Germany’s premier yearling sale, held by BBAG at Baden-Baden over two days, ended Sept. 4 with substantial declines despite a much expanded catalogue.
A total of 324 yearlings went through the ring, with 242 selling for 7,315,500 euros, The average was 30,229 euros and the median was 28,469 euros.
Last year’s figures were 242 consigned and 203 purchased for 8,021,000 euros, The average was 39,512 and the median was 36,358.
The top end of the market was dominated by overseas money with Britain’s Blandford Bloodstock and Russian vodka distiller Rashit Shaykhutdinov making the headlines.
Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, in association with Paul Webber, was top buyer, with nine gained for 1,063,000 euros while Jurgen Albrecht, acting for the Russian, purchased four for 480,000 euros.
Gestut Karlshof’s Samum filly, sister to the group II German Oaks third-place finisher Baila Me, made the most on the day, at 250,000 euros, when bought by Blandford Bloodstock, which paid nearly as much, 240,000 euros, for a daughter of Dubawi from the family of Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) heroine Love Divine.
Blandford Bloodstock also bought Gestut Brummerhof’s Nayef colt from the family of Kahyasi for 200,000 euros on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell, plus the same vendor’s Monsun colt, bred from a half-sister to the dam of the champion Quijano, for 150,000 euros and Gestut Auenquelle’s Big Shuffle colt for 100,000 euros.
Former trainer Jurgen Albrecht went to 220,000 euros for Gestut Karlshof’s son of Samum out of the group III-winning Winged Love mare Kapitol, which makes the colt a brother to this year’s German Derby (Ger-I) victor Kamsin. He also purchased Gestut Fahrhof’s filly for 180,000 euros. The daughter of Monsun is from the Hernando mare La Hermana.
The top lot of the sale, a Monsun colt, went through the ring the previous evening for 480,000 euros.
BBAG managing director Carola Ortlieb commented, "Vendors at the top level were pleased. Very pleasing also was the strong foreign interest with especially England and Russia being very active this year.
"We all hope that we have now reached the very bottom and things will improve from now."
