The momentum of China Horse Club’s international breeding operations has carried on to Ireland where a full-brother to dual-G1 winning mare Saffron Beach was sold for €450,000 at the 2022 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale yesterday.
The result was a new high watermark for New Bay’s yearlings in Ireland and the second highest yearling price ever realized by the boom sire anywhere in the world. It was also the highest price realized at the auction by high profile consignor Ballylinch Stud and the equal third highest priced colt to be sold over the two-day sale.
Amanda Skiffington, who secured the New Bay x Falling Petals colt, was full of praise for the yearling who sat atop her wish list.
“He’s very, very like Saffron Beach,” the bloodstock agent told awaiting media.
New Bay x Falling Petals colt
“I see a lot of Jane Chapple-Hyam [trainer of Saffron Beach] so I’ve seen a lot of her [Saffron Beach]. This colt will go to Jane too for Fiona Carmichael and her partner. He’s a very athletic horse, he’s so like his sister, and he’s got the pedigree too so fingers crossed.”
Chapple-Hyam’s management of Saffron Beach has rightly been lauded at every step. The Newmarket-based trainer has patiently steered a path that has seen the four-year-old rise to being one of Europe’s premier older mares this season. Her four start campaign this year has seen her move to another level above her 2021 season which closed with success in the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes.
After opening the year with a game fourth in the USD6 million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan, she rattled off successive wins in the G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot and G1 Prix Rothschild (Deauville, France) before a soft track blunted her brilliance in the G1 Matron Stakes in Ireland earlier this month.
“China Horse Club’s belief in New Bay has been unwavering. The club has supported him with quality stock since he retired to Ballylinch Stud and this result is reward for that belief,” said Matt Houldsworth, China Horse Club’s European Representative.
“The New Bay x Falling Petals has always been a lovely stamp of a colt, very athletic and we know that he has long had his admirers, in large part, because of the profile crated by Saffron Beach who has climbed so many heights over the last two seasons.”
The China Horse Club also closed the sale having purchased a second yearling in partnership with Qatar Racing. In addition to an Acclamation x Ramone colt bought on Day 1, the partners secured a Study of Man x Starlit Sands colt for €185,000 on Day 2.
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