Danehill Dancer Day at Tattersalls

15th October 2008

Danehill Dancer provided the highlights at the 2008 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book Two when he provided the top priced colt and filly, both breaking the previous record price at this sale.

Topping the sale was Lot 1190, a colt (pictured ) by Danehill Dancer out of the Listed winning Grand Lodge mare Castle Quest, who was knocked down for 420,000 guineas.

Consigned from Paul McCarten’s Ballyphilip Stud on behalf of breeder Dermot McAuliffe, the colt was the subject of a prolonged bidding duel between Newmarket trainer Sir Michael Stoute and Coolmore’s Demi O’Byrne.

Stoute, who is rarely seen buying at the sales, was stood alongside bloodstock agent Maxine Cowdrey and proved the victor indicating that the colt was purchased on behalf of Brushwood Stables’ Betty Moran.

The North American based owner will be hoping history can repeat itself, following the success she enjoyed the Group Two winner Jeremy who was also by Danehill Dancer and trained by Stoute at his Freemason Lodge in Newmarket.

Danehill Dancer has certainly enjoyed tremendous success on the racecourse in 2008 with Mastercraftsman and Again providing wins in the Group One National Stakes and Moyglare Stud Stakes respectively and no fewer than a staggering 26 Group and Listed winners worldwide this year and it was one of his daughters who caught the eye of buyers later in the day.

Lot 1297, a filly out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Evangeline carried a massive catalogue update after her three-quarter sister Infamous Angel won the Group Two Lowther Stakes at Newmarket.

Consigned from Bill and Tara Dwan’s The Castlebridge Consignment, the filly caught the attentions of Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and Dublin based agent Peter Doyle, but neither could improve on the 400,000 guineas bid by Irish veterinarian Demi O’Byrne.

The sale represents a record for a filly at Book Two of the October Yearling Sale and the second highest price at the sale, behind the previously mentioned colt.