THURSDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 YEARLING VENDORS START BOZO: AIT=S GOING TO BE A YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY@ COUNTING THE COST By Kelsey Riley As the leading consignor at the Arqana August Yearling Sale for eight years running, the team at Ecurie des Monceaux knows a thing or two about the importance of drawing a diverse, international assortment of buyers for the blueblooded yearlings on display. Not only did Monceaux breed and sell the top three lots at the 2019 edition of Arqana=s flagship sale; it also offered the sale=s only two seven-figure yearlings, which went through the ring back-to-back and sold to Godolphin (a i1.625-million Dubawi {Ire} filly now named Philomene {Ire} who makes her first start for Andre Fabre at ParisLongchamp on Thursday) and Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida (a i1.5- million Galileo {Ire} colt now named Hinoshita Kaizan {Fr}). Cont. p9 Lot 303, Wednesday=s topper | Goffs UK By Chris McGrath IN TDN AMERICA TODAY DONCASTER, UK--Having put on a brave enough face on the NO SPECTATORS AT PREAKNESS 145 opening day, the first auction of an improvised European The Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. at Pimlico will be conducted without yearling sales calendar hastened to its conclusion on Wednesday fans, the Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club as though downing a necessary but deeply unpleasant medicine. announced on Wednesday. Click or tap here to go straight to Horses were ushered through the ring at the Goffs UK Premier TDN America. Yearling Sale with a briskness that spoke of a pragmatic willingness, among vendors, to clarify the extent of the damage. The clearance rate for the session was duly maintained at 84% across the two days. Albeit trading a marginally smaller catalogue, it says everything that this session finished well over two hours earlier than had the previous one. As Macbeath says: "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly." Everyone knew it was going to be tough, and that nobody is to blame. All we can do is hope that the tempest in the global economy, in a pandemic year, abates sooner rather than later. As things stood, however, the indices were predictably grim. Turnover for the second session was down 43% on last year, from ,7,889,500 to ,4,525,000; yielding a ,30,782 average that declined 29% from ,43,349, and a median slipping 25% to ,24,000 from ,32,000. Given somewhat stronger returns the previous day, that equated across the whole sale to a 38% slump in aggregate, to ,11,503,500 from ,18,468,000; a 27% loss in the ,34,034 average from ,46,519; and a 23% dip in a ,27,000 median from ,35,000. Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 18 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 GOFFS UK PREMIER YEARLING SALE DAY 2 SESSION TOTALS 2020 2019 $ Catalogued 183 229 $ Number Offered 175 215 $ Number Sold 147 182 $ Not Sold 28 33 $ Clearance Rate 84% 84% $ High Price £115,000 £280,000 $ Gross £4,525,000 £7,889,500 $ Average (% change) £30,782 (-29%) £43,349 $ Median (% change) £24,000 (-25%) £32,000 CUMULATIVE 2020 2019 $ Catalogued 423 469 $ Number Offered 403 448 $ Number Sold 338 397 $ Not Sold 65 51 $ Clearance Rate 84% 88% $ High Price £170,000 £440,000 $ Gross £11,503,500 £18,468,000 $ Average (% change) £34,034 (-27%) £46,519 $ Median (% change) £27,000 (-23%) £35,000 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale Day 2 Cont. from p1 As Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent observed, this had been one of the most anticipated editions of this sale in recent years. "But not in the way that we normally prepare for a sale," he said. "And we share everyone's collective relief that we have been able to conduct the sale, and provide an opening to Europe's yearling sales circuit during these difficult times. "There is no doubting that trade across that last few days has not been straightforward, but the important thing is that horses are getting sold and the collective view from vendors and purchasers has been that this was a 'good' sale, even though 'good' may currently be difficult to quantify. We obviously missed some key faces who were active last year but there were a significant number of success stories over the last two days, including some spectacular pinhooks, and we must remember these moments as we reflect what has been achieved. "Despite the two days proving predictably difficult, we echo what has been said many times this week, that we are lucky to hold sales and continue to trade despite the challenges that face us and our industry. It has been encouraging to see so many people descend on Doncaster and to see a respectable clearance rate upheld over the two days. