Sea The Stars filly sold

A DAUGHTER of Sea The Stars and the listed-placed Anna Mia sold for €820,000 at the BBAG Yearling Sale yesterday. The January-born filly is the first foal out of a daughter of Monsun and comes from the family of the Irish National Stud stallion National Defense, Grade 1 US winner Ave, champion Anna Monda and the Group 1 winners and sires Helmet and Epaulette. She was purchased by Matt Coleman of Stround Coleman Bloodstock for Godolphin. She was bred and sold by Gestut Brummerhof, the farm owned by Julia and Gregor Baum and where the Arc heroine Danedream was bred. The previous record, set two years ago, was €710,000.

Land Rover Bumper entries closing

ENTRIES for the Goffs Land Rover Bumper will close with Horse Racing Ireland next Wednesday, September 4th. Taking place at the 2020 Punchestown Festival, the valuable bumper is open to all horses that were offered for sale at the 2019 Goffs Land Rover Sale, and along with a prize fund of €100,000, the vendor of the winning horse will also take home a new Land Rover Discovery Commercial.

Stan Cosgrove funeral

STAN Cosgrove will repose at his home in Barrow House, Monasterevin, Co Kildare, today [Saturday] from 4pm to 8pm and on Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. The house is otherwise strictly private. His funeral Mass is on Monday at 11am in St Peter and Paul’s Church, Monasterevin, followed by burial in St Evin’s Cemetery. Family flowers only.

The retired Moyglare Stud manager and veterinary surgeon passed away on Thursday. A tribute to him appears on page 10.

Hillstar wins with first runner

DENIS Hickey of Garryrichard Stud in Foulkmills, Co Wexford, was delighted to hear this week that Hillstar’s first runner was a winner. Hillstar is a half-brother to Crystal Ocean, who up to last week was the highest rated horse in the world. Hillstar is by Danehill Dancer, also sire of the late Jeremy who was such a star for Garryrichard.

Hickey reported: “Hillstar’s first crop are only two years of age and, as he only covered a couple of flat mares, I was astonished to hear that his first ever runner had won a two-year-old race in the Czech Republic.”

Attraction’s owner passes

THE Duke of Roxburghe, the owner-breeder of dual 1000 Guineas winner Attraction, has died aged 64, ollowing a lengthy battle with cancer. Guy Innes Ker, who was the 10th Duke, died peacefully at his family’s ancestral home, Floors Castle, near Kelso, in the Scottish Borders.

The 10th Duke inherited the title on the death of his father in 1974, and followed his interest in racing. Guy Roxburghe soon made his mark as a commercial breeder thanks to purchasing Norfolk Light for 12,000 guineas in 1977. He sold her for 23,000gns five years later – but not before she had produced a colt by Welsh Pageant that made 25,000gns. The horse was Welnor, who went on to win the Italian Derby.

But it was with Attraction that he will be best remembered in racing. Rejected by Doncaster Bloodstock Sales because of her imperfect forelegs, she was sent to Mark Johnston’s stables in Middleham.

Including her two classics at Newmarket and the Curragh in 2004, Attraction won five Group 1s in all – and 10 of her 15 races. Her best progeny to date is Elarqam, an unlucky third in the International at York last week.

Irish winners to Hong Kong

HAZAPOUR, formerly trained by Dermot Weld, will touch down in Hong Kong today to begin a new racing career with trainer Danny Shum. The Shamardal colt finished fifth behind Masar in the 2018 Derby at Epsom and, this season, won the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes in good style before finishing down the field in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Also heading east is Andrew Slattery’s Kurpany, who was purchased after his four-and-a-half-length debut win at Tipperary.