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Daughter of Coolmore’s new recruit steals show at Arqana

Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) - who was purchased by Coolmore Stud earlier this year - has enjoyed a fine year on the track, so it was no surprise to see a filly foal by the stallion steal the spotlight on the second day of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale in Deauville on Sunday after she was purchased by Blanford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown for €160,000. 

Catalogued as Lot 251 and offered by La Motteraye Consignment, the filly is out of unraced Hat Trick (Sunday Silence) mare Ayelet. 

Ayelet is herself a daughter of Group 3 scorer Dream Clover (Oasis Dream), who is herself a daughter of In Clover (Inchinor). 

In Clover herself has proved herself a top-class producer, with her progeny headed by Group 1-winning trio Call The Wind (Frankel), With You (Dansili) and We Are (Dansili) as well as Listed scorer Incahoots (Oasis Dream). 

Brown said the filly would be headed for America, but the long term goal would be for her to turn into a broodmare. 

“She is going to join the United States,” said Brown. “I don't know where she's going to go yet, we'll make a decision later. Wootton Bassett is enjoying exceptional success and this filly is very well born. Her new owner is also breeding, so the goal is to get her to run and then keep her at the stud.”

Wootton Bassett has sired ten stakes winners this season, headed by Audarya and Wooded and he will stand at Coolmore Stud in Ireland for a fee of €100,000 in 2021. 

Lot 2⃣5⃣1⃣, a filly by Wootton Bassett from the family of Gr.1 winners CALL THE WIND, WITH YOU and WE ARE consigned by @La_Motteraye is purchased by @BlandfordBldstk for €160,000 at the Breeding Stock Sale ❄️ pic.twitter.com/dpXYzXu8C8

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) December 6, 2020

A few lots later, Mags O’Toole parted with €150,000 for a colt foal by former Haunui Farm shuttler Showcasing (Oasis Dream). 

Catalogued as Lot 273 and offered as part of the Haras Du Logis, the colt is out of the unraced Intello (Galileo) mare Dadao and she is herself a daughter of Group 1 winner Balisada (Kris). 

Balisada produced Listed winner Galactic Star (Galileo) and the dam of 2017 Cranbourne Cup (Listed, 2000m) winner Folkswood (Exceed And Excel). 

After two days of selling 289 of the 372 lots offered have sold for €22,858,500. The average is sitting at €79,095 and median is €37,000. On Sunday 134 of the 179 lots offered sold for a clearance rate of 74 per cent with the number sold down 11 per cent from the corresponding session in 2019 when 203 horses sold. This year’s aggregate of €3,893,500 was down 45 per cent from a year ago when the figure was €7,023,500 whilst the average fell 16 per cent form €34,599 a year ago to €29,056. The median of €24,000 was down eight per cent from €26,000 last year.