THURSDAY, 3 DECEMBER 2020 FANS RETURN TO ENGLISH RACECOURSES JUDDMONTE DRAFT Racecourse Association Chief Executive David Armstrong SUSTAINS SOLID TRADE described the return of limited spectators to four English racecourses on Wednesday as a Astep in the right direction.@ Ludlow, Lingfield and Haydock welcomed racegoers on Wednesday afternoon, while Kempton had a small crowd for its evening card. All four tracks are in >Tier 2' areas of the country as part of the government=s new system for identifying coronavirus risk levels, meaning they can allow up to 2,000 fans or 50% capacity, whichever is lowest. Aside from two pilot events in September, Wednesday marked the first time fans have been allowed on English racecourses since racing=s resumption on June 1. AIt=s definitely a step in the right direction,@ Armstrong said from Ludlow. AWhat I wouldn=t describe it as is a pilot or test. It=s a step in the right direction, but it=s a baby step. AIt is important here at Ludlow today, where 650 people will make it quite a good atmosphere,@ said Armstrong. AIf you think about most racecourses, if they have 2,000 people, it is barely Lot 2005, Cressida, showed the way on Wednesday | Tattersalls touching the sides--so it doesn=t yet get back to where we create the atmosphere or make it more economically viable.@ by Chris McGrath Cont. p9 NEWMARKET, UKCAfter the giddy commerce of the previous day, with its six-figure average, the third session of mares at the Tattersalls December Sale as usual catered to prospectors at a rather lesser level. What gives them a chance, of course, is that their perspicacity can redeem their relative lack of resources. Certainly they must be relieved that many of the bigger players had left town. Those who had deigned to stick around did so largely for the second tranche of the Juddmonte draft, as dusk fell, but few were in the auditorium when three of the first nine into the ring could vaunt second dams as illustrious as Hellenic (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), Arrive (GB) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Peckitts Well (GB) (Lochnager {GB}). Within half an hour, moreover, they had missed one of the most luminous sleepers of the whole sale, a Distorted Humor Fans take in the action at Ludlow on Wednesday | racingfotos.com half-sister to none other than Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike)Cwhose blossoming into one of the outstanding American performers of 2020 had evidently failed to register with many. IN TDN AMERICA TODAY Happily, a client of BBA Ireland was sufficiently alert to TDN Q&A WITH JOSH RUBINSTEIN repatriate her to her native land at just 25,000gns. Dan Ross speaks with Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President Not that trade is ever easy, even in relatively becalmed waters, Josh Rubinstein on Del Mar’s 2020 success. Click or tap here to for those feeding along the bottom of the sea. Cont. p2 go straight to TDN America. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 13 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2020 Tattersalls December Mare Sale Cont. from p1 26,562gns average (down 13% from 30,568gns) and an unchanged median of 14,000gns. As so often this year, the Regardless, the change in tempo for the Juddmonte string clearance rate was extremely purposeful at 88%. made for an interval of theatre that could not fail to gratify any aficionado, with the transfusion of some of the most coveted Cressida Joins Bluebloods in Court of Sottsass blood in the modern breed introduced, on the rostrum, with The most coveted in the Juddmonte beauty parade was commensurate flair by Alastair Pim. Cressida (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who topped the day's trade at In all, the 20 females culled here from Prince Khaled's empire 360,000gns as lot 2005. But she had better not let that status go generated 1,526,000gns at an average 76,300gns. Combined to her head, as she will find herself pretty well restored to the with the first draft, in Monday's opening session, the overall ranks once given her next task. consignment of 37 lots weighed in at 3,378,500gns at 91,311gns For she is only one in a series of top-class partners being a head. assembled by Peter Brant of White Birch Farm to support Teddy Grimthorpe, the Prince's racing manager, admitted that Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in his new career at Coolmore. there are always tough decisions in what is an imperative It is understood that Brant will account for between 10 and 15 exercise for any breeder on this scale. But his priority was to mares in his G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner's debut book. reiterate gratitude, on behalf of the whole professional These are headed by another daughter of Dansili in Unaided community, to those who managed to secure