THIS week’s Tattersalls Online December Sale was headed by the three-year old Cloudbreaker, and she realised an impressive 220,000gns to Avenue Bloodstock’s Mark McStay.

The expected highlight of the sale didn’t materialise when a breeding right to Havana Grey, still available to purchase, was unsold at 270,000gns. Last time that such a lot was offered it sold for 280,000gns.

A daughter of Sea The Stars, Cloudbreaker was a two-year-old winner over seven furlongs at Newmarket, and gained valuable blacktype in July when finishing second in the Listed Aphrodite Stakes at the same track, and earlier she ran fourth in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly also boasts an impressive page.

She is a half-sister to listed winners Lamar, by Sea The Stars’ sire Cape Cross, and Haddaf, and they are out of the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac-placed Cozzene mare Deveron. She, in turn, is a full-sister to the dual Grade 2 Canadian winner and Grade 1-placed Windward Islands, and a half-sister to the US stakes-winning juvenile Hunter Cruise.

After signing the virtual docket, McStay commented: “She’s a lovely filly and has been extremely well trained by Charlie Fellowes. I inspected her yesterday morning and was very taken by her - she’s gorgeous looking with a great walk.

“It’s a family I know very well from my days at Godolphin and Rabbah. I think it’s safe to say that Sea The Stars is looking like being a very good broodmare sire. She’s been bought for an Irish breeder with no mating plans yet, but we’re delighted to get her.”

Massive race

Charlie Fellowes said afterwards: “She was a very good racemare, she ran a massive race to finish fourth at Royal Ascot and got some blacktype after that. We felt that the Online Sale worked really well for her because we felt she stood out, and we were delighted with the price we got for her. I am very much look forward to following her babies when they no doubt turn up at Tattersalls.”

Among the other lots to find favour with bidders included the two-year-old Regal Defence who finished an eye-catching third at Kempton on his debut during the period of the sale, and sold for 52,000gns to trainer Ian Williams. He now leaves Roger Varian and the son of Pivotal is the sixth offspring of the Shamardal mare Al Sharood, and the previous five have all won. Al Sharood won four times and comes from the family of champion Mark Of Esteem, Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Local Talent, and Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Local Suitor.

Recent Dundalk winner Never Cry Never was purchased for 21,000gns by Ger O’Leary from Fozzy Stack’s Thomastown Castle Stables. This was the three-year-old son of No Nay Never’s second run on the all-weather, and he is one of seven winners out of the listed winner Dowager, That mare’s other winners include the Qatar Derby hero Full Moon. This is the immediate family of Grand Lodge.

Point-to-point

The four-year-old filly Reinitinruby, a recent third in a competitive point-to-point on just her second start for Matthew Kelly, also fetched 21,000gns when bought by Dan Astbury on behalf of Stockton Hall. The daughter of Leading Light, a half-sister to a couple of winners, is out of a Presenting half-sister to Rathlin, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles and fences and runner-up in the Grade 1 Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The Glebe Farm Stables consigned Mujabaha realised 18,000gns to Qatar-based Mohammed Al Attiyah. The daughter of Redoute’s Choice was offered in foal to exciting young sire Space Blues and had already produced a blacktype performer in the listed winner Magnanime. The mare’s other winner, Loquito, missed out on blacktype when he ran fourth in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe. This is the immediate family of the Group 1 classic winner Ghanaati, and she is the dam of a pair of pattern winners.