It was standing room only inside the famous Park Paddocks auditorium for the first installment of this year's Sceptre Sessions Dec. 1.
Despite the big turnout in the ring, the lion's share of the action came online as Ace Stud spent 2,462,000gns on six new recruits.
The haul was headed by Overbury Stud-offered Caliyza (Lot 1452), who topped the opening session of the December Mares Sale at 850,000gns (US$1,179,222, 1 guinea=US$1.39). The 5-year-old daughter of Le Havre is from an Aga Khan Studs family that has garnered global headlines in recent days, as she is a half sister to none other than European Horse of the Year and Japan Cup (G1) hero Calandagan.
That was the 4-year-old's fourth top-level triumph following scores in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), and the Champion Stakes (G1).
Those elite victories have added considerable luster to the page since Caliyza was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown for 155,000gns at this sale last year. Added to the filly's appeal was the fact that she was offered in foal to Gleneagles, making the in-utero foal a close relation to Calandagan.
Monday was her third turn in the ring, having previously been sold by the Aga Khan Studs at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in 2023, where a €100,000 transaction saw her switch from Calandagan's trainer Francis Graffard to John McConnell.
"I'm lucky, I've got a wonderful farm that was laid down a long time ago," said Overbury's Simon Sweeting. "Everything is exactly as it should be. We have a fantastic team. They will do anything for the horses. We're hugely fortunate on that; they're sensational. And we have the right horses coming in. We've had some luck in the past month; it's all come together."
The transaction continued a fine run of form for Overbury, which co-bred this year's Dewhurst Stakes (G1) scorer Gewan and then sold a Native Trail half brother to the youngster for 500,000gns during last week's December Foal Sale. Ace Stud also signed for that six-figure colt.
Expanding on Caliyza's backstory, Sweeting said: "She came here a year ago as a wildcard and, to be honest with you, it was an agent that worked a bit harder than everyone else and found her.
"When we were talking about it, we had no intention of selling her originally. Richard just said, 'Look, we'll breed her to breed a racehorse.' Until the King George, we intended to keep her, but after that, things changed. And then, of course, Sunday morning brought in a different dimension. It's great. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's great."
Ace Stud got the better of Northern Farm's buying team to secure Caliyza. The operation's racing and bloodstock manager Paul Curran said: "She has a three-parts (relation to Calandagan) in the belly, so that makes a lot of sense, especially after the weekend.
"I wouldn't say that changed anything because he's already done what he's done, but it's a phenomenal pedigree and commercially you have a very good horse to come out of the belly. Delighted to get her, but there's no immediate plans for her. We'll go back and reassess and digest tonight and sit down with everyone, especially the boss, and have a talk through them all."
Ace Stud's spree also took in the 650,000gns Amazonian, who was offered by Highclere Stud, and Town And Country, who fetched 600,000gns when presented by Castledillon Stud. The latter is set to visit Ace Stud's Shaquille, whose first foals created a big impression last week, while Amazonian is set to remain in training.
Monday's session saw 21,451,000gns (US$29,759,399) change hands, which was down 7% year-on-year. The average price was 96,195gns (US$133,453), which was also down 7%, while the median dipped 6% to 47,000gns (US$65,204). The clearance rate was 85% as 223 lots sold from 262 offered.
The December Mares Sale continues Dec. 2 with Day 2 starting at 9:30 a.m. The second installment of the Sceptre Sessions includes group 1-winning fillies Barnavara, Choisya, Porta Fortuna, and Tamfana, along with Suelita, dam of Chaldean, who is being offered carrying a full sibling to the Dewhurst and Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner.
