Just The Judge Sells for 4.5m Guineas at Tattersalls December Sale
The Irish 1,000 Guineas winner JUST THE JUDGE became the highest priced filly in British auction history when selling to Sheikh Fahad and the China Horse Club for 4,500,000 guineas. The second day saw a total of 173 lots sell for 29,188,595 guineas, at an average of 168,720 guineas and a median of 70,000 guineas.
JUST THE JUDGE, winner of the Group 1 Irish 1,000 Guineas in 2013 and the Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes in October was the first Classic winning filly to be offered at Tattersalls in the last two decades. The daughter of LAWMAN out of the RAINBOW QUEST mare FARADAY LIGHT was bought by Sheikh Fahad for 4.5m, buying out the Sangster family, his previous partner and gains a new one - The China Horse Club.
A packed sale ring saw an opening bid of 500,000 guineas by Mary Hambro before Sheikh Fahad, standing in a prominent position near the sale ring and Hugo Lascelles took up the running before James Delahooke, standing with Barry Weisbord on the telephone joined the fray. Sheikh Fahad and Delahooke/Weisbord went head to head, but Sheikh Fahad was not to be denied and after firing back his bids, sealed the deal at 4.5 million guineas.
The crowd gathered around him post-sale included Michael Wallace and Teo Ah Khing of the China Horse Club. David Redvers explained.
"This is a new, one-off tie-up with The China Horse Club," he said.
"This has allowed us to race another year with her and keep her - as she was our first Classic winner, we were not going to give her up easily. This fits the Club's aims too.
"She will come back to Tweenhills for holiday and then go back to trainer Charlie Hills. She is healthy and well and running as well as ever - she won the EP Taylor only a month ago!
"We will campaign in the best races, get the best possible opportunities, and then she will retire to Tweenhills and visit the best stallions in the world.
"If anyone wanted a template for a racehorse, they just need to look at her - she is athletic and beautiful and has a fantastic temperament."
Earlier in the day Hugo Lascelles had secured LADYS FIRST, the only mare in the catalogue in foal to the mighty GALILEO. Consigned by John Troy, the Group 3 winning daughter of DUTCH ART was knocked down to Lascelles for 1,800,000 guineas, with the pair of Delahooke and Weisbord again having to settle for second.
"I am very excited to get her," said Lascelles.
"She was a very tough mare, she is very good-looking and very genuine. She cost, but the market decides and the Galileo cover is the ticket.
"She is for an English breeder and the foal is likely to be kept to race. There are no covering plans yet for next spring yet."
Lascelles and Delahooke went head-to-head again later in the evening with Lascelles again coming out on top at 1.1m guineas for the GALILEO filly LONG VIEW who possesses a classic ‘Ballymacoll’ pedigree.
The winning filly, who was consigned by Jockey Hall Stud on behalf of Ballymacoll Stud, is a half-sister to the 2,000 Guineas winner GOLAN and the Derby runner-up TARTAN BEARER. LONG VIEW was bought by Lascelles on behalf of Claiborne Farms, and Walker Hancock of the farm was on hand to explain.
"We could not go home without her," he said, enjoying a first visit to the December Sale. "It is a wonderful pedigree and she will be visiting War Front."
Earlier in the day Tony Nerses secured MAID TO MASTER, the DANEHILL DANCER own sister to the four-time Group 1 winner MASTERCRAFTSMAN for 900,000 guineas. Offered by David Cox and David Myerscough’s Baroda & Colbinstown Studs, the five-year-old mare was the only mare in the catalogue offered with a cover to the sire sensation WAR FRONT.
"She is beautifully put together, with a wonderful pedigree, which goes back to Thawakib and Sakhee. She is young - she is my uncut diamond!"
Nerses purchased MAID TO MASTER on behalf of Salah Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud near Newmarket which now houses 41 mares.
The third day of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale continues at 9.30am on Wednesday, December 3.