Tattersalls Session Topper to Race in U.S.

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Klaus Jacobs' Newsells Park Stud, one of the leading purchasers at breeding stock sales in recent years, took home the top lot at the Tattersalls December Sales when buying the twice classic- placed filly Midnight Angel (Acatenango) for 500,000 guineas from Union Stud in Germany.
       
Dick O'Gorman and underbidder Andy Smith were among the disappointed parties when the 3-year-old was knocked down to Newsells Park Stud's general manager Robert Acton, who sat with Jacobs opposite the auctioneer.

Midnight Angel, whose only success came at Mulheim in May, finished second to Salve Regina in the German Oaks having come third behind Guadalupe in the Italian equivalent at Milan.

"We will race her in America and I think the fact that she has only
won one race will be an advantage to her there," said Acton. "We have not had horses in training in the states before, it is a new venture for us, and we are in the process of picking a trainer." (End quote)

Hubie De Burgh, formerly manager of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Derrinstown Stud in Ireland, paid 440,000 guineas in his new role as a bloodstock agent for Valley Of Song (Caerleon), a sister to group I winning juvenile Preseli. Valley of Song was offered by Geraldine MacCann's Loughbrown and Martinstown Studs with a Machiavellian cover.
       
"She is going to Ireland and has been bought for a breeder developing a top-quality band of mares. It's a top family with a lot of things working for it and Machiavellian is just a top stallion -- he can get a turf or dirt horse," said de Burgh.
       
David and Diane Nagle's Irish farm Barronstown Stud in Co Wicklow bought a pair of 15-year-old mares offered by the French- based Wertheimer brothers.
       
Mabrova (Prince Mab), dam of Prix de l'Abbaye winner Kistena, was bought for 370,000gns through BBA Ireland's Adrian Nicoll with a Green Desert covering while Robert Nataf of Horse France paid 300,000 guineas for the Nagles to get Blushing Away (Blushing Groom), covered by Hennessy and dam of French group II winner and sire Gold Away (Goldneyev).
       
R. S. "Shel" Evans's Maryland-based Courtland Farm is the recipient of Spring Pitch (Storm Cat), a half-sister to top British sire Selkirk and in foal to Fantastic Light. She was bought for 250,000gns by agent Patrick Lawley-Wakelin.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES:

Year/Number Offered/Sold/Gross (guineas)/Average (guineas)/Median (guineas)

2002/262/200/10,991,500/54,957/30,000
2001/296/254/202/13,308,500/65,883/30,000

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