day one updates and sales news as bloodstock titans gather in Newmarket

The Frankel half-sister to Battaash ahead of her Book 1 sales dateCredit: Laura Green

Top-class pedigrees are the order of the day this week. Here are a bunch who could fetch big prices today, including a half-sister to champion sprinter Battaash and a sister to this year’s Commonwealth Cup heroine Time For Sandals.

Lot 13
Bay filly Blackbeard – Alfea (Kentucky Dynamite)
Newsells Park Stud

Newsells Park Stud’s filly by first-crop sire Blackbeard received a Group 1 update on Sunday courtesy of half-sister Barnavara’s victory in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on Sunday. 

Barnavara strikes at Longchamp on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Besides the Calyx filly’s top-level triumph this is a page with plenty of quality as it also contains dual French Classic hero and leading sire Lope De Vega, as well as German Group 1 scorer Danceteria. 

Lot 28
B f Frankel – Anna Law (Lawman)
Ballyphilip Stud

One lot who could command a big price early on at is Ballyphilip Stud’s Frankel half-sister to champion sprinter Battaash and the Group 1-placed The Antarctic. 

Anna Law may not have made much impact on the track, reaching a Racing Post Rating high of 41, but the daughter of Lawman has been a fine stalwart for connections at stud. 

Battaash: brilliant sprinter for Shadwell and Charlie HillsCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Her highest rated son is Dark Angel’s brilliant sprinter Battaash, whose victories for Shadwell and Charlie Hills included two Nunthorpes, the Prix de l’Abbaye and a King’s Stand Stakes. 

Anna Law is also responsible for Battaash’s entire brother The Antarctic, who now stands at Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud. The five-year-old was a dual Group winner for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore, having been purchased by MV Magnier for 750,000gns at this sale in 2021. 

Lot 99
Ch f Sands Of Mali – Days of Summer (Bachelor Duke)
Branton Court Stud 

Branton Court Stud offers a sister to this year’s Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals and there should be plenty of interest in the daughter of the exciting Sands Of Mali.

Sands Of Mali: Ballyhane Stud resident has made an excellent start to his second careerCredit: Ballyhane Stud

Her Ballyhane-based sire has achieved plenty in his short career to date, with Time For Sandals heading five individual black-type winners. The son of Panis was inundated for his services this year at a private fee, having stood at €5,000 the previous three seasons.

This filly has a rock-solid pedigree as her dam is a daughter of Phoenix Stakes winner Pharaoh’s Delight, the second dam of Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Red Rocks.

Lot 129
Ch c Lope De Vega – Epona Plays (Australia)
Ridge Manor Stud

A half-brother to this year’s Debutante and Silver Flash Stakes winner Composing, Ridge Manor Stud’s Lope De Vega colt has plenty happening in his pedigree. 

The chestnut is out of the high-class Australia mare Epona Plays, whose victories included Group victories in the Ridgewood Pearl and Park Express Stakes. 

Composing: winner of the Debutante Stakes this termCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Epona Plays has more than played her part for Australia’s burgeoning reputation as a broodmare sire, with his other daughters also producing top-class sprinter Lazzat, Group 2-winning miler and Poule d’Essai des Poulains  runner-up Dancing Gemini, plus Superlative Stakes scorer and Dewhurst third Ancient Truth. 

Lot 157
B c Dark Angel – Futoon (Kodiac)
Grangemore Stud

Kodiac mare Futoon has been some producer for Grangemore Stud, with the 12-year-old responsible for last year’s champion miler Charyn and his Mill Reef Stakes-winning brother Wings Of War. 

This colt is a brother to both and the presence of Charyn, a winner of the Queen Anne, Prix Jacques le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, will be a hugely positive aspect when he heads under the hammer. 

The Dark Angel sister to Charyn who sold to Godolphin for 2.9m guineas at Book 1 last yearCredit: Tattersalls

Charyn has just completed his first season at Nurlan Bizakov’s Montfort et Preaux and that owner secured the now three-year-old sister to the champion at Book 1 in 2023. The 850,000gns purchase, named Shinara, was fourth on debut at Kempton in August for Roger Varian. 

Futoon’s yearling of 2024, a sister to Charyn, Wings Of War, Shinara and this colt, sold to Godolphin for 2.9 million guineas at Book 1 last year, while there is a Blue Point filly foal on the ground this time around.