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Demand for Almanzor youngsters continues; Winning debut for Sacred Falls filly; Track a concern for Bumper Blast
Demand for Almanzor youngsters continues
Impressive sale ring results continued for Almanzor during the second session at the Arqana Select Sale in France.
On the first day, a son of the Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion sold for €280,000 and the demand continued overnight.
Agent Oliver St Lawrence was in the thick of the action with two high-priced purchases.
He went to €260,000 for a son of Almanzor and to €250,000 for a daughter.
The colt is out of the Gr.2 Canadian Stakes winner Minakshi and the family of the G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss.
The Almanzor filly is a daughter of the stakes winner and Group 3 performer Penny Lane.
Over the first two days at Arqana there were 12 yearlings sold by Almanzor at an average of €159,750.
The first yearlings by the triple Group One winner and Cartier Award Winner will go under the hammer at Karaka in 2021.
Winning debut for Sacred Falls filly
All Hallow's Eve made the perfect start to her racing career when winning at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
The three-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls flew under the radar of punters due to two unplaced trial runs leading up to the race but proved too strong for her rivals in the 1100m test.
Trained by John O'Shea, All Hallow's Eve races in the silks of Rosemont Stud who race the filly in partnership with Waikato Stud's Mark and Garry Chittick.
The filly is out of Encosta De Lago mare Halloween, who has produced five other winners including All Hallow's Eve's Group Three placed stablemate and sister All Saint's Eve and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Hasahalo.
Multiple Group One winner Sacred Falls, whose oldest crop are four-year-olds, died from liver disease in December last year.
Track a concern for Bumper Blast
Trainer Rob Hickmott is keeping an eye on track conditions ahead of Saturday's Listed Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington.
New Zealand-bred gelding Bumper Blast heads to the race on the back of a sixth-placed finish in the Listed Regal Roller (1200) at Caulfield last start.
Hickmott said he was expecting an improved performance from the son of Ocean Park on Saturday as long as it's not too wet.
"He spun his wheels at Caulfield on that Soft6, he's such a long horse," Hickmott told racing.com.
"Flemington can be a bit different, the profile is a bit different (when it's wet). You just hope it doesn't downgrade quick.
"If it stayed at that Soft5 to Good4 range you'd be over the moon."
Bumper Blast will be ridden by Craig Williams from barrier 10.