dispensation for (GB), the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Uni (GB) (More this vital auction in the middle of a national lockdown. Than Ready); she is out of a half-sister to Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), "Without this sale, a multi-million pound industry would have breed-shaping dam of Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). been literally on its knees," he stressed. "So it's spectacular that Cressida earned her place in the harem by winning her sole they have managed to put it on." juvenile start for John Gosden last year, and while she could not In the circumstances, the day's trade proved highly resilient. really advance her reputation in just two starts this time round, Turnover dropped a mild 11 percent to 5,312,500gns, from sweating up on both occasions, she had at least evinced the 5,991,300gns at the equivalent session last year, yielding a ability to go with her elegant build and aristocratic page. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 13 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2020 Tattersalls December Mare Sale Cont. She is out of dual group winner Modern Look (GB) (Zamindar), herself a half-sister to the dam of sires Showcasing (GB) and Camacho (GB) out of G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Prophecy (Ire) (Warning {GB}). Modern Look has already produced GI Beverly D. runner-up Grand Jete (GB) by Dansili, who counts Time Test Senior Vice President Gary King (GB) (Dubawi), Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) and Dream Twitter: @garykingTDN Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) among his previous credits as a [email protected] broodmare sire. + 1.732.320.0975 Demi O'Byrne, signing the docket on behalf of White Birch Farm, confined himself to describing her as "a very nice physical International Editor and great walker" but what is loud and clear is that Sottsass is Kelsey Riley being given every chance to land running. He is, of course, Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN himself out of an exceptional broodmare as a half-brother to [email protected] Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), and always had the European Editor physique to support a i340,000 tag as an Arqana August Emma Berry yearling. And, even ahead of the Arc, many breeders will Twitter: @collingsberry principally prize his track record in the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club, [email protected] nowadays such a reliable signpost to stallions. Other mares lined up for Sottsass by Brant include Rosa Associate International Editor Bonheur (GB), dam of dual Grade I winner Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Heather Anderson Angel {Ire}); Azafata (Spa), dam of Classic-placed Fleeting (Ire) Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN (Zoffany {Ire}); Royal Ascot winner Different League (Fr) Marketing Manager (Dabirsim {Fr}); Bonanza Creek (Ire) (Anabaa), a half-sister to Alayna Cullen Bright Sky (Ire) (Wolfhound); Daldiyna (Fr), another Dansili and a Twitter: @AlaynaCullen half-sister to a Group 1 winner from one of the Aga Khan's elite [email protected] families; Toinette (Scat Daddy), a Grade II winner purchased for $800,000 at Keeneland November; nine-time stakes winner Fifty Contributing Editors Five (Get Stormy); and multiple Grade I-placed Thais (Fr) (Rio De Alan Carasso La Plata). Christina Bossinakis Cafe Racing Cont. p4 Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY ROSEMONT ADD TO BROODMARE BAND Rosemont Stud secured a pair of mares at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Demi O=Byrne | Tattersalls Aus/NZ. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 13 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2020 Home Run for Stormy Girl Team the last four weeks, since we backed off her, she has The big touch of the day was Stormy Girl (Ire) (Night Of strengthened up a lot. There will be loads more to come for her, Thunder {Ire}), who was found at Fairyhouse for just i22,000 as I'm sure, and further down the line she'll make a brilliant a yearling but sold here to Paddy Twomey for 310,000gns as lot broodmare. 2045. "It is a wonderful result for the Hats off, then, to purchasers owners, they are Compas Equine/Loughnane family-orientated and their /Hughes; to owner Stonegrave granddaughter Beth has come Thoroughbreds; and to trainer down to watch her sell today. Rebecca Menzies, who took Mike and Eileen have a lot of charge of her this season and horses in training, mainly jumpers advanced her rating a stone to but they bought yearlings a few 101 with a listed success at years ago. Once she got that Pontefract in August. black-type, we thought she would Menzies was naturally saddened be attractive with that pedigree to lose her first ever black-type and the way she looks.