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 18 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale Day 2 Cont. "Full credit to our vendors who have adapted to the market to facilitate trade and we now look forward to the Goffs Sportsman's and Orby Sale which will take place here at the end of this month." As Kent indicated, this auction was always going to be exposed after finding itself shuffled to the front of the calendar. And the Senior Vice President fact that it has so flourished in recent years only gave it farther Gary King Twitter: @garykingTDN to fall. Last year, it processed 35 six-figure transactions. The [email protected] three recorded yesterday took the total this time round to just + 1.732.320.0975 12. There will be anxiety, naturally, about the complete absence of International Editor the firm that had topped aggregate purchasing here in each of Kelsey Riley the previous five years. But Shadwell's boss is a human being Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN like everyone else, and it would be most ungrateful--after [email protected] decades of priceless support from his whole family--for anyone to forget that the debt is owed to him by the industry, and not European Editor the other way round. For all most of us can know, his inaction Emma Berry Twitter: @collingsberry this week may be governed by factors extraneous to the [email protected] industry's present difficulties. That said, those preparing for elite sales ahead will be hoping Associate International Editor that the whole market does not take its lead from the physical Heather Anderson appearance of the ring here, with only sporadic green ticks Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN among all the black crosses marking those sections of the benches to be left vacant to keep bidders safely apart. Marketing Manager Some vendors did make a stand, refusing to allow a nice horse Alayna Cullen to go too cheap--a description that even extended to the highest Twitter: @AlaynaCullen bid of the day when lot 322, a Cotai Glory (GB) half-sister to [email protected] multiple Group winner A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}), was Contributing Editors bought in for ,150,000. The new plan? "She'll win a group race," Alan Carasso promised Daniel Creighton of consignors Salcey Forest Stud. Christina Bossinakis "And they'll all rue the day they didn't buy her." By the same token, many other vendors will doubtless end up Cafe Racing shaking their heads over the derisory reward they had to accept Sean Cronin for subsequent high achievers. But one of the most seasoned Tom Frary sages on the circuit put it best. "Look, you couldn't sell a kid's [email protected] bike at the moment," he said. "Yet people are here selling Irish Correspondent racehorses. There's trade, and trade is good." Daithi Harvey That was something you heard a lot. Lady Carolyn Warren of Highclere Stud summed things up well. "Yes, it's been tough," Regular Columnists she said. "But we ought to be pleased that we're able to sell Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake horses at all. And with that in mind we must all be respectful of Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele the 'rules and regs', going into such a busy sales season. But there are nice horses here, and the trade has been solid. "Yes, we've had to adjust our sights a bit, but hopefully people IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY will realize that the opportunities that are out there now; opportunities, to compete at the top level, that maybe weren't THE EVEREST–STATE OF PLAY there before. There could be better value around now than for It is six weeks before the A$15-million The Everest and Bren many years, so we've just got to hope that people feel more O’Brien evaluates the various contenders. Click or tap here to encouraged to have a go." Cont.4 go straight to TDN Aus/NZ. FRENCH BLOODSTOCK AGENTS A SSOCIATION © Photo Zuzanna Lupa INSPECTION ADVICE PURCHASE AUCTION EXPERTISE SALE We are here for you! Find an agent on www.courtiersafc.com TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 18 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 Lady Carolyn Warren at the sale in 2019 | Sarah Farnsworth ,115,000 Havana Gold Colt Tops Session The top price of the day was paid by Oliver St Lawrence, who gave ,115,000 for the Havana Gold (Ire) colt presented by Mountarmstrong Stud as lot 303. He is out of Majestic Missile (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB})'s stakes-placed half-sister Majestic Alexander (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), whose three previous foals onto the track have all won, two also gaining black-type.