THREE yearlings by Dubawi sold for seven-yearling sums at Tattersalls on Tuesday and Sheikh Mohammed bought all three of them.

On a rare visit to Newmarket, the Dubai ruler spent over six million guineas on eight horses in the name of Godolphin.

Leading the way at the opening session of Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale was the Dubawi half-brother to the listed-placed Voice Of Angels, who was sold for 1,500,000gns. Sheikh Mohammed’s agent Anthony Stroud had to see off leading Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida to secure the colt.

Consigned by Adrian and Philippa O’Brien’s Hazelwood Bloodstock, the regally bred colt is out of the Galileo mare Ring The Bell, a sister to dual Group 1 winner Hydrangea, the English and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa and Group 1 winner The United States. He was bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds.

“He’s by Dubawi and comes from an excellent farm,” said Stroud. “It’s a cross that works and it’s a wonderful family. The boss is here and he’s choosing these horses. He’s just a wonderful specimen of a thoroughbred, really.”

Early fireworks

The fireworks began early in the day when the Dubawi filly out of the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette winner and Group 1 Prix de l’Opera second Jazzi Top, who hails from the great Meon Valley Stud family of Colorspin, sold for 1,300,000gns. Charlie Gordon-Watson was amongst the bidders to set the early pace and Moyglare Stud’s Fiona Craig soon joined the fray, before the pair were usurped by Sheikh Mohammed's agent.

The Danehill Dancer mare Jazzi Top is herself the daughter of the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera winner Zee Zee Top and a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top, and the filly today was consigned by her breeder Meon Valley Stud.

"It's a good way to start the sale," remarked Stroud. "She is a very attractive filly from a very good farm and there is nothing more to be written about Dubawi is there? The boss picked her out and he has had a lot of success with the family going back to Opera House and Kayf Tara."

Cheveley Park colt

Sheikh Mohammed struck again for a Dubawi colt when paying one million guineas for Cheveley Park Stud’s colt out of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Persuasive.

"He is a very nice horse and Cheveley Park Stud do a fantastic job. He is out of a very good mare and by Dubawi, so there's a lot to like. He will go back to Moulton Paddocks," Stroud commented.

It's a family that trainer Charlie Appleby knows very well as the colt is a close relation to last season's Group 1 British Champions Sprint winner Creative Force, by Dubawi.

"He is about twice the size of Creative Force," remarked Stroud in answer to queries about similarities between the two. "But if his heart is half as big as Creative Force's then we will be very happy."

Godolphin also bought a Dubawi colt for 550,000gns from Newsells Park, a 400,000gns Dubawi colt from Highclere Stud, and colts by Siyouni (525,000gns), Sea The Stars (550,000gns) and No Nay Never (200,000gns).

Shadwell purchase

Sheikha Hissa, daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, was also a surprise attendee and she paid 880,000gns for a Siyouni filly out of Group 2 Middleton Stakes winner and St Leger second Lah Ti Dar.

Hubie de Burgh, stood alongside Australian breeder John Camilleri and Al Shira’aa Farms’ Kieran Lalor, both made bold bids to secure the regally bred filly, but it was Shadwell's agent Angus Gold who prevailed on behalf of Sheikha Hissa.

Gold said: "Sheikha Hissa is very excited to have bought a filly with such an outstanding pedigree. There are an awful lot of Group 1 horses under the second and third dams, and this is a beautiful filly who has been excellently nurtured by the Watership Down team. We are hoping to buy fillies with pedigrees for the future and this is one of the strongest pedigrees in the catalogue."

Book 1 continues at 11am on Wednesday.

DAY ONE STATISTICS

Current Year Previous Year Change %

Catalogued 183 168 +9

Withdrawn 21 14 +50

Offered 162 154 +5

Unsold 23 34 -32

Sold 139 120 +16

Aggrehate (gns) 31,993,000 25,201,000 +27

Median (gns) 160,000 150,500 +5

Average (gns) 230,165 210,008 +10

% sold 86% 78% +10