A better selection
of horses than last year from Darley saw prices rise noticeably,
there were some exceptional pedigrees on offer.
Of the 45 available only six were led out unsold and one of them
was an exceptionally well bred un-raced four year old colt called
“Kench” by Triple Crown Winner and Champion sire Bengali
D’Albret out of Group 1 Hatta Stakes Heroine Kenithra, who
is half sister to dual Desert Storm winner Khairouan and who’s
daughter Kolver was narrowly beaten into third in the Group 1
Hatta Stakes this year. Top Lot of the day was the blue blooded
seven year old stallion “Sunbeam Al Maury”, a winner
of two of his starts including a Group 2 and placed in Group company.
His pedigree is outstanding as he is by Group 1 Dubai Stakes winner
Dormane who is Champion Group sire and his dam line traces to
Nerva Du Cassou – dam of Nizam who won the Group 1 Zaabeel
Stakes at Newbury this year, and also Naiada Al Maury –
dam of Nez D’Or winner of the Kahayla Classic in Dubai (Arabian
World Cup). He was sold to the Park House Stud from Ireland for
3,000 gns.
A lot of the horses sold were bought by endurance enthusiasts
as it is a fairly safe assumption that a horse who can withstand
race training will be able to withstand the rigors of endurance
racing. Jackie Hutchings secured the aptly named “Take A
Chance” a nice five year old Bengali D’Albret filly
out of a well bred Russian mare whose dam line traces to Russian
Classic winners Tron, Tibet, Tema, Takt and Volt, for 2,000 gns
for her Mellway Arabian Stud. One of the nicest lots of sale was
Lot 146 “Sing Me A Song”, an athletic Tidjani filly
out of the good broodmare Sinka who is half sister to Champion
Stayer Sambist and who has already bred a winner in the UK –
“Noble Storm”, she was sold to Mr. Davison for 2,000
gns and will go in to training with his daughter Sam Davison next
year. Linda Cross acquired recent impressive Southwell maiden
winner “Almost All” for 2,200 gns to add to her decent
pair of fillies. Glen Kiff went to 1,400 gns to secure “Edjalie”
a nice Bengali D’Albret filly from the dam line of Arawak
D’Aroco who was Champion three year old in France. Derek
Christopher Bloodstock secured two nice mares; “Custom Made”
a five year old filly by Khairouan out of Qatar Mares Championship
Group 1 winner Mesange Al Maury for 1,500 gns and “Karama
Al Mels” a six year old un-raced broodmare by Dormane out
of a mare from the family of Farouk Al Mels who won the Prix Denouste
and the Prix Fleur D’Avril Group 2, and Iska Al Mels who
won the Trophee des Ecuries Royales and the Prix Cheri Bibi. Angela
Colledge secured “Sateer” on behalf of the Zayin Arabian
Stud for 1,200 gns, a well made un-raced four year old filly by
Vadeer who won scores of races in the UK and UAE and set course
records at Market Rasen, Lingfield and Folkestone. The dam is
a Samsheik mare called Satin Sheiks who won her only start in
America over five furlongs at Tampa Bay; she has already bred
a winner and is from the family of multiple Stakes winner Tahoe
Knights.