THURSDAY, 9 JULY 2020 MAKING UP THE GROUND KING SWOOPS FOR After weeks of manic re-jigging of the European Pattern, EXCELEBRATION COLT Thursday=s abundance of group-race action will see more pieces of the jigsaw fitted as the main racing nations come close to completing a catch-up with the established order. Alongside the opener of Newmarket=s July Festival, racing finally comes back to York with the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. and G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. taking some of the focus away from Suffolk. For the first and probably the last time, the two extended 10-furlong 3-year-old tests follow Saturday=s Epsom Classics to which they customarily prove such a vital pointer. In the Dante, the burden of expectation falls most heavily on the Niarchos Family=s >TDN Rising Star= Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), one of the lucky ones to have escaped a drubbing from Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Blue Riband. Wisely steered here by Newmarket=s veteran seer Sir Michael Stoute after his comfortable defeat of the well-regarded Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a novice contest over an extended 10 furlongs at Haydock June 24, the bay is still unbeaten and as yet Lot 108, a colt by Excelebration (Ire), topped the one-day Guineas Sale untested. Most importantly, he has confidence still fully intact. Tattersalls Cont. p7 By Emma Berry NEWMARKET, UK--Alan King may be best known for his exploits with top-class jumpers such as Voy Por Ustedes (Fr) and My Way De Solzen (Fr) but he has been making an increasingly notable impact on the Flat scene in recent years. His 2020 Royal Ascot treble is undoubtedly the highlight of his diversification to date and, with the assistance of his regular agent Anthony Bromley, he added another four Flat-bred horses to his string on Wednesday, including the day's top lot, a colt by Excelebration (Ire). "He was our favourite horse of the sale," said Bromley after being pushed to 140,000gns for lot 108 by underbidder David Redvers. "We don't go on times, we go on the individual, their stride and general way of going, but inevitably the vendors end up telling you the times. We knew he had breezed well and that Highest Ground | Racing Post he would be expensive but we didn't think we'd have to go that high." The colt was bought for Niall Farrell and Max McNeill, the IN TDN AMERICA TODAY latter being the co-owner of another of King's Royal Ascot team, Tritonic (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who was beaten half a FAMILY VALUES FAVOR UNCLE CHUCK length when second in the Golden Gates H. and was bought at Chris McGrath delves into the pedigree of GIII Los Alamitos the Guineas Sale of 2019 for 55,000gns. Cont. p2 Derby hero Uncle Chuck (Uncle Mo). Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 15 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 9 JULY 2020 TATTERSALLS GUINEAS BREEZE UP SALE SESSION TOTALS 2020 2019 $ Catalogued 157 175 $ Number Offered 116 144 $ Number Sold 94 121 $ Not Sold 22 23 $ Clearance Rate 81% 84% $ High Price 140,000gns 150,000gns $ Gross 2,680,000gns 3,489,500gns $ Average (% change) 28,511gns (-1%) 28,839gns $ Median (% change) 17,250gns (-28%) 24,000gns Alan King & Anthony Bromley | Laura Green/Tattersalls *Figures are tabulated from the end of the sale. The regular participation of King and Bromley at this breeze-up Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale Cont. from p1 in particular over the years perhaps typifies the sale, at which Out of the Mark Of Esteem (Ire) mare Open Book (GB), the one can expect to find a scopier and later-maturing individual April-born Excelebration colt, bred by Chapel Lane Farm, than those generally catalogued for the earlier sales at Ascot or represented a significant pinhooking coup for Brian Slattery of Doncaster. That is certainly what Jake Warren will be hoping to Meadowview Stables who bought him for i18,000 at the see from lot 87, the first son of the former German champion Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Lucky Lion (GB) to be sold at Tattersalls. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 15 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 9 JULY 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale Cont. Bought from Tally-Ho Stud, the son of the Galileo (Ire) mare Livia's Wake (Ire) was pinhooked by Matt Coleman from the BBAG Yearling Sale last August for i21,000 and is from the further family of recent G2 King Edward VII S. winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). Senior Vice President Gary King "He could be a Derby horse," said Warren after signing the Twitter: @garykingTDN docket on behalf of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing at [email protected] 95,000gns. "It is unique for a horse like this to be at a breeze-up + 1.732.320.0975 sale. He has size and scope, so to have breezed as well as he did has to be very positive. He should make up into a lovely International Editor middle-distance type, and the bulk of his career will come next Kelsey Riley year." Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN The colt is a member of the first crop of G1 Grosser Dallmayr [email protected] Bayerisches Zuchtrennen winner Lucky Lion, a son of High European Editor Chaparral (Ire), who also landed the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen Emma Berry (German 2000 Guineas) before finishing runner-up in the G1 Twitter: @collingsberry Deutsches Derby. He stands at Gestut Graditz for a fee of [email protected] i4,500. Referring to the trade for breeze-up horses this season, Associate International Editor Warren, who bought six in total, added, "It has been a bit up and Heather Anderson down, but without some of the key players in the market it has Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN presented some opportunities for us." Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen Twitter: @AlaynaCullen [email protected] Contributing Editors Alan Carasso Christina Bossinakis Cafe Racing Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Jake Warren | Tattersalls Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele Trade Holds Up Despite Delays Some regular top-end buyers have indeed been either absent or low key during the last fortnight of rearranged breeze-up IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY sales. Godolphin, for example, bought seven horses at last year's Craven Sale for 2.94 million gns and a filly at Arqana for EXCEED FOAL LEADS WAY AT INGLIS i800,000, but this year signed, through Anthony Stroud, for just A son of Exceed And Excel (Aus) topped the first day of the one filly at last week's relocated Arqana Breeze-up for ,380,000. Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. Click or tap here to go straight Cont. p4 to TDN Aus/NZ. GETTING AHEAD OF THE FIELD STARTS IN THE PADDOCK For that extra bit of backup FEED THE PONDUS and support while raising and Lenebane Stakes, Listed preparing your Champions, DIFFERENCE Saracen are here to help. Congratulations to Britton House Stud and all their team who raised and consigned him Consignors know they can rely on us. Call a member of our dedicated specialist Thoroughbred team. POLLY BONNOR Tel: +44 7973 802 210 CATHERINE RUDENKO Tel: +44 7419 359252 DANIELA NOWARA Tel: +33 676 17 88 99 ROSIE MARGARSON Tel: +44 7736 617985 contact the Office Tel: +44 1488 73456 or visit www.saracenhorsefeeds.com/thoroughbred Partnering with TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 15 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 9 JULY 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale Cont. Richard Brown had signed for the other six-figure horse of the The Guineas Breeze-up, like all sales before it in the sector this day and the most expensive filly at 105,000gns. Like Sunday's G1 season, had a high number of withdrawals and only 116 of the Prix du Jockey Club winner, lot 107 is by Ballylinch Stud resident 157 catalogued lots made it to the ring on Wednesday. Of those, Make Believe (GB) and was bought as a yearling for a tenth of 94 were sold at a clearance rate of 81%. Trade had a reasonably her breeze-up price at Tattersalls Ireland by Justin Timmons and buoyant if unflashy feel to it throughout the day and, while the Danny O'Donovan of Kildare-based Dolmen Bloodstock, who median was down by 28% at 17,250, the average was just about consigned the filly to the breeze-up. static at 28,511gns. Turnover, from 27 fewer horses sold "She has an engine and we were very happy with her breeze. compared to last year, stood at 2,680,000gns (-23%). She has been very busy, but it is always hard to gauge, though "In the current climate we are all we had the right people on her," looking to accentuate the positives said Timmons of the first foal of and I think we can reflect on solid if three-time winner Olivia Pope (Ire) unspectacular trade at this year's (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}). renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Four years ago Katie McGivern of Breeze-up," said Tattersalls Derryconnor Stud was responsible Chairman Edmond Mahony. "This for the top-priced filly of the is, however, a year where 'solid if Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale unspectacular' is a positive when the subsequent G3 Nell outcome and we would like to Gwyn S. winner Daban (Ire) thank all those who have (Acclamation {GB}) sold for participated at today's sale for 260,000gns and she was to the their contribution.