea!
"I think she will suit him well, but Teofilo is a good broodmare sire with numerous crosses so there are lots of options. We were all out to buy her, but we are spending back some of the money collected last night and Anthony is taking a long-term view. It is great when you have got people who want to play at all aspects of the game, this mare is going to Whatton Manor Stud."
Until last night’s extraordinary Sceptre Session Valmont was the part-owner of Irish Oaks winner YOU GOT TO ME who sold for 4,800,000 guineas to fellow Elliott client Amo Racing, the highest price for a filly or mare in the world in 2024.
Elliott added: "I am in a very amazing position with two emerging powers, with Anthony doing what he does, and he plays in a different way to Kia. I am just very lucky to be caught up in the middle."
BRIDESTONES was trained by John & Thady Gosden and finished third in the Listed Coral Distaff Stakes at Sandown as a three-year-old. She is a daughter of Godolphin’s Group 1 Fillies Mile winner WHITE MOONSTONE.
Radley Stakes Winner Ellaria Sand Sells for 200,000 Guineas to Hurworth Bloodstock
The two-year-old filly ELLARIA SAND, who registered a significant update when winning the Listed Radley Stakes at Newbury in late October, was the second highest priced lot of the third session. The daughter of SANDS OF MALI was purchased by Hurworth Bloodstock’s Sam Haggas for 200,000 guineas, having been consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment.
Matt Coleman advises the Cool Silk Partnership who bred and raced the filly and said: "The Cool Silk team are delighted to get 200,000 guineas for Ellaria Sand. When Sands Of Mali was going to stud, I bought her dam Ellaria to join a band of broodmares to support the stallion.
"Ellaria Sand was born and reared at Culworth Grounds and went into training and, fair dues to Peter, Karin and Chris Swann of Cool Silk, they back their own homebreds and put them all in training, so it is great to see them get such a great price for her.
"Ellaria Sand has had a good year and topped it off with a brilliant performance at Newbury in the Listed Radley Stakes, which was a timely update before the sale today. I believe she has been bought by a team of Sam Haggas' clients to go back to Ollie Sangster - it is great for Ollie to have her back in the yard.
"It is a big feather in the cap of the Cool Silk team for a homebred to have won a Listed race, and then sell her for 200,000 guineas. They raced the stallion and bred this filly so it is a great achievement, hopefully she will go on - Cool Silk has still got the mare and has a full-sister to race."
ELLARIA SAND is out of the EXCEED AND EXCEL mare ELLARIA, a granddaughter of ZAHRAT DUBAI, winner of the Group 1 Nassau Stakes and third in the Epsom Oaks.
Lynch Buys Dam of Montrose Winner Smoken for 140,000 Guineas
Another lot to benefit from a major catalogue update was the Group 3 winning MARJU mare MISS MARJURIE, whose two-year-old filly by TOO DARN HOT won the Listed Montrose Stakes at Newmarket for Ralph Beckett in early November. The Baroda Stud consigned mare was offered in foal to FRANKEL’s Group 1 winning son TRIPLE TIME and was purchased by agent Barry Lynch on behalf of Ballylinch for 140,000 guineas.
Lynch revealed after the purchase: "Marju mares are very hard to come by, she is in foal to an interesting stallion and she is a horse who can be mated very easily. It is quite exciting, we are delighted and she is for Ballylinch Stud, and could be one for Look de Vega."
MISS MARJURIE is out of a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner SOVIET SONG and is from the family of Group 1 winners MARSHA and RIBBONS, as well as this season’s twice Group 1 placed filly TIFFANY.
SMOKEN was purchased at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by Jamie McCalmont Bloodstock for 190,000 guineas and is entered for next year’s Irish Oaks.
Stroud Lands Bauhinia from Godolphin for 140,000 Guineas
Another lot from the Godolphin draft to catch the attention of buyers was the three-year-old filly BAUHINIA who was knocked to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock’s Anthony Stroud for 140,000 guineas.
Twice a winner at two, BAUHINIA is by TOO DARN HOT out of the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes placed SHAMARDAL mare DESERT BLOSSOM, the dam of Listed Valiant Stakes winner DUNEFLOWER. She was offered with a Timeform rating of 89 having been trained in France by Andre Fabre.
"She is for a group of friends," revealed Stroud. "We might put her back in training, we need to have a chat about the plans."
The draft of Godolphin filles and mares realised a total of 3,303,000 guineas for the 42 lots sold over the last three days.
The Tattersalls December Mares Sale continues on Thursday 5th December at 9.30am with the fourth and final session.