Full Sister to Chaldean Equals European Record at Tatts

Amo Racing principal Kia Joorabchian picked up where he left off at Book 1 with the 2.5 million-guinea (US$3,350,000, 1 guinea= US$1.34) acquisition of a Frankel (GB) sister to Chaldean (GB) during a dramatic evening's session of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale Nov. 29. Whitsbury Manor Stud's filly had been widely expected to prove the headline act of the four-day sale, and auctioneer Alastair Pim ensured proceedings passed with a degree of comedy as well as seven-figure theatrics. The man with the gavel went in search of an opening bid of 3 million guineas and proceedings never dipped below seven-figure territory as Philipp Stauffenberg, standing at the back of a packed entranceway, got the ball rolling at 1 million guineas with a wave of his catalog. Richard Brown was also involved in cutting out the early running before the bidding became a straight joust between team Amo Racing, standing in their now familiar position in the bidders' area, and trainer Paddy Twomey, taking instructions on the phone by the far exit. "She need never look through a bridle," said Pim as the price continued to climb. "All she needs is a pair of covering boots!" Twomey delivered the raise to 2.4 million guineas, at which point Joorabchian appeared to be feeling the pinch. "You've rarely let me down before," Pim said looking directly at the Amo man. "This isn't the time to start!" After laughing off the auctioneer's quip, Joorabchian picked up the phone and seemingly called for back-up. After a long and expectant pause, Joorabchian struck the telling bid. "I don't know about you but I'm sweating!" Pim said, having diverted his attention back to Twomey. But the trainer gave a resigned shake of the head and turned to leave the auditorium as the gavel fell in Amo Racing's favor. The filly's price equals the European record set in 1997 when Satish Sanan, bidding through BBA Ireland, landed Padua's Pride, a full brother to dual Derby winner Generous. "What is there to say?" said Joorabchian's bloodstock agent Alex Elliott. "We gave 4.4 million guineas for a Frankel filly out of a group 2 winner (at Book 1) and now we've bought a sister to a classic winner for 2.5 million guineas." Elliot added: "It's very hard to get into that kind of pedigree, but we're there now. The mare is unbelievable, the farm is unbelievable, and the sire is unbelievable." Suelita (GB), dam of the seven-figure filly, has proved one of the most inspired broodmare purchases of recent times. She was bought by Whitsbury Manor's Chris Harper for 21,500 guineas at the end of her 4-year-old campaign in 2013. She won four races in Italy but has completely eclipsed those achievements at the paddocks. Her seven winners include the listed-winning The Broghie Man (GB) and the listed-placed Gloves Lynch (GB). Things got even better when she was mated to Showcasing (GB) in consecutive years, first producing 2020 Mill Reef Stakes winner Alkumait (GB), who now stands at Capital Stud, and then the Listed-winning Get Ahead (GB), who also ran second in the 2023 Flying Five Stakes (G1). Suelita went to a whole new level when she visited Frankel for the first time in 2019. The result of that tryst was, of course, Chaldean, who joined the Juddmonte fold at a cost of 550,000 guineas at the foal sales in 2020. His five victories for Andrew Balding included the 2022 Dewhurst Stakes (G1) and the following year's Two Thousand Guineas (G1). He retired to Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud for the 2024 breeding season and duly served a debut book of mares numbering 173. Friday's transaction took receipts for Suelita's Whitsbury Manor-consigned young stock to 5,137,000 guineas. The sister to Chaldean was not Amo's only involvement Friday, as the upwardly mobile outfit also secured a brace of 850,000-guinea foals, including the Frankel colt out of 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) winner Audarya (FR) from Genesis Green Stud and a Frankel filly out of Auria (GB), a half sister to Beat The Bank (GB), from Hazelwood Bloodstock. Seven-Figure Sea The Stars Colt to Coolmore The sister to Chaldean was not the only seven-figure lot during Friday's record-busting session as Coolmore's M.V. Magnier went to a round 1 million guineas for a well-related Sea The Stars (IRE) colt who also came from the Genesis Green draft. The youngster is the first foal out Angel's Point, a Dark Angel (IRE) half sister to Coolmore's 2018 Solonaway Stakes (G2) winner I Can Fly (GB), who also came within a neck of defeating Roaring Lion in the 2018 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1). This is a pedigree going places at a rate of knots as I Can Fly's first foal is the listed-placed Platoon (IRE), while her second foal, the 2-year-old January (IRE), won a listed contest at Tipperary and was last seen finishing second to Desert Flower (IRE) in the Fillies' Mile (G1). Magnier said: "He was a very nice horse and we've been lucky with Sea The Stars with The Lion In Winter, who unfortunately things just didn't go right for later in the season. Michael Swinburn has always been very lucky with this whole family, going back to Landseer, who was a very good horse for us. "I Can Fly was a special filly too and January has a lot of potential. I Can Fly could end up being a very important broodmare, she's booked in to Justify next year. This is a lovely horse too and I'm very happy for the Swinburns." Statistics Another blockbuster day at Park Paddocks saw all manner of benchmarks reached. Not only did the top lot equal the European high price for a foal, but five of the 12 most expensive lots ever sold at the December Foal Sale changed hands Friday. Turnover reached 30,906,000 guineas (US$41,414,040), which, as well as being an increase of 72% year-on-year, was also a record figure for a single session at a European foal sale. The median price was up 41% at 87,500 guineas (US$117,250), having been 62,000 guineas on this day 12 months ago, while the average rose 66% to 159,310 guineas (US$231,475). The clearance rate was a rock-solid 91% as 194 foals sold from 215 offered. The Tattersalls December Foal Sale concludes Nov. 30 with the fourth and final session starting at 10 a.m. local time.